After a rolly night at anchor in Bottle Bay, we headed to Cape Peron to look at the prospect of sailing around and back into the Eastern Gulf of Shark Bay. With the tide ripping around the Cape in 20 knot winds, I chickened out and we returned to the safety of a protected cove to wait a few hours to see if the wind was going to drop. Fortunately, it did ease and we tried again just before noon. Even though the wind was much better, the sea was still running through the tidal rips on the tip of the Cape and we had a fairly hairy time easing around on the motor. Once clear and into the Eastern Gulf, the seas flattened again and we motor-sailed down to a night anchorage at Guichenault Point. In the afternoon, we took the dinghy and explored the mangrove system.
The next morning, we prepared to head down to Monkey Mia. The wind was a fresh Easterly but we figured to stay close to land and avoid the worst of it. Coming off the shallows of the sand spit, we were appalled to find a steady line of breakers, stretching well into deep water. The seas were some of the worst we have encountered in Sandpiper, no doubt made worse by an opposing, strongly rising tide. We donned the life-jackets (just in case) and pushed on, taking a bit of a beating for an hour or so but not really in any danger. Just damned uncomfortable. By the time we got down around Cape Rose, the sea was a millpond again.
Back at Monkey Mia, we cleaned up the boat, checked the car and generally heaved a big sigh of relief. Christine made contact with a sail maker who said he could repair the sail quickly and get it back to us and the outboard had been performing well for a few days so things were looking up. Saturday was “Day Light Saving Referendum Day” so we headed into Denham to register our NO vote and to organise the sail getting to Perth. Unfortunately, it looked like the sail could not leave Denham until Tuesday so we looked like being stuck for a while. 
The next few days were spent lazing around Monkey Mia, taking short trips out on the motor and doing some fishing. We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Monkey Mia, watching all the activity around us as bus loads of tourist came and went, all from the comfort of our home on the water. The motor continued to misbehave, sometimes refusing to pump water. On once occasion, we motored out about 2 miles to do some fishing. The motor decided to be uncooperative and there was not a breath of wind so we ended up towing the yacht back to Monkey Mia with the little dinghy. We attracted a few stares. Despite the fact that I could not see anything wrong with the water pump impeller, I replaced it and everything returned to normal. I should have dome it in the first place.
Eventually, we pulled the boat out of the water and headed off North, stopping overnight at Bush Bay, about 40 km South of Carnarvon. Then it was on to Exmouth, where we settled in to a caravan park for a few days. Depending on the weather, we will stay on land for a bit then head out and do some motor sailing. It still looks like the main sail is 4 or 5 days away so we may have to do without for a while.
We are both feeling very fit and well with all the exercise. Christine has been sticking to her regimented strict diet and she has been rewarded so far with the loss of over 15kgs. It really shows. It must be all that anchor pulling and sail raising.
Tag: Monkey Mia
Christine and Terry have returned to the life of sea gypsies. We set off on 7th May with the car fully decked out for camping and Sandpiper behind us. We plan to head North again, this time stopping to sail and to live aboard Sandpiper, both on the water and as a caravan. At times we will head off, leaving our home behind and camp from the back of the car.
First stop was our beloved Shark Bay. We drove from Dowerin, stopping overnight between Geraldton and Northampton. Progress was slow in patches with the car protesting at the weight of the yacht behind. However, we arrived in Denham around midday, fueled up Sandpiper and headed for Monkey Mia.
Rigging up the yacht was a learning curve because it has been more than 2 years since we sailed her. Given that, we were well pleased with our efforts and by 3 o’clock were on the water. The first problem we found was that the outboard (despite being checked over) was not pumping water. By the time we discovered this, we had blown some distance off shore so we decided to lower the keel to sail in. Next problem arrived in the form of a jammed keel. It refused to go down. We anchored then set about unscrewing the dining table then more plates to gain access to the top of the keel housing. This done, we freed the offending keel, put everything back together and finally sailed back to shore.
At anchor at Monkey Mia
Luckily, I had a spare water-pump impellor so the next morning I pulled the outboard apart. There was nothing wrong with it. All the pipes were clear. Christine researched the problem on the Internet while I did this and she came up with the thermostat sticking. 
Terry fixing the water pump
This seemed to be the issue, because we got things going again and headed North to Herald Bight for the night. We enjoyed a good motor-sail for the 15 or so miles to our night time anchorage, although any attempt to stop and fish was thwarted by a long uncomfortable swell that made us roll at anchor.
The moon rises over Guichenault Point
Once set up for the night, we put out a small length of net and caught 5 big mullet and a huge tailor, enough healthy Omega3 rich fish for several nights.
Over the next couple of days, we sailed, snorkelled, fished and explored the delightful coastline for some 12 miles or so South of Cape Peron. Most nights were spent South of Castle Well Hill. Once we had company from a large catamaran and we spent some time watching some Shark Bay professional net fishermen encircle a school of whiting but otherwise we saw few other humans. The thermostat on the outboard continues to play up at times and so we have done far more sailing than we often do, being a bit lazy and starting up the motor. On one occasion when the water wasn’t pumping, the wind died within half a mile of our intended anchorage so we towed Sandpiper with the dinghy. It’s not something I’d repeat in a decent sea but in the calm flat waters it worked well enough.
Anchored near Castle Well Hill
By Wednesday, we were ready to move on and decided to sail in with a very fresh Easterly down to Big Lagoon. On raising the main sail, the main halyard snapped, bringing the sail down in very windy conditions. Not only was this a big problem, but the sail also caught on part of the cabin rook and we put a big rip in it, rendering it useless. Double disaster. We sailed North to Bottle Bay on jib along, making 5.5 knots in the very windy conditions. Once there, we anchored alongside a 39 footer from Carnarvon and sat out the afternoon blow in comfort. We were joined by another even larger yacht that seeed to have 6 people on board. Later, a flotilla of 10 sea-kayaks arrived and set up camp on the beach. The place was really getting crowded.
Hopefully, the wind will ease a bit tomorrow and allow us to sail on the jib around Cape Peron and back down to Monkey Mia. This disaster may bring us down to Perth to get the sail repaired. With luck, we can organise to have it freighted to Perth, repaired and freighted back while we sit in Monkey Mia.
Sunset coming – time for a nice red
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