A Challenging Sail to Island Head Creek

Friday 25^th September 2015

The wind settled down last night and there was little boat motion, a much better night for getting some sleep without the worry of depth at low tide since we moved.

The forecast for tomorrow looks good, 10 to 15 knots unfortunately from the SE, so it was touch and go whether we would motor or sail. We left at 7 am to try and capitalize on the South running ebb tide, even though we would have to suffer a bit of adverse current until the tide changed at just after 8 am.

The early motor out was against an knot of current, but when we had cleared all of the shoals and could pick a straight course in the direction of Island Head Creek, it was clear we could sail, albeit with a bit of tacking.

We sailed pretty much all of the way, in very lumpy conditions once the tide changed to give us some extra boost with the unfortunate consequence that the wind picked up over 15 knots and we were in a wind against tide situation. Steep short waves appear and bashing into them isn’t a lot of fun, but running across them is a lot easier. We had a combination of both, and were glad to arrive at Island Head Creek, despite making good speed all day sailing, it was mostly at 30 degrees apparent wind.  Unfortunately on arrival it was low tide, a very low tide.

Approaching the entrance to Island Head creek

Having not been in here before, we were wary of the shallow entrance, but have the benefit of a rising tide should we get grounded. Smithy had zero depth under him at the lowest point, and we gingerly worked our way in until we were in more than adequate depths. We had received some advice from a passing yachtie who overheard us conversing on the VHF and said there was adequate depth if you stuck to the centre of the channel. We talked to him after we were in, and found out he had a catamaran. The old adage of keel boats never following catamarans still holds.

Following Wilparina in through the very shallow entrance

Once the depth drama was over we noticed something missing from our mast, it was our radar.  We lost it overboard somewhere on the trip and are astounded we didn’t see or hear it fall, even though there were plenty of distracting noises.

All that is left is part of the radar mount and the cable

We motored down the creek to look for some shelter from the breeze, which was now close to 20 knots. There is not a lot of relief from the wind, but at least the water is flat and there is no swell or surge.

When putting the sail away, I noticed it had oil sprayed all over the top section, adjacent to the radar mount, which was self leveling with hydraulic damping. It now appears that the hydraulics may have blown up and the radar would have been swinging uncontrollably, and somehow let go.

Hydraulic oil on the sail

I will get a rigger to have a look at it and take it up with  the insurance company at the next port.

We went over to Wilparina for sundowners and discuss tactics for the next few days. The forecast for today, that seemed so suitable, turned out to be anything but. Tomorrow we will poke our nose out and possibly just do a short transit to Port Clinton (only 13 nm) and see what the conditions are like, if the forecast is suitable. The big seas may not have abated.