Point Sir Isaac - Coffin Bay

 

A drab, grey, windless morning had us motoring from behind the calm waters of Point Avoid back into the Southern Ocean. We were later than usual, perhaps due to the dullness of the day or knowing we had a short run in front of us.

We weren't the only lazy ones. We had shared the anchorage with a cray fisherman and he left just minutes before we did. We saw him later off Whidbey Point, checking and re-baiting his cray pots.

The sun peeked out occasionally along our route, enough to cause a bright glare on the water and warm our backs a bit. The big Southern Ocean SW swells were long period and now gave us a little push as we headed north up the west side of the Eyre Peninsular. Mollymawks, sooties and terns were all doing their morning thing. We could see huge sand dunes on shore.

We needed a little sparkle in this dull day … enter the dolphins. These little bottlenose dolphins are only about 3-4 ft (~1m) long. They're playful and energetic and, lucky for us, they decided Nine of Cups was a perfect place to play today. They entertained us for nearly an hour with their antics beside, below and in front of the boat. Sometimes we think we're getting jaded by “places” we visit. We're not as impressed as we used to be by rock formations, vistas and scenic views. But let a dolphin swim beside the boat and there's nothing like it. They always look cheerful and their spontaneity and seemingly happy mood are contagious. They give you feel-good moments without even trying.

The trip from Avoid to Point Sir Isaac at the entrance to Coffin Bay was only about 28 miles. We were wondering about the names of the anchorages we had chosen lately … we went from Memory to Avoid to Coffin. Anchorages in this area are plentiful enough, but few are good for all winds and thus, choosing the right anchorage with protection from the forecast winds, plus distances between them, make the choices sometimes a last minute thing. Laziness and day trips also add to that mix.

There is actually a little town of Coffin Bay, but the bar at Port Douglas heading down the channel was a bit too skinny for our draft … even at high tide … without local knowledge. We were content to sit on the tip of Point Sir Isaac, also known as Seasick Bay, for the night, all prepped for a longer, trip tomorrow.