Midnight Escape from Port Stephens!

Dunbogan Boatshed sentinel

We've finally done it! We've left. After 17 days of incarceration at Port Stephens we've managed to sail out totally unobserved. It was a still and dark cloudy moonless night. Now we're in the lovely Camden Haven river after a 13 hour motor sail. I'm very familiar with Camden Haven. I have previously spent 21 days here when bringing Sea Trek III to Sydney from Brisbane approx. 18 months ago. It rained then and it's raining now. Camden Haven is the site of my greatest life time sporting achievement. I was able to swim faster than Ian Thorpe when I fell overboard on a outgoing tide. This record breaking swim was witnessed by none other than the Prince of Whales ( a well known figure in Sydney yachting circles). He commenorated the event by naming his most famous seafood dish after me: "Dumplings and Flounder". Anyway We are on a mooring at the Dunbogan Boatshed and the prices are family friendly and haven't changed in years!

"Ye good olde" fashion prices at Dunbogan Boatshed.

We really did enjoy our time at Port Stephens and we tried really hard to experience relaxation again. (The Sydney Effect) In Port Stephens we met local fellow cruisers who are also commencing their trip north, SV Bravardo with Ines and Steve. They were very generous people and drove us to the shops for our final provisioning before the trip here. We will catch up with them again in Coffs Harbour. I owe them a drink at the yacht club.

We must be somewhere exotic Jen, I'm fixing things again!

We had a last minute drama with ST3 after refuelling and heading out of Port Stephens. I heard the bilge pump working continually as we pulled away. A quick diagnostic check by Jen revealed that the engine had developed a major water leak due to a failed hose clamp on the raw water intake filter. Sea water was spraying all over the engine compartment. I found a safe anchoring spot. Luckily Jen had effectively packed many spare parts in her workshop and knew exactly where to locate the right spare. Sheer genius that girl. My panic settled and the fix was a five minute job.

One or two hose clamps

 

50 shades of grey: sailing to Camden Haven.

We were happy to face the drab wet weather because the sea was basically flat and friendly with low waves and non existent swell.

Where we are now.

http://skipr.net/where-is/boat-pages/?boatid=1122

 

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