Across to Oz

After fueling up and some last minute shopping we finally cleared the entrance to Noumea harbour at midday on Saturday 31 July. The weather forecast was not too good after the first 36 hours but we thought it was better to go than wait for what might be another week. The 800 miles of the Coral Sea were beckoning.  


We had a strong southeasterly trade wind to help us get through the lagoon and surrounding reefs, and then blow us out into the Pacific once more. We were once again touching 8 knots regularly with 25 knots of wind abeam.

This was the start we wanted but we knew it was not going to last. The forecast had the wind swinging astern and dropping and then veering round northwards. Then there was a strong headwind coming in from the south west.


This all came true. After 18 hours of great sailing it all went pear shaped. The wind dropped and went astern which left us rolling uncomfortably in the south easterly swell. We could not even keep a sail up as they were already in a bad condition and the flapping would have destroyed them. So it was 24 hours of rolly motoring and using up precious diesel at an early stage.


The wind started to come round to the north and we had 9-10 knots which was enough for us to sail again. We had a gentle days sailing on starboard tack while we were waiting for the front to come in. I mention starboard tack because during the whole trip we have rarely been on starboard tack.

Whilst enjoying the day Deano was bouncing around all over the boat. He should have stayed up on the foredeck.


Instead he came back to the cockpit to chat to me. We were watching a beautiful sea bird playing in the slipstream of our sails when it suddenly flew over our heads towards the mast and released a large load of guana. This landed right on Dean !! What a shot. I was laughing my head off when Dean mentioned had I looked at my arm? Ooops ! we were both in the 'merde'.

                        We cleaned up the mess and carried on our way.

We  prepared the boat for the night and had the staysail up with three reefs in the main. We were expecting wind and we got it. The wind swung round onto the nose, more due west than anything else, and it came in over 30 knots with a sea that built up over the night that was really uncomfortable. We stayed on starboard tack which had one good point in that I was pressed against the hull of the boat instead of being thrown out of my bunk when I was off watch !

Mind there wasn’t much sleep to be had as we told Nicole she could stay in her bunk and Dean and I did 2 hours on and 2 off for the remainder of the night. Nights of course are about 12 hours in those latitudes at that time of year. It was a long night.

We were now sailing about 40-50 degrees off our rhumb line course so the trip was getting longer. The next day the wind was not so strong but we were forced to tack onto port tack to try to pass between two large reefs. We had put the Genoa out to get some power to sail through the waves, but the roller reefing and furler system on the genoa finally gave way.

We have been trying to nurture it to get it to Australia in one piece, but already in Tahiti we said it should have been changed, and suddenly it just came apart. The genoa luff started to climb the forestay and the sail was half out. It didn’t want to go out anymore but luckily we could turn the sail by hand around the forestay and wind it all in.

                Horseshoe buoy almost washed overboard by the breaking waves during the night.

So this left us with the mainsail that was still looking sorry for itself and the staysail that was pretty shapeless and far too small to power us through these waves. We persisted for several hours as we were trying to save our fuel for later. We had to motor sail at times just to be able to keep a course and speed but we still had the wind coming from our destination so we were close hauled all day and night.

Once passed Kelso bank, one of the reefs we had been fighting to pass. The way was clear to get to the Australian coast and by Thursday evening the wind had gone round into the south south west. We were back on port tack and decided we had enough fuel in the main tank to motor sail the rest of the way if necessary. That night we motor sailed into the waves and made good progress. If we continued like this we would be in Brisbane Friday evening.

The next morning we were going along fine, the sun had come up and it was a brilliant day. Thoughts of a cold beer in Brisbane were swimming before our eyes when NO !! The engine revs dropped and fuel warning alarms came on.

Water in the fuel! We switched off the engine and continued by sail. 2 Knots instead of 6. We’d never get to Brisbane at this rate.

Dean was up on deck by now as well wanting to know why I had stopped the engine. I said we had a fuel problem and could he check the state of the filters. He came back saying they were full of gunge that came from the dirty fuel they got in the Galapagos and there was some water in the filters too. It must have been motoring through the big waves that had shaken the fuel in the tanks and brought up all the old fuel. We knew it was not lack of fuel as we had dipped the tanks regularly and we knew there was enough. On top of which we had topped them up the night before with fuel from canisters we carried on deck. That fuel came from Noumea and was crystal clear.

Dean then bravely set about changing the two filters with a boat rocking and rolling all over the place. Once changed we started the engine and He presto! It worked again, but then started slowing slowly and dropped to around 1200 revs. He looked at the filters and they were already beginning to fill up with gunge again. I stopped the engines once more.

We discussed the problem and I said that without an engine there was no way we were going to try and get through the sandbanks and up the river to Brisbane. I had already checked which places on the coast could provide shelter from a strong southerly wind in case we couldn’t make Brisbane before we left Noumea. There wasn’t much of a choice. To me it looked like a place called Mooloolaba which was about 40 mile north of Brisbane, or nothing. The name sounded good if nothing else! And there was a small headland that stuck out west that would protect us if for some reason we couldn’t get in and had to anchor off the beach. The only problem was immigration, we might not be allowed ashore it is not a port of entry and we are registered to go to Brisbane.

We had about 40 miles to go to Mooloolaba and it was 8 in the morning. The good thing was that the wind had just gone southerly and was up to 15 knots. If we could average 5 knots we could be there by 4p.m.

The day went well, we had periods where we were doing six knots with our little staysail and full main. I tried calling the coastguard at about 11 o’clock but they couldn’t hear me. I could hear a lot of conversations between the commercial shipping and Brisbane port authority but they were using a relay station somewhere.




We had all been preparing the boat for arrival in Australia. We were not allowed to import all sorts of things. They ranged from fruit and vegetables, to eggs and wooden articles, even to some types of tinned foods and pasta and many others. It was then that I remembered that we still had some Kava root in the cockpit locker left over from Fiji ! Wow, the Aussi quarantine services would love it if we arrived with that!

We had two bunches and Dean and I decided to have a Kava throwing overboard ceremony, complete with photos!

And there they were - gone !

At around 1p.m. I tried again and managed to contact Mooloolaba coastguard station. I explained our situation. That we were destined for Rivergate Marina up the Brisbane river, that we had done all the necessary preliminary clearance duties  96 hours before entering Australian waters, but due to engine problems we are going to divert to Mooloolaba.We shall therefore not make landfall in Brisbane where we are supposed to clear quarantine, customs and immigration. Could she kindly contact the relevant authorities and ask if we can have permission to put into Mooloolaba for repairs.

The coastguard's name was Jenny and she was very efficient. She came back to us after fifteen minutes, said she had contacted the authorities and they would come down to meet us in Mooloolaba on our arrival. Wow! What service.

She also said that the coastguard craft would come out and escort us in! I explained that we were in no difficulty and could sail there under our own steam but she said that they were going out training and would escort us in when we got off the piers.


We gave her our position and ETA. The ETA was pretty approximate as our speed was varying between 3 and 6 knots with the wind going up and down, but we put it around 1700h.

We were seeing more and more commercial shipping and it was BIG. Made us look tiny! At about 1400h we got our first site of the Australian coast, that really made us feel good, almost there. The wind decided that it was not going to make it all easy and decided to head us as we approached  the 10 mile zone around Mooloolaba.

No worries, we just tacked gently up towards the entrance to the river to enter the labyrynth of creeks that make up the port of Mooloolaba. The coastguard came along and showed us the way in and showed us where to moor whilst waiting for the arrival of the immigration officials.

We thanked them and got about tidying the boat and preparing for the inspection. Within an hour and a half the officials who had all come from Brisbane, just for us, had finished all the inspections and paperwork and we were free to go ashore. This was really the best thing we did coming in here, everything was simple and the officials were very easy on us, as we had things they really could have confiscated.


But now we were free to go and explore !!

                                The broken furler.

                                          Mooloolaba

                                    Mooloolaba residents

                          Dean recognising the truth !!



We stayed two nights in Mooloolaba and they were wonderful, it is a great place. People very sports orientated and everybody seems to go fishing. Mind the fish are so plentiful it's not surprising. The restaurants are full of delicious fish too.

We ended up fixing the engine problem enough to get us to Brisbane on the Sunday. It took us the whole day and we finally got the boat delivered to Rivergate Marina at about 11 on Sunday night the 8th of August. What an adventure!

I'd just like to thank the members of the crew who helped me get the boat from French Polynesia to Brisbane and put up with me for these several weeks. You were great !!

For those of you who would have liked to have come with us and I can think of a few, I would just like to say I would have enjoyed your company.

Thank you all for your support and kind words and I look forward to seeing you again soon.

Best wishes and fair winds in what ever you are trying to accomplish.

New Caledonia

                                    There's a passage here somewhere!




We left Fiji by passing through the Malolo passage and back out into the big rollers of the pacific. We had forgotten how life was outside of the comfortable waters inside the reefs.

We were on our way to Isle des Pins an island about 30 miles south of New Caledonia. Why? Because Nicole had heard good things about it and as we were now leaving New Caledonia to starboard, as this was the more direct route to Brisbane, we decided to stop there on our way. It was over 600 miles away so we had a few days at sea in front of us.

We were now heading south west with the prospect of sailing out of the tropics soon. The wind was south easterly at around 12-20 knots and we were making good boat speed if not a little uncomfortable fairly close-hauled into the swell. Again it was quite a short sharp swell but we were maintaining a good speed of 7-8 knots.

The trip down was fairly fast and we were arriving at the Isle des Pins at daybreak on Monday, that was less than four days later.

                                             Land Ahoy!

 The weather had got much colder as we progressed and it was time for socks and shoes, long trousers and a fleece jacket.

 It also started raining so it was waterproofs as well.

 Dean was on watch as we saw the island for the first time. There was a strong tide running and we found big overfalls and breaking waves off the south coast of the island. We rounded the south coast in the mist and rain and proceeded up towards Kuto beach where we had been recommended to go.

                                           Kuto Beach

Our arrival was not the most thrilling we have had, although it is always nice to make a landfall. Which reminds me of the pilots saying:   That it is better to be down here wishing you were up there, than being up there wishing you were down here.!!

So, it was cold and drizzling and the place looked damp but nice. The beach looked magnificent and once anchored we started to appreciate both the flat water and one of Dean’s famous breakfasts. Life was getting better by the minute.

Then, a great big P&O liner anchored offshore and deposited about a thousand tourists on the beach!!!....

We went ashore too as we wanted to have a look around as we had come all this way. Yes it was beautiful and yes the tourists did go back on their boat after about three hours ashore.
Our walk took us to some lovely spots and it is surely a nice spot for a holiday.

                                          Kotu bay with the sun out

                                                               Our dinghy ashore

                                                                    Pins  (pines)

We had to go to Noumea next which is the capital of New Caledonia. We had to go to officially enter and leave the country but more important we needed fuel for the last long leg to Brisbane. We decided to leave the next morning at dawn.

That same evening we invited a couple called Heather and Dennis from 'Tigger', a nearby catamaran, for dinner on board Mercury Rising. 


I had met them earlier when I went over to ask if they had any information on getting to Brisbane. They were most helpful, and when they came for dinner they brought printouts of the charts to get up the river Brisbane. This was really nice, and very useful. They were both from the UK but have spent many years in this neck of the woods and we all enjoyed each others company for a few hours. We continue to exchange e-mails and I wish them many pleasant days of sailing and pottering around the islands.


The next morning we set off for Noumea. It was not the best morning I have ever seen.

But we had a fair wind and we needed to cover 80 miles before nightfall so all was looking good from that point of view. We were doing 7-8 knots and we knew we would pick up a northerly tidal stream as we approached New Caledonia that would increase our speed even further.

Our first view of New Caledonia was through the mist and cloud. It takes it's name from Scotland and we could see why. However we continued on our way and were soon escorted by a pod of humpbacked whales. These magnificent animals come up from the Southern Ocean to New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga to both mate and to give birth to their young. They are amongst the most friendly whales to man and this has often led to their downfall.

One of these beautiful creatures got within about 5 meters of the boat and this was a little too close for comfort.


We continued on or way up the coast to Noumea and the scenery became more and more like the Scotish highlands. Give or take a palm tree or two !!

The rest of the trip to Noumea went very well and we were tucked in the Marina by four fifteen and cleared customs and immigration by six.


Our three days in Noumea were taken up with several visits to the Pub and Restaurant 'Le fin du monde' on the quay at Noumea. It was not that we really wanted a drink but there was free wifi there and the place was full of errant yachtsmen (and yachtswomen).


Otherwise we went off to a restaurant with the crew of another boat we met on the quay. Nicole met up with some old friends.
We shopped for the crossing.
And I spent what seemed like two days walking all over town arranging clearance for the weekend: customs, immigration and duty free fuel for the trip.


Saturday morning we decided that there was no point waiting any more and with a pretty poor weather forecast we set out into the ocean once more.


Australia here we come!

More on Fiji

We would have loved to stay longer around Savu Savu on the island of Vanua Levu, but with all the time we lost due to the various boat problems I was beginning to be under pressure to keep moving. I had promised Adrian that I would do my best to get Mercury Rising to Brisbane for him and my plane was leaving Brisbane mid August.

We decided to go to the next Blue Water Rally stopover, which was going to be the last one for us. It was at the Musket Cove resort on the island of  Malolo Lailai.

 Many of the boats were going west about the main island of Viti Levu but we decided to go eastabout. This was for two reasons, one it was longer but faster and secondly we had no charts of the passages through the reef strewn passages on the west side.

This meant that we had to beat up to windward to get around the eastern point of Viti Levu and this took us a day and a night.

 Early morning we were passing between the island of Beqa and the main island, we were under power as the wind had dropped at about 4 in the morning. It was about 7 o’clock and the sea was like a mill pond in the lee of Beqa and her lagoon when the suggestion was made that perhaps we should catch a fish for lunch. 

                                                              Beqa - early morning

We told Dean that we would like a Dolphin fish of between 4 and 5 kilos. Not too big and not too small.

Dean got the rod ready, put the line out and within 10 minutes had the first bite. He reeled it in with us all looking over the side. Yes, it was a dolphin fish!!

 “Lets gaff it and get it out of the water” and up it came into the cockpit. Magnificent it was in its fluorescent green,yellow and blue livery and it weighed in at something between 4 and 5 kilos. Good fishing Deano!

Dean got his knife out and had it skinned and filleted before you could say Jack Robinson and we put the fishing tackle away as this was enough for at least three meals.

 Nicole wanted to have her photo taken with the catch so you can all see what a beautiful fish it was.

 The wind came up out of the east, we freed the sheets and shot off around the eastern coast like a bat out of hell, but unfortunately we lost the race to get through the reef before darkness set in. By now there were some 2-3 metre rollers coming in from the south and the waves were breaking strongly over the reef. 

By checking the electronic chart I could see that the gap in the reef was wide (especially in comparison to some of the others we had been through !). It was however quite long and it was dark, this makes a big difference for judging distances.

 There were however some leading lights on the mainland so having weighed everything up I decided to go for it, as the leading lights would also lead us into a bay, not far from Nadi airport, where we could anchor for the night. There was no question of trying to get into the bay at Musket Cove at night.

It’s always a bit spooky doing these things in the dark, and sometimes in the daylight too!, but it all went very well and the leading lights were spot on. We anchored for the evening in pleasant calm waters and had a fine fish dinner.

                                                             Viti Levu

Next morning we were up at 6 and preparing to go to Musket Cove. It wasn’t far but has a tricky entrance around its reefs. We negotiated it very carefully as we found the co-ordinates for the entrance, given to us by the rally, were in fact right in the middle of a reef!! Once we ignored them the whole thing became much simpler.

                                                Early morning and off to Malolo Lailai

                                                     First glance of Musket Cove

Arriving at Musket Cove was fantastic. This was beautiful. It looked like the perfect place to relax and I estimated we could stay here for 5 days. It meant that we would have no time for any more of the Fijian islands but you can’t do everything, and I needed the rest.

There are hundreds of islands making up the country of Fiji and it would take months or years to get to know them. I can safely say, that from what I know already about the people and the country, that I would love to get the chance to return and explore the islands. I would need to find another boat, although a couple of weeks ashore would be nice too.

We made our way into the small harbour where places had been reserved for all the Rally boats. We had apparently set a record. This was the first time since her leaving Gibraltar that ‘Mercury Rising’ had been the first boat anywhere! So we had the whole place to ourselves.

What is Musket Cove?  It is a natural harbour, a marina and a resort on the island of Malolo Lailai. Just the name conjures up a South Pacific paradise. There are four restaurants within the resort, a bar with a do it yourself BBQ area on a small island beside the marina, wellness centre and even a small landing strip for light aircraft and a nine hole golf course.

                                                               Yachts in the marina

                                                         Bar and BBQ island

                                                                 BBQ in action

 The ‘rooms’ are individual Fijian ‘bures’ which are typical thatched roofed huts and they are exquisitely furnished. There are swimming pools – one with a thirty foot sailing boat incorporated into the structure. It is quite impressive. 

                                                                Fijian bure

                                                                         The boat in the pool

I was very much at home here. A few luxuries after all we had been through were welcomed, and for the first time for a long time we had no repairs to worry about – at least for five days. Ok, cleaning inside and out and checking a few things, but nothing serious.

We managed a couple of games of golf where Dean beat me both times – and I reduced his handicap the second time! It was really enjoyable to play again after so many months and to be able to do so in such surroundings was a bonus.

                                                    Deano winning the first hole

                                                             Preparing for victory

We watched the All Blacks beat South Africa on a television (Wow!) in a salon set aside for that purpose. The room and outside was packed with Kiwis, Aussies and expats, it was a terrific atmosphere and a couple of pints or so were consumed that evening.

The restaurants were all terrific with both spicy and non spicy foods and considering where we were they were relatively inexpensive. Tahiti costs at least 50% more.

The BBQ on the island was a great meeting place and a really sociable place to eat. You met so many people whilst cooking it was real fun. On top of which it was only about 30m from where the boat was moored.

Basically we were doing all the things we had been missing whilst navigating the oceans. Not that it was better or worse, it was just different for us to live like this again and we were filling our boots!!

We had drinks parties on the boats, massages to take away all the aches, walks around the island, I didn't do any diving as I was not really feeling up to scratch and I had caught a cold on top of that but there is supposed to be some of the finest diving in the Pacific here. 

It was a well needed rest but nothing lasts forever, so after five days we bid goodbye to all our friends and the other boats in the rally and set sail for Lautaka on Viti Levu in order to clear customs. We arrived in the afternoon and went ashore for dinner. A fellow yachtsman who was anchored nearby had given us the name of a restaurant where we should go for dinner. As it happens it was over the other side of town.


We were having a little trouble deciding which way to go so I asked a policeman. After the customary greetings of 'Bula' and asking if he knew where this restaurant was to be found, he said not to worry he would walk us there. I said it was not necessary but he insisted that as we were visitors and might get lost he would show us the way. How civilised!. On the way he and we were greeted by many of his friends and we 'Bula'd' our way all the way to the restaurant. Wonderful.


The following morning, Thursday, we cleared Customs and Immigration and set sail for our next destination,
Isle des Pins off the south coast of New Caledonia.