Three Men in a Boat - A Circumnavigation of Fraser Island

by John ("this is just a big dinghy") Grimmett

November 2009

Phil Walker, owner/skipper of Glory Days, a Sayer 38, and crew Roy Yeeles and John Grimmett set off last November to conquer a local sailing “Everest” by circumnavigating Fraser Island. Here’s their story ...

Planning

Not much - but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Skipper supplied some of his home-cooked dinners ('nuff said). Skipper “fixed” the autopilot. Apart from that, because of the timing of high tide at Sheridan Flats and the persistent northerlies, we decided to "do" the island clockwise.

The Voyage

We left TCB at 0800 hrs on a (recent) Thursday and motor sailed (without autopilot) on and off until about Ungowa, then sailed most of the day in a pleasant N-E 10-15 knots, wasting some time when the helmsman (no finger pointing) lost the main channel, a situation not helped by the Skipper (not to be named) revealing that the relevant chart had been “forgotten”.

We carried on sailing through the night, beating into a steady northeaster towards Breaksea Spit. We sighted the Spit about 0600 hours on Friday. The wind deserted us for much of the morning and we motor-sailed along the eastern side of the spit until the wind came in again around mid-day. By Waddy Point, the wind had gradually strengthened to 15-20 knots, allowing the Skipper to order up the giant "Coat Of Many Colours" which we held, gybing down the coast, until “bad light stopped play”. We reverted to the reliable Code Zero. By this stage we were off Eurong and hoping to make the Wide Bay Bar at the top of the tide at about midnight. The wind was moderating, so we motor-sailed to make the bar on time and also to dodge the many trawlers working the area.

We reached the Wide Bay Bar a little late but with the wind holding, no swell to speak of and a moderate NE chop, we sped across the Mad Mile on a beautiful moonless night with the Skipper calling compass bearings from down below and the helmsman uttering "Hail Marys" from time to time. The rationale for the Skipper's attitude to maximum velocity relates to the fact that he hates bar crossings and so the sooner he can get them over with the better.

We dropped the pick at Inskip Point at about 0200 hrs on Saturday. Actually we dropped and raised the pick several times until the Skipper was finally satisfied - finnicky bugger! - but a couple of Roy's rums and the whole world suddenly went blank.

Up later that morning for a great reach in a 15 knot N-E breeze up the Inlet under full main and Code Zero - it doesn't take long at about 12 knots, even without the autopilot!

Lessons Learned

Take the right charts. Don’t let the Skipper fix the autopilot. Stow some emergency rations. Trust the GPS. Glory Days can fly!!