A Bumpy Ride to Mooloolaba

Sunday 4^th June 2017

Awake at 2.00am we are ready to set out for Mooloolaba. By the time we had a cup of tea and got everything shipshape, we left the marina at 2.30am, to motor to the seaway. There is a light 5 knot Southerly blowing in the passage as we motor past Seaworld and we are expecting 15-20knots and a 1.5 to 2 m swell.

It is very dark as we follow our track back out and once in the ocean it seems a bit bouncy, but we figure that will settle down once we get out of the shallow coastal water.

The boat is moving around a bit and the wind is already 15-20 knots, so we decide we will wait till daylight to set the mainsail and have just enough angle to carry a headsail, so unfurl it and with a few revs from the engine we are doing 7 knots, but it is not particularly comfortable.

By daylight the wind is up around 25knots and the seas 2.5 to 3 metres, so going head to wind and clambering up on the deck to pull up the main (my electric drill gave up the ghost and Metabo after sales service is pretty well non existent) is very unattractive.

For the next several hours, pretty much all the way to Mooloolaba, we motor sailed with the headsail, having to furl it in occasionally because we were too square, and staying at a comfortable angle to the swell was more important than chasing the breeze.

We decided to take the long way around after passing Cape Morton, going North until we passed Flinders Reef, before changing course for Mooloolaba. The swell was building in the shallows was  white water in the shoal area between Cape Moron and the reef.

Leaving Cape Morton behind

Flinders Reef (North of Cape Morton)

It is also very cold, and we have several layers on to keep us warm. We bumped, rolled and surfed our way to Mooloolaba at an average speed of 7 knots and were very pleased to see the river entrance in sight.

The entrance has been badly silted up and entering using the leads would most certainly result in us running aground. Coastguard Mooloolaba are transmitting a regular Securite warning to mariners proving advice to favour the western side of the entrance. The QLD Maritime also published a useful diagram of the most recent hydrographic survey which made planning the entry very straight forward.

We were in and tied up at the marina by 4pm, pretty tired. After a nice cold beer I felt a lot better.

No-one was interested in cooking dinner, so we went up to the Yacht Club, which is literally at the end of our marina arm. The place has come a long way since we were last here, as is now a thriving little club with good food.

Back to the boat and in bed by 9pm, we can still feel the ground moving under us after what was a pretty uncomfortable trip.