We've Done it, we've crossed Bass Strait!

It's hard to believe that we are now in Tasmania. We are both tired physically and emotionally, but you expect that after a solid 52 hours at sea, concentrating on sea conditions, weather, navigation, seasickness, 10 hours of pea soup fog(wish I had learnt to work the radar) and trying to get some rest.

Since my 20's I have dreamed of sailing across Bass Strait, to me it's the Pigeon House mountain of sailing!(not Everest). I always thought it would be on a racing yacht in the Sydney to Hobart. Well thats the macho image I envisaged. But time has moved on and I have mellowed and maybe a cruising yacht was the way to go, and go the Crazy Lady did.

Really I have to hand it to both "Crazy Ladies" Jen and the boat, both handled the trip a whole lot better than me. " I never get seasick anymore" was my cry in Eden, so no medication for Glenn.

The crossing got off to a great start, with 4 other yachts in Eden all excitedly discussing the great weather window that was to appear on Monday. We all agreed that Monday was the day, with the wind turning North East and the 2 metre swell starting to decrease. There were two route choices on the table, either down to Deal Island, rest and then on to Flinder Island and rest; or straight to Tasmania. Three of the five boats chose the islands route. Can you guess what I chose? Yes that's right,... straight to Tasmania!

It was a Bass Strait crossing, right?

It was my dream, right?

Can you guess which way I will be coming home? Virgin Blue or Jetstar.

So back to the story: all yachts left on the Monday but not all at the same time. We left by ourselves at about 1.30 pm on the Monday. We waited for the NE to kick in so we would be off to flying start. We had a great sail down past Gabo Island and into the night on a twenty knot noreaster. We had many dolphins as our escort, there would have been about a 100 I think. We were pushing 7 knots and the swell was helping the keep the speed up. By 11pm yours truly was down for the count with violent seasickness and also Jen was feeling continuously sick as well. So it was decided that we would have a 2 hour on, 2 hour off watch system. I went down to sleep first. I was surprised to wake at 5am and look out to see Jen helming with the wind howling and waves crashing either side of the boat. I came up to take over, to be informed by Jen that she was hallucinating, hearing dogs bark and had fallen asleep a few times only to be woken as the sails flapped when the boat went "off course".

Next day the wind finally dropped to a weary calm, so on went the motor. We motor sailed all day and into a sea fog, that you could see coming miles away. So far on the trip we had not seen another ship, boat or anything, except for the lights of distant oil rigs early on in the trip. When surrounded by fog alarm bells started ringing in my brain. Now surely is the time that we will see another ship!!. If we do will it be too late to avoid collision? Surely I could get the radar to work. This went on for 10 hours, while looking in wonderment at the radar, a foreign language to me, wondering if sea clutter could be ships. At midnight on our second night we were hit with a mild southerly change. This meant that the wind was now on the nose for the rest of the trip. Speeds of only 2.4 knots were common (usuallly 6 to 8 knots can be expected) as well as lots of wild crashing waves over the front. Enormous thuds shook the Crazy as the hull hit heavily into the water (and woke a confused Glenn). Two weary sailors arrived at Binalong Bay (Bay of Fires) at 5.30pm. We are on a mooring and its a bit rolly but its safe.

Thanks Jen, you are truly my heroine after this trip.

On a sadder note for my son James. His grandfather Noel O'Keefe died a few days ago. Noel was a quite, dignified man and a top bloke. I know that he has had a great influence on James and had helped him grow into a fine young man. He will be greatly missed by all and I'm sorry that I was unable to attend his funeral.

Pics: Bass Strait Fog, only 99.9 nautical miles to go, just a few of the farewell committee at Eden.

Glenn