Rocking with Penguins-Carnarvon to Rockingham (Freemantle)

We're at Rockingham Bay,south of Fremantle,at the lower end of Cockburn Sound,opposite Garden Is. Naval Base,enjoying a relaxing break before we head out to the south and into the Indian ocean again.It's a perfect bay mooring,only 100m from the beach,yacht club,cafes and shops,next to 'Fortuna',with tiny penguins swimming underneath the boat.We ferried to nearby Penguin Is.Sanctuary and saw the huge colonies of breeding pelicans and cormorants,and watched the tame tiny penguins being fed at the Discovery Centre.
     Two days after reaching here we bought a bargain car,a '96 Mitsubishi Magna,so we will have transport during the next few months ahead while we're waiting in this SW region to cross the Bight.There is so much to see around this area,including Margaret River.Don't know how long we'll stay here,with everything so convenient,but will eventually sail back out into the Indian Ocean and the prevailing afternoon southerlies,maybe as far as Busselton by New Year.We are looking forward to Marika and Khan flying over from Melbourne to join us then for about ten days-haven't seen them since June last year!
     Carnarvon proved difficult to leave;we were held against the Fishing Harbour fuel wharf by the strong evening southerly,and only managed to escape next morning by securing a line to an adjacent dock to help pull Two XS around.    However, the further south we went into Shark Bay,the better the conditions,if very shallow.We anchored just off the beach at Monkey Mia in incredibly clear blue water. During our return trip to shore,a resident mother dolphin and calf came up beside the dinghy,swimming laps around us,eyeing the excited Bodi,who would have jumped in with them,only held back by Bill grabbing his tail.

We stayed over at beautiful Cape Peron,surrounded by huge red sand cliffs and clear shallow water on our way to Denham,where the Shark Bay Discovery Centre contains an outstanding display,including a replica of Dirk Hartog's plate,originally affixed north of here over 300years ago.Passing Australia's most westerly mainland, Steep Point, we sailed back out into the Indian Ocean,heading out at least 20nm to catch the helpful Leeuwin Current,and avoid the effects of the shipwreck-littered Zuytdorp Cliffs,extending 150nm south.After an uncomfortable,bumpy overnighter we reached tiny Port Gregory,in through reefs and rocks.Unfortunately the headsail failed to furl properly in the strong wind and had to be secured around with halyards to prevent its flapping shaking Two XS wildly,and could not be sorted out until Geraldton, when the wind abated.There we anchored in the bay near the Yacht Club close to the town,and spent several days sightseeing and recovering,preparing for the next major leg to Fremantle.

All the stopovers,Port Denison,Jurien Bay,Lancelin and Two Rocks,required entry through outer reefs,then narrow,twisty and often shallow access to a harbour and welcome shelter and calm. At Two Rocks,moored at the marina fuel wharf,Bill had to go underneath Two XS in the dinghy to repair damage to the forward strakes of the bridgedeck,where waves had repeatedly hammered all down the coast,and water was forced inside.However Two Rocks was a friendly,convenient place,and 'Ohmless'and 'Toucan'caught up with us here,while 'Fortuna'had gone on ahead.
   Next stop was Hilary's Marina,a northern suburb of Perth,where we were invited to tie up at the V.I.P.wharf in front of the Yacht Club,because as usual down this coast there were no pole berths wide enough to accommodate a cat.There is a huge separate marina complex with tourist and upmarket shops,cafes and restaurants,all on the waterfront.
    At Fremantle we had a berth on the Fremantle Sailing Club visitors' wharf,a huge marina area,fortunately sheltered here while gale force winds blew outside for most of our stay.It was so cold and windy while we did our tourist thing,travelling to Perth by train,only 30 minutes away,to take in the sights-a clean if small modern city.We walked and bussed all over Fremantle,full of imposing and quaint historic buildings,the Maritime Museum a fascinating place to visit,including a guided tour of the submarine HMAS Ovens.We stocked up on fresh produce at the old markets in the town centre,especially the double-sized punnets of yummy strawberries-a local treat.
    Don't know how long we'll stay here,with everything so convenient,but will eventually sail back out into the Indian Ocean and the prevailing afternoon southerlies,maybe as far as Busselton by New Year.We are looking forward to Marika and Khan flying over from Melbourne to join us then for about ten days-haven't seen them since June last year!

Captive in Carnarvon-Broome to Carnarvon

                                                   

Navigating by sight through the shallows to Carnarvon

    We've wished for wind before on many occasions,but this is ridiculous-strong wind warning for this whole section of the West coast have been in place for five days! At least Carnarvon is a very pleasant and convenient town to be,after a nightmare overnighter from Coral Bay-nowhere to stop,wind against us,steep waves close together,motoring most of the way.
    Broome,now 1300 miles behind us,provided a very enjoyable break,although busy with repairs and reprovisioning,and ruled by tide for trips ashore.As well as being an historic,multicultural town for pearling,it is also a thriving tourist centre,laid -back and beautiful,set off by red cliffs,yellow sand beaches and bright turquoise water.Most of our Kimberley cruising companions caught up with us,also preparing for the trip south.
   From there on the coast is less hospitable,anchorages few and not very comfortable,sometimes anchoring in the shallow ocean for a break.However we had good winds and flew down Eighty Mile Beach averaging 8-9 knots,the water less than 3metres deep for miles out.
   Within 5 days we reached Port Hedland,an iron ore and salt exporting centre,the anchorage right beside the shipping channel,but a friendly yacht club nearby.The town consists mainly of accommodation for mine workers,to be flown in and out of the Pilbara. Two XS was covered with red dust by the time  we set out 2 days later for Depuch Is. There we climbed Anchor Hill to check out aboriginal rock carvings,discovered by the crew of HMS Beagle in 1840, mostly turtles and fish on the large boulders which covered the island.
     Next on to Dolphin Is. where we navigated slowly over the rocky shallows of Searipple Passage,saving many miles around, on our way to Dampier. Avoiding huge bulk iron ore carriers and container ships,we eventually reached the sheltered bay anchorage,to find a yacht club with a floating pontoon jetty.Also we met Darwin boatie friends,Kylie,Mick and dog,Gypsy(joyful reunion for Bodi),staying and working in the area for a while,and we were grateful for being driven around sightseeing as well as shopping in Karratha. Although Karratha is a busily expanding iron ore and gas centre-the scale of the industry is amazing, Dampier is a quiet backwater.
   More of our fellow cruisers arrived there,making quite a fleet heading for Perth and beyond-Wendera, Quoll 11,Othello and Pretty Woman(2);more socialising and catching up.
Good winds helped us past Cape Preston,where a monstrous bulkloading facility is being constructed,an uncomfortable,rolly night at Great Sandy Is.anchored next to reef,then on to Onslow.      Here we caught up with Fortuna,another cat en route to Perth,and our present sailing companions.We were able to refuel up the shallow creek in Onslow,thanks to our Bailey card,and wash Two XS,but it is only a very small town with a salt loader,pub,supermarket and a flourishing community garden. But there was tv, phone and internet access so Bill and Damien were able to watch the footie Grand Final.
    Next stopover was Serrurier Is.,a lovely spot,white sand beach,clear aqua water,whales frolicking just outside the bay.We decided to miss Exmouth and head around the corner-North West Cape, through Ningaloo Reef to Tantabiddi,where we unfortunately caught up a 30m mooring buoy rope on a rudder,spending an uncomfortable bumpy slappy night,stern on to the wind and waves.
    All the anchorages in this stretch were inside Ningaloo Reef,with swell ,shallows and lurking reef to contend with during entry and not much shelter inside,including Norwegian Bay(former whaling station) and Maud Point,near Coral Bay.We had to dinghy around,over reef and shallows,to visit Coral Bay;a beautiful unspoilt little tourist town,pub lunch at the Reef Resort,then a very wet ride back as the wind had come up,with Bodi sheltering under the dinghy cover.
   Carnarvon was once a main shipping port,so we have checked out the Historic Precinct near the One Mile Jetty with the lighthouse keepers'cottage museum,railway and shearers museum.Maybe we'll be able to leave for Shark Bay by the weekend?
PS. It's getting colder so we now have to wear clothes instead of our swimmers 'uniform'.