Bass Strait
Saturday 25 January 2020
It was calm, the sea was still and like a mirror reflecting the orange glow of the morning’sun.
The big day had finally arrived. Border Force customs officials would be arriving at 11:30 … in just a few hours … to handle the formalities and issue us with our departure papers. The all-important document that our New Zealand cousins would be asking for in around 10 day’s time.
For now, it was a case of finishing off the stowing of food task … making sure to record where everything can be found. For this we use a form that illustrates all the main stowage spots on board – around 40 of them – with space to record “what” and “where”.
By 11:15am, the last of the shopping had been completed – ably assisted by our wonderful ground crew (and wife) Linda.
Linda would be joining Chimere for two weeks, along with Matt and James, later in the voyage, as we explore Fiordland, from Bluff to Milford Sound. Then in March, Linda, Matt and Cathy will make their way back across the ditch again, to join us in the Bay of Islands.
Then the phone call from Linda, who was still transporting bags from the car … “They’re early, they’re here, the customs guys are walking down the wharf!”
As the deck was receiving its much-needed scrub … one of the final tasks on the list … it was time for me to call out … “Everyone, grab your passports. All in the saloon.”
In the end, the formalities were pretty simple and straightforward. Each crew member was identified from their respective passport. I answered a list of questions about whether we had drugs, more than $10,000 dollars, firearms and the like on board and after they’d taken a heap of photos, and issued me with the Departure Notice, they were away.
As it was explained, the Border Force “computer” now assumed we had “left Australia” … even though we’d still be in Australian waters for the next couple of days … and so if this was to change for any reason, we were informed, we should give them a call; leaving me with a business card.
Linda asked if she could take a photo, but for some reason, the three guys appeared a bit shy, preferring to opt for the … we’re “dentists” so we can’t show you our face … routine.
After a quick dash back up to the shops to buy more fishing gear, some final good-byes and, of course, lunch … we got away from the marina around 2:00pm. Just in time to catch the perfectly timed outgoing tide.
We were finally on our way. We had untied all the lines, disconnected the electric power lead from the shore, and headed out into deep water.
The sun was shining, the seas were flat and a steady breeze was blowing. What’s more, the forecast for the next few days was looking good – with no sign of an easterly, or anything with an easterly component, for a week or so.
Making use of the smooth conditions, we continued with our preparations for sea. Which included transferring the small dinghy from the stern davits to the foredeck, disassembling the boarding ladder on the port side and stowing it on deck, lashing both dinghies down securely … along with everything else that could possibly move around.
Soon enough we were passing The Nobbies and Seal Rocks at the western tip of Phillip Island with the open sea before us.
Out of the confines of Western Port harbour, we were now free and on our own … heading southeast over smooth seas, down the Victorian coast, the engine making up for what the wind lacked.
Smooth seas fair breeze and the big day has arrived
Rob Latimer
NZ2020 