Bass Strait Updates

Trip Notes for 24 February 2006

From Little Musselroe Bay (TAS) to Spike Cove (Clarke Island), across Banks Strait

Packing up the first morning — will this boat take us across?

Campsite in Spike Cove at the end of day 1

Granite boulders covered in red lichen

The first day of the trip. We get up in no hurry since the tides are slack low at 1:15pm and we figured that we should leave 90 mins prior to slack to make it across Banks Strait. Packing up the first day is always slow, we have to get into the routine first. Other campers in Little Musselroe take Adrian's car back to the pub in Gladstone where Susie has agreed to put it into secure parking for $2 per day. We are packed up and ready to go at 10:00am.

Winds are strong N/E, which would allow us to sail on a close haul course, so we decide to leave. We are on the water at 10:30am, one hour earlier than initially planned. Sails go up. First RDV (rendez-vous point) is at Little Swan Island after 6.2km. We have a dream run to here, only 40 mins. Reassessment of the situation. Funny how all considerations of currents and timing are changed with the actual weather observations. For us, the wind compensates for the outgoing tide. Therefore, we decide to paddle at 10deg magnetic in an almost straight line.

Clarke Island lifts out of the haze. Pretty good headway. Kevin gets excited when he sees Rebecca Bay beach. But the winds shift more northerly, we have to pull down the sails. Wind increases to 20-25 knots headwind. We are already in the shelter of Rebecca Bay, with headlands to our left and our right, only 2 km from land. No headway at all. We head directly towards beautiful Lookout Head, a massive granite outcrop on Clarke Island, hoping to find shelter from the wind in the lee of the hill. Quote Kevin "I guess we are making 0.1 km an hour!" After a hard and very slow slog, we finally make it into the shelter — 5 metres from the rocks only. That shelter, by the way, is stunning with its granite boulders and crystal clear waters. We all hop out of our boats onto the rocks for a stretch and a feed.

One hour later we feel replenished to paddle the last 6 km into into the headwinds of Spike Cove, hugging the rocks to find as much shelter as possible. Red lichen cover the rocks, this bay alone is worth exploring. We find sheltered Spike Bay and the hut at 4 pm, but no water tank. The camping routine kicks in: setting up camp, cooking, drying clothes. In bed at 9:50pm.

Stats for the day
  • 31 km in 5h 30mins, incl 1 hour break.
  • Average speed (excl. break): 6.89km/h
Peter's summary of a phone call with Claudia in the afternoon, sent off to friends.

Adrian, Bruce, Claudia, and Kevin arrived safely at their intended destination Spike Cove on the western side of Clarke Island. Their plan had been to paddle around the time of the lowest tide of the day, shortly after noon — meaning to leave approx. 1-1.5 hours before —, but they left a bit earlier. Which turned out to be a good decision because the wind freshened up and they had a bit of a fight to make it to the island.

This first leg of the trip is about 26 km on the map as the crow flies. However, they surely paddled quite a bit further to take the strong currents in this part of Bass Strait, Banks Strait, into account.

The weather forecast for Saturday is talking about variable winds tending northwest (into a headwind) of 15 to 20 knots. Sunday looks pretty good with southerly winds 10 to 20 knots from behind. Should be perfect to use the kayak sails.

Notes on the Weather (Issued at 11:20am on Thursday the 23rd of February 2006)
Recent Events:

A high pressure system in the Tasman Sea directed a strong easterly flow through Bass Strait overnight with light variable winds reported in all other areas. Drizzle was reported overnight on the east coast and on parts of the north coast with some fog patches recorded in the Derwent Valley. Cloudy to overcast conditions were reported in all districts apart from the southwest and south. Moderate swells were reported in the west with low swells on all other coastlines.

Minimum Temperatures during the 24 hours to 9am:

were generally between 1 and 3 degrees above average in the west, the north and through central areas with the east and south recording minima quite close to average. The lowest reported temperature was 4 degrees on Mt Wellington.

Rainfall during the 24 hours to 9am:

Light scattered falls were recorded in most districts with a few moderate falls occuring in the north and northeast. The highest reported fall of 12 millimetres was recorded at Quamby Bluff.

Coastal Waters Forecast (Issued at 5:00 am EDT on Friday 24 February 2006)
Banks Strait and Franklin Sound:

Friday until midnight: East to northeast winds 10 to 20 knots tending northeast to northerly at similar speeds during the day. Seas to 1.5 metres. Easterly swell to 1 metre.

Saturday: Northerly winds 10 to 20 knots, tending northwesterly during the morning and reaching 25 knots at times. Seas 1 to 2 metres. Northeast swell to 1 metre.

Sunday: Northwest to southwest winds 10 to 20 knots shifting southeasterly at 15 to 25 knots around the middle of the day. Winds then easing late evening. Seas mostly 1 to 2 metres. Confused swell to 1 metre.

Central North Coast, Stanley to the Northern Tip of Flinders Is:

A Strong Wind Warning is current.

Friday until midnight: East to northeast winds 15 to 25 knots, locally 30 knots offshore in the west at first, easing to 10 to 20 knots during the day then to 5 to 15 knots tonight. Seas near 2 metres, decreasing. East to northeasterly swell to 1 metre.

Saturday: Northeast to northwest winds 5 to 15 knots, possibly 20 knots at times offshore, tending northwest to westerly in the afternoon then southwesterly late at similar speeds. Seas to 1.5 metres. Confused swell below 1 metre.

Sunday: Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots, easing to 10 to 20 knots inshore and about the east during the day before tending southeast to easterly in the east later. Local afternoon sea breezes inshore. Seas to 2 metres. Westerly swell near 1 metre.

East of Flinders Island, Northern Tip of Flinders Is to St Helens Pt:

Friday until midnight: Northeast to northerly winds 15 to 20 knots, reaching 25 knots at times later. Seas around 2 metres. Northeast swell near 1 metre.

Saturday: Northerly winds 15 to 25 knots, tending northwesterly during the day and easing to 10 to 20 knots later. Seas around 2 metres. Northeasterly swell to 1 metre.

Sunday: Northwest to southwest winds 10 to 20 knots, tending south to southeasterly around the middle of the day at 15 to 25 knots. Winds then easing late evening. Seas mostly 1 to 2 metres. Confused swell near 1 metre.