Evan was up early worrying about the steering.  As soon as I was able to pry myself from the warm blankets I noticed he was gone.  Already upstairs with the steering pedestal taken apart and tools everywhere.

He showed me some rubbed and warn sections of steering cable but these were not to blame for the problems we noticed yesterday.   Now that I’m awake Evan was able to look at the steering quadrant.  This is where the steering cables attach to the rudder.  It also happens to be located behind our sleeping pillows and I am grateful Evan let me sleep a bit longer before he wanted to get in there.

Greg from Sea Echo II stopped by a short time later and joined Evan in the troubleshooting.  It looks like the quadrant needed to be raised about 3 mm as both steering cables were in the one track rubbing against each other. I am a little bit of anxious thinking the steering might fail as we cross Bass Strait.  I really really don’t want that to happen.

[Steering Quadrangle]

Greg came to the rescue with the correct sized Allen key and the boys get into it, lifting, tightening, straightening, adjusting then putting it all back together again.

So far so good. We pulled up anchor and tested the steering on the way to the Port Arthur historic site.  Perhaps only a small adjustment to the steering is needed as straight is not totally straight, otherwise the steering seems to be okay.   We perused the Historic site by water and decided to drop anchor in Lady Bay and walk.
[Lady Bay & track to Port Arthur]

Port Arthur is beautiful.  Its hard to imagine it being a cold miserable penitentiary.  The end of the world where there is no escape.  With the sun shining and the gardens tended it is lovely and picturesque.  Would be a million dollar view in Sydney or Melbourne.  Port Arthur was the first penitentiary designed to give prisoners the chance to redeem themselves rather than punishment only as demanded by society.  They could learn a skill and become free men with a new start……If they survived.    

Today Port Arthur is HOT, there is a cool breeze on the water but nothing on land.  Most land lubbers have no idea about weather really.  That used to be me.  I assumed if it was hot and breezeless for me then that was reality for everyone.  Oh what I have learned!

We headed back to Nashira in the late afternoon, sweaty and happy. 

Evan decided he was going to brave the cold water and go for a swim.  Cooling off seemed a great idea so I was up for it too.  It took a bit longer than usual to get in.  The water is colder yet super clear.  Once in and the surface capillaries closed off it felt like magic, refreshing and awake!  Reminded me of a therapy for people with Chronic fatigue syndrome.

Judy and Greg invited us aboard for a lovely ‘Not Chicken’ curry,  vegetarian version with the ‘Not Chicken’ being a process vegetable protein.   No-one was overly impressed with the ‘Not Chicken’ but the curry and desert were wonderful.

We headed back home afterwards determined to get to bed early and leave early.  First a review of tomorrows weather so we don’t get caught out unaware again.   Forecast is for 15 to 20 knot SE.

Good Night everyone

xoxoxo