(Click on the photos for a larger version or see the full set at http://picasaweb.google.com/FlintPics/NWKICoastTripNov07)
After loading up the boat with a couple of trolleys piled high with all our gear (mainly food!) we left the CYC on Monday morning and headed off. We didn't have any fixed ideas about where we would go other than generally "south" -- maybe KI, maybe Wedge/Thistle ... who knows.
There was a lovely off-shore easterly breeze so we initially headed for Cape Jervis. Soon however -- as always -- the wind veered around to the south right on the nose, so we gradually bore off toward Troubridge and ended up at the Cutter Patch for the night after a great sail. The Cutter Patch is great anchorage but it is certainly a strange feeling out there in the howling southerly that blew all night (a portent of things to come) with no land in sight upwind but no sea to go with it!
The next morning the wind was back in the SE and forecast to stay there for a while so we decided it looked like a good chance to explore along the north coast of KI. We headed back around the island and had a great sail across to Emu Bay in 15-20 kts.
After a day at Emu Bay and the wind still holding in the South, we decided to venture further along. So armed with Jamie Cowell's excellent guide to SA Anchorages, we headed off towards Knob Point.
The Knob Point anchorage is a lovely little spot tucked in behind a little reef which provides reasonable shelter from the NE and even a light Northerly. The sea was flat calm so we were able to explore the reef and rock pools around it in the amazingly clear water. We collected some periwinkles and had a delicious periwinkle pasta cabonara for dinner.
The next day we continued along the coast to Snug Cove, stopping off at Western River Cove along the way for lunch. I've always wanted to visit Snug Cove but have never made it before. This time the gods must have been smiling on us as the weather was absolutely perfect. As mentioned in Jamie's book, the cove now has a few moorings laid in it which doesn't leave much room for anchoring with any room to swing. We initially dropped the pick, but after a quick swim to check out one of the moorings moved onto it for the night.
The next day we went for a walk in the hills behind the cove. Later in the week we met a local cray fisherman who as soon as the heard we had done so exclaimed, "You're lucky you weren't shot!". Apparently the owner doesn't much like people wandering around on his land!
After a day in Snug Cove we motored along to the end at Cape Borda in a dead calm checking out all the little spots mentioned in Jamie's book. Towards Cape Borda we met up with Lyell the local Cray fisherman and his lovely and incredibly sturdy boat White Pointer. On the way we ran into a school of huge (at least for us) barracouta and caught four in about 5 minutes. We decided we had enough when we had two but caught two more just getting the line wound in!
That night we returned to Western River Cove where we again met up with Lyell who was very friendly and kindly showed us over his boat.
Everywhere along the KI coat we were almost continuously accompanied by groups of dolphins. On the day we went along to Cape Borda the water was glassy calm and it was almost like it wasn't there and the they were suspended in mid air. I don't think I have ever seen it quite so clear before.
From Western River Cove we headed back to Emu Bay but not before a quick trip into Kingscote for an icecream. The next stop was Rocky Point after a quick trip up the river to have a look at American River.
From Western River Cove we headed back to Emu Bay but not before a quick trip into Kingscote for an icecream. The next stop was Rocky Point after a quick trip up the river to have a look at American River.
We had been incredibly luck with the weather although a little more wind some days would have been nice. The mornings were generally calm with a light onshore N/NW breeze picking up late afternoon and persisting into the early evening. Every day the wind then went around to the South and blew like hell all night! You don't want to get caught in some of those anchorages, especially Snug Cove, in a NW blow so it was always a relief when it finally went back to the South in the evenings. But it does make it a bit tricky as it swings around as many of the anchorages are pretty tight so there isn't much room, but on the other hand you want plenty of chain out to make sure you don't drag.
By this time the wind was forecast to go around to the North again in a few days and stay there after one final good Southerly blow. So, although a day or two earlier than we had in mind, the next day we headed back across Backstairs Passage, again with very little wind, hoping to catch a decent blow back up the gulf the next day. We made good use of the calm conditions cooking up some yummy boysenberry muffins and catching a few snook. We anchored just off the jetty at Second Valley early afternoon and spent an idyllic hot afternoon swimming and catching squid. That evening we enjoyed Kate's excellent Stuffed Squid in White Wine in the cockpit while watching the sun slowly sink behind the jetty.
The next day, we awoke to a final good stiff Southerly as forecast before a Northerly change for the next few days, and had a great run back up to North Haven.
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