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Dodged a bullet

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Created by ralasa41 > 9 months ago, 21 Feb 2023
ralasa41
ACT, 33 posts
21 Feb 2023 9:33PM
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Thought i would go for a short sail last weekend, weather reports were for NE fresh, the turning southerly fresh, left Batemans Bay headed to Broulee , thinking catch NE down and southerly back, motor sailed down ,light winds, had lunch , swim , then heard the reports on VHF for the southerly coming, there were a few clouds building, so packed up and started to head back , by this time the NE had built a bit, by the time i got out from the head land it was Ne at 20 kts on the nose, didnt want to tack out to sea , so decided to motor back,
then the waves built , wind got stronger , next thing 2 mtr short waves , 25 kts gusting to 32, my motor is under sized for the boat,
At some stage i was doing 1.5 knots into the breeze, flat out , this continued and got rougher closer to BB, all this time Im looking over my shoulder at the ominious front looming down , anyway made it back , got the courtesy mooring at Snapper rocks , then 5 mins after mooring the southerly hit, I recorded 38 kts but there were bigger gusts, this was a lucky day ,next time i will take more notice of the weather reports

Trek
NSW, 1188 posts
22 Feb 2023 11:46AM
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Fully identify with that, have been there myself, and glad you got back in one piece Ralasa! I found in that situation, don't panic and treat it as a challenge. Especially if you have a crew looking at you for signs of worry

EastCoastSail
329 posts
22 Feb 2023 3:14PM
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Looks like similar may occur this weekend at Broulee. With the southerly coming through just after midnight from the forecast.
I'm still getting used to the uncertainty of the Tasman Sea after years sailing in what I realise now were the benign waters behind the GBR.
Good to hear you made it safely


woko
NSW, 1755 posts
22 Feb 2023 8:38PM
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The southerly buster is an extreme more often south of say Newcastleish . It puts a hurtle in front of the south bound vessel, but north bound trip is sort of predictable at the end of summer, when the front passes jump on it a day or two later, a few days of southerly, then a weak northerly and bang another southerly buster .......

ralasa41
ACT, 33 posts
24 Feb 2023 7:46PM
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Select to expand quote
EastCoastSail said..
Looks like similar may occur this weekend at Broulee. With the southerly coming through just after midnight from the forecast.
I'm still getting used to the uncertainty of the Tasman Sea after years sailing in what I realise now were the benign waters behind the GBR.
Good to hear you made it safely



might stay home this weekend



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"Dodged a bullet" started by ralasa41