We Sail Tomorrow!

Sunday 18 July 2021

GOOD NEWS!!! … We have our much-anticipated Quarantine Exemption from the Victorian Health Department … with the following email being received today …

Dear Rob,

I just wanted to let you know that the Deputy CHO has approved the exemptions for you and your three crew – subject of course to negative testing on arrival.

Formal notification of this advice will come later today.

I knew that you would be sweating on it so thought I would drop you a quick e-mail.

Cheers

COVID-19 Determinations Unit
Compliance & Enforcement Branch | Engagement & Delivery Division

COVID-19 Response | Department of Health

To say we are all delighted, is a major understatement.  There is tremendous excitement aboard, as we attend to the final tasks – mostly lashing things down properly – and there are definitely a few people in the Victorian Health Department who will be added to my Christmas Card list this year.

After nearly a week onboard, making ourselves as useful as possible, preparing for departure, but not knowing when, or indeed IF, we would be able to sail … life on Chimere was starting to resemble the confines of a Big Brother Household.   

We weren’t quite hunting for hidden cameras, or hoarding private stashes of muesli bars and chocolate, but the “social experiment” was definitely in the early stages.

Rather than the viewers at home choosing which candidate to “vote off” … the ticking clock was doing the job for them.  As every day passed, the allocated “window of opportunity” was closing for each of us, and it’s no secret that we were all in the early stages of planning our respective “exit strategies”. 

For me, there was of course, the added dimension of … “what do you do with a yacht??” … in the event that I couldn’t sail home … this time around.   Groundhog Day once more.

But, we have now broken out of our “loop”, tomorrow we will be able to untie our lines for the last time and set a course home.  I just like saying it … I still don’t think it’s fully sunk in!!

Some people have asked about this daily NZ2020 blog while we are out at sea; will it continue.    

Well, if all goes to plan, I should be able to send a daily message out using the IridiumGO satellite communications device; the one I was – very fortunately – able to have repaired while in Tauranga.  Thank you, Mike Clarke, for agreeing to upload my (hopefully daily) email to the website!! 

Unfortunately, I don’t have a way of sending photos, (via satellite) but these I’ll add once I get back in range of 4-Bars – close to the coast of Australia.  In the meantime you’ll be able to follow us on the Tracker      The link to the tracker is at the top of the NZ2020 website

Once we get under way, the voyage across the Tasman and through Bass Strait, is expected to take around 11 days, and whilst we’ll try and maintain a straight line, much like the voyage across in January last year … in reality, we don’t expect to be able to do that this time. 

There’s a rough rule of thumb, actually, very rough, about sailing back to Australia [from New Zealand] and it’s something like … “sail north for three days, then hang a left” …

Thankfully, we’ve been able to refine the “rough rule of thumb” a little bit, well, Matt has actually … because he came aboard with just about every techno-toy know to man … or at least sailor-man…and woman of course … and he’s linked his gear into the IridiumGo weather downloads to create an optimal course from North Cape to Westernport … or at least the eastern edge of Victoria.     

After running his model, Matt comes up with a future sail plan … actually, about 6 sail plans, all using slightly different source material … which then either correlate … or diverge by either a little, or a lot.  Then as we travel along, receiving each day’s forecast, the model is updated to possibly adjust our course.

Our key criteria – for selecting an optimal course – are … avoid strong head winds, avoid big seas on the bow, maximise the points of sail Chimere likes best (off the beam and on the stern quarter) and maximise comfort.

Based on the current weather forecast, the last model I saw on Matt’s iPad went something like … “sail north for three days, then hang a left” …  no, just kidding … there were a lot more wiggles in the line than that, and Matt’s experience in this area will be a terrific asset.

Speaking of Matt, we were just putting some stuff away, under the floor in his cabin and also in the “Bunnings” workshop cabin, and as I lifted the floor panel Matt inquired as he passed … “keep an eye out for that lens that popped out of my glasses while you’re there” …  

Matt was half joking because the other day, just a day or so after he came aboard, he accidently rolled on his prescription glasses while getting out of his bunk, only to have one of the lenses pop out and absolutely disappear.  At the time three of us searched extensively, under the floor panels, between them, down in the bilge under the floor panels, beside and under the mattress, all through Matt’s clothes and bedding. It seemed impossible that we couldn’t find the lense.

So, after putting the tins of paint and other containers away, I grabbed a very bright light, lifted all the other floor panels and had one last search.  Under Matt’s bunk I quickly noticed a 5mm gap between the wall panel and a piece of cedar beading, that was loose at one end where a fastening screw had come out.  I pulled on the loose end and a small sound … just like a small piece of glass falling on steel … could be heard from below the level of the floor, down near the bilge.  What could it be ??  “Matt, I’ve found your lens!!!” I called out, while retrieving the precious little thing from the depths.  

Understandably, Matt’s delight was EXTREME – almost as extreme as Sam’s excitement when we got the news that our Quarantine Exemption had been approved – and quite apart from saving him $600 in getting a new lens, Matt can now see more clearly, not having to rely on old glasses from an old prescription … oh, the joys of old age. 

In other news today … being Sunday, I was actually able to attend church at the North Ringwood Uniting Church in Melbourne … online of course … which was great, and while it was pouring with rain (again) I made good use of my time inside.

If fact I was inside all day, and grabbed 20 minutes at the end of the day to wander down the dock to see the extremely large, fancy and expensive small private ship that tied up yesterday. 

From what the lads gleaned while chatting with the Customs guys yesterday, the ship’s just come in from Tahiti, and everyone onboard (and we counted six crew polishing and fussing) is being COVID tested and will go into quarantine … I wonder if that will be at the local “Travel Lodge” or onboard?!?  The ships name is MiMi … and you can check it out HERE

That’s about all for today.  We hope to have some internet for tomorrow somewhere, then once we round North Cape and Cape Reinga communications will be via the satphone

Sincere thanks to everyone for your best wishes and encouragement!! 

Smooth seas, fair breeze and we sail tomorrow!

Rob Latimer