Start Loc: Stonehaven Anchorage, Hook Island (20o 05.38'S, 148o 54.38'E)
Narrative: After pancakes for breakfast, the kids and I went ashore to explore the small beach. We finally dropped the mooring at 11:35am, raised sail, and started making our way down the west side of Hook Island to Nara Inlet. The forecast was for E/SE winds at 10-15kts, increasing 15-20kts at times. Before we set the sails we had noted a few gusts up towards 20kts, so we set sail with one reef in the main and 110% head sail. For the duration of the sail, the wind varied from SW to NE, and 2-18kts. Fortunately we were in no great hurry, and were content to let the wind take us (or not) as we lazily dragged a couple of lures behind us.
As the lures did not seem to be attracting any fish, my patience with the wind decreased. Eventually, with the wind changing constantly from SW to SE as I tried to head south, I gave up, furled the head sail and started the motor.
We anchored in Nara Inlet at 2:10pm in 8m of water, well away from other vessels and no more than 20m off the reef. As the afternoon went on, more and more boats came into the inlet. The kids pointed a charter boat sailing cat that was heading towards us and I watched incredulously as he passed between us and the reef. Fortunately he missed the two fishing lines we had out at the time, but I am not sure what was wrong with the 250m of clear water between us and the other side of the inlet! I was then angered as a charter boat power cat did the same thing, but this time at speed so that as he passed 5m off our stern we also copped all his wake. Bloody charter boats and their lack of etiquette ...
End Loc: Nara Inlet, Hook Island (20o 08.35'S, 148o 54.59'E)
Distance run: 10nm (cumulative: 1060nm)
Engine hours: 2 hr, 05 min (cumulative: 125 hr 46 min)