Mooloolaba - Scarborough

Scarborough approaches

CIQ clearance out of (or into) Australia through the Brisbane/Moreton Bay area is possible at a number of ports, but none further north than Scarborough. So this was to be our jumping-off point for the Tasman crossing.

The plan had been to sail to Scarborough marina a week earlier, and finish boat prep & provisioning there in slow time. Instead we now had a quick 7 hr / 40 nm run down the coast on 30 Jan: a brief opportunity for a spot of crew famil for those new to Harlequin.

Wanting a 'heavy crew' for the Tasman crossing (3 watches and a spare), we were now seven aboard. Jim was again joined by pommie 'Kiwi' John Cooper (previously on the Coral Sea crossing) as Mate & watch-leader, as well as watch-leaders Phil Hearps & Matt Goble (AUS), and watch-keepers Yann Binard (FRA), Matt Cairns (USA) and Tiny Jensen (DNK) - a truly international crew!

John

Phil

Matt G

Yann

Matt C

Tiny

The positioning sail was made interesting by an early touch of mal-de-mer for some (we had barely started!), getting hung up in a large Sargasso-style line of flotsam from ex-TC Oswald, and navigating the entry into Moreton Bay, around Skirmish Point and through the shallows of Deception Bay on the bottom quarter of the tide. Well named - it was a bit of a maze amongst the sandbanks, not helped by the arrival of a shift to a strong SE'ly. Good reefing practice for the new crew!

What's known as a 'heavy crew'...

Given the late start for the high tide over the Mooloolaba bar, we now had to contend with arrival at Scarborough approaching low tide. Luckily we managed to squeeze through the narrow entrance with just 0.25 m under the keel to spare, only to slide to a halt in mud about a metre off our berth at K17. Never mind - close enough. Secure your lines - we've arrived. Bar's open!

Sue had driven down from Mooloolaba in her hire-car, so we had a last run ashore for yet more provisions. We were not going to starve, that's for sure, and with 7 crew, full fuel, rations for a month (easy) and Tiny's 100 kg backpack, Harlequin was now sitting as low on her lines as we've ever seen her.

Paperwork, paperwork...

Due to the 'Hotel California' effect, Aus Customs had been very understanding about delaying our appointment for outward processing for 3 successive days. They even called to offer an early (0800) clearance the next day, to help us make up some time.

So by 1000 on Thu, 31 Jan we had made our last farewells to Sue (flying back to Hong Kong that afternoon) and were off, heading back through the shoals again for Cape Moreton and the Tasman Sea.


ETA for NZ had been 12 Feb. No reason we couldn't still make that, surely...?