•
seas . decided to make for Moruya where we entered ! he river al J l . 30 am and went up the river
7 miles to Town Wharf . The srrong winds persisted all day and throughout the Wednesday until
5 am on ihursday , when we set out for Bermagui , where we arrived at I pm . After a meal ashore , phone calls to home and a few beers . what was left of the wind was from the sou ' west and light , so decided to move on as we had planned to rendez · vous wilh our families at Lakes Entrance for Christmas .
We cleared the Breakwater at 7 pm and proceeded under full sail untn 7 am on Friday , when with conditions again deteriorating with ! he wind increasing from the sou • west and a strong wind warning current , we sheltered in the lee of Black Head as we did not wish to give away our hard · won distance and return to Eden . We were joined by two trawlers taking shelter , but during the nighr with the swells increasing . winds turning south . force 7 , and the shore break extending seawards . decided to return to Eden under reefed mainandjib . ArrivedEden 1 pmon23December and anchored out from the Fishennans Wharf .
Strong to gale force south to sou ' west winds persisted until 25 December- this meant we had to cancel our arrangements for Christmas with the fanill y at Lakes Entrance and alternative arrangements were made at the Fisherman ' s Qub at Eden .
Left Eden at 9 am on Boxing Day with wind east 12 knots . Wind increasing from ENE and with a long following swell . the spinnaker was carried all night and the yacht was surfing . At9 am on 27th there was a south-westerly gale warning and decided to alter course for Lakes Entrance , 60 nilles distant . That night at IO pm we were off
Lakes Entrance in smooth seas . The Australian coast pilot shows a red light on the eastern pier and we had great difficuhy in tining up the leads . After three attempts to cross the bar . decided to wait until morning and anchored , but at 11.30 pm we sighred a trawler making for the bar and decided to follow in view of the gale warning . We were unable to maintain the trawler ' s speed and fell in bebindhimsome200yards . Itwasobviousbewas using the green lighr and a white light as the leads , so we continued under power and sail . Here we
Harry and Eve Downs on Celia wish Saltash If ' Bon Voyage • as she clears for Brisbane .
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