Kuringai Chase National Park This is our home turf, so we know it well. It's only 45 mins from Sydney CBD, but it feels like another world. Lush, dense bush hangs off the surrounding hills and cascades down to the water, ocassionally punctuated by rock escarpments, waterfalls and pristine sandy beaches. I think the best... Continue Reading →
Fantastic Fitzroy Reef
We left Lady Musgrave at 9am, dodging rain squalls. It was grey and wet and I think we all secretly wanted to stay down below where it was warm, rather than be on deck getting cold as we motored through the wind and rain towards the lagoon channel. But we needed all hands on deck... Continue Reading →
The Great Sandy Straits
The Great Sandy Straits are an epic body of water separating the world heritage site of Fraser island with the Queensland coast. The area is a complex landscape of mangroves, sandbanks, mud islands, salt marshes and ecologically important seagrass beds. The whole area is packed full of wildlife including prolific birdlife, fish galore, sharks, crocs, whales and... Continue Reading →
Heading North
Leaving the kids with Heather's folks gave us chance to have a few days alone on Vega. We love the kids, but a few days alone is always welcome! Heather had never done a multi night passage and in preparation for up coming longer trips, was keen to give it a go. So we planned... Continue Reading →
Broughton Island to Coffs Harbour
As always on a 6 week trip we had a timeframe to try and stick to, and on a boat this is always a bad thing! It would have been wonderful to have hopped up the coast stopping at every port, but that’s not what this trip is about. It’s about having a look at... Continue Reading →
Broughton Island
Lying only 9NM north east of Port Stephens Broughton Island and its neighbours have a prehistoric look about them; untouched, wild and verdant green they look like your classic pacific island, rising up out of the deep blue. They are a place of rugged natural beauty and can only be visited by boat, which makes... Continue Reading →
Heading Offshore
We have spent the last 18 months sailing in the safe and secluded waters of Pittwater, one of Australia’s best cruising grounds. We know its beaches, where to get shelter, the holding. It is our home; familiar, safe and our friends are there. We love it. We have 6 weeks off this winter and could... Continue Reading →
Jellyfish, Steam and the Impeller
As we left Royal Prince Alfred yacht club's visitor wharf, Vega's clean decks were gleaming in the early morning sunlight. I pushed the throttle forward to 2500 RPM, engaged the auto helm and headed towards the aft deck for a seat. I was looking over the transom, mindlessly watching the jellyfish being chopped up by... Continue Reading →
2019 Cruise – The Southern Barrier Reef
Well, we are off again. This time we are going to catch the south east trade winds and head north, up the east coast of Australia. Our destination is the southern section of the Great Barrier Reef - and in particular the Capricorn and Bunker group of reefs. From Sydney It's about 750NM up to... Continue Reading →
Southerly Blusters
The Southerly Bluster is a colloquial expression for strong southerly winds that sweep up the New South Wales coast at the end of a hot summer's day. Records show that about 30 southerly buster fronts move up the coast annually. However, only in 5 or 6 cases each year do the climatic conditions align sufficiently... Continue Reading →