MAATSUYKER CANOE CLUB HOME PAGE

NOTE:  Before the trip, co-ordinator Sue Shearman contacted the Tasmanian Aboriginal Land Council office in Launceston to obtain permission to visit many of the locations where we landed.

MAATSUYKER CANOE CLUB
FURNEAUX ISLAND GROUP - 2005

Paddlers: 

Sue Shearman - Penguin Fibreglass Greenlander III
Graeme Soden - Penguin Fibreglass Greenlander Pro
Dave Slowitzky - plastic Current Designs Storm
Jeff Jennings - Tasman Twin - double
Rex Brown (Vic) - as above
Matthew Watton - Mirage 730 double
Jodi Staveley - as above
Hayley Shields - Pittarak
Brian (Vic) - Pittarak
George (Vic) - Pittarak

Day 1, 28 Jan 2005- Little Musselroe Bay to Spike Bay - 27km

some of us slept in cars and some in tents at Little Musselroe Bay but we finished packing the boats and headed off at approximately 6am; there was still a couple of hours of a falling tide (flowing from n/w to s/e) in Banks Strait; we were just able to sail until Cygnet Island; from then on we had to get back to paddling and had reasonable conditions until about 5km from Lookout Head; we then encountered headwinds until reaching Clarke Island; we then closely hugged the west coast of Clarke Island

Day 2, 29 Jan 2005 - Spike Bay to Nautilus Cove - 34km

Left Spike Bay in calm conditions and virtually no wind; found some other paddlers on the northern side of Spike Bay (double & 2 singles); headed north towards Preservation Island; we initially stopped on Rum Island and climbed highest rock for a 'Pacific Gull's eye view'; after lunch we paddled around the n/w side of Preservation Is. and stopped for a lunch break; wind picked up from the n/w during lunch and we had a fast sail across to northern side of Armstrong Channel; Graeme led the way steaming along in his Greenlander with two sails up; we closely followed the southern shore of Cape Barren Island; stopped for lunch in a sheltered cove at Wombat Pt; continued east to end the day at Nautilus Cove;

Day 3, 30 Jan 2005 - Nautilus Cove to Petticoat Bay - 13km

awoke to fine day and a light westerly wind; headed directly towards Sea Lion Narrows; it was calm thru passage due to wind & tide in same direction; landed in western cove of Petticoat Bay; spent the afternoon swimming & walking up ridge line towards Mt Kerford;

Day 4, 31 Jan 2005 - Petticoat Bay to Vansittart Island - 42km

weather mostly fine with a light n/w wind; headed up eastern side of Cape Barren Island; 3m easterly swell rolling in towards Cape Barren (point); once we rounded it to follow the coast to the n/w the wind picked up to a fresh headwind; stopped on northern side of Harleys Pt for lunch; wind dropped and we cruised steadily up towards Puncheon Point; we were keen to see the wreck of the Farsund appear in the distance; the tide was flowing into the passage to the south of Vansittart Island and there were also 2-4 foot spilling waves breaking on sand bars off the entrance; while everyone was waiting for someone to decide which line we should take into the channel; Dave got sick of waiting and charged in towards the entrance to the passage - with waves breaking on the sand bar just to his right; Dave made it with ease and everyone else followed - successfully; stopped for lunch just inside entrance; continued around southern side of Vansittart Island around to beach at Bates Bay; afternoon was spent walking to top of hill and swimming in bay;

Day 5, 1 Feb 2005 - Vansittart Island to Watering Beach - 18km

had an easy cruise across to Lady Barron for some shopping and a meal at the pub; continued in afternoon with a sail along the southern side of Flinders in Franklin Sound; the wind suddenly turned from n/w around to s/w; stopped at Watering Beach at camping area; late evening wind turned to s/e and increased;

Day 6, 2 Feb 2005 - STORM - No paddle

awoke to a gale/storm force wind from s/e; the waves were washing up to top of beach and seaweed was all around the car park; filled in the day watching surf & wild weather

Day 7, 3 Feb 2005 - Watering Beach to Trousers Point - 17km

left Watering Bch that was now filled with huge amount of weed; moderate s/w wind and sse swell; hundreds of trees were down around the s/w corner of Flinders Island due to the storm; stopped at Trousers Point; afternoon spent up Mt Strzelecki and re-supply;

Day 8, 4 Feb 2005 - Trousers Point to Badger Island - 35km

good sail out to Mt Chappell Is; lunch break then continued around southern side and along the northern side of Badger Island to Goose Island; stopped on eastern side for a walk to the lighthouse; continued s/e to Unicorn Pt on Badger Island and along southern shore and up the eastern side to Lucy Point; spent evening catching up with Tas Sea Canoeing Club members who were on a four week cruise from the Prom to Little Musselroe - and everywhere in between;

Day 9, 5 Feb 2005 - Badger Island to Spike Bay - 37km

left Badger Island at 8am and sailed in a light s/w wind towards Cape Sir John then Thunder & Lightning Bay for a stretch; Preservation Island for lunch then over to Preservation Island for lunch; continued towards Spike Bay but were being chased by a big black cloud from the n/w that turned into a giant black water spout; we stopped on the beach at Spike Bay and looked back towards the cloud as another waterspout formed twisting and swaying like a giant cobra; it was coming right for us but 'lost a bit of puff' and disappeared before it reached us; during the afternoon a gale force wind picked up from the west to s/w and by evening there was a big rolling swell coming into Spike Bay

Day 10, 6 Feb 2005 - Gale - No paddle

this was supposed to be the last day of the trip but after a restless nights sleep the alarm went off at 4.25am and it sounded wild outside; the tent was swaying from side to side and a few minutes later Sue walked from tent to tent saying that we would re-assess the situation at 6.30am when we could see what we were dealing with; at 6.30am we found that there was a gale force westerly wind and 2-3 metre rolling waves entering Spike Bay and surging into our small cove; during the day it remained very strong and finally at 10pm it seemed to be reducing slightly; we were all hopeful for the morning

Day 11, 7 Feb 2005 - Spike Bay to Little Musselroe Bay - 29km

wind dropped and we headed off at 6.15am; light s/w to w/s/w wind present; tide was still rising until approx 8.30am; left Spike Bay on course of 180 degrees aiming at the prominent sand hill that lies a few km's to the west of Little Musselroe; by 8.30am we were about 4.5km to the right of the straight line course between the exit of Spike Bay and the entry of Little Musselroe; most paddlers had their sails up from the start in the sloppy 3m westerly swells; by the time the tide changed to start falling (and heading in the same direction as the wind) we only had 13km's to go and we were able to sail at a better angle; the last 10km's were uneventful and we experienced strong flows at the point 1km to the west of Little Musselroe; when we approached the entry into the lagoon there was a strong flow coming out; it took a great effort to make forward progress up to the boat ramp; it was a perfect finish with the sun out, warm weather and beautiful clear/blue water flowing out of the bay; the crossing from Spike Bay had taken 3.5 hrs; we now had the big job of unpacking all of our gear and a 5 hour drive back home ahead of us followed by the clean up.

LINK TO GPS CHART OF THE RETURN VOYAGE ACROSS BANKS STRAIT