So here we are at Eden,  we anchored last night at 1:15am and up at 6am.  We have a perfect weather window to sail over to Deal island so no time to play or walk around Eden this time.    We feel like we have plenty of fuel and water so sleep and catching up with Bundeena were the important things this time around.

By 6:45am we have logged off with Marine Rescue Eden (they handed us on to Tas Marine Radio) and are ready to head off.    Bundeena is also ready and will be sailing in company with us for the journey.

We headed out of Two Fold bay by 07:15 with almost no wind,  a very slight southerly only.   So motor sailing it is.

We motored on past Green Cape Lighthouse (below), with Bundeena traveling alongside.  This is the first time we have traveled so closely in company with someone else.  As the day progressed we learned that is is quite nice having someone you know nearby to watch, talk to etc.  It does change the dynamics of the trip a little but it is a nice change.

Down past Gabo Island then hanging a right toward Deal Island.  This is the closest we’ve been to Gabo.  Last time we battled our way north past Gabo trying to get to Eden with a pretty strong Northerly on our nose and currents against us.   It took forever to get there.   Someone suggested that we could have hid behind Gabo until the wind abated.   I’m looking at Gabo now to see where the devil we could have hidden.  hmmm…..  does not look like much shelter.   Will have to investigate a bit further on the way home perhaps.

Frank sent over a video of us crossing the Victorian boarder.  Hopefully I can add this to the blog a bit later.

So far the wind is remaining light and motoring is required to get us there this century.    We did get intermittent puffs of wind from the SE to E which helped.    Both Nashira and Bundeena polled out to take advantage.

During the day we saw several seals but do you think I could capture one in a photograph?   If you said No,  you would be right!!   I did however get a video of the MOST awesome visit from dolphins.  They make us happy just being there.

(I will add video when better reception, I promise I did get one!)

Lovely sunset,  uneventful otherwise making it pretty easy to do our shifts and get some okay sleep.

One thing to note though is we are right on the shipping lane to Melbourne and before nightfall we were discussing that our AIS just wasn’t picking up many vessels.  Actually we could only see Bundeena and we aren’t being picked up by Marine Traffic either.  So Evan being the terrific handyman he is went downstairs to trouble shoot the problem and found the power to the aerial spliter had fallen out!!  Imagine that!  Evan managed to get it fixed and our AIS is working again!  Yippee we can see the many ships coming and going now.  Perhaps Marine traffic will once again put us on the good ship list and show our progress.

In the Morning the fog has rolled in making visibility very poor.  Doesn’t really matter out here though, nothing to run in to.    The ocean is oily smooth.   Totally different to our last trip across the Strait.

We carried on until finally LAND HO!!  We see the Kent group of Islands (Deal, Dover and Erith)

Today we made our way through Murray Pass between the Islands at 3:30pm,  had a sticky beak at the jetty on Deal Island,  went across to Erith Island where we went ashore to feel the sand (Marsh Flies and Penguin fleas) and to meet Jenny an artist and a friend of the historical family that have rights to stay on in the Erith House on the island.   It was a nice break to get off of Nashira even if only for a short while.    Early evening we pulled up stumps and motored over to Garden Cove to stay the night.

The Kent group of islands is MUCH larger than either of us imagined.    It reminds me of Lord Howe Island in its size and beauty (altho a more rugged beauty here).  The water is crystal clear blue.   I am really looking forward to exploring tomorrow.

Have a great night.

oxoxoxo