The forecast saw the group split into a northern and southern pod with the five paddlers in northern pod taking the furnace run. The 20Kn SE turned it into a blast which worked well with a falling tide due to bottom out around midday. Having taken the last two car parks at the boat passage, Brian and Sal were relegated to park outside. At least five unrecognised cars sported kayak racks. A ute had a particularly elegant custom rack capable of holding up to three kayaks with two paddles in between.
Tom clearly needs a break from work as he took the front hatch cover off. While he used to put 9 litres up the front improve his Raider's manners, he has been a Mirage paddler for sometime now and the only reason to take the front hatch cover off is to go on an expedition. We made a leisurely start as Sal had already had an early AM rendezvous with the RACQ. Leaving the passage on a falling tide the five kayaks kept to the channel heading into an oncoming breeze. Watching four kayaks or skis being carried or lugged across the mud flats kept us there before
finally turning to port and making a beeline for Green. Here we came across three more kayakers in timber plywood craft, two of which were Chesapeake 17s. Green's rock strewn mudflat was growing by the minute and looking pretty uninviting so it was up with the sails and straight onto St Helena.
It was an easy sail to the sandy point under the jetty but the swell was not quite big enough to get a grip. The Cat-O-Nine Tails had lumbered passed carrying Squid and his family for a civil day out while ferals took their pew on the sand in the relative shelter of the wall. Soaking up the warmth we enjoyed Sal's fresh homemade strawberry kisses. Strawberry because there was no raspberry jam in the pantry. Consensus was that some raspberry
kisses would have to turn up on another paddle for the authentic
taste test. Around the same time the southern pod lunged into Carol's chocolate cake.
As there were no further stopping places morning tea morphed into lunch while the tide turned and the SE wound itself up as predicted. The strengthening wind change only became apparent once out of the shelter of the wall. The casuarinas were singing and the chop more crested. Time to make a move. Even though we were in the lee of the island those with sails zinged along the inside of the sheltering yachts to the final channel marker where it was time to turn to port and head for the end of the rock wall at the port.
The wind was a steady 18 - 22Kn and straight from behind. While it was tempting to leave the sail up, anyone without one would have no hope of keeping up and it seemed likely that it would get quite lumpy out of the lee of the island. So it was a radio call to downsail, group up and turn left. True to form the Raider showed no manners and was more likely to become a rider of the surf (and other boats) so we kept our distance. Once you were on a wave it was easy to scoot across to the next and within five pick ups you would be 300m ahead of the pack. Whacko this was fun. Even without a sail Mark clocked 17kph surfing the chop. Sailing would have been possible although you would have to be careful about what you caught and everyone would have to have a sail to keep pace.
We were not the only ones coming into port with a container ship being piloted into berth with crane number 10. A small boat came up the river with intent slowed down and essentially told us to **** off. Nicely handled, but a wasted trip as we were already well clear of the end of the wharf. Tom put out a radio call regarding the wash of the outgoing China Shipping monster. I looked to the bow and then the stern, yeah, so what, not much going on at either end. I heard it before I saw it. Sal's tsunami. A metre high perfect rolling wave coming down the river. An oncoming surf launch I hadn't seen it for the sail. Time to drop my pants and head straight for deep water, Brian on the other hand was too close to the bank and copped a surf launch breaking through like a true wave warrior. After avoiding the
wave Sal was heading out for the middle of the channel and not coming back. Brian and I went out to call her back, but there was no point calling her, she couldn't turn. The SE ripping over the wall had a hold of her and was keeping her out. We went out and shepherded the boat around and into the wind. Time to think about carrying some form of towing gear as a quick hitch would have been a lot more efficient compared with poking the bow with a paddle.
Staying close to the shelter of the wall was a wise move as there was a lot of chunky river traffic about including MiCat, Tangalooma Flier and another whale watching boat. At one stage it was fun and games trying to figure out what the MiCat was up too. It looked like he was going to pass on the portside. Had our tight little pod zig zagging like a school of stalked fish.
The wharves have both been renovated and extended considerably. The container ships were simply enormous. By the time we reached the sandy beach on Fisherman's Island it was time to go in for a leg stretch. The two pilot boats who had nudged the container ship into the berth passed by and put up a great wash to ride in on. Brian was ahead and looked like he was going to nose straight into the beach. This wash was asking for ride so we took it. Problem was that Brian had been on the back of the wave and not gone all the way in. We (on the face of it) flew by at mach one and raided his landing possie finishing up the way an Artic Raider does - slewed sideways. By now Brian had his deck off and had not realised that the bump in the water had around six more friends with his open cockpit in their sights. Slight technical hitch as he now had nowhere to go except into a 5.4m grinning obstruction. Oops sorry Brian - but it was a great ride in.
Rounding the end of Fisherman's Island it was face into the SE and the run in tide. The banks were lined with people fishing while a solitary dolphin hassled people in knee deep water at the boat ramp. The dolphin was not leaving in a hurry and seemed like it was trying to cadge a feed.
The trip was a blast and a brilliant way to make the most of a day with a midday low and a fresh SE blow. Highly recommended for those with sails. Limited room for chicken feathers.
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