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Montebello Island 2023
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Montebello Island 2023

3 months of sailing life bliss in northern WA, starting with the Ningaloo eclipse. Read more
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  • Trip start
    April 15, 2023
    TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Leaving Home - Carnarvon

    April 14, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 23 °C

    Dream big or stay home...we are ready for our longest sailing adventure (only 1200km by road to Dampier & back 🤣). We are set and ready to launch 5am tomoz 🤞we get to the Bluff in time for a sundowner.Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Trip start - Red Bluff

    Apr 16–17, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    Day 1 was awesome 👌 and long. 12 hours to Red Bluff - beautiful views, small swell and light winds...only thing missing was a fish. Josh, who has joined us for the 1st leg of the trip, got to experience a perfect sailing day (flying a spiniker and all) . Today we will check out Warroora/Sandy Pnt - if nice it will be home for tonight. Boy's have 🤞for a surf.Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Past Coral Bay to Point Cloates

    Apr 17–18, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    We are tucked up inside the reef, another beautiful day, not much wind so a slow, motor sail most of the way. Still no fish... maybe because coral spawn happening? Watching the ocean in hope of spotting Whaleshark 🦈. Tomorrow's the day hopefully 😀

    18th. We are blessed with a stunning day again...and despite a very big effort by Ted & Josh, still no fish 🤣. Plan B tea last night was zucchini and corn fritters & tonight neighbours fish (thanks SV Caprice for yummy Tuna). We are now north of Mauds Landing (Coral Bay) and will be heading to Pt Cloates tomoz, lots of no fish zones so a Plan B tea may be needed again 😀 baked beans? We travelled close to coast today, lots of birds, bugs and butterflies joined us...I got a nice little sting from what appeared to be a friendly native bee 🐝. We are still to see a whale shark but there is plenty of other activity... fav are the flying fish of course ❤️. It's not too crazy on water so far for big Eclipse event..this may change as we get closer to Exmouth?    Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Norwegian Bay for Eclipse

    April 19, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    Great day that started with home-made crumpets (yes I baked 😮). We took a careful trip through Chabjuwardoo Passage (Nth Coral Bay) avoiding the bombies with no white knuckle moments. I tested the new washing machine and the guys got in a dive on the way so clean undies and fish for tea. Plus Josh scored a nice Tuna when we got out deep - so tea sorted for next few days. With dumb luck we seem to have scored ourselves the sweet spot in Norwegian Bay for tomoz (no crowd) Boys have their 🕶 ready...I have mine 🥂 ready 🤣

    WOW!!! What an awesome experience the Eciplse was...we were totally blown way by totality 🤣 feeling very blessed x    Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Yardie Creek

    April 20, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    We are a bit south of Yardie Creek taking some chill days (no sailing). Yesterday blew up a surprising strong Northerly that rocked us and the boat on way in, no major casualties...my herb garden survived. Yummy Tuna ceviche for lunch - no tea as too busy socialising with our neighbours on SV Caprice and sharing the "fish that could have been" stories. Today has been bliss with light offshore- guys went off early for a surf and Costa and 1 had our 1st paddle board adventure together with only one overboard moment (him). We ventured out in arvo to explore potential waves and the reef- whilst ocean is very beautiful and full of life the edible fish obviously live elsewhere.

     Another sweet day here wth a pucker moment for Josh.!!! The guys got in an early surf and as + they didn't get a love bite. Josh experienced an up close and personal moment with big bronze whaler🦈 (Nick Fanning style according to ted who was too shocked to shout warning😳). Lucky our shark shields were fully charged...back in boat 🙃. Relaxing arvo, I picked up pencil for 1st time in years 😊. My realisation today... we have no fish for tea...guys are taking relaxing way more seriously than fishing 🤣.    Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Yardie Creek...as land users

    April 25, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 25 °C

    We are cruising here. The guys, sick of me nagging, put some 🎣 time in the other night- it paid off with 3 Northwest snapper landed before the 🦈 🦈 took over. Fresh, yummy and enough to share with our 2 SV neighbours. We are currently sitting further south to get out of 2 days of strong southerly winds. A great spot with less rock'n'roll & close to beach...but it has put us back in sanctuary zone. We held a quiet dawn service on deck today before venturing to Yardie Creek for a hike. Beautiful spot but full of tourists, especially post eclipse. It was a long & bouncy dinghy ride back to boat with naps all round. We will be heading north to tandabidi early tomoz, it should be speedy sailing as 18knt southerly predicted ⛵️Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Tantabiddi

    April 26, 2023, Indian Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Safely tucked in tandabidi. A chilly start to the morning but we had a smoking sail, average 10 knts and getting up to 14 - 16 as we surfed down the waves. Too fast for our drag lure...Ted checked to see how many sets of teeth we captured 😳 We passed lots of whale sharks- too cold and scary for me to jump over despite Ted's encouragment (I need to check if he has changed my Will 🤣). The ocean was crazy with tourist boats and 5 planes in sky as we got closer to the Cape. Into Exmouth tomoz to prevision up before departing for a month at the islands. Fingers 🤞 we have our tech sorted for weather and comms.Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Exmouth

    April 28, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Well for better or worse we are setting off for a month at the Montebello Islands. First stop Long Island for a few days to let a Northerly blow through before heading to the bottom of Barrow Island. We are refueled, restocked and thanks to a lovely night out with Exmouth friends... feeling a little dusty. After a fun 2 weeks we leave Josh behind to return to work... we kept his mackerel on board 👍Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    To Serrurier island

    April 29, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Long trip but now anchored at bliss Island (Serrurier/long island) 😊 for 2- 3 days. One of our 2 stops on the way to Montibellos. Yesterday started with a Spinnaker run (my fav sail) but the wind dropped to nothing so iron sails started and take turn nap times. We got in about 3pm to a stunningly and empty bay... Ted immediately planning a naked swimming off the back but lucky for the local birds 👀 a swarm of 6 small boats buzzed in about an hour later for the weekend 🤣. Enough room for all, lots of young families so no stress. Today was glass and the diving really pretty...we are feeling very blessed 🙌 The squid are teasing me 😞 alongside boat but not interestedRead more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Island bliss

    April 30, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    We have found our new favorite place 😍. The 🐟🐠🐡 are jumping out of the water everywhere including 🐬 & dugongs. There is a beautiful reef dive along shore. Ted got a couple of crays and we have some 🦑 for tea. The squid are swimming in abundance under us and were easy (Tina easy) to catch during the day. Our 🎣 are now away as Ted & Costa got squidded with a major boat clean was required. Ted's highlight mo was being surrounded by family of dugongs while out paddle boarding. We plan to leave early tomoz to head further north with a light southerly predicted...thinking Thevenard Island which is about 30 nm away.Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    South of Barrow Island- Boodie Island

    May 2, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 26 °C

    😘 We are safely tucked up on top, west side of Barrow Island. Have been in travel mode last couple of days with ETA at Montys planned for tomoz arvo (surf dependant on way in). Big, wide ocean out here with just us on it most of the time. Weather has been unbelievable, light spinnaker sailing in the mornings then glass off in the arvos. We skipped Thevenard Island as wind was still in play when we arrived- stayed Boodie Island (Sth Barrow) instead. With total glass off on our arrival it was more stunning... more than our photos can share unfortunately. On the way we came across a massive Trevally flapping helplessly in the water, it looked sick/old and very much not for eating so given back to sea. Travelling along Barrow Island I was amazed about large it is, 2nd behind Dirk Hartog Island in WA apparently, and how beautiful it is...our view from ocean of course as no landing is permitted. A fun Tuesday afternoon of Tequila (thanks to Andrew) and Ted winning Rummy Cub (thanks to Tequila)....we are definitely in holiday mode now ☺️.Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Arrived at Montys

    May 5, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Well we arrived at Montys Wed...and feel like we actually "ARRIVED" Thursday!! Anticipation of getting here, all the planning, the packing and the hoping the trip was a go had us a little over enthusiastic to get into things. We sat eagerly at front watching the islands appear, Ted checked out all the western surf breaks on the way in, we put anchor down 2pm at Brooke Island and not long after we were out in dingy to explore...1st big bommie we passed Ted was over the side and calling for his gun...we were back on boat by 3.15pm with big Tusky for tea and quite a few hours to kill before sunset. We ended our epic day with a TNT party front deck...enjoying good old rock'n tunes (thanks to Greg G playlist) and a spectacular night sky. Today definitely started a little slower 🤣 filling time for tide to come in (2m movement up here) with breaky and Yoga we moved anchorage mid morning to Turtle Lagoon (less rocky), discovered SV friends to be here too in Blue Yonder and spent the day swimming, diving (without gun) and paddle boarding...& little bit of maintenance/cleaning. Our learning for today...there is chill… and then there is CHILL!!! Cant wait for tomoz as we plan to get out amongst the other islands.Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Turtle Lagoon

    May 6, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    We are still sitting near Turtle lagoon, with everything we need (fish, squid, oysters) within a short dingy ride and with no need to rush, Ted is keen to wait here for the swell to come. We spent a wicked day exploring yesterday, mostly by paddle board, and rounded it off with sunset squid troll 🙂 There is a perfect sand bar that comes up each arvo for Costa to run on (no pets allowed on islands)…amazing to see 2.5m of water disappear in minutes. We have set ourselves a catch limit of 1 meal a day as too easy to get carried away ...this is challenging for Ted who is now having to do scenic dives with me 🤣. He has seen the biggest trout and mangrove jack ever and we surprised a sleeping grey nurse shark ...in sanctuary zone of course. The squid so eager that we caught one by accidently having a lure dangling in water while we were dealing with another...messy!! We had a lazy day today...mostly just hanging out on boat and we are off to a pizza night at the neighbours, new SV Ocean Lady has joined..3 now tucked up in this cozy little spot.😘Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    To Champagne Bay - Delta Island

    May 9, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 26 °C

    Delta Island, Montys 🙂It's been blowing a strong easterly for a couple of days now and predicted to continue to Thursday. Whilst windy times are a good excuse to chill on boat we decided to move across to Champagne Bay with the other SV's. We moved with the incoming/high tide to avoid kissing any sneaky bombies on the way...it was epic to see the whirlpools from large water movement in changing tide. Champagne Bay is lovely...and shallow. Great for catamarans as we can sit on the ground which was exactly what we were doing by 5pm and touching again now as I type. Strange feeling to be high and dry and something I thought totally cool until ted reminded me our toilets require water intake to flush :-(. We had a fun night out with the crew here and we were floating again by bedtime so toilet crisis avoided. Went out fishing today with me landing a lovely norwesta..unlucky fish as I muffed up so many times getting him in... including getting my line around motor 🤣. Quite here tonight, just enjoying another stunning sunset.Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Champagne via Alpha to Bluebell Island

    May 11, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 26 °C

    Today OTD is checking in from Bluebell Island, on the very west side of Montys. We had a great stay in Champagne Bay, despite being high & dry & on a 45 degree slope twice a day. We found plenty of activities to do out of the wind including oysters, cave exploring, mud crabs in the shallows (googling how to tie up mud crabs) and sunset social gatherings. We all moved across together - great crew to hang with and Ted has surf buddies. The break is a bit of a dingy ride from our anchorage & only works on low tide. Its too far for binoculars so the guys went out to check...this was a while ago so its safe to guess the swell has arrived. OTD is hosting a Chilli mud 🦀 🦀 🦀 🦀 🦀 feast tonight-the bread is made and the chilli sauce marinating😋. It will be cozy on boat as 4 SV's = 10 crew plus 2 kids and Costa.

    Ted 🏄‍♂️ Millions and Maggies, 2 breaks out from Bluebell, a solid 3 ft. Outgoing mid tide. Dropped off late yesterday    Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Bluebell to Chartreuse Bay- Alpha Island

    May 15, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 24 °C

    Checking in today from Alpha Island, Chartreuse Bay. We had an awesome stay Bluebell Island, fantastic spot, fun company and Ted got 3 surfs- 2 in one day...he is very stoked with life at the mo 🙂 Our chilli crab night was fun, very yummy and late so the dawn surf had slow start. 1 day of recovery then off to a progressive cocktail and curry night between boats...a goodbye party as a few crew exiting Montys for further travels. Cool to visit other boats as everyone has an idea or too on how to live the SV life. This weekend we hit our 1 month milestone onboard- great times and a few lessons learned to date...mostly we need to remember to pause the chillax to check water, power every now and again. The other night the boat power totally shut off - a few overcast days, a few loads of washing and a late night party drained the batteries down...we learnt hangover with motors running for 3 hrs not ideal. Also learnt our water maker is very effective when turned on...last weeks were so busy off boat we neglected to put the time in and ended up on our back up tank. Tomoz check will be food & drink supplies as ideally we want to do 2 more weeks out here. We used the last of our Cvon produce today for lunch so frozen green stuff next.... Ted did get a lovely coral trout this arvo so we are not going it do it too hard 🙂 Internet bit sketchy as we are tucked in behind big hill, if they get through our 1st photos are at Bluebell, 2nd our new home in ChartreuseRead more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Montys to Dampier

    May 30, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 24 °C

    Sad to be leaving here, with beautiful days & nights to closing off our amazing month👋 Preparing for funfilled family long weekend ⛱️. We arrived Dampier Wednesday night after a long, messy sea & a 11 1/2 hr sail that included landing a tuna & mackerel. Unfortunately my annoying earache went scary monster 👂 on me so rather than rushing to a pub for a steak it was off to hospital for some pain relief. 3 visits later, whilst I'm still a bit tender & totally deaf on my right, I am on the mend & feel greatfull we were in from the islands & having beautiful friends to help us with lifts & loaner 🚗 (Thanks Dyson family xxx). We are currently heading out to Flying Foam Passage for a couple of nights... we are provisioned up (🍾 🍷 🍺🤣) and eagerly waiting for our special big and little visitors on the weekend. The Dampier anchorage has been easy access but it is not pretty (unless @ sunset) and it's busy and dusty. We are excited to be back out exploring and Ted has 🤞 for some 🏄‍♂️. Fun fact...Dampier is one of youngest WA ports and one of the world's largest bulk export ports.Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Angel Island

    June 1, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Happy days here, the weather is bliss and island's more beautiful than we remembered from last trip. We stayed at Angel Island last night, with a glass off ocean and stunning beach to ourselves. Ted had a ball surfing the paddle board, before catching a tusk 🐟 for tea and 🦑 from under the boat...we are so spoilt 🤗Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Dampier Archipelago with Family :-)

    June 6, 2023, Indian Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    We had a full and fun filled boat here, the weather was kind and hangovers moderate for most. We took the crew to Angel Island first then circled Dolphin Island over next few days. Dec caught a huge mud crab and Ollie landed his first mackerel. Good times, lots of laughs, plenty of granny and poppy cuddles, mostly great music choices, yummy food and awesome company.Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Exploring @ Dampier Archipelago

    June 8, 2023, Indian Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    OTD now feels super quiet 😔and costa definitely has the sulks on about his kiddies leaving him (hasn't left his bed). Our plan at the mo is to chill a couple more nights here, finish washing & clean up, restock Wed and sail back to Montys on Thursday. 🤞 As we prepare to start the trek back home, time with our beautiful visitors was perfect reminder just how much we miss everyone 🥰Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Back to Montys

    June 11, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    🙂 We safe and floating. We had a speedy spinnaker sail all day, arriving back in Montys mid Thur arvo...it felt like coming home😍. We anchored in close Trimoullie (10cm under keel low tide 🤣) enjoyed chill night after big sail. Wicked boat TV... Mullet jumping everywhere like silver bullets in torch light and an unlucky monster squid cruised past. We moved West side to Bluebell Friday hoping for predicted swell. Ted smiling 😊 he got Maggies yesterday (I got a couple of snaps) and Millions today. Our old mate Paul Willison arrived yesterday on his new sailing training ship so Ted scored a surf buddie (Matt) for today and we are off out for tea tonight.Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    1 wk @ Montys then Barrow Island

    June 15, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    🙂 A fantastic week in the Montys, we are currently tucked in Burgundy Bay for the night, in close & out of Southerly. This means a big dingy ride across to Willow's SV tonight, who with a 2.4m draw is staying Main Bay Trimoullie. Lesson learnt, and what should have been my safety thought...turn the anchor and boarding lights on before leaving for evening out with 🍷 🍷 & 🍺 🍺 🙃Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Homeward bound- stop Yardie & Coral Bay

    June 23, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    I can't lie...sailing into winter sucks 😔. It feels like we are ⛵️ uphill, going against the prevailing winds & the opposite diirection to annual migration of yachts & the transition from bathers to uggs has knobs on it. On the plus side the 🐋 🐳 are out in numbers and providing us daily entertainment. We have done a fair bit of motor sailing along the inside of reef - beautiful, avoids the
    ocean bumps & we have found a few new tracks/short cuts. This meant bombie watch and a couple of 😲 moments for me. We stayed a few days North of Pt Cloats to let a strong S/SE blow past. We were planning to dive on a nearby ship wreck but as neither of us were prepared to trade our warmies for a wetsuit we agreed it was a "next time" activity. We got into Coral Bay late yesterday through the North Passage...this was an emergency stop as we had run out of red 🍷. Our relaxing arvo (not) involved a 2 km walk into town, a beer at Bill's, quick wine shop, buy trolley (to carry wine), grab jerry of backup fuel and then a return hike to Marina. We are exiting via South Passage this morning, we have made it through reef and are now off to Warroorra. We are hoping to stay @ Pelican Pt for about a week so Teddles can get a 🌊 & we are told the diving is some of the best on Ningaloo coast 🤞 (if we can brave chilly water). Will hope for a weather window, anything not on our nose, to get to Red Bluff next weekend.    Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Week @ Warroorra - Pelican Point

    June 29, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    😊 We are still at Warroora, along with 3 other SVs... great people & surf buddies for Teddles, who is a very happy chappy as 'Old Farts' has been surfable all bar 1 day. He 🏄‍♂️ a few hours then lays in the 🌞 to defrost for a few hours 🥶. We caught a honker of a Yellowfin on the way in here so this week we have enjoyed TUNA...pan seared Tuna with avocado, soy ginger & lime, Spanish Tuna with peppers & onions; Tuna Tartare; Smoked Tuna; Sashimi Tuna and Smoked Tuna spagehitti with lemon...all super yummy but I will behappy to not see one again for a bit 🤣. Its been beautiful stay here at Pelican Pt even when windy, the clear, turquiose waters are just stunning. I braved a dive early in week, whilst it was awesome and full of fish life/colourful coral... it was bloody freezing so I do long beach walks with Costa. We hope to use the Easterly wind tomoz to move south again. If the weather is kind we will check out Cape Farquhar before staying @ Red Bluff, 🤔 8 to 10 hrs ⛵️. The uggs are out of cupboard & keeping our toes toasty 🔥Read more

  • TnT TripnMontebello Island 2023Traveler

    Gnaraloo Bay - Red Bluff - Turtle Bay

    July 6, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    🙂 We have had a BIG week full of big sailing days, biggish swell & beach breaks too big to go ashore. We left Warroora with a speedy wicked sail south. We couldn't secure anchor at Cape Farquhar (skatey rock bottom) so we kept moving...we ended up finding a perfect spot North of Gnaraloo Bay (empty beach, & inside of reef). Another super fast sail the next day to Red Bluff - arrived 2 hr ahead of planned eta despite having to dodge whales all the way. Lovely catch up with Hibbert family (on & off boat), they spoilt us with tea and shared a champs (or 2) then helped us get dingy back out through beach break...I feel they are still laughing (like Ted) at my excellent backwards flop into the dingy, mid wave/beach exit. We left early next morning...no not from shame (I think only Hibbert's witness) but due to the massive day ahead to get to our Islands (Carnarvon approx. 60nm). It ended up being an exciting day (code for scary as crap). After changing course multiple times for the whales, just past Cuvier we unfortunately experience our 1st bump with a humpback. We saw 2 heading our way & we changed course quickly to get away but unbeknown to us there was 3 😞Thankfully both boat and whale were ok. It is awesome to now be back in home waters...they are stunning. We stayed Redcliff Bay, then Ted dived at White Beach before we travelled across to Dirk Hartoug Island, turtle bay Monday arvo. Ted after awaiting swell with great anticipation is a happy chappy with sml surf (3ft) Tuesday and a paddleboard surf Wednesday... unfortunately ending up with a busted finger. As we are not keen to end our holiday early Ted's finger is patched up, splinted and we are now tucked in the bay (close to town)- we plan to spend a few more days on boat before returning to land legs & reality 🙂Read more

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