Our night at North West Cape was less than pleasant, actually one of our worst as the wind changed to an Easterly and blew 30-35knts. Thank goodness that we have a Nordhavn, and Thankyou Gary for our Flopper Stoppers. The anchor held well, we had 85m chain out, and once daylight and the outgoing tide came we set off. We were able to hug the Cape and once around we were protected from the wind and the seas abated as we made our way 45nm south.
The whales continued to join us on the journey, sometimes coming quite close. We stayed a few hundred metres off Ningaloo Reef all day, this allowed us to stay out of the current heading north, thus increasing our speed by a knot! All important!!
The sun was getting lower on the horizon when we were trying to decide whether to take advantage of this beautiful calm sea and travel through the night or stop here at Yardie Creek. Yardie Creek is accessed through one of the many gaps in the reef. Before we could make that decision, we had a wind change, 33knts from the SW, swell and waves grew rapidly so we both agreed to call it a day. Although you still have the wind behind the reef, there wasn’t any swell.
Photo: The sunsetting with the huge swells breaking on Ningaloo Reef.
The wind continued to blow until 2am when the tide changed, and wind went to the SE. We woke at 5am and started the process all over again, flopper stoppers in and anchor up and back to sea.
The swells have been much bigger today, 4 metres high, but are slowly getting smaller. Yardie Creek to Mauds Landing is 55nm, at midday we had only 13nm to go!
Photo: Bugger, wrong lense on!!
Photo: Mother and Baby Whale, right beside the boat. You never know where they are going to come up!!
This one was taken very early in the morning!
There are more whale shots at the end of the Kimberley 2011 page that have been taken in the past few weeks!
NOTE 1 : For the technical people that would like to know our fuel data and facts, my Chief Engineer has given me the low down to put on the website under ‘Our Location’
http://opallady.com/aspx/m/490255
NOTE 2:
Go to www.nordhavn.com and the photo that they have on their front page is the one I took at Castle Lagoon, Hawkesbury River March 2010. This was when we had our first Nordhavn get together.
From L to R – Opal Lady, Barquita N43, Elfrida Beetle N47, Suprr N46
I climbed the mast of a friends’ Seawind 1160 to take this one. Thrilled that they are using it!
The whales continued to join us on the journey, sometimes coming quite close. We stayed a few hundred metres off Ningaloo Reef all day, this allowed us to stay out of the current heading north, thus increasing our speed by a knot! All important!!
The sun was getting lower on the horizon when we were trying to decide whether to take advantage of this beautiful calm sea and travel through the night or stop here at Yardie Creek. Yardie Creek is accessed through one of the many gaps in the reef. Before we could make that decision, we had a wind change, 33knts from the SW, swell and waves grew rapidly so we both agreed to call it a day. Although you still have the wind behind the reef, there wasn’t any swell.
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The wind continued to blow until 2am when the tide changed, and wind went to the SE. We woke at 5am and started the process all over again, flopper stoppers in and anchor up and back to sea.
The swells have been much bigger today, 4 metres high, but are slowly getting smaller. Yardie Creek to Mauds Landing is 55nm, at midday we had only 13nm to go!
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NOTE 1 : For the technical people that would like to know our fuel data and facts, my Chief Engineer has given me the low down to put on the website under ‘Our Location’
http://opallady.com/aspx/m/490255
NOTE 2:
Go to www.nordhavn.com and the photo that they have on their front page is the one I took at Castle Lagoon, Hawkesbury River March 2010. This was when we had our first Nordhavn get together.
From L to R – Opal Lady, Barquita N43, Elfrida Beetle N47, Suprr N46
I climbed the mast of a friends’ Seawind 1160 to take this one. Thrilled that they are using it!