Kangaroo Island - Port Lincoln 8/1 - 15/1

The delightful anchorage at Boxing Bay. Ashore with Rod and Sal.

After nine months at sea and with our home port of Wirrina being literally within sight, to be heading west in the direction of Port Lincoln might seem curious to geographically attuned readers of this chronicle. Yet, from Boxing Bay on the northern tip of Kangaroo Island, planning for our next passage took us west around the tip of Yorke Peninsula, rather than East, for home.

In calculating our return to SA waters, we knew that we would have to reach the waters of Gulf St Vincent, in a time frame allowing us a certainty of return to Wirrina by about the 20th of January. We could not afford to get “trapped” further afield at a port like Robe – in spite of its attractions – and risk getting marooned there by adverse weather. Sailors can get hurt when they put to sea, against a forecast, just to meet a deadline. From Kangaroo Island waters we could be “home” within hours if the forecast turned sour. Besides, there were some compelling reasons why we should try and extend our journey to Port Lincoln if time permitted. Being at Boxing Bay by January 8th provided just such an opportunity.

Also, after nine months at sea, there might be signs of us getting soft. The passage from Boxing Bay to Cape Donnington at the entrance to the majestic harbour of Port Lincoln was a substantial 100 miles, and normally we would be away in pre-dawn hours to cover such a journey before nightfall. This time however our 0230 alarm saw us peering out from the cockpit into a coal black sky with a hard Sou-Easter whistling in the rigging. For once we re-set the chronometer and retired to the forepeak.

An exhilarating sail across to Cape Spencer!

Later, with the sky apricot in the east, we were away before there were signs of movement on the other yachts in the bay. Our first waypoint, off the rugged and remote Althorpe Island was 40nm away, and with reefed canvas before a 20-25 knot southerly, we flew. Out in Investigator Strait which separates Kangaroo Island from the foot of Yorke Peninsula, with some tidal assist, Calista churned through the billows at 7.5 – 8 knots. This was exciting, exhilarating and compelling sailing, and although perfect for “Kev” our wind vane, we hand steered, because we did not want to miss a minute of it! With dolphins cavorting on our bow, Althorpe rose from the horizon ahead like a scone in a pre-heated oven.

The forbidding Emmes Reef off Cape Spencer.

Abeam of Althorpe and the Haystack Isles off Cape Spencer, we calculated safe passage through the forbidding Emmes Reef and Reef Head, before resetting a course to leave Dangerous Reef, the ancestral home of White Pointers to starboard, on our way to Donnington. Off Althorpe we cleared with Carol at American River VMR, and logged on with Gary at Tumby Bay VMR, who manages small vessel traffic in the entire zone of southern Spencer Gulf. Volunteers all, these worthy souls, like Mary at Smithton in Tasmania, and Joan at Port Fairy, are unstinting in the watch that they provide for small vessels like Calista out at sea. In spite of the wind backing to our stern quarter, and with the sea breeze filling, we rounded Cape Donnington and slipped into the tranquillity of Fisheries Bay, Spalding Cove, just as the last vestige of day gave way to the lights of Port Lincoln, across the bay. We remembered fondly the homespun honesty of the late Jamie Cowell’s introduction to his Cruising Anchorages in South Australia where he wrote of that unique feeling of completing a tiring day at sea and, with vessel safely at anchor, that matchless feeling of retiring to “dinner in the oven” and suitable refreshment shared with good friends below. Ahhhhh.

Cape Donnigton in sight... we'll make it by nightfall !

Next morning, after an “alarmless” sleep, we completed our passage to Port Lincoln, and after rounding the main wharf where big ships were busy loading grain, we dropped anchor on good holding just out from the Port Lincoln Yacht Club, and next to the smaller yachts Pitchin’ In and Noah. This point, 34 degrees 43.19 minutes South, and 135 deg. 51.88 East marked the westernmost point of our voyage, after Bwagoia Harbour, Misima Island PNG (North), Cape Byron (East), and the unseen dome (by us) of Skull Rock, Anser Group, Wilsons Promontory to the South. What a nine months we have had! Amazing!

Noah, Calista and Pitchin' In anchored off the Port Lincoln Yacht Club.

Through Bill and Pauline on Tibia we knew the respective crews of Pitchin’ In and Noah through earlier trips to the area, and with Mark, off Noah being Bill’s son. The previous eve a call from Mark on VHF as we rounded Donnington alerted us to their presence off the Port Lincoln esplanade, and now we were delighted to get the chance to re-connect. Tenders tethered off little Noah, a tough little 28’ ketch, suggested that everyone might be below and when we rattled to a halt nearby, they streamed out of the companionway, like ants from a nest if you stamp nearby on a bushwalk. Mark, imbued with the Lunn sense of hospitality, invited us on board for a coffee and astonishingly, with wife Kim and their two little ones, plus Ben, Lisa and their growing crew of Seb, Zoe and Elliot, we all squeezed in below. It was wonderful to catch up, get respective family updates, and enjoy some brief time together before Kim drove back to Adelaide with the kids (Adelaide – Port Lincoln by road approximates to Adelaide to Melbourne by road), and the Pitchin’ In(s), re-trailered their little ship and also headed for the highway.

All aboard Noah!

With strong Sou-Easters forecast – will they ever go away – we had time to head ashore to the town before making for the marina in front of the weather. Through a chance connection in our Crystal Voyager days at the superb Memory Cove, just out of Lincoln, we had met and stayed connected with Andy Haldane of the pioneering Haldane family whose Port Fairy constructed vessel Tacoma, had not only transported the family to Port Lincoln (see Port Fairy Blog, April 2010), but started the celebrated Port Lincoln tuna fishing industry in the process. Now Tacoma was having a complete makeover, before heading to the forthcoming Wooden Boat Festival in Tasmania, with Andy and a crew of kindred salts on board. Andy had kept in touch with us throughout our voyage, and when he suggested that we might call in to Port Lincoln, before heading finally for home, the offer was simply too good to refuse. Besides, in regards to home and associated responsibilities, we were still in denial!

Andy and Cookie inspecting Tacoma's vintage Grenaa Diesel engine.

It was wonderful to renew our friendship with Andy, his wife Yo and to get a stem to stern inspection of Tacoma, Port Lincoln’s Queen of the Seas. From the restored Aga coke-fired stove in the galley, to the thumping diesel in the lower decks – Andy’s fiefdom – and the wood panelling of the wheelhouse, this marine treasure had been built by the brothers Haldane to stand the test of time. It was tremendous to see that in spite of all of the challenges of restoration, that soon Tacoma would once again rule the waves. We felt that, if Port Lincoln has a soul, it will see Tacoma ultimately installed in pride of place as a living, working celebration of Lincoln’s connection with the sea. If Port Lincoln has a statue of a racehorse, the incomparable Makaybe Diva, taking pride of place on the foreshore, then surely there is a place for Tacoma. Day trips around Boston Harbour on this grand ship could be a real hit with tourists. Can we come too?

A beautifully restored Tacoma.

Back at the marina we had a predictable list of tasks to attend to in spite of us being quite close to home. Then Mark, single-handing his way back to Adelaide on Noah, was forced back with gearbox problems, and he limped into an adjoining berth to effect repairs. Using transport generously provided by A Haldane esq. we were soon able to connect with marine facilities in town to see our respective ships ready again for sea.

True North, a visiting cruise ship, tied up astern of us at the Port Lincoln Marina.

Before leaving Lincoln, we took up Andy’s recommendation to steam out to Monument Beach in Proper Bay and scale Stamford Hill, from where a magnificent panorama of Boston Harbour through to Thistle Island Wedge Island and the Sir Joseph Banks Group could be attained. This excursion proved to be all that Andy had promised, and at the top of Stamford Hill we had a chance meeting with crew from the mini-cruise liner True North, which had docked opposite us in the marina. With conditions holding fair and fine we dropped anchor for the night under Surfleet Point before heading the next morning back to port.

The magnificent vista from Stamford Hill, with Calista anchored at Monument Beach.

Graham Daniels (see Gold Coast Blog November 2010), long time friend of Andy, and now ourselves, was returning from Adelaide, and we planned to have Andy, Yo, Graham and daughter Nikki join us on Calista before we headed back in the direction of Kangaroo Island under the new Sou-Westerly change. Again a marvellous night ensued, and we left Andy and Graham wishing them well for their forthcoming sojourns to Tasmania. For us, however there were fair winds in the offing and with them, on our return to Kangaroo Island waters, there was a chance to overnight at one of South Australia’s most remarkable of offshore anchorages. So, it was with regret, tinged with anticipation that we set our alarm for the first light of the new day. Again, it was time to put to sea.

A very enjoyable evening onboard Calista with Graham, Nikki, Andy & Yo.