What are the chances two MHYC yachts will be in Mauritius at the same time?

Gavin Randall

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G’day Cruisers

Apologies for the late July Compass Rose but Jen and I are travelling at the moment in Greece and we’ve had a couple of other things to deal with. Excitingly, we’re over here to take delivery of our new Serenite, another Beneteau Oceanis but a bit bigger and a lot newer than the current one. Long term plan is to keep her over here for a few years so we can cruise the Mediterranean and then take a couple more years to bring her back across the Atlantic and Pacific. We’re moored just below Old Town Corfu at the moment which is the first place I’ve been able to get decent internet service to get the Compass Rose out. We’re cruising the Ionian for another two weeks or so getting to know the boat.   

Another great meeting in July with a zoom call with Gavin who is now in Mauritius after crossing the Indian Ocean. We were able to get our questions and his answers across to the whole group who were in attendance. Gav was his normal entertaining self, talking us through how the trip has been going and what’s coming next. He mentioned he’ll never complain about a rolly anchorage again after sleeping spread out like a starfish during most of the Indian Ocean crossing.

Gavin sent the title photo above of Khaleesi which happened to be in Mauritius at the same time as him. A Casablanca moment as Dot noted. 

We then moved on to set our dates for all our events for the 2026/27 year, for the Tapas Tie up etc. I’ll add a table later in this Compass Rose listing all the dates we agreed and I’ll also update the calendar on our website here Events | Middle Harbour Yacht Club Cruising Division.

Bryan Moore, our Club Captain, has written an article on his cruising and racing over here in the UK and then Europe last summer and included some photos.

The MHYC AGM was held during July with some of our Cruisers in attendance. There were presentations by the Board, CEO and Management showing the Club is going well financially and future plans were outlined.  

Phil Darling has written a Cruising Quiz and Mike McEvoy has included a photo of the month for July. Alex Comino has provided a couple of cartoons for inclusion this month.

Richard and Alexandra from Hawkeye have now left Australian waters and they sent me a short video with well wishes for us all as they passed the last bit of Australia before heading out towards Indonesia.    

We’ve decided to cancel the August Monthly meeting as many of the regular attendees are away. Some have gone inland on land yachting holidays, some are involved in Hamilton Island race week, some are travelling and others, like us, are cruising. So, no meeting on 19th August but at our September meeting we’ll have Andy Forbes along to present on his experiences getting ready for and going to Hobart and also to talk to us about future plans for MHYC.   

If anyone has anything for inclusion in the newsletter from a tech corner perspective, I’d love to receive it. We’ll reintroduce this as part of our monthly meetings also so feel free to send or bring along ideas.  

Look forward to seeing everyone at the September meeting at the club, if not before on the water.

Cheers   

Gerald

Cruising events Calendar 2026-2027

3-5 October 2026 October Long Weekend Cruise

29 November 2026 Sailability parents sail day

11 December 2026 Cruising Christmas Party

26 Dec 2026 - 3 Jan 2027 Christmas New Year Cruise

6-7 February 2027 Tapas Tie up - Australiana theme

13-14 March Scavenger Hunt & tie-up

26 - 29 March 2027 Easter Cruise

12-14 June 2027 King's Birthday Cruise

Note we did agree 22nd November for the Sailability event buy Glynne has since spoken to Sailability and they would prefer to maintain the 29th.

UK & EU Adventure

Last year I embarked on a bucket list trip that turned into a more extended trip. Whilst the Middle Sea Race was an event I wanted to tick off, amortising a northern hemisphere airfare turned into a 2 month sojourn catching up with sailing friends and adding St Tropez race week into the mix.

It all started in the UK where I headed down to Portsmouth, made famous for the launch of the D-Day assault. Nearby Isle of White is a fabulous yachting mecca as the starting line for the Fastnet yacht race. It is also home to the Royal Yacht Squadron which serves as one side of the starting line across The Solent for the 500 competing yachts. Normally difficult to visit, but using the charm a guile of a Club Captain, I gained access to the club. Last time I tried as part of the Fastnet race but had no chance as every entry was strictly secured!

From there I headed down the Cornish Coast to Plymouth, where the J-24 World were being conducted. By chance, MHYC had 2 crews representing Australia at the race week with 60 J-24’s from around the world competing. Again, representing as Club Captain I was able get access to the famous crew party and provide a welcome face to MHYC crew members.

Fun Fact: I started to wonder why all the towns ended with the suffix “….mouth”. Simple, it refers to the mouth of the river to the sea. Lucky that protocol didn’t extend to Australia as our club would have been called Middle Mouth!

Onto the northern side of the Cornish peninsula where I called into Ilfracombe Yacht Club. Again, using my official office to gain entry. As it was 1700hrs on a Sunday, the club was about to close, until the barmen rang some of the committee to proclaim a visiting dignitary, hence the bar stayed opened another 2 hours as my hosts came into chat.

As is typical in the UK, there are huge 5m+ tides, which leaves many boats standing in mud for 6 hours. Planning boating activities must be a nightmare.

Off to Barcelona/Spain, I thought I would try my luck at the Reial Club Maritim de Barcelona. Flashing my MHYC membership card and being a Flag Officer, soon saw me on the top deck overlooking the marina and pool. It was a little harder, but once I talked up my participation in the Middle Sea race, the warm hospitality was in abundance, together with members wanting to hear of my ocean adventures.

At the moment, ROLEX only sponsor the S2H, Fastnet and Middle Sea prestige 600nm races. I can proudly say I have raced in all 3…

Off to France with my Fédération Française de Voile crew members card, internationally endorsed, to compete in the St Tropez Race Week, which is Hammo on steroids! This luxurious town is transformed into a sailing hotspot with 250 yachts taking over the harbour where all the Super motor yachts are relocated for the week.

My plane hopping to my bucket list destination of Malta and the famous Valletta cannon start of the Middle Sea Race on a Volvo 70 ocean racer – Ocean Breeze. This very historic city has great charm, history, restaurants and above all maritime history. This race starts and finishes inside the Valletta Harbour creating a great view for spectators. It has a similar vibe to our wonderful Boxing Day race. It is also home to the Royal Malta Yacht Club, again typically difficult to gain entry during race week. Most of the race festivities are held at other locations due to the numbers of crew and to keep the club free from riff raff. Buoyed by my previous successes of club entry’s, I put all my learning and good looks to play. Come in spinner…..straight to the Club Commodore and others to announce my arrival.

The absolute highlight of this race was sailing past the active volcanoStromboli. It burps and splutters every 15 minutes so we saw hot lava spilling down the hillside as the sun went down.

It was fabulous to catch up with old sailor friends who I have plied various oceans during races and cruises, and make new sailing friends who no doubt will visit Australia, as the S2H is on their bucket lists. The sailing Venn diagram is actually only a circle…everyone knows everyone. I love this about my sailing hobby.

Bryan Moore

Club Captain - MHYC

Alex Comino

Dallas working hard in Blackwattle Bay

Richard and Alexandra, our friends on Hawkeye, have sadly left Australia and are headed up into Indonesia. They sent this message as they left the last of the Australian mainland behind. Safe travels Hawkeye and hope to see you again soon.

Sanna and Niclas are back in Australia and have returned to Rara in Queensland. Sanna at Pancake Creek.

Evan and Kelly are land yachting, as they put it, I think this is somewhere on the Anne Beadell Highway

Viking III have made it to Mauritius and from more recent messages are currently crossing the Mozambique Channel, hope the crossing goes well Gavin.

Jenni and I are in the Ionian getting to know the new Serenite. Photos are from Lakka, Paxos. A wise cruiser (Evan) told me cruising is fixing your boat in exotic places. I replaced the winch buttons as they'd perished. That's Jen testing the pool noodles in the background! 

Jeremy is taking Ca Va north for Race Week, caught a lovely sunrise and a good-looking Albacore Tuna. 

Bryan did a quick trip on First Light down and back to Port Hacking. I presume that's ZaZa taking the photo. 

1. What causes a sea breeze and when would you expect it to occur?
2. I recently had a case where the on-board GPS told us we were about 500m inland – obviously wrong.  How can I find out how accurate my GPS it is?
3. Is a radar unit best used to determine distance or direction of an object?
4. In which direction does a SW wind blow?
5. How many nautical miles are there between lattitudes 33 deg 50’S  and 34 deg 59’S?
6. You see the following lights near shore: Green over white above and red & green at a lower level?  What would you expect these to be?
7. You are sailing along in fog and wish to alert other vessels of your location.  What is the correct sound signal to make?
8. In the conditions of Q7 you decide to turn on the motor. Does the sound signal required change, and what to?
9. After the conditions of Q2 you think you hear something and decide to stop and evaluate it.  What is the signal now?
10. Through the fog you seem to glimpse a white flashing light.  Although the conditions are quite rolly, you count 8 white flashes.  What is this light likely to signify?

The Blue Moon above Refuge Bay

Cam Wayland from Hunky Dory

Send your photos to Mike McEvoy to enter into the 2026 Cruising Division Competition. Each Month the best photo received will be published and, in the running, to win a new Mystery Prize at the end of 2026. 

Send your best photos (as a JPG / JPEG) - Remember … to be in the running to win the prize you must be in it. Hint …. Give your favourite photo a Title and Place taken. Submit your photos to mmcevoy@bigpond.net.au

Good Shooting …!! Mike.

1. It is generally accepted that it is caused by the air over the land heating up and the cooler air from the ocean coming in to fill the gap (there are some more technical definitions but this is close enough).  Usually occurs starting late morning on warm summer days and strengthening through the afternoon – dies when the sun goes off the land.
2. From the SW, towards the NE.
3. Your GPS - if it is a good one – should have a parameter called “HDOP” standing for “Horizontal Dilution of Precision”.  This is usually on the page that shows the number and strength of satellites received.  The lower the number the better – 1 is excellent, 3-4 is “average”, if it is higher than about 6 or 7 then turn the unit off as it is useless today.
4. Radars are very accurate for distance estimation (use the range rings).  They are much less accurate on direction or bearing and targets will tend to drift around a little (at a constant distance).
5. 69 miles – 60 miles for the degree (33 deg to 34 deg) and 9 for the minutes (50’ to 59’) ?
6. This is a fishing trawler, underway, with nets out and coming directly at you.
7. One long blast followed by two short blasts, at intervals of not more than 2 minutes. This happened to the author one time off Sydney heads and a manual fog horn was blown by one of the crew to good effect!
8. Yes – you now need to make just a single long blast at the same intervals.
9. A power vessel “underway but not making way” (that’s us now) makes two long blasts at the same intervals.
10. Tough one this – there is no navigation light with 8 flashes!  Most likely a West Cardinal Mark, which has 9 white flashes – but one was probably obscured by a wave.