Goodbye Sydney

I left Clontarf and Sydney harbour yesterday with the Radio working properly, the SOB software working and picking up AIS targets, lights on the mast all fixed up, a lovley new Dodger and the hull clean and smooth. The forecast was for SE winds up to 20 knots and easing later in the day so I was looking forward to a lovely sail. I cast off at 9am with light wind but enough to get the boat moving at least and it felt good. Once out of the harbour however the sea was all over the place and in such light air Sapphire just rolled and crashed about going no where so reluctantly I rolled up the headsail and turned on the motor and headed north, "motorsailing" at 4.8 knots for Pittwater, about 16 nautical miles up the coast. To escape the engine noise I went up front for a while and later plugged my ipod nano into my ears. I get cranky when I cant sail, and especially when the forecast has been so promising.....

Apart from passing through a huge group of sea birds resting on the water nothing much happened till I was approaching Barrenjoey lighthouse. The wind finally picked up and I was pleased to be able to turn off the motor . Next, I was about to unfurl the headsail when I heard the unmistakeable sound of a whale exhaling just beside the boat! I caught a glimpse of its back and tail as it disappeared under the water a boat length away - and then it reappeared twice even closer and it was obviously a calf. On its fourth reappearance it was accompanied by its mother who shepherded the curious calf away from Sapphire and then they disappeared. Wow....suddenly a day of dreary disapppointment turned into a memory that will stay with me for ever...and thats life at sea folks! I was happy again.

And as the wind had picked up I was able to sail the rest of the way into Broken Bay and the length of Pittwater at 4 to 5 knots to a mooring near Church Point. I'll be staying here for the next week or so for a whole list of little jobs that need doing - such as fitting a Firdell Blipper to the mast. A What? I hear you say.....details next week.