Shakedown.

Birubi is off on another adventure.

We plan to sail as far as Port Lincoln inSouth Australia, then, back via Port Fairy for the folk festival.

Step one was the usual trip to Queenscliff. Our crew we’re Lou and Marnie , who are very experienced. Lou has just completed another Sydney HOBART. Maureen has never been keel boat sailing so this was a novelty and she acquitted herself well. The start involved motoring to Queenscliff and fuelling up then waiting 24 hours for an easterly. We left in the dark at 0400 hrs to catch the slack at Port Phillip Heads. As we generally avoid night sailing, it needed to be adjusted to and fairly quickly. We had a gradually building following wind , which at times reached 22kts, fortunately, during the day. The outhaul sheave shattered , severing the rope but this was also fortunate as there was no choice but to put in the first reef, without argument!

We arrived 26 hours later at 0500hrs in then still pitch darkness and Maureen , the only one of us who had a good nights sleep, cooked eggs and bacon. Now for a little shut eye.

Wildlife tally: Gannets, shearwaters, an albatross and two lolling seals.