Meanderings: North across Bass Strait. Part 1 Beauty Point to Cape Barren Island

We never particularly intended to visit the Bass Strait islands. Bass Strait has a fearsome reputation for changeable weather and it takes quite some confidence to choose to hang around in the middle of it just waiting to get smacked. However, many do, and apparently this is a good time of year to do it if you are that way inclined.

The islands also have a reputation for being difficult to anchor on beside, and every year yachts are lost because of dragging anchor onto beaches on the Bass Strait islands. A combination of weed, strong and changeable winds, and anchorages that are only suitable for winds from a limited range of directions seem to be the main factors involved. All in all, care, attention, good anchoring tackle, and keeping a careful watch on weather forecasts seem to be the name of the game.

This all sounded so relaxing that we thought we might just give it a miss entirely. Although that means that you have to find a weather window for, and/or suck up the consequences of making a direct 200 mile plus transit across Bass Strait. We tried that in the other direction and weren't mad keen on that alternative either.

So it was a very happy coincidence that some yachts from the Tamar Yacht Club were planning an Easter cruise to Cape Barren Island and Flinders Island and, very importantly, the weather even seemed like it might be reasonable for Easter - who would have guessed! We decided that this was enough of an incentive to drag us back out of the very comfortable and attractive Tamar Valley where at least half the crew had decided they wanted to spend the rest of their lives...

The trip from Beauty Point (Tamar River) to Cape Barren Is. was idylic. We left the marina at 0230 to ensure that we would arrive at Cape Barren Is. in the daylight. The total distance was about 85 miles so we figured that this could take us 14 to 16 hours if we had to motor the whole way (we only motor at about 5.5 knots). The lower Tamar is well lit, although it helps to have two people and a chartplotter as traveling downstream on the ebb you move over the ground at 7 to 8 knots and not always in the direction you are pointing. Staying in the channel is also a good idea as there are shoals and reefs on either side. In the end it was uneventful. We motored with the main sail up in about 5 knots of wind.

Once outside Low Head we could swing around on course for Cape Barren Is. 77 mile away. There are a couple of unlit islets to leave to starboard in the dark - always an interesting test of faith in chartplotter, GPS, and chart accuracy although, remarkably, you can actually make out completely black rocks against an almost black horizon from a distance of a couple of miles - especially if you know where to look.

A little southerly wind kicked in and we sailed very comfortably from 0600 to 1040 doing 7+ knots in 10-12 knots of wind and virtually no sea or swell. A very pleasant way to greet the day in Bass Strait!

Mid morning the wind abruptly dropped out to nothing, so it was time to crank up the iron genoa and keep our date with Cape Barren Island.

EV helping Otto, the autopilot, keep a nice straight course

A "flat calm"?

The kind of weather that the foredeck crew like!

Arrival at Cape Barren Island. The foredeck crew wake up.

The Tamar Yacht Club group, lead by John and Di on "Allusive" recommended Thunder and Lightning Bay as a good spot. They weren't wrong. Good anchoring, clear of weed, and a spectacular beach to explore. The entire group went ashore for a bonfire and sun-downers. Not a bad Bass Strait experience this one! Many thanks to all from the TYC who made us feel so welcome.