Looking out from Ypapanti's Cave, Paxos, Greece

Gerald Nicholls

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G’day Cruisers

Well Jenni and I had a fabulous time aboard what we’re now calling new Serenite in Greece. It was very hot each day, often 30+ degrees, so plenty of time in and out of the water in secluded little bays predominantly. After I finished writing the last column we headed further north on Corfu for a few days before coming back down through the Lefkas Canal and visiting a few anchorages on the mainland of Greece. We then spent two days visiting friends in Lefkada before heading back to Preveza where she was lifted out and we packed her up for the winter and came home.

It was great to just have the two of us on board for three weeks. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to have friends on board to share the experience, but as skipper you’re responsible for the boat and making sure everyone is safe and I always feel kind of responsible for making sure everyone is having a good time too. Packing her up was a chore in the heat and I’m not sure we did everything necessary, leaving her locked up for a year is all new to us. Anyway, we can’t wait to get back to her next July and, luckily, we have friends nearby to check on her.

With a lot of people away, including us, there was no cruising meeting in August but Cruising Division are back this Wednesday (16th) with our CEO Andy Forbes giving us a presentation on the lessons he’s learned during his 120,000 sea miles.

Gavin Randall made it a cross the Mozambique channel and sent a photo which I’ve included below from the Zululand Yacht Club in Richards Bay South Africa. Gavin’s photo was in response to Jeremy’s quip that the beers on Hamilton Island were a bit pricey, $18!

Jeremy has penned an article on his recent experiences firstly helping get Ca Va to Queensland for Hamilton Island Race Week and then racing aboard her for the week.

Niclas and Sanna have RaRa on the hardstand in Mackay at the moment for some repairs, I think to the rudder, after she came in contact with the bottom. Niclas and I were talking about how strange it is to be onboard on the hardstand with the boat not moving at all when you expect it to. They were both onboard Wailea taking her from Mackay to Hamilton Island for Race week with Niclas then racing on Wailea for the week. He has written an article on his experiences during the week.   

I’ve given Selina and Dallas the prize for the first expedition of the season, spending the night on board at Chinaman’s Beach (so not a very long expedition).

Last column I did mention we’re keen to get any submissions anyone might have for technical corner so if you’re doing anything to your boat that you think others might be interested in I’d love to receive a description and some photos which I can share.

Our next on-water event is the October long weekend cruise, probably heading to Pittwater so look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday evening for Andy’s presentation and then again for the long weekend cruise in October.

Cheers

Gerald 

Hamilton Island - Delivery and Race Week - Ca Va

Ca Va is the racer cruiser I am privileged to sail on. I helped take her up from Roslyn Bay to Mackay two weeks before Hamilton Island Race Week. On the way up we stayed in Pearl Bay over night after a quick passage from Roslyn Bay marina. Lots of Dugong blows during the evening, they love sea grass.

The next morning just before sunrise we put some lines out to maybe catch dinner.No sooner had we put the lines out “that special lure“paid big dividends. Dexta, one out our delivery crew, caught a 15 to 20 kg tuna. He was knackered after pulling that hand line in. We bled it out, and when we got to Middle Percy Derek filleted it perfectly. We had sashimi for lunch and tuna steaks for dinner on the BBQ.

Pete Laver made a beautiful fish curry during race week. It was really nice to turn to the sailor's “Mecca” Middles Percy’s A frame. Bought some more Percy Island honey and met the new caretaker, the young couple that were there when Kai Rani visited have gone. Tough gig I think. We stayed for a night and a day. I was able to paddle board around the lagoon at high tide and have a swim. Out of the southerly it was nice and warm with full sun.

That afternoon we set off for Mackay 60nm away with 12 knots of breeze from the south with the knowledge of a strong southerly coming. Probably about midnight the wind had built to 35 knots as did the seas, not very pleasant, and very bloody salty.

Two and a bit weeks later I flew into Hamilton Island, wallet ready to be raped $25 dollar Margie’s and $18 for beers.

There was plenty of wind, all from the south in the early part of the week which is more suited to CaVa so I was very busy on the main. Our crew worked really well together we had a dedicated navigator and person to run the boat with the steerer able to concentrate on steering.

Was a fun week except the huge loss of the Oyster 82.5 hitting an uncharted rock, breaching the hull and losing the keel. She sank but luckily with all souls well and safely off the boat.

We tried to sail our own race but the handicapper loaded us up though we were able to get a third which made Phil Dressler a happy skipper. The best part of the week was “that the left hand knew what the right hand was doing” and we sailed really well as a complete crew.

Some of the functions in my opinion were not as good when under the Oatley Family like the pool party and the final dinner function. I hope they keep going with HIRW race week, as rumours abounded around whether Blackstone (new Owners) will continue. Hopefully it will as it’s a part of the sailing calendar and is a second religion to some. 

Jeremy Clarke -

Kai Rani (normally, but onboard Ca Va for HIRW)

Dallas and Selina get my prize for first swim/night onboard of the season. Dinner off Chinaman's Beach

Seems to me it doesn't matter where you are in the world, there will be a group of kids having fun in Optimist dinghies. Jenni and I became the turning mark for this group in Garitsa Bay below the old town of Corfu  

Gavin on Viking III has made it to Richards Bay in South Africa. His reponse to Jeremy's comment on the $18 beers in Hamilton Island was $5 for 2 at the Zululand Yacht Club.

1.  A number of our members have been in the Mediterranean this (Northern) summer.  There are a number of strong northerly winds which occur in this area.  What are they called and how strong can they get?
2. You check the fire extinguishers and note that yours are red with a black band around them.  What does this mean, and what are the usual preferred extinguishers on board?
3. A rolling hitch is used for: a) tying to a ring; b) securing to an anchor warp; c) tying a warp around a bollard; d) taking the strain off another rope?
4. On the Australian coast does a sea breeze back or veer during the day? 
5. On the subject of Sea Breezes, why is the Fremantle Doctor usually so much stronger than the Sydney Sea Breeze?
6. What is MARPOL?  Does it apply to small boats?
7. What is the meaning of the following on a compass rose of a chart:  11 35’E 2012 (02’ W)
8. In navigation what describes the effect of the wind blowing a boat sideways?
9. How many code flags are there in the standard set?
10. You are sailing past eXpresso and note they are flying a purple signal flag with what looks like a wine glass on it.  What should you do?

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. In French waters the Mistral can get up to 45 or 50kts; in the Adriatic the Bora can reach over 50kts; in Greece and Turkey the Meltemi wind can reach over 30kts. 
2. This is a CO2 extinguisher (Carbon Dioxide).  Usually we prefer the White Powder extinguishers on board – red with a white band.
3. d) taking the strain off another rope 
4. In the southern hemisphere it backs – this is due to the Coriolis Effect.  For example in Sydney it starts as an easterly and ends as a north easterly.  In Perth it starts as a westerly and ends as a south westerly (the “Fremantle Doctor).
5. Sea breezes form during the day from the difference between the land and sea temperature – as the land heats up (and the sea remains about the same temperature) the breeze forms and then builds.  In Perth they have a lot of hot desert relatively close to the coast which accentuates this.
6. MARPOL (sometimes referred to as MARPOL 73/78) is the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 as modified by the Protocol of 1978.  It is enacted in Australia under a number of national and state statues, and governs the discharge (or not) of everything including sewage, garbage, debris, oily wastes and many more.  The various acts definitely apply to small vessels as well as to large.
7. Magnetic variation was 11deg 35’E in 2012 but decreasing by 02’ each subsequent year.
8. Leeway.
9. 40 flags – 26 A-Z, 10 0-9, 3 substitutes and 1 code/answering.  
10. Not an official flag this – however I would join them for drinks on board.