Bass Strait Updates

Trip Notes for 2 March 2006

From Killiecrankie (Flinders Island) to Deal Island: The longest open-water crossing

Before the departure to Deal: 65 km non-stop lie ahead.

Claudia, somewhere on the big crossing.

After 40km open water, this is our waypoint: Wright Rock.

Finally: Arrival in breathtaking Murrays Pass

Meeting the 3 north-to-south crossers. fl: Harry, Adrian, Keith, Andrew, Claudia, Kevin, Bruce

The big day. If we survive this one, we will manage the rest! Alarm goes off at 4:45am, it is still pitch dark. Winds are behind us E/SE 10-20 knots. On the water at 7am, 30 mins later than planned. Keep a course west of Craggy, make pretty good headway. After 2.5 hours we duck into Craggy's wind shade for a wee and a feed on the water (no getting out onto the rocks). Craggy has resident seals and seals a food for Great White sharks. A group two years ago had a huge shark here, so I am a little nervous and happy to paddle on, away from the seals (which we never saw). We can see Wright Rock in the distance, at 16km from where we are. It is good to have a visual reference point again, to get visual feedback of our progress. We paddle high to wind and incoming tide at 320-340 deg magnetic. Strong currents around Wright Rock don't allow us to pass it to the east, so we change course and pass it to the west. We are on the water for 5 hours. Downwind from Wright Rock we can smell its strong odeur of birds and seals. I am nervous for sharks again. Deal lifts out of the haze, 20km from Wright Rock. The winds are behind us, giving us a good push towards the island.

A lot of bracing in the rough seas, mainly by Kevin in the rear seat. We constantly get water over the boat and eiterh submerge the stern or the bow in the waves. The tide turns to ebb before we reach Deal so we change our course and head toward the south entrance of Murrays Pass instead of the north entrance, in order to have the currents with us, albeit the wind against us. We decide to make it directly into Murrays Pass (the passage between Deal, Dover, and Erith islands which together form the Kent Group), to set up camp for two nights. Alternatively, we could have paddled to Winter Cove (10km shorter) and hop from Winter Cove to East Cove the next day, but we feel like having a real rest day the next day, not wanting to move camp again for just 10km. Just around the last headland of Deal we experience very strong currents. The waters are being divided here into "left or right" of the island, and we have an interesting ride through the currents until we finally make it into calm waters. Breathtaking Pass.

After 65km and 8 hours total (estimated 7h to Winter Cove) we stumble into East Cove next to the Jetty at 3pm. Set up camp, have a swim. We are all in high spirits: We finished the longest distance, have only two more major crossings ahead, we know we can do it! Each of us is stiff in the shoulders and we take turns in massaging and getting a massage.

The "three boys" Keith, Andrew and Harry come down for a chat. They are crossing north-to-south and intend to continue on to Hobart. They are camped in Winter Cove, preparing their departure to Flinders the next day. Wallabies all over the place! We have a VERY tame wallaby around, give her the name of Wally. Wally is a pest, she likes to eat our beans and rice, and even tea bags. One of us has to keep watch around the table for Wally, but she is definitely cute. We briefly walk up to the caretakers' cottage and say hello to Linda and Tony. Managing to bludge some fresh tomatoes from their vegetable patch (completely fenced off against the wallabies) we promise to come around again the following day. Cape Barren geese on the compound. Too tired for a proper dinner, only ready-made pasta tonight. An octopus is checking us out when we wash our plates after dinner. Snorkel with a sting ray. At night, we learn that we set up camp in the middle of a penguin colony. They are noisy little creatures! Honestly, I wonder when (adult) penguins ever sleep? During the day, they catch fish in the ocean, and have to beware of sharks; at night their babies cry all night long?!

Wally, our pest wallaby - she'd like our rice and beans...

Murrays Pass from the top - the effect of wind agains current is clearly visible.

Stats for the day
  • 64 km in 8h, no land stop in between.
  • Average speed: 8 km/h
Text message from Claudia

Arrived Deal Island at jetty 3pm. Spirits are up, all happy to be here. Murray Pass breathtaking. Will now go for a swim. A,B,C and K

Notes on the Weather (Issued at 11:13am on Wednesday the 1st of March 2006)
Recent Events:

An area of high pressure to the west started to extend a ridge over the state bringing fine settled conditions to all districts. Moderate westerly winds were reported in the south, tending south to southeasterly in the north. Eastern districts were mainly cloudy with clear or partly cloudy skies reported through other districts. Moderate swells were reported on the west and south coasts with low swells on other coastlines.

Minimum Temperatures during the 24 hours to 9am:

were generally between average and a few degrees below average in all districts. apart from the northeast where minima were close to normal. However, Smithton was the exception to this pattern with temperatures as low as 8 degrees below normal. The lowest reported temperature was 0 [zero] degrees recorded at Lake St Clair.

Rainfall during the 24 hours to 9am:

A few light falls were reported in the west and southwest with some isolated light totals through the Derwent Valley. The highest reported fall of 5 millimetres was recorded at Lake Margaret.

Tasmania Coastal Waters Forecast (Issued at 5:00 am EDT on Thursday 2 March 2006)
Central North Coast, Stanley to the Northern Tip of Flinders Is:

Thursday until midnight: East to northeasterly winds 10 to 20 knots, locally 25 knots at times offshore in western parts. Seas 1 to 2 metres. East to northeast swell to 1 metre.

Friday: East to northeasterly winds 10 to 15 knots, 20 knots offshore at first. Seas to 2 metres. East to northeast swell about 1 metre.

Saturday: Variable winds to 15 knots tending easterly to 20 knots later in the day. Inshore afternoon sea breezes. Seas 1 to 2 metres. Confused swell to 1 metre.

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

Thursday until midnight: East to northeasterly winds 10 to 20 knots. Seas 1 to 2 metres. East to southeasterly swell near 1 metre.

Friday: North to northeasterly winds 10 to 20 knots. Seas 1 to 2 metres. East to northeast swell near 1 metre.

Saturday: Variable winds to 10 knots before a south to southeasterly change at 10 to 20 knots, possibly 25 knots at times. Seas rising to 2 metres. Confused swell to 1 metres tending southerly.

Victoria East Coast, Wilsons Promontory to 60nm east of Gabo Island:

A strong wind warning has been issued.

Thursday until midnight: East/northeasterly wind 15/25 knots increasing to 20/30 knots by the afternoon. Local afternoon inshore seabreezes to 20 knots. Seas 1.5 to 2.5 metres reaching 3 to 4 metres offshore at times. West to southwest swell below 1 metre at first. Easterly swell 1 to 2 metres.

Friday: East to northeast wind 15/25 knots, reaching 30 knots offshore at first, then tending north to northeasterly and easing 10/15 knots during the day. Afternoon inshore seabreezes to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 metres decreasing to 1 to 1.5 metres. Easterly swell to 2 metres.

Saturday: Northeast wind 10/20 knots tending southeasterly at similar strength. Afternoon inshore seabreezes to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 metres. Easterly swell to 2 metres