B-log ~ November 2017

November 2017                                                     Oct 2017 >>
Blog of Jack and Jude
explorers, authors, photographers & videographers

DECKEE.COM
We have been associated with Deckee.com, and with Mike, Jessica, and Ian, ever since Deckee burst upon the net a few years back. They very rightly saw a need for an Australian boating website where sailors like you and us could share our experiences and knowledge. By putting in a tremendous amount of hard work, and a fair bit of their own cash they created Deckee.com, and Jack and Jude were right there helping out by sharing a heap of our anchorage information and proven ideas.

Wow! How it’s grown!
Today there’s an incredible community of boaters on Deckee who have so far contributed over 1900 reviews to help all of us make better decisions! So, next time you need to find a marina, a reputable serviceman, get your vessel insured, or check out an anchorage, anything to do with boating, head on over to Deckee.com and climb on board. We’re sure you’ll be delighted.

Here’s a heads up – Why not sign up and join the community, it’s FREE and you’ll also receive their weekly Deckee Digest 


Ahoy sailors and dreamers
Ain’t it grand when we get instant advice and great service at a competitive price

Recommending –
 Macarthur Camera House at Macarthur Shopping Centre, NSW 2560

I love to write when I have something interesting or informative to say and that sums up why it’s been a bit quiet around here lately. But that’s changed recently because while we’ve been getting ready to rejoin our beloved Banyandah quietly waiting in Tasmania, we purchased a new drone. A difficult decision resulting in a big headache. [Read About it Here]



Tasmania Cruising Guide UPDATE dispatched October 31
What a great response! Proving that electronic guides are a fabulous way of keeping up to date. If you requested an updated version of our Tasmania Cruising Guide and did not receive your emailed link, perhaps you could check your spam folder.

A few of the wonderful comments we received –
“Hi Jack, you have done an excellent job of your guides,” from Ian.
“I’ve sailed here for nearly six decades and still find your guide delightful and informative,” from Christian.
“Greatly useful,” from David.
“Fantastic book – cannot thank you enough for all the valuable info you have put together.” from Michael.


 
To receive such nice words of appreciation makes our efforts very much worthwhile. Thank you.


Christmas discount $10
Perfect gift for sailors and armchair adventurers

Celebrating 10 years producing videos – 2007 / 2017 
All our films and shorts on USB Memory Stick –

We saved buying the sticks in bulk, making them a perfect Christmas gift for sailors and armchair adventurers as well.

Last summer, while in the wilderness looking for Gould’s track, I was thinking of my video workstation back at the shack and planning to re-engineer our earlier videos into widescreen high resolution files that could be loaded onto a memory stick. 

That project was a great success and good fun too. Although hugely time consuming and challenging, I very much enjoyed a couple of months reminiscing while viewing the video footage recorded these last ten years.

Extras on stick – 11 hours of viewing
Putting our DVD Videos on a USB Memory stick has given us an opportunity to also give out a slew of extras – like the drone footage of remote locations we filmed this year, along with a peek at places filmed over the years, WA King George River and Daw Island on the edge of the Bight. A complete list of the video files can be found here.


28 files – 11 hours of viewing – delivered worldwide
Single DVDs also available on USB Flash Memory


Tasmania Cruising Guide UPDATED

The popular electronic Cruising Guide for Tasmania has just gotten even better with the release of our latest update.

Updated marina fees, new anchorages, location of sixteen public moorings, new facilities at Triabunna, and suggested walks for Macquaire Harbour add further valuable information to the full color maps and photos, safe tracks, and GPS locations for more than 150 anchorages. The very useful appendix details the facilities available at ports and towns across the state.

Free update for all Tasmanian guide holders.
Interested guide holders should send an email with name and/or transaction number, and then starting on the October 30th, an active download link will be sent out.


WILDCARE Group for Macquarie Harbour and Waterways

Just imagine, by joining Wildcare for an easy $25, you could have a unique, fun experience exploring this world famous location with a group of experienced locals while at the same time help sustain the World Heritage wonders of western Tasmania. This new group is assisting Parks and Wildlife by maintaining some of the walking tracks, while larger tasks such as the rebuilding of the hut at Sir John Falls and other projects are being planned.

This summer the Macquarie Harbour and Waterways Wildcare Group want to clear and re-tag two beautiful tracks.

The first is an open, easy track with fabulous views connecting the Harbour to the wild west coast, a perfect day’s outing from Betsys Bay. The group will be ferried down harbour from Strahan to Betsys Bay, where camp will be setup at an existing site. Depending on weather, clearing the thickened bush and re-tagging the track, along with collecting trash should take no more than three days in January, at a time yet to be determined.

The group’s second task is more challenging. In 1842, a track was cut to take Governor Sir John and Lady Jane Franklin from Hobart to the west coast so that they could better judge the difficulties, dangers, and potential natural wealth of the west. This track came out on the Gordon River at Eagle Creek and the section joining the Gordon and Franklin Rivers was still in use by walkers and rafting parties circa 1990. But when those trips ceased, the thick rainforest reclaimed the track. Our group has worked with great gusto and a fair bit of determination these last few summers to re-find and clear this 10 km track that traverses an amazing land. But a few wet, windy winters have made the middle section a bit of a mess, and therefore this summer we plan on sending in two or three working groups to clear and make safe this track that passes through some of the area’s most exquisite wet forests. Transport from Strahan will be provided. Applicants will need to be bush savvy, fit, and have suitable camping gear. The actual itineraries have not yet been published. Interested people can contact the Secretary, Jack Binder for further information.


New Facilities at Triabunna
42°30.612’S ~ 147°54.9’E
Charts AUS 170 & 175
Triabunna is a relaxing fishing village surrounding the sheltered harbour of Spring Bay. The town has a range of shopping facilities and is the base for many crayfish and fishing boats. The Maria Island ferry departs from Triabunna. Visitor Centre in Charles Street, Phone (03) 6257 4772

Settled in the 1820s, Triabunna has traditionally been a centre for small industries. Some blossomed then died out like: whaling stations, sandstone quarries, tramways, military garrison, and the southern hemisphere’s largest apple orchard. The woodchip plant closed in 2012.

Berths: Alongside the newly extended town jetty costs $35/ day, $125 week, including town water and power, diesel available on the jetty. Triabunna also has new floating marinas. All the berths are taken bar 2 x 10 m berths but Harbour Master Gary Laredo 0422808166 manages to accommodate all visitors.
Showers:
There is a visitor’s information centre near the marina that has showers paid by coins.
Boat Ramp:
The port also has a four lane public boat ramp with car & trailer parking.

MAST has also installed two cruising moorings at East Shelly Beach at Orford.
42°33.960’S ~ 147°53.603’E and 42°33.928’S ~ 147°53.645’E
Rules apply: See Guide – MAST Cruising Moorings


Practical Tid-bits 

Non-slip steps

Sand lasts longer than non-stick tape.

We’ll also be posting practical ideas gleamed from living life afloat since ’74 – taken from Jude’s tidy little classic “Practical Boat Bits and Tips.” The first dealing with a cheap, good way to make your companionway steps non-slip.

Instead of non-skid tape, these treads have been sanded. Sand is more durable than anti-skid tape which tends to wear unevenly and look scruffy in highly trafficked areas. Also, unlike anti-skid tape that sometimes lifts at the edges, there’s no chance of that happening when using sand. Read how to do it HERE. Or get a PDF copy of her informative book for less than a cappuccino. Paperback available as well.