Eye Candy in Sardinia 2010

A new adventure starts tomorrow when I board Eye Candy a Bavaria 40 ft vessel I have sailed with since meeting Andrew and Clare in the Mediterranean in about 2007.  I am off to Tasmania from Eden for a quick passage to get their boat in that area for the winter.  Not in the water but on the hard.

Clare, is Andrew’s wife and sailing partner for all their passages from the east of the Med across the Atlantic, up the east coast of the USA then through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific.  Under normal circumstances Clare would stand watch, prepare meals and do all the things that Andrew does not do but on this occasion because the forecast does not look particularly good they asked me if I would like to come aboard. She will take the big bird to Hobart.

Now, I very rarely accept invitations to crew on a vessel but of all the people I have choose, Andrew on Eye Candy is the one at the top of the list.  I am sure the vessel is in tip-top condition, the systems work and the planning is detailed and in depth.  Furthermore, of the occasions I have dined on board Clare’s food rates along with the best five star chefs anywhere in France.  She assures me that she has cooked, vacuum bagged and frozen everything needed for the passage and all I have to do is follow her instructions next to the stove.

The bus from Canberra leaves at 4:00 pm and I arrive in Eden at about 9:00 pm to go aboard for the first safety briefing.  We expect to up anchor the following morning.  At this stage after many conversations we have come up with a float plan to take the Northerly south to the Finders group of islands, stop and hide from a strong southerly front to pass (the same type that caught me by surprise the last time I crossed the Bass Strait).  We will the take off the next day to sail in the dark south along the east Tassie coast to arrive in Coles Bay before sunset on the third day and the onset of a strong south west wind.

There are a lot of variables and uncertainties so we will have to adjust as we go along.  I have complete confidence in Eye Candy but it will be a learning experience to sail a production yacht as compared to my trusty Adams Bluewater cruising yacht.