Log Entry 22nd-23rrd April 2011

Although the work refurbishing Lara isn’t finished, we used the Easter break as an opportunity for a two day family sail. These have been few and far between of late because of various commitments by one family member or another. Fortunately, the weather for at least the first two days of the break was fine and warm with light winds.

Being new to the lower part of Moreton Bay we decided to head further south into the upper Broadwater. Initially we sailed in an easterly direction between Kangaroo and WoogoompahIslands before turning south, sailing past the now closed Couran Cove Resort on SouthStradbroke Island. Deciding to overnight in the lagoon formed between Brown Island and SouthStradbroke Island we negotiated the narrow and shallow channel between Brown Island and its tiny unnamed neighbor to the north.

The lagoon is very well protected from the elements and in terms of marine traffic, very quiet compared to the Broadwater. This area appears to be a popular spot for over-nighting, particularly by houseboats. Don’t know the history around the partially sunk yacht, seemed quite a shame to see it looking so forlorn. Although that didn't dampen my desire for a bit of scavenging; not knowing the legalities of such things, (is ownership still recognized etc) I though it better not to plunder it for any remaining bits and pieces, particularly useful paraphernalia to do with rigging (turnbuckles, shackles etc) which a yachty can never have enough of!

Sail back to the marina at Steiglitz the next morning was pleasant and uneventful – looking forward to getting out on the water again soon.

Log Entry 26th February 2011

Spent another day undertaking some maintenance. The acetone worked a treat and all of the residual carpet glue is off the  floor. Got stuck into all the other internal glass work and although I’m probably only half way there, Lara is scrubbing up well.

Depending on the severity I found that bleach and sugar soap removed mildew and other stains. I brought all of the wooden locker covers home with me to work on at my convenience. They are also covered in mildew and need to be cleaned and revarnished. I wiped the the remainder of the internal woodwork with undiluted tea tree oil. It seems to be a very useful cleaning agent and leaves the boat smelling much fresher.

A few other jobs to do before the cabin area is finished. I brought the companion way ladder home with me. I’m thinking about removing the carpet wrapped around the steps, it’s partly hanging off anyway, and I’m warming to the idea of nicely varnished rungs. Stove and gimbal has also been brought home for a thorough cleaning. the stove itself  has a fair bit of accumulated grease on it, particularly in the hard to reach places when it is mounted inside the gimbal.

Log Entry 12th February 2011

A combination of poor weather and lack of time has seen poor Lara sit sadly neglected and unused  since my last log entry. A visit last weekend indicated some long over due maintenance is required and I spent both Saturday and Sunday doing just that.

The first job was to pump and then sponge a couple of inches of rain water out of the interior. This has been an increasingly common occurrence after heavy rain and I’m not exactly sure why so much is getting inside. Until I do I will be covering the companion way hatch and cockpit area using the boom tent.

Just about every surface was covered in mould, the carpet on the floor was particularly bad so I have removed it. It was solidly held in place using yellow carpet glue, and while I managed to remove most of it with a paint scraper, the residual is proving difficult to shift. I tried using a nylon pot scourer with sugar soap, bleach and even some petrol without much luck. After a quick Google search to find out the best way to do this I have since bought a tin of acetone which might do the job. I’m not sure yet whether I will replace the carpet, if I can get the floor clean I’m thinking of covering it with some form of anti-slip floor paint – not sure yet.

Externally the hull is reasonably clean and tidy, though I will give it a thorough wash with my trusty Karcher to get rid of the ingrained dirt on the ant-slip deck surface. The hull above the rubbing strake could do with a cut back and polish as well, I’m not sure why this wasn’t attended to when the previous owners had the rest of the hull so beautifully painted. I’m confident that it should clean up satisfactorily though with a bit of hard work.

Also on the shopping list is a flush mounted deck pump to keep the bilge and floor more easily clear of water. Hopefully will have the time to continue some maintenance next weekend.

Log Entry 23rd October 2010

Lara has a new home. After finalising our affairs at East Coast, Phil, his daughter Sarah and myself said goodbye to Manly boat harbour and set off to Woongoolba in the southern part of Moreton Bay.

Leaving around 4pm to take advantage of the NNE 10-15 knot breeze, we beat towards the Huybers Beacon, through the channel between King and Green Islands. With the wind on our port side we steered south on a running reach towards Coochiemudlo Island. Making good time in the remaining two hours or so of daylight, dusk saw Lara tracking nicely on the eastern side of Coochiemudlo, with Macleay Island to port.

As I had still not connected the newly mounted solar panel, and was unsure whether Lara’s battery had retained any charge, Phil had brought a spare along. Fortunately however the battery was serviceable and well up to the task of powering the depth sounder and navigation lights.

Using a recent edition of Beacon to Beacon as our guide, we began in earnest to identify the appropriate green and red flashing markers we would need to guide us through the many sometimes tortuous channels that characterise the southern end of Moreton Bay. It wasn’t coincidental that around 7pm a full moon rose over North Stradbroke Island to help light our way. I had purposely chosen this particular evening for the trip, to take advantage of a NE breeze and a full moon, a window of opportunity between morning South Easterlies and forecast storms the following day.

I fried some sausages in butter on the stove as Phil steered us south. Sarah, perhaps wary of my ability as a cook, could only be enticed to eat a single sausage on a slice of bread. Whereas Phil and I ate the remaining snags, chopped up and mixed into a can of “stuff” I can only describe as the meal eaten by the “fully loaded man”. You know, the stuff eaten by the guy who slides down a mountain side in a kayak, off a ravine cliff into a mountain stream. The ad is suspiciously reminiscent of the old Solo lemon job as it finishes with a moustached guy grinning wolfishly   while crushing the empty can in his fist. Phil didn’t say anything about the meal (he’s too polite), but I think he’d probably agree that fully loaded cans are best left to fully loaded men and hungry yachties should eat something more palatable!

Of course, unbeknown to us, we had misread key beacons at crucial channel juncture at the southern end of Russell Island and motored (the wind had dropped by now) inadvertently into Fisherman's Channel. Towards the western end we were overtaken by a string of jet-skis strung out maybe eight to ten strong in a long convoy. They looked surreal in the dark, each similarly lit by bright LED navigation lights, resolutely playing follow the leader. Clearly they were on a mission of some sort however I have no idea what it was. They disappeared in the distance as quickly as they had come.

At the end of the channel we instinctively steered south-east into what we later realised was Canaipa Passage with Cobby Cobby Island to our starboard and North Stradbroke to port. Rounding Stingaree Island we were confronted by the entrance to Jumpinpin. Although never having been to it in the past, its impressive width and open view to the ocean proper, silver and glinting in the moonlight, left us in little doubt as to where we were.

Backtracking west between Short and Crusoe Islands we steered south again into a narrow but well beaconed channel between Eden and Crusoe Islands to find ourselves again in more open water. A quick conversation with a group of part goers on a large houseboat moored off Green Bank confirmed we were at the eastern end of Tiger Mullet Channel. Having at last a clear idea of where we were it was a simple task to go about and head east past Kangaroo Island and north to Tabby Tabby Island where we turned south again at Cabbage Tree Point.

Passing Steiglitz it was not long before we sighted the entrance to the Horizon Shores marina on our starboard side. Navigating to the guest pontoon, we tied up just after midnight. After a quick look around we pulled out sleeping bags and set about sleeping the remainder of the night. A bloody restless one it was at that, hounded by the incessant buzz of mosquitoes and silent but no less annoying sand-flies. It was with tired eyes (well I was tired) that we awoke early the next morning to formally organise a dry berth for Lara and arrange for Phil’s wife Judith to collect us for the drive home.

In hindsight the trip had taken a lot less time than I had thought and had we not strayed from Main Channel it would have been shorter still. In the end though it was all a bit of an adventure and a lot of fun We are certainly looking forward to exploring a part of Moreton Bay we are not familiar with.