October 2019
SALTWATER WOMAN BEAUTIFUL KEPPEL BAY
Women’s Health On Board Going Solo
REGATTA NEWS Mud House Wines Women’s Keelboat Regatta • DBSC Women’s Laser Regatta •
EXPERT TIPS FOR BOAT SHOPPING Cruising the Coast of Scotland: Part 4 PLUS Barge Boats, Dogs Who Sail, Photos, and More! SisterShip 1
COVER: Spring sailing (Shelley Wright).
Contents Features
Lockers
5
Women’s Health On Board
3
Page 3: Real Women on the Water
9
When Farewell Means Au Revoir
4
The Bowsprit: Editorial
16
DBSC Women’s Laser Regatta
19
Flat Bottomed Girl: Barge Boats
24
The Road Less Travelled: Keppel Bay
31
Dogs Who Sail
27
Saltwater is my DNA
36
Environment: Marine Debris
42
Buying and Selling Boats Made Easy
38
Shero: Sarah P. Gibson
48
Mud House Wines Regatta
51
Barefoot Boating Blunderment
61
The Coast of Scotland: Photo Essay Part 4
55
Coastal Navigation Quiz
57
Please Don’t Do That! Shelly Galligan
65
Watercolours: Photos
66
Book Club
67
Service Directory
27 16 Published by: SeaScribe Pty Ltd. ABN 636577789 Editor: Shelley Wright Postal Address: PO Box 83 Anna Bay, NSW 2316, Australia. www.sistershipmagazine.com Email: editor@sistershipmagazine.com
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Celebrating real women on the water
Page 3
Send your ‘Page 3’ photos to editor@sistershipmagazine.com LEFT: PIP SAWYER. Nothing like trying to beat the true wind! Sailing upwind in light airs on our Elliott Tourer 1350.
BELOW: PETREA McCARTHY. These are of me fitting a new forestay and furler on Atlantic Clipper at Shute Harbour (Photo credit: Colin Bell of Quadrant Marine). AUSTRALIA.
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A full house on the start line at the second annual DBSC Women's Laser Regatta (Jon West).
Second Women’s Laser Regatta an unmitigated success Held over two days on the weekend of 28-29 September, the Women’s Laser Regatta, hosted by Double Bay Sailing Club, was an unmitigated success, attended and coached by some of Australia’s highest profile sailors, mixed with keen young sailors on their way up. The Hon. Gabrielle Upton MP, Member for Vaucluse, and Andrew Cox, Commodore of Double Bay Sailing Club officially opened the regatta, while Mayor of Woollahra Municipal Council, Susan Wynne, presided over the prize presentation. Run, coached, and competed in by women and girls on Sydney Harbour, the intention of the regatta is to encourage greater female
participation in the Laser class. The Club’s ethos is based on volunteering, and this came through with a lot of the membership involved and supporting the event. In only its second year, co-organisers, Clare Alexander, Christine Patton, and Christine Linhart were thrilled by the number of those wanting to attend. Patton commented, “We were oversubscribed this year. When we started the event last year, we couldn’t have guessed how popular it would become so quickly.” Eminent coaches included Karyn Gojnich, a triple Olympian; Krystal Weir, a double Olympian, and Katie Spithill, a multiple international and national Women’s Match Racing champion from youth to adulthood. Spithill also finished second overall in the 2018 Rolex Sydney Hobart as tactician on Wild Oats X. The trio was joined by DBSC’s Marlena SisterShip 16
Berzins, a former Australian Sailing Squad member in the Laser Radial, and Charlotte Alexander, an up-and-coming match racer with wins to her name. Louise Davis, an experienced International Race Officer from Brisbane, flew in to preside as Race Officer.
AST Tokyo Olympics campaigner Mara Stransky attended (Jon West).
The two-day event comprised yoga each morning; an on and off the water coaching clinic; debrief and Q&A; dinner at DBSC; racing all Sunday, and the prize giving. Among the entries was Australian Sailing Team member and Tokyo Olympic Games campaigner in the Laser Radial class, Mara Stransky. The 20 year-old Queenslander won the event, although it was not all about winning. “I thought I’d come down and see how the younger girls are progressing and share some insights with them,” Stransky said. “I’m impressed by the younger girls (the
majority were from the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and DBSC). They have a good work ethic and they’re disciplined.”
Racing on Day 2. DBSC Women's Laser Regatta 2019 (Darcie Collington).
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anchorage, but alright in north easterlies,” he adds. Out of cyclone season, GKI does get its fair share of boaties, but generally they are just passing through on their way north or south. Weekends get busy with locals from the Capricorn Coast coming across the paddock from Yeppoon, but generally there are not too many boaties who stay around the Keppels for months on end. If you do get bored with the scenery around GKI, you are close enough to go north to Island Head Creek or Pearl Bay, or you can head south to Yellow Patch, the Narrows, and Hummocky Island. But why bother when you are already in paradise. Banksia flowers can be seen on the many walks across GKI.
good sandy bottom. It’s also a favourite due to the number of walks you can do, the swimming, and fishing.”
Don’t be too quick to discount the Keppels, particularly Great Keppel Island. With only 18 islands in the Keppel group, it’s a microcosm of the Whitsundays, but without the crowds.
The Rayners feel the only downside to Great Keppel is the midgies and, “Doing the Keppel Bay shuffle when the wind changes”.
My husband, Keith, says, “You can generally find an anchorage in any weather out of the swell unless it’s more than 30 knots and then you have to put up with a bit of swell on the northern side. There are far better badweather anchorages at Cid Harbour, Macona, and Nara Inlets in the Whitsundays; Double Bay north of Airlie; and at Island Head Creek; but GKI is good for long stays.” In a south easterly, Keith likes Leeke’s Beach, as close to the mouth of the creek you can get. He says anywhere at Long Beach is good in northerlies while in a south westerly either Leeke’s or Svendsen’s are good. “Fisherman’s Beach (in front of the old resort) is comfortable in a north easterly, but no good in a south easterly, and Monkey’s is a limited
ABOVE: Judith Maizey holds her catch of a Small Mouth Nannygai caught at Great Keppel Island. Judith Maizey: bon vivant, wanderer and writer. Mother, wife and friend. A student of life, always learning. Semi-retired after more than 30 years as a journalist and public relations specialist SisterShip 26
Saltwater is my DNA
Christine ‘on country’. (Sherry Zimpel).
Christine Doherty SisterShip 27
I begin my story by sharing my heritage, I am a proud Indigenous woman from Queensland, Australia. I am forever a saltwater Aboriginal woman, a descendant of the first peoples of the Keppel Islands, the Woppaburra people. I love writing, I find it healing and therapeutic. Writing allows me to journey to places of the heart, of happy and special memories that I can share with other women from all walks of life, a sense of belonging with other like-minded women writers. It is my dearest hope that my story embraces and inspires passion within other women, an internal flame of connection with the sea, with ancestors who are sea-faring. I come from a strong line of matriarchal Woppaburra (Aboriginal saltwater women) from my great, great, great grandmother, Granny Maggie Waku, daughter Granny Judy, daughter Granny Konomie, daughter Granny Jessie, daughter and my mother, Susie, with
Mum being our Senior Konomie/Woppaburra Elder, loved and adored at 80 years young. I am humbly and proudly their story-teller, as they did before me, to keep our history and traditional knowledge passed down and living for our future generations. I was given my traditional name (Darlutta) by my late great Aunty Ethel Richards, whose traditional name is Bittabung, which means, a working name, to strip the bark. Throughout my story, I use the language words of my ancestors, our first language, in recognition and respect for 2019 being declared by UNESCO as the Year of International Recognition of Indigenous Languages, adding a beautiful flavour of Australia’s first people and their first languages.
I carry in my heart and soul, like my ancestors before me, generations of saltwater DNA. My ancestors were a gentle sea-faring
“My beautiful traditional saltwater country, our island homelands, kissed by the sun, and caressed by the moon and stars at night, is the Keppel Island Group, offshore islands of the Capricorn Coast of Central Queensland.”
Fisherman’s Beach, Great Keppel Island (Shelley Wright). SisterShip 28
people. For thousands of years, living their traditional lifestyles from the bounty of the sea and surrounding inshore reefs on their stunning island homelands. I carry in my heart and soul, like my ancestors before me, the eternal love of ‘country’, the magic and beauty of our island homelands, with swaying palms, azure seas some days like a sheet of glass, sand so white and clean, with sunrises and sunsets that just melt my heart away. I walk in their footsteps, with love, always gently, respectfully, like my ancestors before me, generational custodians taking care of our precious island homelands and the bounty of our saltwater country. My beautiful traditional saltwater country, our island homelands, kissed by the sun, and
caressed by the moon and stars at night, is the Keppel Island Group, offshore islands of the Capricorn Coast of Central Queensland. Geographically, the southern-most part of the world heritage listed Great Barrier Reef. In 1902, the last 16 of my ancestors, mainly women and children, and including my great grandmother Konomie (only a young girl) after being enslaved and treated inhumanely on their own country, were forcibly removed from their beloved traditional island homelands. Making way for colonial settlement of the Central Queensland region. Our ancestors of that 1902 removal, are survived by descendants like me, forever saltwater in our hearts and souls. We continue to honour our ancestors, by keeping
BELOW: NAIDOC celebrations on Woppaburra Country, North Keppel Island (Konomie), Queensland, Australia. Great nieces (left to right) Stevie-Jay Jordan, Lilly-Lee Jordan, Ella Jordan, joining their Aunty Chrissy Doherty for the 'Welcome to Country'. (Sherry Zimpel).
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their history living, a tapestry of a rich and vibrant culture of the first and original peoples of the Keppel Islands. If I could express the way I feel in words, the multitude of feelings and emotions I feel each and every time I am on my saltwater Country and when I leave my beloved island homelands, after coming to terms with the removal of my ancestors of long ago, I would use one word, our language word, for paradise, garden of Eden, Wukaba. Many years ago, I was searching for a special word to express my love of my island homelands. I was going through the language transcripts of my Woppaburrra great grandmother Konomie’s interview with Swiss linguist Nils Holmer, where I found the special language word, Wukaba, I was so happy (Wabinga). It was more than finding the one word, I know I was guided to it, with my deep faith and belief in our spiritual world, where ancestors’ spirits guide and point the path.
Wukaba, our paradise, our garden of Eden. One beautiful language word that expresses all of what the heart and soul experiences and feels for all the amazing aspects of our island homelands. Every single thing that I love and cherish about our island homelands, this beautiful language word describes my personal relationship with country, the land, the air, the healing sea, the wind, all living and breathing, the footsteps of our ancestors, the incredible land and marine wildlife, the
stunning flora and fauna overall, the deep connection that is felt deep within the recesses of my soul, to hear our ancestors whispers, to hear the whispers of our island’s spirits, that lives within is Wukaba. Our spiritual Dreaming saltwater totem is MuggaMugga, the humpback whale. We are a whale Dreaming people and belong to many other Indigenous coastal groups around the Australian coastline that share the whale Dreaming totem. We each have our own language names and dreaming stories. Since the Dreamtime we wait for MuggaMugga to make the annual migratory journey, from Antarctic waters north along the Queensland and New South Wales coast, passing through our sea country, to warmer waters all the way to the Great Barrier Reef. The first sighting of MuggaMugga is a deeply spiritual time of celebrations and a blessing, all is good in our Sea Country and they are all safe. In contrast with today’s modern sailing boats, I often reflect and compare the ancient watercraft of my ancestors, and their navigation skills and tools. Their ancient water-craft were bark canoes and pandanus swimming logs to travel from island to island. I have many sailing friends who share the love of saltwater and on many occasions share their stories and sailing adventures with me, when they have sailed through my sea country, my island homelands or anchored in one of our beautiful sheltered bays.
SisterShip Magazine cruises along with an international flavour. Our contributors hail from every corner of the globe. We encourage writers to maintain their voice and therefore their local spelling. Measurements and navigation aids (IALA A and IALA B)* are different too. As valued readers, we just want to keep you on board with our ethos of a less regimented style, and a more international spirit!
*The International Association
of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse
Authorities (IALA, previously known as International Association of Lighthouses) is an Inter Governmental Organisation founded in 1957 to collect and provide nautical expertise and advice.
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Dogs Who Sail! My name is TANYA RABE and I look forward to spending time with you within the pages of Sistership Magazine to share the stories, experiences and knowledge of some salty sea dogs.
What is the best type of dog for a boat? People often ask me, what is the best breed of dog for a boat? I have met over one thousand dogs who sail and of them, there are hundreds of different breeds enjoying life aboard, all over the world, and on different types of boats. Our boat dogs are Cocker Spaniels, the previous owners had Weimaraners who were twice the size of our Spaniels. I have met Seagles (aka sailing Beagles), Staffys, Malteses, Jack Russells, and to my surprise working dogs; Kelpies, Blue Heelers, and Border Collies who are a long way from home. Let’s not forget the designer crew of Labradoodles, Cavoodles and Cockerdoodles. There are also sailing greyhounds, bitzers, and dogs who have escaped death row by mere moments. Some love life on the water
and others are only there out of an undying loyalty to their owner.
I have known someone spend thousands on the perfect ‘boat dog’ only to discover their new furry crew member loathed being on the boat. So, in my humble opinion, the question is not necessarily What is the best type of dog for a boat? but Who is the best type of person for a dog on a boat? I encourage everyone to do their research to discover a breed of dog that will suit your needs. I have included a couple of resources at the end of this article to assist you with your decision making. Many boaties start out with three desires on their boat dog wish list: •
a non-shedding doggy,
•
a dog who enjoys the water; and
•
one that can get by without a backyard.
At the end of the day, no matter what type of dog you decide on, they all share the same primary need, you. In my experience with hundreds of furry crew members, regardless of the breed, your dog needs you to be responsible for their safety and wellbeing on the boat and all of the other obvious things like food, exercise, SisterShip 31
Travel Insurance “What about it”? I hear you say. Well, have you ever considered whether your travel insurance may cover you for boating? What if you have an accident whilst on your boat, “Am I covered”? Whether holidaying at home or going abroad, many people just rely on free insurance that they get with their bank or simple ‘bucket and spade’ insurance. However, think before you rely on standard travel insurance, especially if you are a boatie, and consider getting a specialist yachting policy. Many standard insurance policies exclude boating, or exclude boating in offshore waters; offshore waters are usually only 12 miles from the shoreline. Sailing abroad, it is imperative that you make sure you have proper travel insurance, whether taking your own boat or chartering whilst in other countries. It will cover emergency medical costs, repatriation and cancellation. Of course, at home, Medicare is there to help you for medical costs in
the event of an accident in local waters but there are also the benefits of lump sum personal accident cover, cancellation, and repatriation. So, where do you find boating travel insurance? Well, there are a number of travel insurers who provide a boating policy ‘bolt on’, which could be considered as pretty inadequate. Until recently, no one provided a special yachting policy, until Topsail launched their Yachtsman’s Travel Insurance, covering the Australian yachting community both locally and all over the world.
It is well worth considering whether you need travel insurance and doing a bit of homework to determine if your own travel insurance policy is actually covering you when you are out on the boat. If you have found this helpful and want to find out more, there are other tips and guides on Topsail’s website at our ‘Topsail Top Tips’.
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Luckily, Topsy knew she hadn’t missed the boat when it came to her Yachtsman’s Travel Insurance.
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Division 2 start (left to right) Sequin, Abracadabra, Freaky, and On Appro.
Brilliant sailing marks New Zealand’s Mud House Wines Women’s Keelboat Regatta Over a hundred sailors delivered some stunning performances on the water over the weekend during the third Mud House Women’s Regatta hosted by the Waikawa Boating Club. Racing in a wide range of conditions the best women sailors in the New Zealand clashed in the four race event. A best -ever turnout of seventeen boats saw crews from all parts of the country put their skills to the test. With over sixty percent of the sailors visiting from other parts of the country the social program was also an important facet of the weekend. Sailors were treated to a wine tasting, with regatta sponsors Mud House Wines hosting the crews at a superb venue in scenic Kumutoto Bay. Racing got underway late on Saturday due to a lack of wind however the programmed two races were completed before crews returned to shore. The regatta dinner on Saturday evening featured an interview with top New Zealand sailor Jo Aleh MNZM. Winner of
multiple World Championships and Olympic medals (Gold in London and Silver in Rio), Jo spoke of the challenges facing aspiring young athletes in their quest to be the best. Sunday dawned much drier than Saturday with extremely light winds testing the capabilities of crews in these conditions. As the breeze filled in later in the day Race Officer Viv Butcher was able to set a tight and testing windward-leeward course as the final act of the regatta. With crew ranging from relative racing novices to current and former national champions, the racing featured high spots for many. Close racing in Division 2 saw a fine double from Lyttleton skipper Karen Selway with her Young 88 Abracadabra. Selway sailed a near perfect regatta, taking line honours in all four races as well as winning three of the four races on handicap. The Division 2 podium was rounded out by Waikawa boat Freaky, the Farr 727 helmed by experienced ocean sailor Jill Bethell with Waikawa’s Nicky SisterShip 48
Jenkins sailing the Hanse 385 On Appro taking third place. Division 1 delivered some fine racing from many of the best women in the country. Regatta guest Jo Aleh took to the water aboard Satellite Spy helmed by Carla Bennet and contributed to a perfect four from four for line honours to the Ross 40. Current national women’s keelboat champion Sally Garrett brought her crack crew from Auckland and, despite stepping aboard less than 24 hours before the regatta began, Garrett and her crew sailed an immaculate regatta, winning four races from four on handicap aboard the David and Jo Grigg owned Beneteau 36.7 Global. Showing exceptional ability to multi-task, regatta coordinator Juliet Abbott helmed the Young Rocket Oldsmobile to second place in the regatta, the racing so close that the final result was decided on countback with Satellite Spy taking third, one point clear of New Year
regatta champion Kaimai Flyer. With dates for the 2020 event set and visiting crews already committing to the event, the regatta looks to have a strong future. Regatta spokesperson Duncan Mackenzie said, “The event is rapidly becoming a ‘must do’ on the calendar of top women sailors nationwide. We’re looking forward to growing the event alongside our foundation sponsors Mud House Wines”. Full results here: https://waikawaboatingclub.co.nz/mud-housewomens-regatta-results/ For further information: Duncan Mackenzie (Club Development Officer) Waikawa Boating Club
events@waikawaboatingclub.co.nz Photo credit: Karmyn Ingram.
Division 1 start (left to right) Kaimai Flyer, Global, High Voltage, Khamsin, Satellite Spy, and Oldsmobile. SisterShip 49
Circumferential burns. When a burn goes completely around a part of an arm or leg, the swelling can cut off circulation.
Burns greater than 10% body surface area. We lose a lot of fluid from burns, so a larger burn can cause fluid loss shock. A quick guide to determine the percentage is to use the patient’s palm size to estimate the burn size. The palm is about 1% of the body’s surface area.
Full thickness, electrical, and chemical burns require advanced treatment. Full thickness burns are at increased risk of infection. Electrical burns can cause damage to the body’s internal organs and tissues that can’t be seen with your eye. Chemicals are difficult to remove from the skin and can go on to burn for hours after exposure. Most chemical burns need to be rinsed with clean water for at least 30 minutes.
Singed nasal hair, burned lips, a cough, or sooty phlegm. These signs indicate that the airway may have been burned. Swelling of the airway or fluid collecting in the lungs from a burn can be life threatening.
Very young or very old patients. These two groups can get worse really quickly with zero notice.
These are MAJOR burns with an increased risk of infection, fluid loss, respiratory problems, and circulation issues, and should be taken very seriously with the patient evacuated from the boat as quickly and safely as possible. In the meantime, if it’s safe for you to approach the person, make sure they keep breathing. Begin CPR if needed; watch for signs of shock like fainting, pale skin, and shallow breathing; protect them from further injury; remove any rings, jewelry or other restrictive items from the burned area; and cover the burn loosely with a clean cloth or cool moist dressing. If appropriate, provide food and fluids while you seek or await help.
Photo credit: Devin Carter.
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For minor burns that we can treat on the boat, start with cooling the burn by running it under cool (not cold) water. If no running water is available, use a bucket of cool water or a cool, moist compress. Please don’t immerse large burns greater than 10% of the body’s surface area in cold water, however. This might cause the body temperature to drop.
Be very careful removing any clothing from the burn as it may be stuck. Pulling clothing away quickly may pull a person’s skin off with it. No one wants that! If clothing is stuck to the burn, pour the cool water right over the clothes. Remove any rings or jewelry from the area quickly and gently before swelling occurs. Removing jewelry from the area of any injury is good practice. This keeps us from having to cut off your favorite ring later. Leave blisters intact please. I know it’s hard. I’m a popper too, but the fluid inside of a
blister aids in healing and the roof of the blister acts as a natural bandage to prevent infection. Blisters should be decompressed only if absolutely necessary. Any loose dead skin can be trimmed away with a clean scissors if necessary. The fancy medical word for this is debridement. Once the burning process has been stopped and the burn cooled, treat it like an abrasion. Gently wash any dirt or debris from the burn using clean water and mild soap and pat the area dry with a clean cloth. Apply a thin layer of aloe or antibiotic ointment. (For more info on aloe please link to the aloe pro tip on my website here: https://shellygalligan.com/tiptrick-pearl/aloe-vera/ ) Opt for the real deal, 100% pure aloe vera gel. Avoid the creepy green stuff from the sunburn isle. Aloe has many amazing properties including antiinflammatory, anti-microbial, moisturizing, and pain-reducing magic. It promotes the healing of minor burns, abrasions, and skin irritations. Butter should never be used on a
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sistershiptraining.com Email: jackie@sistershiptraining.com SisterShip 68