Tenacious 2nd-11th February TNS479

TNS479 02-11/02/2017

2nd February

Day 1: Departure

A fine Melbourne day greeted the crew of the Tenacious as we boarded, ready to embark on the voyage south to the port of Hobart and the wooden boat festival. After the required briefing and safety instruction in order to familiarise the new crewmembers with the vessel, we cast lines and were underway.

An essential part, to ensure against any misshaps in the high seas, was to be delivered in Port Arlington delayed our transit through the heads and we moored in Altona as the sun dipped lower in the sky. Evacuation drills practiced and perfected, and watch crews made themselves familiar with the individuals who they would be sharing the responsibility over the next ten days of maintaining the operation and safety of Tenacious.

We were introduced to the high quality of food and service from the mess crew, headed by Micah, over dinner and shared a few salty sea dog tails to prove each members worth behind the helm. The younger, more naïve members of the crew were disappointed in the phone coverage provided by a major telephone company thus reducing their ability to communicate with the outside world (the joys of being at sea!!!!)

Overnight, the watch members on duty were introduced to the fine task of ensuring the safety of the crew who were sleeping soundly beneath their feet.

5^th February

Day 3 Forward

Starboard “Faaastly Superior” Watch TNS 479 Melbourne – Hobart Feb 2017 (aka Stardate 88, all is well). Awoke to a stunning sunrise off Port Arlington, to be greeted by yet another culinary extravaganza courtesy of Mika, Nate and string of galley rats. Weighed anchor at 10.30 and Kerrie, our resident wheelie, took the opportunity of smooth seas to partake in hydrotherapy on the bow sprit netting, willingly assisted by W/L Adam and his able mate Harry. The hearty sea dogs on board were mightily relieved to receive the command from Captain Simon to brace the yards sharp to starboard at 13.30.

Many “press ganged” members of the VC experienced the thrill of being under sail for the first time. Just as the younger roosters on the VC made their way to the button on the main mast Captain Simon decided that they needed more exercise, so called a meeting at the main mast and hauled them down.

Whilst writing this blog Joannie and I were mildly surprised by Cadet Ronan’s foot size who informed us that he was size 10 shoe at aged 10!

Sailing women who are in danger of losing their makeup overboard have clearly gone for the more permanent option of “tattooing makeup”. (Joannie has impressed the fellow VC by constantly appearing only in lipstick on the upper decks.)The Coast Guard was clearly taken by the beauty of the mermaids on board and paid us a courtesy visit. Starship Tenacious signing off for Day 3.

After a peaceful 30 hours on the hook at Quarantine Bay, including our first showers, swimming with seals (or having seals jump over us) and hiking ashore, we are finally out in the Bass Straight.

We sailed out through The Rip this morning and are on our way to Hobart at last. The first few moments in the full ocean brought much larger waves and a large crowd on the foredeck enjoying the peaks and troughs and cheering whenever the spray would ‘wet the mermaid’ (our figurehead).

Head winds at the moment, which, while it slows progress, means less people are hugging the side of the rail hoping not to be sick. However, it is still choppy enough that Micah, the cook, decided to postpone the soup lunch and offer a huge volume of mac and cheese instead.

Captain has yet to inform us whether we are going north or south around Flinders Island, so heading SSE to allow sailing if the current southerly wind holds, or if it veers to the North as expected.

The 20 knots winds mean several crew members are in matching yellow foul weather gear and a variety of inventive beanie for the first time. One can quickly tell the veterans by their elaborate red, black and reflective jackets.

TNS479 02-11/02/2017

After a peaceful 30 hours on the hook at Quarantine Bay, including our first showers, swimming with seals (or having seals jump over us) and hiking ashore, we are finally out in the Bass Straight.

Captain has yet to inform us whether we are going north or south around Flinders Island, so heading SSE to allow sailing if the current southerly wind holds, or if it veers to the North as expected.

TNS479 02-11/02/2017

Day 7 Voyage 479,and yes the Faaaaaaastley superior watch (Fwd STBD) are back on the bridge for the afternoon watch. We are currently drifting at a massive speed of 1knt with 14 sails set and Fran at the helm. We’ve had a visual on Hibbs Beach from the port, starboard, bow and stern reported from both the starboard and port lookouts on several occasions with excitement growing as the wind picked up momentarily. The lull in the winds saw many voyage crew take the opportunity to get a bit of climbing practice in and the bridge was a abuzz with enthusiastic climbers reporting in and out with the Officer of the watch for harness checks and safety briefings. Nate escaped from the galley and was found aloft on the main tops getting a breath of fresh Tasmanian air.

The wind picked up to a whopping 9 knots as an exhausted Fran handed the helm to Jo leading into the homestretch of the afternoon (nautical afternoon watch of course), with the rudder set on 20 degrees port and still little or no wind to speak of. The watch officer Maz told us how she ran away to sea 5 years ago and how it all started with her being part of the Lord Nelson voyage crew and how she’d worked her way up the ranks and is now 2nd Mate on the Tenacious. So, there’s a good chance that members of the Faaaaaaastley Superior Watch Team will one day (hopefuly) advance quickly through the Jubilee Sailing Trust ranks in years to come.

TNS479 02-11/02/2017

Day 8

Forward Port Watch – having helped the early watches with the fun of 50kt NNE breezes providing plenty of power and pouring rain, we are now into broken cloud, pleasant 25knot wind off the port aft providing ideal sailing weather around South East Cape and the tip of Bruny Island. Clearly these are rich waters as a pod of up to 25 dolphins came to visit, frolicking in the bow wave like teenage boys, pushing and shoving for the prime position. They said a fond farewell with barrel rolling leaps off the starboard bow. We now have Upper & Lower Topsails set powering us at a steady 8knots across the pristine landscape of Adventure Bay. A couple of tourist tour boats came out to say hello so hopefully they might send us some photos as they told us we look magnificent from the sea. Demonstrating her maritime prowess Second Mate Maz had us square the Main braces while leaving the foremast sharp to starboard to prevent the main squares shadowing the foremast as the wind comes full up the stern. No “Brmm Brmms” here. Perfect western Tasmanian sailing. Forward Port out.