MERRY

CHRISTMAS

N E X T G E N E R A L M E E T I N G M O N D A Y 1 2 T H F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 8

L A K E M A C Q U A R I E Y A C H T C L U B

C R U I S I N G D I V I S I O N

February 2018 No. 340

Page 2 LAKE MACQUARIE YACHT CLUB CRUISING DIVISION

Please address all letters for the Cruising Division to:

LMYC CRUISING DIVISION

Ada Street

Belmont NSW 2280

Alternatively, letters for the Cruising Division may be left

in the ‘pigeon hole’ at the LMYC office.

Cruising Division Editor:

Any articles for the Cruiseletter can be sent to

Cruiseletter Editor John Cotterill

johncotterill13@gmail.com

by 28th February 2018

Skippers Report 3

Jack Hitchcock Memorial Trophy 4

Pittwater Cruise Schedule 2018 5

Photo Competition 6

49th Hobart for Bill Ratcliff 9

New Years Eve 2017 9

Port Stephens Fisheries Institute 10

Cruising Division Executive

Skipper: Committee

Ken Archer 4946 7751 Ross Dickson 4975 4668 Michael Norwood 0401622954

Secretary: Libby Archer 4946 7751 Maureen Seysener 4975 2561

John Lemberg 0409 577607 Tony Austin 0416266947 Fred Seysener 4975 2561

Treasurer: Cath Austin 4946 9928

Ross Shirtley 4945 0641

LAKE MACQUARIE YACHT CLUB CRUISING DIVISION PAGE 3

by Ken Archer

I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year with family and friends. Libby and I were fortunate to have all our family home for various periods and had a terrific time with our Grandkids who we don’t see that often. However, it’s now time to get back to business for another year of great cruising activities. Since our last Cruiseletter we have held our Christmas Party which was a great success with over 70 members attending. Everyone seemed to enjoy the new format of a fully catered meal. We also had our annual New Year’s Eve outing to the Wangi fireworks and then our January barbecue. The Jack Hitchcock Trophy was presented to Ray and Fran at that function (see separate report below). A cheque for $400 was also presented to Marine Rescue, Lake Macquarie. Looking forward, we have our first General Meeting on Monday 12th February followed by the February outing on 17th &18th. Members will also be starting to get organised for the Pittwater Cruise commencing 4th March. More details of these events will be published as we get nearer to the dates. However, Michael and Anne are coordinating the Pittwater Cruise so if you have any questions, contact them. Our Annual General Meeting has also been put back a week to 26th March to allow plenty of time for members to return from Pittwater. I encourage members to start thinking about standing for the Committee and particularly for executive positions on the Committee. It is always great to get new people involved with fresh ideas and contributions to our activities. I wish you all a very happy New Year and look forward to a great year out on the water with all our friends in the Cruising Division . Happy Cruising Ken

The February outing (17/18th) will be a barbecue ashore at Sandy Beach

(weather permitting).

We will plan to go ashore around 1500 hr.

Participants to gather off Coal Point at 1100 hr on Saturday 17th for a sail

down the lake.

Radios tuned to Ch 77. Ken and Libby will be coordinating the outing

(0428785459).

Any late changes to plans will be posted on Facebook

PAGE 4 LAKE MACQUARIE YACHT CLUB CRUISING DIVISION

The Jack Hitchcock Perpetual Trophy this year was presented to Ray and Fran at the January Barbecue. Ray and Fran are worthy recipients of the Trophy following their adventurous cruises both to Tasmania and Western Australia. Ray and Fran purchased their new yacht “Red Cloud” in Perth and took the opportunity to cruise the WA coast before bringing Red Cloud back to Lake Macquarie via the Great Australian Bight. They have also been generous in making presentations to the Cruising Division on their experiences.

This trophy is awarded annually according one or a number of the following criteria:

• outstanding cruising endurance and/or seamanship

• providing of selfless assistance to others during a cruise

• promotion and facilitation of cruising and/or inspiring the confidence, competence and enjoyment of fellow cruisers.

The Committee and Members of the Cruising Division congratulate Ray and Fran for receiving the

award, and wish them all the very best for their future in cruising.

I would like to thank the committee for continuing to forward the Cruise letter to me after all these years. It

is a great read and I enjoy hearing (with a bit of envy) of all the sailing adventures of your members. The

club continues to grow and I know you are all experiencing the companionship that both my husband and I

had during our time.

To Fran and Ray Smith.... my congratulations on receiving the Jack Hitchcock Trophy for 2017.

I believe you bought your new yacht a 39ft Jeannau from Western Australia across the Bight to her new

home on Lake Macquarie. What a journey. I guess not quite the passage you envisaged what with the

"knockdown" to keep you on your toes. Well done.

However here you are on beautiful Lake Macquarie enjoying Red Cloud with friends and members of the

club. I believe your contribution to the club makes you both worthy recipients of the Trophy. Once again

my congratulations and may you have many happy "sundowners", fun and safe passages.

Best wishes to the club for continued success for 2018 and beyond.

Happy Sailing.

Wanda

PAGE 5 LAKE MACQUARIE YACHT CLUB CRUISING DIVISION

When: Sunday 4th March (Swansea HT 10.59, 1.79m) to Friday 16th March (Swansea HT 08.32, 1.69m) 2018.

Organisers: Michael Norwood, ‘Saaremaa,’ email micknor51@yahoo.com, mob 0401622954 Ian Donaldson, ‘Chandon’, email ianchd@gmail.com, mob 0409734528

Morning Skeds: 09.00 on Channel 77

Itinerary Outline: This will vary according to weather/other eventualities.

Sun 4th March Sail to Coasters Retreat, Pittwater. Welcome to Cruise BBQ ashore afternoon/evening bring all your needs. Reminder that NP fees are the responsibility for each boat.

Mon 5th Morning/afternoon games ashore Kube, Genka, Boules etc. Evening Casino Royale (good dress above waist) Croupiers Madam Maureen Roulette, Monsieur Ken Crown & Anchor, Monsieur Graeme Blackjack and Monsieur Michael Chef de Mission will be in Black Tie.

Tues 6th Morning sail to Refuge Bay around Lion Island. Evening Pot Luck Dinner (3 boats drawn at random, each group to decid on which is the host boat and food style ie entree, main and dessert or finger food.

Wed 7th Morning sail to Dangar Island for coffee or bushwalk ashore. Sail to Hallets Beach for after noon golf on Royal Hallets sandy shores HT 13.08 1.38m, LT 19.07 0.57m, Organisers Robert & Karen Black ‘Krackt’

Thu 8th Morning free. Afternoon/evening Swinging 60’s Beach Party. Come dressed as a 60’s Icon, Mod Rocker, Hippie, Peacenik etc with finger food to share and authentic 60’s music. Beatles, Stones, Seekers, Beach Boys, Easybeats, Dusty, Supremes, Kinks, Dylan, Elvis HT 13.56 1.27m, LT 19.48 0.66m

Fri 9th Sail to Yeomans Bay for a Movie Night maybe??

Sat 10th Sail to Jerusalem Bay for Cowan bushwalk or have lunch/coffee at Cottage Point. Anchor Akuna Bay??

Sun 11th Free day for all but ending up at Refuge Bay for the evening. Patonga has very good fish and chips for lunch!

Mon 12th Late morning Rat Races ashore Refuge Bay waterfall LT12.22 0.61m. Afternoon Craft/Fishing workshops???

Tues 13th Sail to Towlers (Morning) Bay for dinghy race/war Mods V Rockers V Hippies V Peaceniks. No motors and No Rules apart from rounding Sally Swan without touching her.

Wed 14th Sail to Coasters Retreat afternoon/evening ashore for games, perhaps a walk and BBQ.

Thu 15th Lunch at RMYC leave boats on moorings apart from 3 boats to transport us to the club.

Fri16th End of Cruise.

PAGE 6 LAKE MACQUARIE YACHT CLUB CRUISING DIVISION

I posted on the CD Facebook site requesting your best boating related photos and wow what a

response. The content was varied and ranged from birds and fish to the Sydney to Hobart race

start. The quality of the photos was amazing well done to all who sent them through. You are all

winners in my eyes. Following is a collection of the entries.

PAGE 7 LAKE MACQUARIE YACHT CLUB CRUISING DIVISION

Storm over Styles

Dennis Miller

Square Rigger on

Sydney Harbour

Linda Smith

Sunset & Moonrise

over Wangi

Ross Dickson

PAGE 8 LAKE MACQUARIE YACHT CLUB CRUISING DIVISION

These two photos were my favourites (no correspondence entered into). Ken has kindly

donated a prize for the photographers.

Sunrise off Lakes Entrance Victoria - Ray and Fran Smith

Hardy’s Reef - Greg Harding (where’s that horizon)

PAGE 9 LAKE MACQUARIE YACHT CLUB CRUISING DIVISION

Congratulations to our long time CD

member Bill Ratcliff for finishing his

49th Sydney to Hobart. Bill sailed this

year with daughter Katrina on Jim

Whittle’s Hanse 495 Takani which

achieved a 3rd place PHS Division 2.

Bill’s role on the boat was as navigator

but he steered the boat around Tasman

Island and up the Derwent River.

On arriving in Hobart the officials

suggested Katrina and Bill do a lap of

honour past the Taste of Tasmania in

the Salamanca waterfront area to the

cheers of the crowd.

Bill had to overcome some health issues prior to this years event but was determined to compete.

Next year Bill and Katrina hope to do the 50th on the family boat Wistarie along with Bill’s sons

Luke and Paul.

Well done Bill and good luck from all your CD mates for your the 50th Hobart.

Over twenty Cruising Division boats anchored off Fishing Point for the New Year’s Eve fireworks

at Wangi Wangi. Many crews took the opportunity to raft up or socialise on each other’s boats.

Others hosted family members on their boats. The weather was mild and calm so perfect for an

evening out on the water. The CD had previously donated $100 to the Wangi RSL as a

contribution to the cost of the fireworks.

Next morning, a number of crews

went ashore at Wangi for breakfast,

and started our New Year’s

activities with a few enjoyable

drinks with our bacon and eggs.

Thanks are extended to the host

boats for the evening festivities

PAGE 10 LAKE MACQUARIE YACHT CLUB CRUISING DIVISION

Wed 22 Nov 2017 09.30-11.30

During the Port Stephens cruise a visit to the Port Stephens Fisheries Institute (PFSI) had been arranged

by Ian Donaldson ‘Chandon’ to take place on the Wednesday morning. Hence our anchoring in the

protected anchorage of Tilligerry Creek since we were nearby to the Institute. Ken Archer, Cath & Tony

Austin joined us by the land route for our visit.

We were welcomed on the dock by one of the workers then after signing in were given an overview of the

work conducted on site by the Manager Ian Powell. The site is surprisingly large with accommodation

facilities for visiting academics and students along with the permanent staff of 85. Before entering any of

the research areas we all had to walk through a dilute solution of caustic soda and spray our hands with

iodine alcohol solution.

Research is being undertaken to find the best algal foods for growing oyster spats and the effects of

different environmental toxins on the health of oyster spats. Spats are grown in large tanks of polythene

and harvested to sell to commercial oyster farmers as a paste in a small bag. Oyster spats take around 20

days to reach 300 microns (about 1/3 of a mm) before they metamorphose into young oysters and deposit

themselves on a surface.

Other research includes fish farming of the Yellowtail Kingfish and there were certainly some large

specimens in the large tanks (Wolfie was not allowed to bring his rod in). We did manage to get a bit wet

Michael Norwood Saaremaa

LAKE MACQUARIE YACHT CLUB CRUISING DIVISION

when some fish food was thrown into an open air tank during the instant feeding frenzy. The fish farms

are run by a commercial operator, Huon Aquaculture, in eight 40m diameter pens covering a 20 hectare

area 3.5 kms off Hawks Nest in Providence Bay.

PSFI supply the fingerlings and conduct the ongoing research. Huon Aquaculture pays PSFI for the

fingerlings that are then transported to the pens by helicopter and grown to saleable size. Processing is

done at the pens.

There was a lot of interesting and valuable research being carried out in conditions that seemed to be

less than ideal (note the plastic dome covered structures in the early photo). I am sure the world class

scientists would be glad for any additional funding to upgrade some of the buildings and work conditions.

Not that we were expected to cough up any money for our visit, rather a note to the minister in charge as

a reminder of the first rate work being conducted here.

Shark tagging with electronic satellite monitors plus acoustic tracking is also being investigated. If

anyone finds and returns one of these monitors there is a financial reward plus you are assisting in the

research of these sometimes too friendly fish. All up, an informative and interesting visit. A pity the

lobster, oysters and Champagne was not on offer on the day ‘Sir Lunchalot’ being on leave of absence at

this time.

Our thanks to PSFI and to Ian Donaldson for organising the visit.

PAGE 11

PAGE 12 LAKE MACQUARIE YACHT CLUB CRUISING DIVISION

Date Event

17th February 2018 Lake Outing

4th to 16th March Pittwater Cruise

26th March 2018 AGM

.

Last Minute Reminders!!

February General Meeting -

12th February 2018 LMYC Bridgedeck Room at 7.30pm

Guest Speaker:

Mick Norvill, Deputy Commander, Marine Rescue, Lake

Macquarie