Southport Arrival

Hi everyone,

We arrived in Southport at 1630 yesterday.  The final 24 hours were an endurance test.  Calms, currents and gale.

At Southport YC Quarantine Dock

Yesterday afternoon the motoring continued in a sloppy seaway with little breeze.  Initially we were headed W and only doing 3 knots.  We got into a N current and found ourselves tracking NW.  Eventually we tacked N.

By mid-evening the long awaited southerly buster arrived.  With double-reefed (trisail sized) main and storm staysail set we stopped the engine and took off!  Our course gradually lifted from N to NW, taking us directly towards our destination.  Zen Again had a bone between her teeth and was flying.  The wind was 25G35.  Unlike when we were riding the high on a broad reach here we were on a beam reach.  Wet'n'wild, but faaaaast!

Wind Gusts

By the morning the winds were easing.  They continued to do so as we closed the coast, gradually shaking out reefs, swapping to the yankee and unfurling in steps.  After midday the engine had to come on to take us home.

Gold Coast

In the Gold Coast Seaway

Re-entering the Gold Coast Seaway closed the circle on our circumnavigation.  That felt good!  From there it was a short motor to the Southport YC Marina where there's a quarantine dock.  Two officers from the ABF were there to meet us and start our clearance process.  With that done it was time for bubbles!  We'll see the DAFF folks today.

Approaching Southport YC Marina

We did roughly 65000nm on our 15 year circumnavigation.    Here is our track...

Circle closed

We'll do a passage summary next, then a circumnavigation summary.

Trust all's well where you are!