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"IT'S FREE TO ENJOY AHOY!"
JULY 2023
Ilot Maitre- New Caledonia Photo Credit J.Coomer s.v mySerenity
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IN THE JULY AHOY Members Prize Draw Winner.
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Free Sailing To Australia Information Sessions.
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Warm Welcome To New Caledonia.
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FEATURE ARTICLE - An Ordeal Or An Adventure?
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Go East Rally - Murphy Award 2023.
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The Adventure Continues NC2V Rally to Vanuatu.
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Fee-Free Entry Into Australia - 2023 Go West Rally.
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East Coast Cruising Seminars.
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FEATURE ARTICLE - Pan Pan Not Part Of The Plan Plan.
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Go East Rally - Spirit Of The Rally Award 2023
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FEATURE ARTICLE - Cruising New Zealand's Fiordland (Part 3)
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FEATURE ARTICLE Healthy Cruising In The Pacific Islands (Part 4)
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Members Marketplace
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Marine Business Directory
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Published by Down Under Rally Pty Ltd To submit an article or to enquire about advertising, contact John Hembrow Email: admin@downunderrally.com
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A U S T R A L I A & T H E S O U T H P A C I F I C
©Copyright 2023 Down Under Rally Pty Ltd AHOY Sailing News is published and distributed electronically via the world wide web. Original editorial content & advertisements in this newsletter are copyrighted and the exclusive property of Down Under Rally Pty Ltd. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the Down Under Rally Pty Ltd. The comments and views in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Down Under Rally Pty Ltd.
Members Prize Draw Congratulations... David & Donna C - Member Number 112. You are this month's winner of the PredictWind Down Under Rally Members Prize Draw. Each month the Down Under Rally draws the name of one of our members as the winner of the member's prize draw. The winner chooses any item from the woman's or men's range of PredictWind Clothing plus a PredictWind Cap. predictwind.com/clothing-shop
BECOME A MEMBER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN downunderrally.com/membership
SAILING TO AUSTRALIA
FREE INFORMATION SESSIONS VANUATU & NEW CALEDONIA WHERE & WHEN? 18TH AUGUST 2023 | PORT VILA | VANUATU | 09:30 - 11:30 11TH OCTOBER 2023 | PORT MOSELLE | NEW CALEDONIA | 15:00-17:00
WHO IS INVITED? The captain and first mate of all vessels that are interested in visiting Australia
WHAT INFO WILL BE SHARED? Ports of Entry | Passage Planning | Pre & Post Arrival Formalities Customs and Biosecurity Inspections | Cyclone Season & Vessel Storage options East Coast Cruising info | Question and Answer Session
VANUATU MORNING TEA INCLUDED COMPLIMENTS OF SCARBOROUGH MARINA!*
NEW CALEDONIA JOIN US AFTERWARDS FOR A SUNDOWNER COMPLIMENTS OF SCARBOROUGH MARINA!*
NUMBERS LIMITED- RSVP REQUIRED RSVP AT:
www.downunderrally.com/sailing-to-australia-info
SW PACIFIC TO AUSTRALIA
OR SCAN THE QR CODE.
SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND CRUISING YACHT HAVEN Located ON Brisbane's Moreton Bay, Scarborough Marina provides visiting yachts with easy access to the many anchorages and the islands of Moreton Bay, including Moreton Island and the Tangalooma Wrecks. The City of Brisbane and the Brisbane international airport are only 40mins away, with Public Transport right at our door. The suburb of Scarborough is home to families and retirees who form part of the safe & friendly community. With the convenience of waterfront Cafes, Clubs & Restaurants plus major shopping centres and medical services nearby and our popular weekend farmers & craft markets, Scarborough really is a home away from home!
Recognised by the international cruising community as the preferred destination when visiting the Brisbane Region. Safe Enclosed Harbour Protected from swell & unaffected by flooding. Clean, Modern & Well Maintained Facilities Modern Cruisers Lounge with TV and free WIFI Electronic gated Access, with 24 Hour CCTV Monitoring 24 Hour Fuel Wharf Full-Service Boatyard with 35 Tonne Travelift On-Site Chandlery
DISCOUNTS FOR DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS
Tangalooma Anchorage Moreton Island
PH: +61 7 3880 0300
SCARBMARINA.COM.AU info@scarbmarina.com.au
READ PAST ISSUES OF AHOY!
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Warm Welcome To New Caledonia
By John Hembrow Down Under Rally
The 2023 Go East Yacht Rally participants enjoyed a warm welcome to New Caledonia, and our End Of Passage Party at Double Tree Hilton Ilot Maitre Resort, where we announced the winners of the Spirit Of The Rally & The Murphy Awards, and then the party started! The pictures and the video tell the story.
Warm Welcome To New Caledonia
By John Hembrow Down Under Rally
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An Ordeal Or An Adventure?
“Why do I chase this lifestyle?” This was the thought that kept repeating in my head during the 35 hours we spent on a parachute anchor 450Nm off the coast of Australia. Thomas Du Toit, owner and master of s.v Vaquita
An Ordeal Or An Adventure? After an exciting departure from Southport and a reasonably comfortable few days at sea, we approached day three of our journey when things quickly took a turn for the worse... At approximately 0200, whilst on watch and hand steering at the helm, a repetitive bang emerged from the bow of the vessel. I immediately turned on the deck lights to see the ¾ furled Genoa flapping uncontrollably.
s.v Vaquita departing Southport for New Caledonia May 2023
Suspecting there was a serious issue, I called my crew member & friend Nicola (Nic) on deck and instructed her to start the engine on her way up. Vaquita was put to wind, and Nic took the helm as I went forward to assess the situation further. I soon discovered the anchor and roller were over the side of the vessel, violently impacting the starboard bow and causing significant damage as a result of a bowsprit failure. I determined that the best course of action would be to deploy the parachute anchor off the bow to gain control of the vessel. Four hours later, with the help of a spare halyard and some heavy-duty ratchet straps, Nic and I finished retrieving the bow roller and anchor just in time for the sun to rise.
An Ordeal Or An Adventure? After an exhausting night and given that the current conditions of 25kts gusting 28kts with a 3.5m swell were set to increase to 4m within 24 hours, Given that we were pretty much halfway between Australia & New Caledonia I felt the best course of action was to remain on the parachute anchor until conditions improved, and hopefully allowing us to get some rest before attempting to retrieve it and continue the voyage. It was not long afterwards that Murphy decided to get involved...
Tom & Nic at the Go East Rally Kokomo Island BBQ prior to departing The Gold Coast
We resumed our standard 3-hour watch system with Nic going below to get rest while I took the first watch. At the end of my watch, I retired to my aft cabin where I heard unusual noises coming from the vicinity of the steering arrangement. I removed the access panel in the cabin to expose the steering system and could see no obvious issue, however the clunking noises continued.
Returning on deck I requested Nic to turn the rudder from full port to full starboard to observe rudder movement from the swim step. After seeing limited movement, I retrieved my emergency tiller and installed it directly to the rudder shaft, removing the rudder arm to test the steering independent of the steering system. It was at this point that I discovered the rudder was moving independently of the emergency tiller. This was later to be determined as coupling damage between the shaft and rudder. I now suspect that the impact of the swell on the rudder during the uncomfortable period post the deployment of the parachute anchor caused the damage to the steering system.
An Ordeal Or An Adventure? During the hours that followed, I was in contact with Down Under Rally organiser John Hembrow and Peter Mott of Passage Guardian using my Iridium GO! email and messaging applications. Peter & John took 12-hour shifts to ensure someone was constantly receiving updates from me on the situation. Peter had also informed AMSA/JRCC (Joint Rescue Coordination Center) of our situation, who were included in these updates. It was during one of these updates that John suggested I regularly monitor the parachute anchor bridle for any sign of chafing. Taking John`s advice, I went forward and discovered that the bridle was already suffering from a serious chafe problem; however, I was unable to safely remedy the situation due to the lack of vessel manoeuvrability, the sea state & the load that was on the bridal.
Vaquita, with her parachute anchor deployed, having suffered a bowsprit failure that resulted in her anchor dangerously impacting the topsides of the hull, which was soon followed by a loss of steering.
Knowing that the loss of the parachute was inevitable, there was an urgent need to determine a method of gaining back control of the rudder. After hours of brainstorming that included several emails, messages and broken satellite voice comms with John, Peter and some of my fellow rally participants who were also aware of our situation and providing much-appreciated suggestions and support and a number of failed attempts to devise a method of steering Vaquita I determined that by removing the anodes from the top outer corner of the rudder blade I could attach lines to the rudder blade and run them port and starboard to cockpit winches.
An Ordeal Or An Adventure? Whilst we were now able to steer the vessel in unrestricted waters, I did not feel confident in the safety of transiting the reef pass into Noumea. By now, JRCC had handed us off the MRCC Noumea as we had entered their area of responsibility.
Note the track whilst under jury rigged steering system
35 hours spent on a parachute anchor HERE
Vaquita's PredictWind Tracking Page shows her voyage route from Southport to Noumea
With Johns's assistance and at my request, MRCC Noumea arranged for a safety vessel to meet Vaquita on the seaward side of Dumbea Pass, where we planned to enter the lagoon and tow us through the pass and into Port Moselle Marina. We had almost made it! As we approached Port Moselle, we were warmly welcomed by an entourage of Down Under Rally tenders, an incredible feeling after a challenging few days, which I am yet to decide as to whether they were part of an ordeal or an adventure...
An Ordeal Or An Adventure?
Tom shows the method he used to steer Vaquita
Vaquita's Missing bowsprit & hull damage
New bowsprit and anchor roller fabrication
As good as new & ready for the next adventure
An Ordeal Or An Adventure? As mentioned throughout the course of these events, we were in constant contact with Peter Mott from Passage Guardian, Bob McDavitt from Metbob, John Hembrow from the Down Under Rally, JRCC Australia, and MRCC Noumea – Thank you for your constant support!
After a few weeks out of water repairing damage, Vaquita is now back exploring the beautiful islands of New Caledonia... Reminding me why I chose this lifestyle.
As a result of Vaquita's ordeal, or was it an adventure? ... anyway ordeal or adventure aside, the events that took place during their passage to New Caledonia left no doubt in our mind that Tom & Nicola should receive the not so coveted Murphy Award for the 2023 Go East Rally.
Tom & Nic accepting the Murphy Award during the End Of Paassage Celebrations at Ilot Maitre
A footnote from John Hembrow - Down Under Rally Many years ago, when we were preparing our first sailing vessel Migalloo and ourselves to venture beyond the horizon for the first time, I was equally excited and terrified by the prospect of sailing across oceans. Bob Bitchin Biker, Sailor & Author, served as one of my inspirations during this time, and the following saying, which I believe he came up with, resonated with me: "Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure." Twenty years and 60,000 nautical miles later, I am less excited by the prospect of ocean passages and no longer terrified; however, I confess to being apprehensive every time we depart and relieved every time we arrive. I share Bob`s advice about attitude at each Go East Rally departure briefing because, in the words of Kurt Russell's character Captain Ron in the movie of the same name...
OFFSHORE CRUISING PREPARATION COURSE
Great content in a logical sequence Greg & Sondra April 2023
AVAILABLE ONLINE - ON DEMAND FOR ONLY $125.00!
Excellent! Lots of useful checklists, ideas and opinions based on experience. David B June 2023
LEARN MORE: downunderrally.com/offshore-cruising-prep-courses
http://blog.mailasail.com/walkabout https://hydrovane.com/true-stories/
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HOW LONG SINCE YOUR PFD WAS SERVICED? Before we departed for New Caledonia with the Go East Rally, we dropped off our Crewsaver PFDs for servicing by Southern Seas Marine, who, after performing an initial inspection, advised us that in addition to the usual replacement of the Co2 canister, new auto inflators & lights were needed. Fortunately, we had arranged for the service to be done well in advance of our departure date as the new auto inflaters need to be ordered. Once the new components were fitted, the jackets were manually inflated and left for 24 hours to make sure there were no leaks before being repacked and ready for use. With something as important as this, we leave it to the professionals to carry out the service.
SOUTHERN SEAS MARINE OFFICE, SHOWROOM AND WAREHOUSE: Gold Coast City Marina. (Front Row of Shops) Telephone: 0755029666 www.southernseasmarine.com.au
https://www.van uatu.travel/en/l okol/nawimbamagazine
THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES - NEXT STOP, VANUATU!
D E IB R C NS S B TIO U S RA Y D L ST E L S I FU EG LO R C
Departs New Caledonia 03/08/23*
*Subject To Weather
THE NC2V RALLY IS A 14-DAY SAIL IN COMPANY YACHT RALLY FROM NOUMEA, NEW CALEDONIA, TO PORT VILLA VANUATU. In August, the NC2V rally fleet of 20 yachts will visit Tanna, Erromango & Port Villa. During the rally, participants have the opportunity to attend various events, including Welcome Ceremonies, Feasts, Kustom Magic, Cultural performances, School & Village Tours, Mt Yasur Volcano tour, ancestral burial cave tours & more.
HERES A TASTE OF WHAT AWAITS...
More Information: downunderrally.com/nc2v-rally
On behalf of the Down Under Rally & our Down Under Rally Members, we are proud to support Tooth Buddies Vanuatu. Tooth Buddies manufacture coconut oil-based toothpaste in Port Vila and have created a school brushing program involving 4,000 children at 72 locations in association with the Vanuatu Ministry of Health and local group PCV Health. (Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu health program). The Tooth Buddie program is all about establishing life-changing oral hygiene habits in Kindy and Grade 1 children and then using this knowledge and experience as a gateway into families and the broader community.
If you would like to support this very worthwhile project, visit: toothbuddies.com.au for more info.
Experience ALL that Vanuatu has to offer with the Rocket Guide
DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS SAVE 20% WHEN YOU PURCHASE THE ROCKET CRUISING GUIDES! LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ROCKET GUIDES HERE:
DOWNUNDERRALLY.COM/ROCKET-CRUISING-GUIDES
Our seawall and swing moorings are ready! We can’t wait to see you back in Port Vila this season! yachtingworld-vanuatu.com
SAILMAKING EVOLVED Evolution Sails Australia has been the local sail loft of choice supporting local sailors and cruisers visiting the Gold Coast for more than 30 years. Located centrally on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Evolution Sails provide a full design, manufacture and service loft for the East Coast of Queensland. Our experienced sailmakers specialise in cruising and racing sails for yachts, catamarans, sports boats and dinghies. Evolution Sails Gold Coast are fully qualified sailmakers with over 100 combined years of sailing and racing experience making and repairing your high-tech racing or cruising sails, boom bags and covers. Repairs and re-cuts are done promptly and efficiently with a fast turnaround time. Complimenting our full range of services are Boombag stack-packs, boom covers, trampolines, rope and chandlery.
ASK US ABOUT DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBER DISCOUNTS
PH: 07 5537 7433 | EMAIL: INFO@EVOLUTIONAUST.COM.AU | W:DOWNUNDERRALLY.COM/SAILS/RIGGING
FEE FREE ENTRY INTO AUSTRALIA
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PLUS DISCOUNTS ON MARINA FEES, BOATYARDS & MORE
REGISTER NOW downunderrally.com/go-west-rally SCAN THE QR CODE.
*conditions apply - see website for details
INFORMATION FOR YACHTS ARRIVING IN AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIAN YACHTS RETURNING TO AUSTRALIA If your vessel has departed from Australia, you will be required to re-import your vessel when you return to Australia. If the vessel was tax paid when it left Australia, you should not have to pay import duty or GST again; however, only the ABF can confirm this. If the ABF confirms this is the case, they will likely inform you that you will need to complete some paperwork on arrival to re-import the vessel and that they strongly recommend you employ a customs agent to assist with the completion and lodgement of the associated paperwork. Those who are in doubt as to the accuracy of the above information can contact the Bundaberg Office of The Australian Border Force by emailing: bundaberg@abf.gov.au.
YACHTS VISITING AUSTRALIA A Control Permit will be issued to the Master of the craft if the Australian Border Force is satisfied the craft is transiting Australia for non-commercial purposes. Control Permits may be issued for a period of 12 months or the length of the Master's visa, whichever is less. An extension of the permit may be granted on application, provided that you meet eligibility requirements and have an appropriate visa. A person eligible to apply for a Control Permit must be a tourist or a temporary resident of Australia. Australian citizens are not eligible for a Control Permit unless they have overseas residency. For a Control Permit to be issued, the craft must meet the following criteria: craft must have arrived from overseas and will be scheduled to depart for overseas craft must have arrived under its own power and not as cargo craft must be transiting Australia for non-commercial purposes i.e. is not engaged in the commercial carriage of cargo or passengers craft may be privately or corporately owned (however, a Control Permit is not granted where a craft is owned by a corporation and more than 50% of the owners of the corporation are Australian residents) craft must not be employed for any activities of a commercial nature (e.g. charter, hire or lease) craft, or parts of the craft, are not to be offered for sale, sold or otherwise disposed of. The Down Under Rally has a long-standing relationship with DAZMAC, which is a licenced customs broker. The Down Under Rally recommends contacting DAZMAC to get a quote from them to act as your agent should you be required to export or import a vessel. You can make an obligation-free enquiry with Dazmac via the following page of the Down Under Rally website: www.downunderrally.com/agents. DAZMAC OFFERS DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS SIGNIFICANT DISCOUNTS.
LEARN MORE HERE
Sailing To Australia? Whitsunday Island, Queensland, Australia
Our two comprehensive guides (11 pages each guide) provide you with everything you need to know about sailing to and arriving in Australia in easy-to-understand plain English
The guides are included in the 2023 Go West Rally entry fee.
Learn more about the benefits of joining the Go West Rally at:
"The most popular port of entry into Australia, Bundaberg Port Marina has been welcoming visitors from across the globe for decades"
TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR
Bundaberg Port Marina 15-17 Marina Drive Port Bundaberg QLD 4670 AUSTRALIA P: (+61) 7 4159 5066 E: info@bundabergportmarina.com.au W: bundabergportmarina.com.au
EAST COAST CRUISING & LOCAL KNOWLEDGE SEMINARS "full of necessary and otherwise hard-to-find information" s.v Moondance 2022Go West Rally Participant
Free to attend for 2023 Go West Rally Participants
The information & local knowledge we share during these welcome week seminars makes sure that your time cruising in Australia will be memorable for all the right reasons.
LEARN MORE ABOUT WELCOME WEEK 2023 AT: downunderrally.com/welcome-week
https://www.everythingmarine australia.com.au/ Down Under Rally Members Offer: $50.00 OFF MAST & RIGGING SURVEY REPORTS
Pan Pan Not Part Of The Plan Plan.
Of all the things you plan for when preparing for an ocean passage, responding to a midocean Pan Pan and subsequently taking a stricken vessel under tow is not probably one of them, but maybe it should be...
Pan Pan - Not Part Of The Plan Plan. The morning of the 18th of May saw the 2023 Go East Rally fleet depart the Southport Seaway for the much anticipated 800nm voyage to New Caledonia.
With favourable winds of between 15-20 knots from the SW, as the Gold Coast skyline disappeared from view and the swell began to rise, the sun dipped on the western horizon, and the business of ocean sailing began. For Andree (the first mate), John (the captain) & James (crew member) of the vessel Lai Lai Lady the adventure was living up to their expectations. Having spent their first night at sea under full sail and averaging just over 9.0kts SOG, all was going to plan; however, soon after daybreak, a Pan Pan call by the trimaran Iria would mark the beginning of an adventure of a different kind. What follows is a summary provided by Andree from Lai Lai Lady of just what that new adventure entailed. s.v Lai Lai Lady departing Southport 18th May 2023
s.v Iria departing Southport 18th May 2023
Pan Pan - Not Part Of The Plan Plan. John had just gone below to make a cup of tea and heard a call from Iria requesting assistance. Having not heard the initial Pan Pan, John responded to Fred (the captain of Iria), who explained that Iria had experienced a "complete failure of the rudder SS frame and lower plate resulting in the rudder hanging on just by one pin and flapping against the hull". Over the next half hour, Lai Lai Lady called AMSA, the Down Under Rally organisers and discussed the options. The vessel Hideaway who was also nearby and aware of the situation, contacted Lai Lai Lady and Iria, offering their assistance, but as we (Lai Lai Lady) were much closer and had the situation in hand, it was decided that the assistance of Hideway was not required. AMSA advised that we (Lai Lai Lady) were the closest vessel and suggested that if we were able and willing to tow Iria back to Southport was the best option. We all just looked at each other and agreed that this was something we had to do. Iria looked so vulnerable and small, and they were completely disabled. John assessed that, given the abating seas and wind, Lai Lai Lady should be capable of towing Iria and talked about it with us. It was about an hour after we had turned around and were heading back to Southport that I (Andree) looked at John and said … well… I guess that means we are not going to New Caledonia. It was a bit surreal. Fred and John set about devising the bridle/ tow rope set up on both boats, with help from our crew member James Murphy. I need to point out that at this time, I (Andree) was terribly seasick and only able to assist in the most minor way by taking care of communications with AMSA using our Iridium Go to send and receive emails and messages. John and James came up with the plan and setting up of the tow ropes on Lai Lai Lady, while Fred alone organised the bridle and tow ropes aboard Iria. John and James worked together on our boat and proved to be an excellent team.
Pan Pan - Not Part Of The Plan Plan. With Iria now in tow, the slow and steady voyage back to Southport began, all the while maintaining constant communication with Iria, who on occasion requested slow down when Fred felt the rudder was banging against the hull or at the times when he leant out over the front of the boat to adjust his ropes. (No lifelines, just tethered on. Every time he lent out, I nearly had a heart attack).
Fred's partner Collette was aboard Iria with Fred. However, it was not until late on day two that we sighted her. Unfortunately, Collette was suffering from chronic seasickness and was unable to assist Fred in any way. We kept in touch on a pretty regular basis keeping our spirits up and checking on each other.
Pan Pan - Not Part Of The Plan Plan. At 1 am on the second night, John accidentally took the autopilot off, and our boat did a 360 within 15 seconds. It was pitch dark, and John experienced no sensation of the turn. When John caught sight of Iria’s masthead in the wrong place and immediately flipped off the throttle, but both bridle ends and the tow rope managed to wrap themselves around our sail drive. At this stage, we were nearly alongside Iria, who managed to put in a few revs to back off. We discussed the situation with Fred over the VHF and decided we should wait till the day break to fully assess the situation. Thankfully, the sea and wind had continued to abate with TWS just under 10knts. At about 6 am, John put on his wet suit and his weight belt and started the hooker dive system. He then jumped overboard and dived under the boat to examine the situation…while trying to admire what 4625m of water really looked like! Fortunately, he was successful in untangling the rope from around the sail drive. Our first-hand experience of a Man Overboard was able to be tested. John has so exhausted that he was unable to lift himself back on board however the sea was really calm, so I put down our transom and ladder, and we were able to help him back on board. It’s a good lesson about what we need to now put in place for a man overboard. No matter how many times you might practice, the real thing is a different story.
Pan Pan - Not Part Of The Plan Plan. The good news was that we were able to resume the tow. As we were on the home straight, John let Fred know that he did not think it safe for Lai Lai Lady to tow Irai through the Southport Seaway. Fred had kept in touch with AMSA and VMR Southport, and VMR informed him that they would come out to give them a tow 10 NM from the Southport bar. In total, we towed for 42 hours (excluding our 6-hour layover to untangle the prop) and arrived back in Southport at 10 am on Sunday morning.
From left to right John & Andree (front) of Lai Lai Lady Fred (rear) & Colette of Iria
Pan Pan - Not Part Of The Plan Plan. WHAT DID WE LEARN? We underestimated just how exhausting the sail, tow, and dive would be for John. You should not assume anyone overboard can easily attach themselves to whatever MOB you have set up. IN CLOSING... We would like it noted that Fred and Collette are great people who found themselves in a bad situation; we are all very happy that we were able and capable of helping them out. A huge congrats to our crew member, James Murphy, whom we could not have done without. Well done LaiLai Lady. She performed brilliantly. Personally, I (Andree) want to say that both John and Fred were so level-headed and calm throughout the whole experience and handled the situation remarkably well.
As a result of their selflessness and by way of acknowledgement of their incredible efforts in assisting the vessel Iria the 2023 Go East Rally Spirt of the Rally Award was awarded to John & Andree of Lai Lai Lady. There was just one problem... The award was to be presented at the end-of-passage party at the Double Tree Hilton Ilot Maitre Resort in New Caledonia, and John & Andree were in Southport, so the Down Under Rally contacted John & Andree with an offer to pay for the cost of the return flights to New Caledonia & one night's accommodation at the resort so they could attend the party and receive the award. John & Andree accepted the offer, and much to the surprise of everyone at the event, they were present to receive the award!
Fantastic Value For Money OVER 600 PEOPLE HAVE BECOME DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS. At only $125.00 for the first year and $99.00 per year to renew, Down Under Rally Membership is a great way to save $$$. Our members have access to discounts and offers from over 40 Partner Businesses! In addition, becoming a member provides access to our Offshore Cruising Preparation Course for as long as you are a member. The information we share in this course will help you gain the confidence to venture further afield when the time is right for you.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MEMBERSHIP HERE downunderrallymembers.com/members
A COMFORTABLE PASSAGE JUST GOT EASIER TO PLAN, THANKS TO PREDICTWIND...
Wave Polars Experienced sailors intuitively know that wave conditions can have a dramatic effect on the boat's performance, not to mention the comfort level of those aboard. Using advanced wave modelling of your boat's characteristics, the PredictWind router can now predict the performance of your boat in all wave conditions.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW TO LEARN MORE.
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CRUISING THE QUEENSLAND COAST FAVOURITE ANCHORAGES
FITZROY REEF LAGOON
BY GREG LUCK
Fitzroy Reef lies 22nm northwest of Lady Musgrave Island. Like Lady Musgrave Island, the island has a navigable lagoon with a northerly entrance. From there it is only a short passage of 15nm to Heron Island.
Fitzroy Reef Lagoon
The lagoon is much smaller and less visited by cruisers, the deepwater area being 0.6nm long and 0.3nm wide. The large reef surrounds the small lagoon, with up to 1nm on the southeastern side, giving good protection. It is tight to get in but worth the effort. Water visibility is good away from the lagoon entrance and the snorkelling is excellent with a huge variety of healthy coral and small fish. See more in Cruising the Queensland Coast. Entering Fitzroy Reef Lagoon
Photo: G Luck
© The State of Queensland (Globe Queensland) Creative Commons 4
East Coast Marina, Manly Boat Harbour, Brisbane, Australia offer 330 secure water berths, catering for boats up to 18m.
Located less than 10nm to the south of the Brisbane river mouth Manly Boat Harbour is the perfect base for visiting yachts and East Coast Marina has long been a favourite of the international yachting community.
A variety of public transport options that will take you directly to Brisbane City and the Brisbane International Airport are within walking distance of the marina The Manly Village is only a short walk away, offering a grocery store, post office, news agency, chemist, coffee shops, restaurants and more. Markets are on some Saturdays and every Sunday.
EAST COAST MARINA Phone: +61 7 3393 3811 Email: info@eastcoastmarina.com.au Location: Latitude…27º27.6′ S Longitude…153º11.2′E VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.eastcoastmarina.com.au
DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS OFFER. *15% off casual marina berth rates *subject to availability at time of booking and confirmation of current DUR membership.
ADD LINKS
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Part 2 of 3
Cruising New Zealand's Fiordland In part one of this article (see June 2023 AHOY), Rob Latimer shared the story of his voyage from Australia to New Zealand`s south island and the arrival of Chimere in Fiordland, where he wrote: "For now, it was time to tidy up, prepare dinner, enjoy a good glass of red and collapse into bed. There would be plenty of time over the next 10 days to soak in the Fiordland “vibe”.
Exploring Our First Sound As expected, it was a lazy start all-round the next morning, and it wasn’t until at least 10:00 am that we motored away up the Sound in the direction of the big hills, which by now, were already bathed in sunshine. “Where are we going?” inquired Linda as we motored along. The only breeze was the 6 knots we created ourselves from the forward motion. By now, it was around 11:00 o’clock, with breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, cereal, milk, fruit juice, plus the ubiquitous tea and coffee kind of lingering on, merging into lunch around 1:00 pm. “Cascade Basin, up Long Sound, looks interesting, maybe we can stop there the night” I replied to, no one in particular. “Not very imaginative with the naming”, commented Matt, “Long Sound? Could that be because it’s … long?!” he mocked. “What about Cascade Basin? What do you think we might find there?” I added. “Hard to say”, Matt replied.
Cruising New Zealand - Fiordland
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Meanwhile, comedy aside, the stillness of the sunny day, combined with the majesty of the surrounding mountains, was something that had us just gobsmacked. A feeling that just intensified the further north we travelled, culminating in the amazing Milford Sound, but that would have to wait.
For now, though, we just soaked up the thrill of our first Sound. The further we travelled, the steeper and closer the forest-covered sides became. Pretty soon, the warmth of the sun had us peeling layers, and eventually speculating as to whether we’d go for a swim in the promised waterfall in the “Cascade Basin”. As the time ticked by, we came to understand how “Long Sound” might have got its name, with our trek from the night’s anchorage to this being around 20 miles. That’s 20 miles of jaw-dropping, beautiful scenery, bathed in warm sunshine under a blue sky, admittedly with absolutely no wind. True to label, there was indeed a 30-metre-high waterfall at the end of Long Sound, which, to quote the unromantic Cruising Guide, made a … “terrible din”. It was also near something resembling a “Basin”, from where we could clearly see the spray and mist from the torrent ahead as it rose above the trees.
Cruising New Zealand - Fiordland
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Soon enough, we had the big dinghy launched off the foredeck and after a short putter ashore, were scrambling up the moss-covered, slippery boulders, very near to the thunderous deluge; created from the overflow of high-up Lake Widgeon, beneath the 1200 metre high nearby “hills”. As for the water … the volume coming down the cataract maybe 50 metres in front of us, created such a swift-flowing river, that it actually spoke to us … and the words were … “BE CAREFUL”.
Determined to get ourselves properly wet, without being swept down over the nearby rapids, we eased ourselves gently into the shallows, then up to our necks, staying close to the boulder-strewn edge. The water was definitely “bracing”, but the warmth of the sun, still high in the sky, helped to lessen the impact, making for a very pleasant experience. If nothing else, being immersed in water was an ideal way to ward off the sandflies. But still, with your head exposed, in order to breath, the clouds of pesky bugs would still manage to find you. John made good use of his waterfall-visit, pulling out a cake of soap and lathering up a storm before dunking under. James, on the other hand, still recovering from a lingering cold, took up position on a large boulder above proceedings, dressed in full wet weather gear against the biting insects, where he worked in his sketch pad and note book to record the scene. Contemplating the tannin-brown water while attempting to swim against the current, I made the offhand comment to John, “Are there any river-monsters we should be aware of in New Zealand streams?” In response, John stayed pretty quiet, but Linda for one, didn’t like “that idea” in her head as she entered the rock pool. Whether it was imagined or not, all of us agreed as we made our way back to Chimere, that we’d felt something rub against our legs in the fast-flowing stream, which was rather disconcerting. By now it was around four in the afternoon and after making sure the netting was securely covering all hatches aboard against the increasing numbers of sand flies, we were faced with a dilemma. Whether we should have a late lunch and a late dinner … or, alternatively, a snack instead of lunch, followed by an early dinner. In the end we settled for the latter, as we continued to warm ourselves against the residual chill left from our earlier activities at the Cascade. Shortly after, while I was having a snooze in the saloon, the sound of the anchor alarm could be heard. Or was it a fire in the galley – both alarms sound very similar – no, it was definitely the anchor. The problem being that a light afternoon breeze from down the Sound, had spun us around. So, whilst the anchor remained in 10 metres of water, Chimere was now in about 2-3 metres of water; facing out of the Sound, instead of in.
Cruising New Zealand - Fiordland
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No problem. Just start the motor, retrieve the anchor and “park” somewhere else. Except in this case, there WAS a problem. As a precaution against the anchor possibly getting snagged on submerged logs, I had attached a float to a long line, which in turn was attached to the front of the anchor. And, you guessed it before we’d realised it, the rope had gone under the boat and caught on the propeller. To quote from the Kiwi book of understatements, “this was quite awkward”, and definitely in the category of “… things that happen on the voyage, stay on the voyage”. But, in the interests of full disclosure and honesty, I’m saying it now … “I got a line stuck around the propeller,” ... as Kiwi-John would say, “stuck-as bro!” The offending line was that cheap, white, poly Silver, supposedly floating stuff. But looking on the bright side, it could have been worse. For a start, the engine was thrown into neutral as soon as the problem was detected, we weren’t in any danger, and it wasn’t a fishing line – that stuff melts solid! But it was still something that needed to be fixed sooner rather than later. The light was fading, and so armed with only a snorkel and mask, John was soon in the dinghy, reaching down over the side with a boat hook, head and shoulders submerged, doing what he could in the low visibility to clear the tangle; which had also looped around the rudder. After 10 minutes of this, it seemed clear we needed to dive down properly and engage in hand-to-hand combat to untangle the rope. So that’s how I got my second swim for the day. Although, it lacked the “recreational element” of the first, as I struggled repeatably to fill my lungs with enough air to dive down as far as the propeller. The water was as chilly and brown as before, and after fifteen minutes and maybe five or six brief duck dives, I started to think the task might have been beyond me. But with light about to stop play, the last handful of frayed ends were passed aloft as I gasped, “got it!”. Maybe some diving gear might have been a good idea after all?!. Once back onboard, it was a case of warming up in dry clothes before reanchoring a bit further out in the Basin. The last of the day’s sunshine still shone, and as the chain descended once more, we all agreed the sandflies would have greater difficulty reaching us here. Dinner was another wonderful fish ensemble, with everyone retreating to bed early.
Cruising New Zealand - Fiordland
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Captain Cook Was Here... It was an extremely still night at anchor in Cascade Basin. No anchor alarms, and so still, you could have played snooker on the saloon table. By 9:00 am, we were away as planned, retracing our “bread crumbs” from the day before down Long Sound and briefly into the Tasman Sea before veering to starboard up the eastern arm of Chalky Inlet. On our way, we decided to pay a visit to Useless Bay, where we intended to tie up to the trees. Not something you normally do, but in this case, the water was deep enough close-to, and there was a long hose bringing water down from a stream above to fill your tanks. Not quite sure how Useless Bay got its name, but it can’t have had anything to do with the [very useful] convenient water supply. To quote the Cruising Guide, “There is a water pipe in the trees, below a steep tree-covered cliff”, but on approach, it was clear that a large motorboat had arrived first. Drifting in close, the skipper of the other boat (John) explained that they were a charter vessel out of Dunedin, with passengers flying in and out by helicopter at designated spots, including Cascade Basin and Chalky Inlet. “How long do you think you’ll be?” I inquired. “About 30 minutes”, came the reply, “… the flow is pretty slow”. This was the first vessel we’d seen for a few days, and as we discussed pleasantries, John asked, “Where are you headed? Because there’s another watering point if you are going to Chalky Sound, and it’s got a stronger flow”. A quick deferral to the Cruising Guide revealed it was on our path. Then the skipper of the big motorboat called out, “Do you want some crayfish?” “That would be great, THANKS!” I called back, already halfway into our dinghy. Afterwards, Linda thought I was so keen, I looked like I was about to swim across to their boat. So it was that we “caught” six large crayfish!! As the charter skipper explained, his guests liked diving for crays, but once they’d filled the freezer with the allowable quota, they couldn’t catch any more until the last lot was eaten. So, you could say we were doing a public service by taking the crays off his hands?! These were just some of the sixteen we were ultimately given over the course of the ten days we were in the region by generous boating folk.
Cruising New Zealand - Fiordland
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On our way again, soon crossing Chalky Sound and up Edwardson Sound to Lake Cove, taking time out to squeeze in through Ship Entrance to fill the tanks in a small enclosed pocket of water called North Port. As promised, the hose certainly had a strong flow, but our biggest task was bringing Chimere in close enough for the pipe to reach. Pretty soon, we were secured, with the waterpipe directed into our tanks, as clouds of hungry sand flies did all they could to spoil the day.
Seeing the white cliffs of the nearby coast, it was clear how Captain Cook came to name it Chalky Sound.
Reading Cook’s journals once more, it’s remarkable that on 25 Match 1773, after sailing 117 days without sight of land, covering thousands of miles across the Southern Ocean, as far south as 60 degrees, Cook made landfall at this very spot, a region he had charted three years earlier. The only problem was that he mistook it for Dusky Sound, just a few miles further north, as Cook writes:
-extract from the journal of Captain James Cook...
“… we were at an entrance to a bay, which I had mistaken for Dusky Bay, being deceived by some islands that lay in the mouth of it. Fearing to run, in thick weather, into a place to which we were all strangers, and seeing some breakers and broken ground ahead, I tacked in twenty-five fathoms of water and stood out to sea.… this bay may be known by a white cliff on one side of the isles which lie at the entrance to the bay.
This part of the coast I did not see but at a great distance in my former voyage, and we now saw it under so many disadvantageous circumstances that the less I say about it, the fewer mistakes I shall make. We stood out to sea [again]. Here we had a great swell rolling in from the SW … having a very high and irregular sea. At five o’clock next morning, the gale abated, and we bore up for land and entered Dusky Bay about noon.”
Cruising New Zealand - Fiordland
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Reading Cook’s journal while sailing in the same waters he explored and charted nearly 250 years ago brings an even greater level of respect and admiration for the man and his crew, as I wrote in my diary on the 6th of March 2020... -extract from the log of Chimere...
“Today, we sailed past those barren white cliffs, that gave the inlet its name – Chalky. Two days ago, we experienced the … “very high and irregular sea” described and endured by Cook and his men. And in a couple of days, we plan to enter Dusky Sound, anchor in Pickersgill Harbour, stand on Astronomers Point and sail around the coast of Resolution Island.
The more you consider the achievements and abilities of Cook, along with the farreaching implications of his discoveries – for each one of us, even today in 2020 – the more you can accept and understand the descriptions of the man as recorded in his many biographies. In particular that by Christopher Lloyd when he writes, “Cook’s character was summed up in the names of his ships Resolution, Endeavour, Adventure and Discovery”.
Our night at Lake Cove turned out to be as calm as promised, being an ideal spot to shelter from another approaching 40-knot gale – this time from the North East. The Cruising Guide describes this little bolt-hole as... “… an all-weather anchorage, which is not only very safe, spacious and sheltered but beautiful as well. In the southern corner are the Cora Lynn Falls which are fed by Lake Cadman. A rough track leads up to the lake – about 20-minute return.” As something of an unusual event, we remained for two nights in Lake Cove, taking time to relax and soak it all in.
Cruising New Zealand - Fiordland
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Dusky Dreaming... Our stopover in Lake Cove not only provided a haven from the latest storm but also enabled us to explore ashore, well protected as we were against the incessant sandflies. Whilst sheltered, this was a deeper anchorage than we’d normally choose. With no shallow water close to shore, or at least none we could find. In the end, we dropped the pick in 20 metres and simply let out a lot of chain … she held beautifully. However, the lingering prospect of getting snagged on sunken logs was never far from my mind. The weather eventually cleared, so we grabbed the opportunity to venture 40 miles up the coast to the famous Dusky Sound. I say “famous” because it is here that Cook spent some time, in early 1773, resupplying, charting, resting and naturally being eaten by sandflies in the very spot we intended to drop anchor, Pickersgill Harbour.
-extract from the journal of Captain James Cook about Pickersgill Harbour...
“In the PM hauled the Sloop into a small creek and moored her head and stern to the trees and so near the Shore as to reach it with the brow or stage which nature had in a manner prepared for us by a large tree which grew in a horizontal direction over the Water so long that the top of it reached our gunwale.
Wood for fuel was here and so convenient that our Yards were locked in the branches of the trees. About 100 yards from our stern was a fine stream of fresh water, and every place abounded with excellent fish, and the shores and Woods we found not destitute of wildfowl so that we expected to enjoy with ease what in our situation might be called the luxuries of life.”
It was a misty, still exit from Lake Cove, down Edwardson Sound towards the sea, with the low cloud seemingly closing in behind us as we made our way along. The world had taken on a surreal quality, like we were passing through a Hollywood creation.
Cruising New Zealand - Fiordland
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Beyond the last headland, the rise and fall of the ocean swell returned, along with the rain, which pretty much poured for the rest of the day. We never felt cold, but we did begin to appreciate firsthand why the “West Coast” was often referred to as the “Wet Coast”. At times, the rain completely obscured the land just a couple of miles off our starboard side, with the albatross finding it hard to remain airborne in the light airs. Before long, we made the turn into Dusky Sound, and around 2:00 pm, we entered Pickersgill Harbour in search of a suitable spot to drop the anchor. The Cruising Guide describes Pickersgill Harbour as... “An all-weather anchorage except in northeast and east conditions. It is accessible from either side of Crayfish Island. Cook navigated Resolution through the passage on the western side of Crayfish Island, but it is narrow, shallowish and quite exciting.” Cool! So, naturally, we entered the small harbour from the western side, and sure enough, it was narrow. Exactly 34 metres wide, according to the chart and little more than three times the width of Cook’s ship, the Resolution. Although the spars apparently touched the branches as she entered. By contrast, Chimere is only 5 metres wide, so the idea of bringing a large, 3-masted, tall ship in through that opening is rather incredible. After finding water of around 7-10 metres depth, we dropped anchor, then proceeded to run a stern line to shore, which we initially secured around a medium-sized tree. It was then time for lunch, which involved more crayfish sandwiches.
Cruising New Zealand - Fiordland
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The names on the chart … Anchor Island, Luncheon Cove, Stop Island, Indian Island, Seal Islands, and so on … all referred to an incident, or events, from Cook’s time here, with the stories and journal entries making for fascinating reading.
It was still raining, and grey to the waterline, when a yacht called Sago entered the bay in the late afternoon; one of the first yachts we had really seen in these parts so far. They came over close before anchoring and we had a good chat. As it turned out, over the past three years they had sailed from Germany, having purchased the yacht in the Netherlands. The guy was a Kiwi and the girl was from Heidelberg (Germany) and their two small children, who waved from the cockpit, were from … somewhere. As dinner preparations got underway, I took the opportunity to have an afternoon nap, waking an hour or so later to find that another yacht had snuck into the bay – a catamaran called “Felix The Cat”. We’d seen this yacht in the distance when we were down at Stewart Island a week ago and once John and I completed our “stern-line-to-tree-re-arrangement-procedure”, we went over to have a chat to the father and son sailing combination. As it turns out, the son does a bit of diving and it took him just a few minutes on arrival to swim over to the rocks at the aptly named Crayfish Island that encloses this small bay, to pick up a good-sized crayfish in just 4 metres of water. Simples!! The rain stopped around sunset, and with the lifting of some clouds and the brief appearance of blue sky, we were treated to glorious scenes of light and multiple shades of grey. Later in the night, though, rain and wind returned, coming in over Crayfish Island, along with bouts of lightning and thunder. Despite the sound and light show, plus a degree of swinging on the anchor, we felt secure, tied as we were front and back.
Cruising New Zealand - Fiordland
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In reviewing the latest SatPhone weather forecast, it looked like things were going to remain brisk for the next day or so, giving us a chance to explore more of sheltered Dusky Sound and nearby Breaksea Sound. Once more, Cook’s Journal spoke through the ages …
-extract from the journal of Captain James Cook about Dusty Sound...
“The most mischievous animals
“The almost continual rains
here are the small, black sand-
may be reckoned another evil
flies, which are numerous, and
attending this bay, though,
so troublesome, that they
perhaps, this may only happen
exceed everything of the kind I
at this season of the year;
have ever met with; wherever
nevertheless, the situation of
they bite they cause a swelling,
the country, the vast height,
and such an intolerable itching,
and nearness of the mountains
that it is not possible to refrain
seem to subject it to much rain
from scratching, which at last
at all times.”
brings on ulcers like the smallpox.”
Come morning, we were ready to do some exploring ashore and so around 9:30am, during a brief break in the rain, we took the dinghy in past Astronomer Point astern to soak up more of the Pickersgill Harbour “vibe”. There was a brass plaque on the rocks just above the high-water mark, plus a boardwalk encircling the very small promontory. It was a short climb to the metal “Trig Point” at the top of the hill
Cruising New Zealand - Fiordland
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It didn’t take much to imagine the industry and hive of activity that would have consumed this small piece of land all those years ago, as described by Captain Cook in 1773:
-extract from the journal of Captain James Cook about Dusty Sound...
And what must go down as New Zealand’s very first “micro-brewery” … Cook goes on to write:
“Thus situated, we began to
“We also began to brew beer
clear places in the woods in
from the branches or leaves of
order to set up the
a tree, which much resembles
astronomer’s observatory, the
the American black spruce. …
forge to repair our ironwork,
mixed with inspissated juice of
tents for the sail-makers, and
wort and molasses, it would
coopers to repair the sails and
make a very wholesome beer,
casks in; to land our empty
and supply the want of
casks, to fill water, and to cut
vegetables, which this place
down wood for fuel; all of
did not afford; and the event
which were absolutely
proved that I was not
necessary occupations”.
mistaken.”
Fortunately, we were able to bring our own beer, but there is no doubt, just as in Cook’s time, this place is a rain magnet, and so we should not have been surprised that after a few days of warm sunshine and blue skies, the clouds rolled in and decided to stay; dropping a continual blanket of rain for at least a full day. The result of the rain was, of course, swollen streams, bursting highaltitude lakes and falling water. All over the place … down steep valleys, over rock ledges, close to shore and high up near the peaks. All of which were pouring into the fiords and adding to our unique experience.
Cruising New Zealand - Fiordland
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I’d like to say we “sailed” along, but it seems no matter which direction the Inlets, Sounds and waterways were orientated, the wind just funnelled down. Either remaining on the bow, being extremely fluky, or hitting us on the beam as “bullets”, which had us holding on tight. Nowhere was this more evident than while making our way up Cook Channel in Dusky Sound. One minute we were experiencing a full-on 25-30 knot gale, with raised spray and whitecaps, all accompanied by driving rain and minimal visibility in the narrow confines of the passage. Then, less than 30 minutes later, the sun was out, the sea was dead calm, and there was even a small patch of blue sky before low clouds returned and it started raining once more.
It was in this unusually calm patch that we saw what looked like three sticks in the water ahead. “They’re penguins!” someone called out. And sure enough, they were penguins, but not the little blue critters we’ve all seen at some time or other. These were bigger penguins, which didn’t just dive and disappear … only to pop their heads up a few hundred metres away. These had yellow stripes on their heads and swam like the ones you see in Antarctica, diving in and out of the water as they raced along ahead of us, more like seals. We initially thought they were the Yellow-Eyed Penguin, but later research led us to think they were the very rare Fiordland Crested Penguin. After five hours of travel through these high-sided waterways, stopping here and there to get close to the larger tumbling cascades – where the depth of water was often around 200 metres, little more than 50 metres from shore – we entered Beach Harbour in Breaksea Sound, with a view to dropping the anchor. A brief chat with the skipper of a large motor launch tied up to a mooring, however, revealed that there was a ban on anchoring in this particular bay because of an attempt to limit the spread of a type of seaweed. “You can pick up that large mooring in the distance if you like. If the owner comes – which he probably won’t – then you can move to that other mooring with the red float. Failing that, feel free to raft up to my boat”, explained the skipper. So off we toddled to attach our line to a permanent mooring – much easier than anchoring! What could possibly go wrong?! Of course, an hour later, the big charter boat (small ship) that “probably won’t turn up” … DID turn up, but rather than ask us to move on, they instead picked up the “other” mooring … so all ended happily. All this happened while the skipper of the first motor launch, which turned out to also be a charter vessel, came over in his dinghy to say hello, while the rain kept pouring down. “Here, would you like a couple of rock lobsters?” he asked as he tied up alongside. We thanked him profusely, and as the rain poured down, he stood there in his dinghy wearing shorts, thongs (sorry, jandals) and a simple wet weather jacket, explaining how he’d dropped a couple of shooters off in the forest earlier in the day and needed to pick them up soon. Plus, how he doesn’t really like crayfish, but his charter guests keep wanting to catch them, and they “ … can’t eat them fast enough”.
Cruising New Zealand - Fiordland
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This was the third small charter boat we’d come across in the last few days, with customers/guests coming and going via helicopter, with every sort of individually planned experience built in. Shooting, bushwalking, diving, fishing, sightseeing and photography … whatever takes your fancy, all within this amazing part of the world. Certainly, a different sort of “cruise ship” experience to the norm, and well worth considering if you want to get away from it all with maybe 8-10 of your friends.
Around this time, we started paying particular attention to the weather forecasts as we set our sights on making Milford Sound in three days’ time. Not that we wanted to race past so many wonderful, stunning places, but my wife and two sons were booked to catch a bus to Queenstown and, from there, back to Australia, at the end of the week. As is often the case, there is never enough time, but as any sailor will tell you, deadlines can be disastrous. Fortunately, the wind was due to blow from the south just at the right time, so Milford Sound, here we come, and I will share those adventures in part 3 of Cruising New Zealands Fiordland in the August AHOY!
Cruising New Zealand - Fiordland About the Author Rob Latimer is a cruising sailor and co-founder of the Australian aid group Medical Sailing Ministries Inc. www.msm.org.au, plus the Vanuatu oral health funding-support group Tooth Buddies www.toothbuddies.com.au Since 2009, Rob, along with dozens of enthusiastic volunteers, has used his yacht, Chimere, to transport health teams around the remote islands of Vanuatu. More recently, he has fulfilled a life-long dream to sail around New Zealand. About the Boat After 16 years and a recent change in his circumstances, Rob has reluctantly put Chimere on the market. Well-equipped for remote voyaging, Chimere has plenty of adventures left in her yet, as you can discover HERE
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This is the fourth instalment in an AHOY Sailing News series written by Richard Chesher about critical health issues you can easily avoid when cruising the tropics – IF you learn from other cruisers' mistakes and get serious about protecting yourself and your crew.
H E A L T H Y
Every cruiser knows they will face dangers from the weather, equipment failure, collisions with other vessels, and accidents. A sensible captain takes precautions to prevent these accidents by getting good weather forecasts, maintaining the vessel’s equipment, using lights and AIS and keeping watch at sea, having a good medical kit and safety equipment aboard, etc. And most cruisers know what to do if these dangers surprise them at sea. But an amazing number of cruisers have no idea how to defend against the health dangers lying in wait for them when they arrive in remote tropical areas far from medical care.
C R U "Smart people I learn from their IN THE mistakes, smarter S TROPICAL PACIFIC people learn from ISLANDS other peoples' I mistakes." N G
BY RICHARD CHESHER, PH.D.
If you get sick from contaminated water, attacked by malaria, a deadly blood virus-like dengue fever, parasites, fish poisoning or a flesh-eating microbe, it will be a long and expensive ordeal and may cause permanent disabilities or even kill you or one of your crew.
Health issues are serious dangers for mariners but few cruisers take elementary precautions to protect themselves and their crew. Disease organisms kill more people yearly than all the maritime and diving accidents, shark, sea serpent, crocodile, sea wasp, or even pirate attacks combined. You and your crew truly want to avoid getting sick or injured anywhere, but this is especially the case when cruising far from medical support. The good news is that most cruisers avoid serious health issues either through luck or prudence.
To be sure the good news applies to you and your crew, follow these three very simple rules:
1. FIND OUT WHAT HEALTH DANGERS ARE LURKING BEFORE YOU SET SAIL. 2. DON’T LET THEM GET YOU. 3. KNOW WHAT TO DO IF YOU FAIL.
M A R I N E B A C T E R I A
Q: WHAT ARE THE RISKS? #1. HEALTH DANGERS FROM WHAT YOU EAT “During our peacefully calm night crossing from Vieques to Culebra, we were trolling two fishing lines behind the boat in the hopes of catching ourselves a yummy, free meal. As dawn broke, we felt the line vibrate, and the next hour was spent reeling in the catch as we bobbed along our course. When it got to the boat, we were surprised at its smallish size, considering the fight it gave, and we couldn’t quite identify the type of fish it was. It looked like the shape of a small mahi with the colours of a tuna. Once we arrived in Vieques and were all settled in, Eben went online and spent about an hour trying to identify this mystery fish, but no luck.
“Only those who have had ciguatera know the extent of the agony because the symptoms are so varied and often indescribable. S/Y It’s a Necessity
"Our guest prepared the fish for us for supper. The meat resembled chicken in texture, quite thick and heavy, nothing like we had ever eaten before. The evening went on as usual. Girls went to bed, and we hung out, played some games, and headed to bed ourselves. That is when what seemed like, timed-released poison set in. When we got to bed, Ellia woke up complaining of sore legs. I spent the next half hour rubbing her legs, thinking maybe she was experiencing growing pains. But not long after, Arias coughed in her “I am going to throw up” type of cough, so Eben whipped her out of bed and stood her in front of the toilet just in time. We got her back to bed, and then she started complaining that her legs were sore. That’s when Eben started feeling queasy and went out into the salon, only to find both of our guests up and not feeling well either. Then my legs started aching as well. Instantly we assumed it was the fish, and thought, food poisoning. The rest of the night was spent with four adults and two kids all getting sick on a boat with only two toilets to use. The boat looked like one that was being attacked by an evil poison. There were people sleeping outside, throwing up overboard, every bed was covered in towels in case of spontaneous eruptions, and every bowl, bucket, and pot was being used as a vomit receptacle. Other than everyone exploding from both ends, we were experiencing some other very strange symptoms, such as sore joints, muscle spasms, tingling sensations, mixed-up temperature sensations, confused taste buds, sore gums and teeth, headaches, and slight hallucinations. All of the above made for a horrible sleepless night for everyone except Arias. Thankfully after her first bought of sickness, she seemed to have gotten it out of her system and slept the rest of the night while everyone else writhed in pain.” The symptoms persisted for six months, and the young girls recovered before the adults. Read the whole story at: https://itsanecessity.net/we-got-ciguatera-html/
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DON'T LET THEM GET YOU! 200+ FOOD BORNE NASTY MONSTERS The various monsters lurking in food are as varied and as common as those swimming in drinking water. There are about 200 common food-borne diseases, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoan and other parasites, as well as toxins (like fish poisoning), chemical and physical agents. Globally, about 33 million people per year have an unfortunate encounter with these diseases and poisons. You can get sick from food anywhere in the world but are more at risk when cruising in remote areas, especially in the tropics, where sanitation standards might be a little less than ideal. CIGUATERA Ciguatera toxin is created by a dynoflagellage Gambierdiscus toxicus. It infests algae growing on dead or dying coral. Algae-eating fish bioaccumulate the toxin in their muscle and livers. Predatory fish concentrate the toxin even more when they eat algae-grazing fish. More than 400 species of reef and lagoon fish have caused ciguatera poisoning, and the toxin concentration varies sporadically and unpredictably. Fish may be safe to eat in one location and toxic on a nearby reef. The problem can spread from one area to another, and with the continued widespread degradation of coral reefs around the world, the problem is getting much worse. In some areas where a particular species was considered OK to eat (according to the locals), they are now toxic. Over 50,000 people a year get ciguatera poisoning – it’s the most common and most serious form of fish poisoning. Click the link below for more information: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2020/preparing-international-travelers/foodpoisoning-from-marine-toxins
Eating reef or lagoon fish in the tropics is playing Russian roulette with the health of everyone aboard. If you are unlucky, you and your crew are going to be sorry for a long time. It will completely ruin your cruising adventure. Even some ocean-going fish, like tuna and mackerel, have become toxic in some areas.
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Q: WHAT ARE THE RISKS? #2 FOOD BORNE DISEASES Avoiding the serious complications, misery, messiness, and even death caused by swallowing foodborne predators or toxins is ridiculously easy and inexpensive for yachties who eat aboard. If you eat ashore, there is no way to know if your meal was contaminated until the suffering starts. If you think I’m suggesting not eating fish or uncooked veggies or poorly cooked meat ashore in the tropics – you’re right - I am. Tourists even get fish poisoning, dysentery, and salmonella poisoning in some of the finest restaurants and hotels in the tropics. That doesn’t happen very often, but why risk it? If you avoid EVER ordering fish, raw or poorly cooked meat, or fresh salads when eating ashore in the tropics, you are not likely to have a problem. Plump up with well-cooked food (except seafood) and drink bottled water or other beverages (no ice), and you’ll be perky and happy the next day.
Suppose you get invited to an Island feast in a village in Vanuatu. You’ll see a wide variety of local foodstuffs. Pig is common at such shindigs. Do not eat it. It is seldom properly cooked. When we attend feasts, we eat things we know are safe; like bananas or fruit we peel ourselves and well-cooked dishes (except pigs or fish). We always bring our own water.
M A R I N E
DON'T LET THEM GET YOU! HERE ARE SOME ESSENTIALS FOR TUMMY PROTECTION. 1. Wash greens and vegetables with one cap of household bleach in about 4 litres of fresh water. Let them soak for at least 15 minutes. Look at it carefully and remove any snails or insects. You can’t imagine how many of the 200-odd foodborne diseases this will eliminate from your salads. Just ensure the bleach is less than three months old, unscented and without additives. 2. Wash fruits with soap, especially if they are not organic produce. 3. Cook fresh meat or chicken until well done. 4. Do not catch or eat fish caught in a coral reef or lagoon environment – in addition to avoiding fish poisoning by ciguatera or other fishy toxins, you’ll help minimize the serious overfishing of coral reef environments that is a problem almost everywhere in the tropics – and minimize anti-yachty feelings from local fishers. 5. Never order fish in a restaurant; it may be one kind of “safe” fish on the menu but an entirely different kettle of fish in the kitchen. Even if it really is a tuna or a deep water
B A C T E R I A
fish, it can also be extremely toxic with scombroid poison if allowed to sit for several hours in the sun or at room temperature in the kitchen. A toxic tuna or bonito may have a sharp or peppery taste; nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pains start within an hour of eating the fish. Order something other than fish, and don’t worry about it. 6. Never eat raw salads or rare or raw meat in restaurants. The fruit you peel yourself is fine, but uncooked salads in restaurants or salad bars are a risk anywhere in the tropics.
There is no way to tell if a fish is toxic or not. Ciguatera toxins don’t change the texture, taste, or smell of a fish, nor are they destroyed by cooking, smoking, freezing, canning, salting, or pickling. If you catch the fish yourself well outside the reef, it is “probably” safe to eat. But the risk skyrockets if you accept a nice fillet from another yacht. A couple of years ago, a yacht caught a big mackerel in the New Caledonia Lagoon. The captain shared his catch with his buddies on four other yachts, and everyone on all five yachts, except one little girl who didn’t eat the fish, got a serious case of ciguatera poisoning. Nobody died, but everybody was miserable for a very long time.
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DON'T LET THEM GET YOU! WENDY’S STORY
“I can't hear out of my left ear. My mouth is numb. I've got a strange burning sensation shooting through my body.... "We were in Vava'u Tonga when Wendy began having terrible headaches. Wendy's condition was serious. We returned to the main harbour of Nieafu, and in the morning, Wendy and our infant son Ryan flew to Tongatapu and then on to Auckland. She was immediately admitted to the Bishop Auckland General Hospital, where a battery of tests showed nothing, but her agony was increasing. Lumbar punctures revealed excessive cerebrospinal-fluid pressure, but the cause was not bacterial or viral. It took six days of tests before the doctors identified the cause as rat lung-worm parasitic meningitis. Recovery was slow, very slow. Wendy's worst symptoms abated over several weeks, but the stiff neck and nervous tissue damage have continued for over a year. She still experiences debilitating pain, especially in the neck, with a strong, itching, burning sensation from the right armpit to the wrist. Wendy says it varies between six and seven on a pain scale of 10. A doctor and cruiser friend of ours has not fully recovered after eight years. Parasitic meningitis is not rare in the Pacific islands, and there are many cases of people on cruising yachts becoming severely infected. Although fatalities are rare, they have happened. Two Westerners have died in recent years from parasitic meningitis in Vanuatu - both of whom were healthy adults who ate raw, untreated vegetables. Cases of parasitic meningitis have been reported from Hawaii, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu. It is far more common in Southeast Asia. Most Westerners get infected by eating raw vegetables, usually in the form of a salad or coleslaw. Others have been infected by eating insufficiently cooked intermediate hosts or transport hosts such as escargot, shore crabs, freshwater shrimp (especially dangerous to eat), fish or frogs. Wendy got it from a coleslaw made from a cabbage that was washed in freshwater (but no bleach) and made into coleslaw. I ate very little, our son Ryan ate none & Wendy ate a large serving.” Wendy's story by Scott and Wendy Bannerot S/V Elan. Authors of The Cruisers Handbook on Fishing https://www.amazon.com/Cruisers-Handbook-Fishing-Scott-Bannerot/dp/0071427880
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#3 WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET FOOD POISONING. GET MEDICAL HELP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Food poisoning can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach aches, nausea – or lots worse, depending on what you get. If you get Ciguatera, the symptoms are pretty easy to diagnose, but many other serious diseases, like rat-lungworm disease, require extensive testing to diagnose. Keep Pepto Bismol aboard. If you have a stomach upset shortly after eating, chew two Pepto Bismol tablets to quickly find out if it is caused by a bacterial infection (and get relief). Pepto Bismol lines the stomach wall with bismuth, blocking bacterial toxins. If your discomfort (bloating, aches, acid stomach) was caused by bacteria, you will feel fine in 10 to 20 minutes. If it’s something else, like a virus, a protozoan, or another health issue, the Pepto Bismol will have little or no effect, but it’s a good quick test to find out how serious the problem is. Buy the chewable tablets; they keep forever and are an inexpensive way to diagnose your belly ache and hopefully provide instant relief. If you or a member of your crew ate a reef or lagoon fish, and it was ciguatoxin, symptoms start 2 to 12 hours later and include numbness and tingling, burning or pain from cold water on the skin, joint pain, muscle pain, diarrhoea, weakness, headache, chills, abdominal pain, itchy skin, nausea, vomiting, sweating. Depending on the dose ingested, severe cases may result in tearing of the eyes, chills, skin rash, itching, inability to walk, shortness of breath, drooling, and paralysis. Death due to heart or respiratory failure occurs in rare cases.Numbness and tingling may last up to three weeks. A painful itching beginning days after ingestion may spread from the extremities and be worse at night. A red, itchy rash on the hands and feet may last 2 to 5 days and is made worse by alcohol consumption. The reversal of hot and cold sensations may last for months.
Insomnia, delirium and visual disorders lasted several months in 20% of the patients in one study. Patients may have a cold, clammy appearance with heart palpitations and a low body temperature. Once exposed to the toxin, a second poisoning (even years later) will be worse. Much worse. (Ref: Edmonds, C. 1989, Dangerous Marine Creatures Reed Books Pty. NSW Australia; 140-145.)
Intravenous Ketamine, given within 48 hours of the first appearance of symptoms, can quickly alleviate Ciguatera poisoning, see jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/371918, but you’ve got to get to a hospital that has Ketamine and knows how to use it for ciguatera poisoning within 48 hours. If everyone aboard is really sick and the yacht is in a remote area, there is nothing you or anyone else can do but suffer it through. Some victims recommend taking Vitamin B12 to reduce symptoms.
A B O U T T H E A U T H O R
Richard and Frederique Chesher began cruising the Pacific aboard their Peterson 44 cutter in 1976. Richard is a PhD marine scientist, and Frederique is an artist and professional photographer. Together they created and publish the Rocket Cruising Guide to New Caledonia and the Rocket Cruising Guide to Vanuatu, widely praised as the best cruising guides in the world. Rocket Guides are programs for Windows and Mac computers (not Ipads or Android tablets). They are unlike any other kind of cruising guide you’ve ever used; extremely intuitive, fast and comprehensive. You’ll find critical information on staying healthy while cruising (including avoiding injuries from dangerous marine creatures – like sharks). Important conservation regulations, local custom requirements, repair services and supplies, accessing the Internet, weather, navigation aids and much more. With just two clicks, you can do a virtual visit to 220 anchorages in New Caledonia and 170 anchorages in Vanuatu, with 240 verified GPS routes in New Caledonia and 160 GPS routes in Vanuatu. The guides cover all of New Caledonia and Vanuatu and are updated at least 4 times a year. Every anchorage has a high definition, colour aerial image showing the anchorage area, surface or drone shots showing what it looks like on approach, what it looks like after you get there, plus above and below water (sometimes even spherical 360-degree images) of beaches, coral reefs, forests, waterfalls, and trails. You'll have everything you need to choose the places you and your crew will enjoy most, along with reliable sailing directions, exact GPS coordinates of the safest place to anchor, depths, bottom type, protection from wind and waves, hazards, VHF reception and times of the weather reports, mobile phone, Internet, Wi-Fi and TV reception, points of interest, treks and trails. Plus, important information on health hazards, social issues, where to get fuel, supplies or repairs, government and local restrictions, conservation laws, and more. You’ll also get the Rocket Travel Guides prepared for the tourism departments of New Caledonia and Vanuatu to train travel agents about the enormous range of tourism facilities and activities in both counties; accommodation, car rentals, shopping, tours, sights, beaches, all the things tourists need to know about visiting these holiday destinations. Rocket Guides have it all available in a couple of clicks– and you don’t need to be online.
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