This would be our last voyage for the 2011 sailing season. Next and last stop, Brisbane, Australia and home for Kay…..
Finally the spinnaker was raised on Day three
This was day one when the wind was still blowing in the mid 20 knot range.
As the winds dropped and went aft later in the trip….
Dawn’s early arrival with the famous Glass House Mountains in near the entrance to Moreton Bay
You can see the “glass like” shine on the center peak
The image of the mountains literally changed every few minutes with the changing weather
You can’t throw stones from here at this Glass House!…
This is the northern city at the head of Moreton Bay, the gateway to Brisbane
A constant parade in the deep water channel. Port Authority Brisbane controls this (and us!) up and down the 20 mile length of the entrance to the Brisbane River.
The main ship channel is only 100 yards wide, dredged to 45 feet (15 meters)
Most of Moreton Bay is sand shoals which is why we have to stay near the “big ship” channel
These two large vessels are controlled by local professional pilots and the Vessel Traffic Service of the Brisbane Port Authority
Pretty impressive how these vessels at speed maneuver so close to each other.
Car carriers, oil and gas ships, container ships. All manner of “heavy metal” was up and down the main channel this day
You can see this car carrying vessel actually lean right while making a tight left turn to go behind the oil carrier to his port (left side)
This is a specialty type ship designed for hauling oil and gas
Brisbane at last…5 hours from the entrance of Moreton Bay to the Customs dock. It’s a really big bay. Think San Francisco Bay size!
Lest you think we were out of the woods, the river is narrow, has lots of “heavy metal” and the channel outside the markers is in some places only 6 feet deep!
Despite being a sail boat. Even if our sails were up, which they weren’t. We would NOT have the right of way over these vessels in the controlled channel as we would “at sea”
More of the Emerald City. Looks like “OZ” was well named
The river has a permanently outgoing flow. As such, we’re slowed upon entry AND have to stay out of the way
This vessel was un-manned and had broken loose it’s moorings and drifted down the river to end up in the mud flats.
Much like an air traffic system, busy ports are controlled by VTS (vessel traffic system) controllers. They were on the radio to us several times during this entire passage up Moreton Bay and into the Brisbane River
Transiting the river is debris, tide, eddying currents. We had to keep our eyes open
This vessel was undergoing extensive maintenance and was for some reasons in constant contact with VTS
This tug was “pushing ahead” what appeared to be a large fuel tank for servicing vessels along the river. A mobile petrol station as it were
This is the bridge that crosses the Brisbane River and effectively separates the city in to a North and South section
Australia requires a 96 hour pre-arrival notice. This is Customs Officer Tracey Emery. She was in email contact with me and extremely helpful.
Tracey even sent me a link to get my visa before I arrived. I didn’t realize it was required and by the time I arrived it was completed. Isn’t she sweet!
Portia & Steve from San Rafael, California We were in daily radio contact with them and three other vessels. We had a lovely Mexican dinner with them as well in Bulimba
Here is Charmaine & Kay McNamara at Charmaine’s flat in Southport. Got her home safe Mum!….
