Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Geelong to Queenscliff Victoria
We spent only spent 4 days in Geelong enjoying the big city of Geelong as it was so close to the Royal Geelong Yacht Club that we could stroll into the city centre. Victoria has just implemented stage four water restricitons which mean that one cannot wash thier cars, or boats, only windows and mirrors with a hose, a bucket is acceptable. We collected mail and shopped for food, reprovisioning for the journey ahead. We were lucky to get our stay for free.
Getting up early this morning after a blustry night of 40+ knot winds we had showers, breakfast, refllied the water tanks and got ready to drop ropes to sail to Queenscliff. Interesting the wind had dropped to 20 knots but was side on meaning that we could not get out of our pen easily. We did contemplate not going but clever Paul rigged up a rope from a nearby boat pulling us off the rear pylon and I had to let it go at a strategic time as well as toss two other ropes off (oposite sides of course) in split second timing. All went according to plan and we headed out with our genoa up in 25-30 knots winds. We sailed (with no motor) getting an average of 6 knots. It was an absolutely brilliant and very invigorating sail. However, arriving near Queenscliff the wind shifted to a southerly which meant that it was on the nose, so we pulled the genoa in and motored the last 30min into Queenscliff. The entry into Queenscliff is near the heads and with the heads right in front of us it we did consider the option of keeping on going to Hastings but decided against it deciding to check the weather and tides more thoroughly before committing ourselves.
Mooring outside the Queenscliff Yacht Club we put the kettle on and had lunch. The trip took 5 an half hours. We are expecting a windy night tonight. Will explore the township tomorrow unless the weather and tides are ideal and then we will head off into Bass Strait and around to Hastings.
Getting up early this morning after a blustry night of 40+ knot winds we had showers, breakfast, refllied the water tanks and got ready to drop ropes to sail to Queenscliff. Interesting the wind had dropped to 20 knots but was side on meaning that we could not get out of our pen easily. We did contemplate not going but clever Paul rigged up a rope from a nearby boat pulling us off the rear pylon and I had to let it go at a strategic time as well as toss two other ropes off (oposite sides of course) in split second timing. All went according to plan and we headed out with our genoa up in 25-30 knots winds. We sailed (with no motor) getting an average of 6 knots. It was an absolutely brilliant and very invigorating sail. However, arriving near Queenscliff the wind shifted to a southerly which meant that it was on the nose, so we pulled the genoa in and motored the last 30min into Queenscliff. The entry into Queenscliff is near the heads and with the heads right in front of us it we did consider the option of keeping on going to Hastings but decided against it deciding to check the weather and tides more thoroughly before committing ourselves.
Mooring outside the Queenscliff Yacht Club we put the kettle on and had lunch. The trip took 5 an half hours. We are expecting a windy night tonight. Will explore the township tomorrow unless the weather and tides are ideal and then we will head off into Bass Strait and around to Hastings.
