Yay - we are back in WA!

What a week - I know I told you that it would take us 7 to 10 days to get across the bight from 

Portland, but I didn't believe it - was sure we would do it quicker!!

We have had the full range of weather, some beautiful sailing days, a lot of motoring days and then yesterday I have to say was 24 hours I do not want to repeat, ever!

The day started nicely with a good breeze and we were sailing at 8 to 10 knots, then we were hit by a front which brought down the sails and started the motor, a short while later the front had passed and we were back sailing only to have another front do the same thing to us - both luckily short lived and not too threatening, apart from the dark skies and electrical storm! Unfortunately that was not the end of fronts for us, just after dinner last night a severe easterly gale hit us, luckily we had already taken down the jib, but we had to quickly reef the main all in 40+ knots of wind. The rest of the night I didn't sleep at all, and the boys tried to get sleep in between their shifts. The morning brought more of the same but from a different direction (SW a true southern ocean storm) which meant we were motoring into 30+ knots of breeze and a sea that resembled a washing machine. If there had been any way I could get off the boat I would of taken it! After spending the morning getting bashed around and only travelling at about 4 knots we decided to high tail it (it wasn't that quick!) to Goose Island from where we were, it was about eight hours of motoring.

Goose island bay is next to the larger Middle Island, just south of Cape Arid, they were named by Flinders and his crew who caught 25 geese on Goose Island in 1802. Apparently according to the WA Cruising guide a grave was discovered on Middle Island in 1999 which is believed to be the oldest marked grave site in WA, it is inscribed Charles Douglas HMS Investigator May 1803. Flinders commented the group of islands around Esperance, the Archipelago of the Recherché was an "extensive mass of dangers".

So we are now safely on anchor, have just finished dinner had a shower and getting ready for bed - looking forward to a very still night. 

Tomorrow the weather looks better for us, so we will either call into Esperance to get some supplies or go on to Albany, then we are on the homeward stretch - yippee!