… news from Down-Under…

Dear Joan,

I hope you and the rest of the DCA members escaped from the recent storm without personal or property damage. From the TV news coverage it certainly appeared very severe. As we commence our sailing season the weather is equally odd: at the end of September we had exceptionally warm weather with a record minimum in the low 20s, followed by cold, wet, blustery weather in October with temperatures around 70°C. Suddenly yesterday, however, it was 39°C and tomorrow is predicted to be 40°!

I have sold Teal (very sad) and bought, not the GRP boat I mentioned before, but a Hartley TS16. You possibly know the type, a beamy, double-chine ply design based on the New Zealand Mullet boats. 16’5” x 7’2” x 9” x 4’ 6”, nominally 800 lbs, with 100 lb steel plate and 18 ft² of sail. Mine has approx. 150 lbs cast iron ballast, battery, nav. lights, marine radio, roller furling jib and single jiffy reef on the main. Large self-draining cockpit, cabin with two U-berths and a 7 HP Suzuki outboard. I spent the first month tinkering, and have sailed once, last week-end, and motored once yesterday because there was no wind at all!

She has been named Talisker after an abandoned silver mine near here (Cornish miners at the turn of the century — Scottish name from Skye?!). The mine area is very interesting and is part of a conservation park area.

Best wishes to all the DCA people.

Yours sincerely, Ray Ellard Morphett Vale, S Australia