Flinders Island - Part II
As the forecast started to deteriorate, I settled on my decision to leave Heart of Gold on the mooring at Trousers Point. The low that had been further north in the Tasman was looking like it would travel south and cross directly over Flinders Island. The forecast called for 30+ knots of wind directly from the east, then 12 hours later 30+ knots directly from the west.
At this point Supertramp had left so I was solo on the boat, and I didn’t like my options of travelling to a sheltered shore and getting a good set on the anchor in the eye of the low, between changes in wind direction. I also wasn’t familiar with any of the anchorages, particularly given the expected conditions. Navigating the channels up to Lady Barron wasn’t really an option given Heart of Golds’ motoring capabilities in short chop to windward, and I didn’t feel confident navigating the strong currents in the unfamiliar channels in such conditions.
Flinders forecast with the low passing through Bass strait.
My thoughts were if the cleats rip out, the windlass might hold, and if the windlass rips out, the toerails should hold. Heart secured to the mooring.
I wasn’t sure how protected Trousers point would be under a strong easterly. The land provided enough protection even though the wind followed the coastline swinging more out of the SE. All in all the boat was safe on the mooring, although exposed to the wind-swell and on a lee shore.
Flinders Island has a dark history. In colonial Tasmania, the colonisers swept the island rounding up all the original people and putting them on Flinders Island where many died an isolated, sad death. Remnants of the settlement can be found at Wybalenna.
107 Aboriginal people died at the settlement between January 1837 and March 1939.
Each face tells a story.
Palana boat ramp.
There are some fascinating old photos at the Furneaux museum. Beautiful open grass tree country being cleared.
Shearwaters, also known as muttonbirds, are harvested for their meat and oil. A number of permits to harvest the birds are still issued National Parks.
The Kerrawyn anchored up in Port Davies.
Wind gusts to 57 knots (107km/hr) were recorded at Hogan Island.
These two screenshots show how the strong SE wind swung to strong from the West in 24hrs as the low moved over.
No comment.
Looking to the southeast from Trousers Point as the westerly set in.
Although pitching on the mooring, Heart was safe. Not the sort of waters I’d want to be sailing in.
Overnight rainfall.
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f158/solo-sailor-missing-in-bass-strait-244530.html
Flinders Island is full of stark reminders, and was particularly so when we visited. This 18m steel yacht was berthed at the jetty in ……… apparently the boat was found drifting in Bass strait, the skipper nowhere to be seen. In my journey learning to sail and pushing the voyages further and further, I’ve always valued the knowledge and experience of more experienced sailors. The stories, near misses and tragedies you see along the way are reminders that no matter how much preparation you’ve done and experience you have, things can and do go wrong. At the end of the day the ocean will have the final say, and it’s a deal you accept before you enter the water or set foot on a boat. Thoughts go out to the skipper and his family, and thanks for following your dream.
The final night before departing south I slept on land in my tent and rowed out to Heart early in the morning before sunrise. We snuck away in the dark to cross Banks strait and sail down the east coast of Tasmania.