DAY 27 – Monday 9th March 2009

0000 hours on Day 27 finds Rosinante still at sea and still only 20 miles south of Cape Sorell. Tacking against wind and current in a confused sea does not make for a good VMG (Velocity Made Good over the ground) in a cruising boat. Soon after, the wind dropped and the sea calmed down so we could motor-sail the rest of the way south. We arrived in Port Davey just after lunch to moor in Iola Bay in the Bathurst Channel, one of our favourite south-west wilderness anchorages.


This picture shows some of the rocks marking the northern approach to Port Davey. The fisherman call this one the Coffee Pot, and the reef next to it the Shark’s Teeth. In between, it is just possible to see South West Cape some 15 miles further south.


In the evening, from our Iola Bay anchorage we could see the Wizard of Oz making her way east along the Bathurst Channel with the last of the evening sun illuminating the western slopes of Mt Rugby

By the evening sched, 23 of the 35 boats remaining in the VDL-C fleet have reached Port Davey. Mary Kay of Smithton radio informs us that Ghost Dog and K-yacht-ic, having reached Cuvier Bay on the western side of Hunter Island decided against the west coast and were withdrawing from the VDL-C cruise to return to Port Phillip via King Island. Of the now somewhat depleted Stanley contingent heading south, Glenn Robert, Justine II, Lavinda and Truant were pausing in Strahan for a rest and fuel; while Aurora and First Light were pressing on to Port Davey. Having dallied in the Gordon River, Maa Malni passed through Hells Gates and also was on her way south.


DAY 28 – Tuesday 10th March 2009

The day started out being quite dull and grey. Despite these unpromising conditions, the Fargo crew plus Peter Bird from Rosinante decided to tackle Mt Rugby. Here are reciprocal views – one from the Iola Bay anchorage, and the other by Peter Bird from the top of the mountain

            

However, the sky soon cleared for the climbers to see some of the finest views in all the world.

  

                               

The left hand picture shows Claytons Corner and Melaleuca Inlet on the upper right with the airstrip in the distance. The white-lined island on the left is the westernmost Celery Top Island. The right hand picture is of the Bathurst Channel looking west-south-west. Skie has just passed through The Narrows (on the lower right). Behind The Narrows, the low hill above the small right hand beach is Balmoral Hill (shown only as a cross on the map). In the far distance is Hilliard Head and the East Pyramids – the turning point out of Port Davey on the passage south to South West Cape. Horseshoe Inlet is the body of water on the middle left. the lower picture is of the Fargo crew on the summit of Mt Rugby.

The Stanley contingent continues their efforts to catch up with the main body of the fleet.. During the day, Aurora, Maa Malni, Truant, Justine II and First Light arrive in Port Davey. Lavinda and Glenn Robert are on their way from Macquarie Harbour. Tom Bowling and Gadfly continued to take advantage of the clement weather to stay the night in Nye Bay at the mouth of the Giblin River, having spent the previous night in Hartwell Cove. Now only Wild Goose is dallying in Macquarie Harbour.

DAY 29 – Wednesday 11th March

Another fine still day found Rosinante in Casilda Cove with Masterpiece. Both crews decided on a quick excursion to the top of Balmoral Hill for a photo opportunity. The picture shows Rosinante’s 1st mate on the left with most of the Masterpiece crew; Schooner Cove is in the background. The other picture shows the eastern part of the Bathurst Channel. Balmoral Beach is in the foreground and Bathurst Harbour beyond.

   

In the still of the morning, the reflections were pretty good too. Here are Masterpiece and Rosinante with clouds reflected in the dark brown water.



The day was perfect for a lunchtime barbecue. Most of the fleet assembled in the north-west corner of Bramble Cove. The right hand picture shows a Victoria-Tasmania beach cricket match under way. (For the record, sundries had the highest score and Tasmania won - mainly because as the home side, we kept the score.)
     

By now the entire VDL-C fleet was in Port Dav, except for Aquabat who today made a break for Recherche Bay and Wild Goose still in Macquarie Harbour. The weather looks to be set to stay clement for at least another day or two. However, boats are being encouraged to plan to be in Recherche Bay by Saturday evening before the next cold front is due to arrive.

DAY 30 – Thursday 12th March

Today is another of those spectacularly beautiful days on the west coast – a perfect day for exploration and sightseeing. Some boats took their dinghies up the Davey River to the gorge. Others, including Rosinante. decided it was time to tackle the south coast. We decided on New Harbour. Miri went to Louisa Bay and Holge Danske, Lemaris, Shonandra and Slainte Vars ended up in Recherche Bay.

By evening, there were 18 boats in Spain Bay ready for the off early in the morning – to head for either Recherche or Dover.

The pictures show two views of South West Cape – Tasmania’s Cape Horn. It even looks like a smaller version of it. The first is from the west side; the second is from the south looking north.