Yamba to Newcastle        

 3^rd – 5^th Dec 2016

(This blog was not written by the master scribe Colin but the apprentice Cookie. The reason will be explained in this blog. )

After carefully studying various weather models, checking tides times and swell conditions to safely negotiate the mighty Clarence mouth we decided it was time to go. It seemed that there was no escaping the possibility of afternoon thunderstorms at this time of the year so with all other factors looking good we readied our ship for departure. The day dawned hot and sunny with light NE winds.

So after last minute provisioning and a check of the entrance conditions we returned the car and made our way out through the “Hole in the Wall. ” Once safely through the very benign Clarence Bar we pointed our bow south towards North Solitary Island and Coffs Harbour. We hoisted sails but the apparent wind was very light so once again we motored sailed just with a stabilising mainsail. Our thoughts drifted back to that horrendous night in Coffs Harbour, so grateful we survived and didn’t lose Calista. What amazing places we’ve sailed to and incredible experiences and adventures in the Pacific we have had since that wild storm 6 months ago!

 

A friendly Clarence 

We settled into our daily watch system in preparation for our night passage mindful of the old mariners saying “Never whistle at the Helm!” The clear blue skies of the morning soon gathered fluffy thickening Cumulonimbus clouds. By early afternoon the stormy clouds surrounded us and we began to feel uneasy about being out at sea in a thunderstorm. Very soon an ominous roll cloud was heading our way across a now grey and bleak ocean. We put 3 reefs in the main and donned our wet weather gear just in time as we were hit by 20-25knots of wind on the nose and driving rain. Huge mushroom shaped clouds tumbled towards us grumbling with thunder and lightning bolts arcing across the sky and striking the sea. We headed out to sea towards a less threatening horizon trying to skirt the edge of these cells. The BOM rain radar confirmed our fears that we were in for more. So concerned about every sailors worst nightmare, a lightning strike, we put the valise life raft and grab bags in the cockpit. Another squall hit us with 30 knots, driving rain and the thunder and lightning very close and very scary. Thankfully by sunset the worst of it was over and we felt very lucky to have dodged the endless bolts of lightning that flashed around us all afternoon.

 

Scary thunderstorms surround us.

Life raft and grab bags ready.

Storm cells everywhere

We motor sailed through the night for the storms had taken the wind north and left us in a 5-6 knot south westerly. News headlines revealed that these storms created havoc overnight along the coast into southern Queensland, with one person being struck by lightning. By dawn we were abeam of Smoky Cape and still motor sailing in light winds with Tim the autopilot at the helm. The forecast freshening north easterlies did not materialise so we trundled south passing familiar landmarks such as Port Macquarie, Crowdy Head and Forster –Tuncurry on sunset. We had explored the many beaches and townships along the entire NSW coastline many years ago on a wave ski surfing trip, camping in my Escort panel van. In 2010 we sailed these waters on our way to the Louisiade Archipelago in Papua New Guinea. 

The fluky wind conditions continued until midnight when finally the north easterly did arrive so we unfurled the genoa and actually sailed for a while. Fortunately Tim managed to helm and I stayed on watch most of the time. Colin’s chronic back pain made life on board very difficult and uncomfortable for him. For most of the passage particularly in the storms I sent him below to lay down as I sensed that apart from the chronic back pain he was not well. We were both running on adrenaline ...Colin due to pain and me lack of sleep! We needed to get to Newcastle and medical help! 

We were so glad to see the outline of Newcastle in the dawn light on Monday morning and make our way to the marina dodging the large ships that constantly come and go to this harbour. It had been a very difficult passage. As we secured our lines in the Newcastle Marina a south west breeze banged in up to 20-25 knots.... Good timing! Later in the day we met up with fellow cruisers, Chris & Gillie who have a lovely restored timber yacht Westwind and Martin & Cindy from Jannali who had also arrived today. The magic of the wonderful cruising life we both so love is not just the amazing places that you explore but the beautiful people that you meet.

The wonderful serendipity of the cruising life!

There is a saying “That one moment can change your life forever.”

The events that unfolded in Newcastle turned our idyllic lives and dreams into a nightmare.

We caught up with our good friend Dr John Marley and after a series of scans and tests the mystery of Colin’s ongoing back pain was revealed. His T7 vertebrae had totally collapsed and surrounding that region was a tumour caused by a cancer called Multiple Myeloma. His spine was at risk of collapse and had most likely been like it for a while. The medical team were horrified that Colin had sailed on a yacht from Vanuatu like this. We didn’t tell them he’d also been for a body surf at Yamba 4 days ago!

He was taken straight to John Hunter Hospital in an ambulance and had major back surgery to stabilise his spine with titanium rods. John and Anne Marley insisted I move in with them as they lived a ten minute walk away from the hospital. My watch was no longer at sea but beside my best friend and soul mate in hospital every day as he endured a painful and slow recovery.

After two weeks he joined me at John and Anne’s and gradually improved. We had a vey pleasant Christmas Day with the Marley’s and will be eternally grateful for their kindness and support at an extremely difficult time. Colin was well enough for us to fly home on 28^th December and begin ongoing treatment in Adelaide.

Christmas with the wonderful Marley family.

Calista was secured in the Newcastle Marina until our good friend Graham Daniels (who had delivered Calista from Mooloolaba for us 10 years ago) flew to Newcastle in February and brought her home for us.

 

"A ship in the harbour is safe but that is not what ships are built for"

Our Voyage to Vanuatu sadly ended in Newcastle but we had done it .... We threw off the bowlines and sailed to Noumea and Vanuatu !

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed

by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones that you did do.

So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour.

Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore. Dream. Discover.

 Mark Twain

We did it........sailed to Champagne Beach Vanuatu !

We had sailed 5,603 nautical miles on the mighty Calista since leaving Wirrina on March 1st. 

 POSTSCRIPT

 So our lives no longer revolved around the weather and passage planning but medical appointments, rehabilitation of Colin’s spine and treatments in Adelaide.

In amongst all this we saw an Island Packet 40 for sale in Sydney and made an offer, flew to Sydney and bought her! We had admired these excellent American built cruising yachts in Noumea and had “googled “ them extensively! In which lifetime would we own a yacht of our dreams ? Now seemed like a great time considering Colin’s health.  It was a very sad day when Calista was sold as she had taken us 25,000nm on so many amazing adventures to remote and beautiful places in the past 10 years. It was akin to farewelling a trusted loyal friend.

We sailed Island Pearl to Kangaroo Island and Gulf St Vincent pinching ourselves that we owned such a beautiful yacht! Ongoing treatments only allowed us to go for a few days at a time but Colin was recovering well and we started dreaming and planning more adventures and ocean voyages .........

 

Cheers Island Pearl

Those dreams were soon to be shattered as the cancer came back at the end of 2017.  2018 was a very tough year. It seemed like, despite Colin’s amazing strength and positive outlook, the outgoing tide had more power and he slowly lost way against it . We sailed together on Island Pearl for the last time in November 2018. 

The ebbing tide took my best friend, my soul mate, my husband away on 14th February 2019.

 EBBING TIDE

 It’s time to raise the anchor 

And on the ebbing tide

Drift quietly down the river

Into the ocean wide

Don’t weep for me this voyage

Though we will hither part

Just hold me ever safely

In your loving heart

The voyage I am making

Out on the open sea

Returning to that plenum

A state of reverie

You may think of me often

Though we be apart

All the thoughts and memories

In your loving heart

One day the ebbing tide

Will gently gather you

And we will find each other

Upon this ocean too

We will be again together

Sailing ever free

Over the horizon

To the realm of memory

 

 Graham Daniels