Fair Dinkum Sailing Around Australia

THE RIGHT WAY ROUND (4th Edition)

Ulladulla - Wollongong - Broken Bay - Newcastle

CURRENT POSITION

If you are reading this Blog…..spread the word to everyone…send this Blog address to all your friends and work colleagues, and get them to follow ‘Fair Dinkums’ adventures around Australia.

Many generous sponsors have been encountered by ‘Fairdinkum’ along the way so far – our very special thanks to:

Paul at Newcastle Yacht Club (NCYC)

Michael Smyth, Manager New Castle Yacht Club (NCYC)

Natasha at NBN9 Newcastle,

John (Harbour Master) Eden,

Bermagui Fishermans Co Op,

Craig Turnball for making our sign in Eden,

Teter Moxham

John & Carol Stapleton, Ulladulla Fishermans Co Op

and especially Karen - General Manager of Royal Motor Yacht Club, Broken Bay

OnBoard 'Fair Dinkum' - Ulladulla - Wollongong - Broken Bay - Newcastle

Phone calls from ‘Fair Dinkum’ from all ports of call have the guys really spinning along up the NSW Coast, having settled in very well to the routines and rigours of ‘sailing’ & ‘eating’. They have also left a lot of the cold and wet weather behind them…they had more very wet weather around Jervis Bay with all of them becoming very wet and uncomfortable….however with warmer weather they have made great time through to Newcastle.

Next port of call at Wollongong revealed beautiful landscape from all directions. The area around Wollongong is known as Illawarra with the hilly Illawarra Escarpment making a perfect backdrop to the city and the Illawarra Lake to the south. North along the coast is Flagstaff Point, with its distinctive lighthouse and outlook over Boat Harbour, which was carved out of rock by convicts and completed in 1868. Much change has taken place in Wollongong in the recent past - once perhaps unjustly regarded as just a steel making and coal mining town, it has a rich and diverse cultural scene, natural beauty and many things to see and do.

The Royal Motor Yacht Squadron was home for a few days in Pittwater and in Newcastle ‘Fair Dinkum’ is moored in the heart of Newcastle Harbour.

In Newcastle the press finally caught up with the ‘slippery sailors’ who have had interviews on radio, been filmed by NBN9 for their news service, and were going to have pics taken for the local paper.

This is great news as the message will get out about the very important reason for this voyage…to help raise much need funds for the Stroke Foundation of Australia.

The capital of the Hunter Region, Newcastle is a modern beachside city boasting a spectacular coastline, rich Aboriginal and European heritage and a pleasant climate.

The City of Newcastle possesses some of Australia’s best beaches and these provide an array of recreational opportunities. Newcastle is built around a large working harbour. The adjacent Harbour Foreshore has undergone stunning changes in recent years and is now a focal point for recreation in the Hunter. Newcastle is home to some fine entertainment venues, where you can see the very best of local, national and international performers. The range of home-grown talent is truly amazing. Newcastle's reputation as a leading source of young musical talent in Australia continues to grow with the local music scene generating a great deal of interest.

Silverchair’s remarkable rise to fame has undoubtedly contributed to the large number of emerging young bands, all hoping to emulate Silverchair's astonishing success. Groups such as Supersonic, Muzzy Pep and Enertia are just some of the upcoming young bands currently enjoying a wave of popularity on the music scene.

But Newcastle offers lots more to visitors….the list goes on and on…..so, take time to visit for yourself.

We leave Newcastle on Thursday to sail north to Port Stephens….

Another ‘Gem’ from Gerr..ard the Gent.

‘Dallas seems to have finally gathered his fishing skills and has been providing the galley with some sumptuous ingredients….unfortunately I have had to play chef, as well as skipper!......again G…the Gent is winning over the hearts of yachties and landlubbers alike with his culinary skills…modest chap…your skipper !!! The pics prove that ‘baked beans’ are now permanently off the shipboard menu.’

Did you know #3?

Ulladulla's lighthouse is part of a network of navigational aids maintained around Australia's 20,000 kilometre coastline for the safety of ships and other crafts. The iron lighthouse was built in 1871 and was originally located at the entrance to Ulladulla harbour. The first Lighthouse keeper was William Gambell, an ex-sea captain who lived with his wife and family in a slab house on the beach. The lighthouse was re-erected to Ulladulla's south headland - Warden's Head in 1889.

It was designed in the Colonial Architect's Office by Edward Moriarty in the same style as the Wollongong Breakwater Light. It is one of only 2 lighthouses in New South Wales made from wrought iron plates.

At Wardens Head the lighthouse first had a fixed light of 800 candles operating. In 1920 the original oil lamp was replaced with a flashing light powered by acetylene gas for automatic operation and the station was demanned. The next conversion was to to electricity in 1964. The light is now battery operated and float charged from 240v mains supply.

Current operational Data.
Character : Group flashing 2 every 10 seconds.
Intensity: 28,000 candelas. Range: 17 nautical miles.
Elevation of Lighthouse: 34 metres.

Quote of the Week is spoken by Ratty to Mole in Wind in the Willows’ by Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932) –

"There is nothing -- absolutely nothing -- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. In or out of 'em, it doesn't matter. Nothing seems really to matter, that's the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don't; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you're always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you've done it there's always something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you'd much better not."