Tin Can Bay to Sydney

We got away right on schedule and crossed the Bar , it was as slightly more bumpy than on other occasions but no problems.
Set the full main and jib and headed south. The wind then inconveniently disappeared just as we were inside and abeam of Wolf Rock at quite close proximity , but that's what reliable motors are for! Then the perfect wind for us , an easterly kicked in about 11am and we were truly  off and running.

Started the watermaker,not that we needed fresh water, but needed to check that it was going to "play nicely" after not being used for a year or so. Once the initial installation  problem I encountered was finally rectified,this machine has been magic. I leave it for 12-18months at a time and as long as its connected to a power source either the 12v from the batteries, or 24v if I'm plugged into shore power, the 'brain' side of it keeps the all important membrane in tip top condition- so far! Tip for the interested - I do adhere to the manufacturers  guidelines for changing the charcoal filter. Ran it for a couple of hours and then gave the produced water  a salinity test and even more reliably, the sniff and taste test. Salinity came up as 220ppm - anything less than 750ppm being deemed potable by world standards and it smelt and tasted just fine. No sulphur smell ,no metallic taste. With the wind from the right direction and the ability to produce fresh water when and as required, cruising becomes so much easier.

Tin Can Bay-Coffs Harbour

Coffs Harbour -Sydney 

 Reefing the mainsail at night is just a no brainer as far as I'm concerned and so each sunset we shorten the mainsail down to give us an easy run through the night, especially if there are only two on board, it just decreases the chance of having to wake each other up to attend to a "reefing moment".
How many reefs is entirely dependent on the weather forecast. The first night we reefed down to the second reef and stayed that way all day, averaging a very acceptable 7.25kts. The second night with predicted winds of 30 kts (albeit from astern) we came down to the third reef. It's always easier to shake out the reef in daylight if it's not needed, than to wake someone up and try to reef down in a hurry in the dark!

            9.5kts of true wind .10kts of boat speed with a double reef mainsail and maybe
a touch of East Coast Current this was before the wind picked up!

The wind did indeed come away about 0100, in fact at 0700 I furled the jib and we were still skipping along. By 0940 I decided to wake Peter as the following sea was by now reaching surfing proportions. We struck the mainsail altogether and continued with partial jib alone. Considering that over the 24 hour  period we were at times doing as little as 4.5kts, the average speed of  8.25kts that we achieved, under a partially furled jib is indicative of the weather, but it was astern of us so not at all uncomfortable.

We entered Sydney Heads on a beautiful summer Saturday morning at 0900, rugged up with wet weather jackets , long pants and in my case a beanie as the last 15 hours had been cold. We were a little surprised to see a group of kayakers- (Sydney harbour  on the weekend is alive with kayakers these days), wearing very little in the way of warm clothing. From their point of view they must have thought we were a tad overdressed for the occasion ourselves and we suddenly realised why.

Entering Sydney Heads - paddlers abound 

We went from being cold to literally sailing through a wall of heat, which had us peeling off the layers of clothing. The temperature change I would hazard a guess was 12- 15 degrees. We went from about 15 degrees to 27-30 degrees within two boat lengths. The NW'ly wind  which had propelled us down the coast was cold over the water but here in Sydney it was hot -after travelling for the last three days across the land. I have never experienced such a natural heat  differential before. I've certainly felt it the other way, when during summer the longed for cool change arrives but never before cold to hot.

Tin Can Bay to Sydney  547nm in 78 hours .Av speed 7.0 kts.