Erith Island

We finally paddled into West Cove on Erith Is with the last of the flood yesterday afternoon. Our group left Hogan Island at 9.15 am with the aim of arriving at Erith at slack tide. Using Tidetech we set a course 20 degrees north of the Kent Group knowing that the current would carry us down to Erith. Once again it worked a treat :)
Apart from a light headwind at times conditions were spectacularly good with calm seas and a low rolling 1 to 1.5 metre swell from the SE. We saw Albatross, gulls, Petrel and Gannets as well as a couple of big schools of fish ( fortunately no BIG fish :) as well as having to stop and wait for a large British cargo ship whose captain was very friendly and more than a little curious as to what we were doing out there (contact by VHF). Paddling all of the way was tiring and we were all pleased to get out of the boats at Erith Is.
We will be staying here in the Kent Group for a few days then it is the big jump (65+ kms) to Flinders.
I'm sitting on a hill looking out over a headland and bay looking back across to Hogan Island off in the distance. It's a perfect sunny morning with a light breeze from the east. Far off in the distance behind Hogan I can just see Wilson's Promontory 83 kilometres away. Fabulous :)

updte sat mrng e 5 to 15 knts noon ne 5 to 15 knts aft ene to ne 5 to 10 knts seas 0.50 to 1.50 mtr frm sw and ese dir
karel

This ship had a captain happy to chat

Sea fog over part of the Kent Group

Rounding into Murray Pass

Sunset at West Cove, Erith Island

Erith Island hut

Wallabi Cove

Sunset over Murray Pass

East Cove, Deal Island

The Caretaker's Garden

Goodbye Hogan

Well after 2 (and a bit) fantastic days on Hogan Is we plan to leave this beautiful island and paddle over to the Kent Group tomorrow. Today was sunny but a little windy in contrast to yesterday which was almost dead calm but misty/drizzly. The island has plenty of wildlife, hawks, cape barren geese (saw a group of 32 today)other sea birds including sea eagles, lots and lots of really, really noisy penguins and rats galore :) along with a few cows. It is lush and green and everybody has thoroughly enjoyed their stay here. It was interesting to look across to Deal this afternoon as the tide hit full ebb and battled against the NE wind creating large breaking waves. We will sneak past the sleeping giant tomorrow and give those waves a miss.
Once again we planned our passage using Tidetech to determine how far we aim off (20 degrees) and Karel Vissel's excellent forecasts which have been very accurate.

Hogan Island hut

Hogan Island campsite

Cattle yard

Plenty of these noisy little fellows!

Logbook entries

Another local, the Australian Swamp Rat. At least he is a native :-)

Tent under a dark sky

Kent Group in the distance

Cape Barren Geese

Hogan Island

Yesterday we paddled to Hogan Is. Up at 5.00, away by 7am. 10 hrs and 54.8 kms later we paddled into our little cove at Hogan. We did our calculations for the current using Tidetech and paddled on a bearing of 90 degrees ( rather than 100 direct to Hogan) for the first 7 hrs, corrected slightly toward Hogan as the wind was blowing us sideways a little and the end result was a perfect curve straight into Hogan arriving at slack water. Thanks Tidetech! Good conditions on the way across, fabulous sunrise then very hazy. For awhile it looked like we were going to be paddling in sea fog, not good in a busy shipping lane, but fortunately the fog cleared and we maintained visibility. We paddled for 4 hrs before faintly seeing Hogan by which time Wilsons Promontory was well and truly gone. An unusual feeling being out of sight of everything bar a few distant islands! Poured with rain last night which at least drowned out the noise of the penguins and the rats scurrying around. At least 2 days here then hopefully on to Deal Is on Saturday.

updt thu mrng s to sw 5 to 10 knts s to sse 5 to15 knts aft se 5 to 15 knts seas 0.50 to 1.50 mtr frm se
karel

Leaving Refuge Cove, a stunning dawn

We had to cross a busy coastal shipping channel, eyes peeled

Refuge Cove

Today we paddled down to Refuge Cove on Wilson's Promontory. 46km in very light winds.An early start, up at 4am, carried the loaded boats 300metres to the water (just about the hardest part of the day!)and on the water around 6am. Wonderful spot here, very sheltered. Tomorrow possibly head off to Hogan Island.

Leaving at 6am

Our first sunrise

Rabbit Island

The "yacht (and kayak) fence".

Refuge Cove

Preparation

Two of us drove our cars with 6 kayaks loaded and lots of gear to Melbourne. First we sailed across to Melbourne on the Toll Transport ship and then drove down to Port Welshpool to meet the others who had flown across.
My good mate Mick McRobb drove down from Bairnsdale to pick our cars up. He will take them back to Bairnsdale and look after them until we can fly back over and bring them back home.

The beginning of the adventure

Sunset from the Toll Transport ship as we crossed Bass Strait the easy way...

Packing the kayaks