Cape Upstart to Cape Gloucester and Shaggers Rendezvous

Thursday 24^th August 2017

It is another early start this morning to sail from Cape Upstart to Cape Gloucester. It is 47 nm, and we expect it to take around 8 hours.

Conditions are forecast to be very light winds, and at our departure at 6.30am, it looks like the forecast is correct. We can get some benefit from having the mainsail up, but it looks like a motorsail most of the way, unless conditions change.

For a bit less than an hour the is enough wind (around 7-8 knots) and the right angle to carry the code zero, giving us at least some time without running the engine. Sadly, for the rest of the time it was motor assisted.

Peter spends some time at the helm

Imagine, sailing alongside with her colourful code zero up

On the positive side, we saw more whales, 4 sea turtles and caught a nice school mackerel, which will feed us for a few days.

Catch of the Day

We arrived at Cape Gloucester at around 2pm, and there already lots of boats here and we anchor a fair way away from the bulk of them to avoid noise and those who need anchoring lessons.

Once the boat is shipshape, we launch the dinghy and head ashore, which is quite a long trip from where we are anchored and there is a bit of wind wave chop which slows progress. We are closest to the Eco Resort and are pleased to see that they now the main venue for Shaggers, a role previously held by Montes Resort.

Sharon and Peter are keen to sign up to become members, but it seems we need to come back tomorrow morning for that to happen. In the meantime, we went to the bar, just in time for happy hour. We met up with our friends from Imagine and Dalwhinnie, and another CCCA member who we haven’t seen for some time.

There was an official opening address at 6pm, to welcome everyone to Shaggers 2017, followed by live entertainment on stage by the Supreme Dream, a 3 member girl group that sang the old Motown hits, and did it pretty well.

We needed to get back to Mica before dark, so didn’t see the whole performance. Dinner is on board tonight, the key ingredient being prawns. Carole excelled herself in producing a very appertising prawn salad with garlic bread.

Everyone was pretty tired after 2 full days of sailing, sleep is the priority so we are refreshed to enjoy the days of partying ahead.