Malua
An Adams cruising yacht
I picked up a mooring buoy and waited for the call to collect the family from the beach. It came and we loaded all the stuff into the dinghy and I let Theo drive the boat to Malua. He had not forgotten the lessons learn the previous year. One all were settled he wanted to take the dinghy for a spin with just himself which after a bit of discussion from the adults the 12 year old was allowed to take off.
I believe in telling kids the risks they face in great detail just what to look out for. Theo set off and as expected he turned the throttle wide open and the dinghy jumped forward and he got the expected scare and slowed down. From then onwards he drove it with caution and came alongside with easy and skill. He now had to step up and hold the wheel of Malua when we went out the heads and into the open sea.
It was now Ruby's turn to drive the dinghy as she had done the previous year and again I had to supervise her because she is not strong enough to restart the outboard if it stops. She has some way to go in perfecting the speed of approach to come alongside the stern but that will come with age and practice.
Everybody was assigned a bunk for the night and I cooked some fish for dinner. Nicola and Ruby left the next day for their home while Dean, Theo and I prepared too go to sea.
We let the mooring buoy go and started towards the open sea with Theo at the helm.
He soon settled down to steer a course towards a distant point but as we passed Point Perpendicular the confused sea got the better of him and his stomach and I had to take over. The confused seas as always off the steep cliffs is a challenge especially when doing north because the further out one goes the faster the current against you while close to the rocks the sea can be very lumpy. Once past the NE headland the sea settled but there was still no wind so we continued to motor towards Wollongong.
Just then the first pod of dolphins appeared and surfed on our bow wave for a number of minutes. Theo and Dean rushed to the bow to get close. It is always a great feeling to be escorted on one’s trip by a pod. After a while they dropped away and we approached Port Kembla and then Wollongong lighthouse.
We picked up the mooring right in the middle of the triathlon swimming course. After a visit from some swimmer I went ashore and assured the official I would move later in the afternoon. We went alongside a very large aluminium barge and secured fore and after with all the fenders I had onboard.
The family had dinner the retreated to their own home. I was left on board with a ringside seat for the conning day. An qualifying event for Australia, NZ and South Africa for the Triathlon Olympic in Paris France.
The event was exciting not only the swim section in the crystal clear sea water of the harbour but the ride and run which took place right around the harbour precincts. I could wander from one section to the next with ease. The full days was taken up with different events for different groups – kids, youngster, women, older men and then the final race.
The local lad Luke Williams came first with the South African Jamie Riddle second in-front of the Chile runner and then Taylor Ried from New Zealand. None of these made it to the finals at the Paris Olympics although Hayden Wilde from New Zealand did come second.
The family came on board for dinner. I set sail for Bermagui the next day.
Unlike the last trip south this was an easy, calm and pleasant one
right into Bermagui. Nothing to report
The photos are here...
The next major cruise will be to Tasmania....