The News, Culture and Practice of Sailing woodenboats
in Australia, New Zealand & The South Pacific.

ADVENTURE Mark Chew ADVENTURE Mark Chew

Cruising the Horn

“In our next anchorage-the fjord-like Puerto Eugenia, a sheep farmer rowed out and made us a gift of a lamb. “I bring you fresh meet” he said in perfect English. At first we tethered it to the mast but that proved to be awkward while sailing so finally we lashed it to the stern pulpit. We did not know how to feed it and none of us had killed a sheep before.”

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ADVENTURE Mark Chew ADVENTURE Mark Chew

Cruising the west Coast

The Abrolhos are phenomenal! Clusters of islands and reefs hover just a few metres above sea level and are interspersed with fishermen’s dwellings that are occupied during the high season.

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ADVENTURE, RESTORATION Sal Balharrie ADVENTURE, RESTORATION Sal Balharrie

For my Love Of EGRET Part One

Recently I heard, via the SWS grapevine, EGRET is alive - she’s in Beashel’s shed in Elvina Bay. So, this week, for SWS, I’ll rekindle old love and write an article about EGRET. I’ll call Colin and find out what’s going on with the vessel, I believe to be one of the most beautiful in Australia.

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ADVENTURE Mark Chew ADVENTURE Mark Chew

Wine, Olives, Oil and Garum

One squally day or stormy night about 1,700 years ago, a boat carrying hundreds of amphorae of wine, olives, oil and garum – the fermented fish sauce that so delighted the ancient palate – came to grief during a stopover in Mallorca.

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ADVENTURE Mark Chew ADVENTURE Mark Chew

The Golden Rule

She was the very first of the environmental and peace vessel to go to sea. In 1958, a crew of anti-nuclear weapons activists set sail aboard her in an attempt to interpose themselves and the boat between the U.S. Government and its atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

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RESTORATION, ADVENTURE Sal Balharrie RESTORATION, ADVENTURE Sal Balharrie

The Rebirth of Whitney Rose

“The final tally - twenty two years dreaming, three years courtship, four months work, six dozen beers, 40 pies, 2 sanders, five rolls of sand paper, fourteen brushes, twelve rollers, two pairs of overalls, one iPhone dropped twice from the scaffold, much profanity, lots of advice, unexpected help from great people and in the end a beautiful boat.”

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RACING, ADVENTURE Charlie Salter RACING, ADVENTURE Charlie Salter

Decades of Design

By 1963 things were getting professional with the CYCA getting graphic artists on board. The winner was still there on the cover but groovy fonts and relaxed super-graphics were in vogue. By 1967 the “Opera House Effect” was in play.

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ADVENTURE Mark Chew ADVENTURE Mark Chew

Forlorn Hope -1864

A flawed attempt to settle Australia’s ‘empty north’ triggered an epic 2,300NM open boat voyage along the unexplored northwest coast, from Van Diemen Gulf down to today’s Geraldton.

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FLOTSAM, ADVENTURE Mark Chew FLOTSAM, ADVENTURE Mark Chew

A Small Boat on Port Phillip in 1802.

“Were a settlement to be made at Port Phillip, as doubtless there will be some time hereafter, the entrance could be easily defended. It is capable of receiving and sheltering a larger fleet of ships than ever yet went to sea, and the region has a pleasing and in many parts a fertile appearance.”

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ADVENTURE, DINGHIES Mark Chew ADVENTURE, DINGHIES Mark Chew

Being a hero is all about timing

With a small sum of money collected by the sale of his belongings and contributions from his family, Speck set off from Hamburg on 13 May 1932, when Hitler was almost unknown. Armed with a kayak, two paddles, a camera, film, clothing, a pistol, he paddled down the Danube towards the Mediterranean.

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