May, 2010 Townsville to Port Douglas

We depart Townsville and motor/sail to Hinchinbrook Island. A fairly uneventful sail apart from the final approach into the channel. Our arrival unfortunately coincides with an outgoing tide and at low water, (which is less than ideal) in shallow water with steep unco-operative waves and swell. Skipper was fairly sure (gut feeling) that in the nasty conditions we would perhaps touch the bottom at some stage and….we did. Two waves picked us up and dumped poor Bluestone on the sandy bottom with a spine-chilling thump. Thankfully, just as suddenly another wave and the skipper’s expert handling picked us up and set us on our way again but we both felt ill for a fair while afterwards. On inspection (internally) there was no damage except to our nerves but a glass of red with ‘Sunray II’ and ‘Spirit of Sobraon’ soon put them at rest. Thanks guys. The weather was just not nice while we were in Hinchinbrook which is very unfortunate as this part of the Queensland mainland coast is apparently the most picturesque. We think the photos are fairly spectacular anyway.

Clouds at Hinchinbrook Island

 

We needed a day to recover from the grounding in the channel and then head off once again to Mourilyan Harbour, a very secluded, calm bay which is a small commercial port dedicated to the loading of sugar.  A peaceful night enjoyed with Sunray II and Spirit of Sobroan in Mourilyan and the next day we leave for to Mission Bay just outside Cairns Harbour. ‘Spirit of Sobraon’ crew decide that they would call in to the resort on Fitzroy Island to pamper themselves with a swim, spa, drink and dinner only to discover that the resort has changed hands and does not open for another 21 days. Darn It! Three of us in Mission Bay for the night. Next morning we bid farewell to our two companions who are going into Cairns for various things and we continue on to Port Douglas. The sail to Port Douglas is absolutely the best yet (according to the crew), gentle winds, gentle waves, gentle swell and we still do upwards of 5 knots! (More of this type of sailing please). We still pass lots of islands…… Gilligan’s Island??

Port Douglas entry (on paper anyway) reminds us of the entry to Hinchinbrook and the crew is less than impressed! Skipper of course, is totally confident and assures her all is good. Everything IS good, the entry is very comfortable and Port Douglas is great. The Port Douglas Yacht Club is a very friendly, easy going place and welcomes us warmly. They even supply bug spray around 4pm when the little biting insects (‘noseeums’ they call ‘em) come out as there are no solid walls – everything is open to the breeze. Just idyllic. The resident dog is chewing contentedly on what looks like a dinosaur bone, (maybe crocodile bone) the locals - barefoot - chat easily and give us lots of advice and information about where to anchor and where NOT to and we feel totally comfortable. Our walks take us into a small, well stocked supermarket and shopping mall and along the river front. One hotel boasting of their resident Groper (fish that is) who comes in at around 5:15pm each day for hand feeding – although I’m sure the “homo erectus Gropers” also come in at that time for feeding too! The streets are quiet and well kept and the Bally Hooley Steam train is a local attraction. The crew could rave on a bit more about Port Douglas, she likes it very much but it’s time to move on. ‘Sunray II’ is due to arrive and we will depart for Cooktown. Cooktown is our last link with civilisation until we have rounded the tip of Cape York Peninsula.

Port Douglas harbour entrance

 

Port Douglas anchorage

April 2010 - Hook Island - Townsville

Finally the weather clears and we are able to continue overnight to lovely Magnetic Island at Townsville.  During the night we talk to two other yachts (one on the Indonesian rally also) ‘Spirit of Sobraon’ making their way to Magnetic Island and anchor near them in pretty Horseshoe Bay.  We have developed a small leak around a skin fitting in the hull and although not too worrying we don’t like the idea of water coming in through a leak no matter how small.  

 

 Magnetic Island

Our attempts to organise a slip in Townsville was met with “don’t know if we can fit you in now mate” and the “oh well” attitude gives us incentive to do what we have to do to patch the leak, do some washing and shopping and get going.  The marina staff and a couple we met here who drove us around shopping was the only saving grace to Townsville.  Oh, and the fact that Sunray II cooked us a lovely roast dinner for our wedding anniversary – thank you.  Nice outlook though.

Townsville CBD

April 2010 - Middle Percy - Shute Harbour - Hook Island

Leaving Middle Percy Island our next stops are Digby Island (gorgeous), Brampton Island (gorgeous), Shaw Island (gorgeous), Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island (gorgeous), Cid Harbour (gorgeous) and finally into Shute Harbour where we catch up with more cruiser friends.  Such a social life we have!   

Pentecost Island (near Hamilton Island)

Most of these stops have been ‘overnighters’ but Whitehaven Beach is just so (gorgeous) that we decide to stay a couple of days. 

 Whitehave beach - just look at the colour of the water!

There is so much marine life up here – turtles, sting rays, exotic fish – the crew even got lucky one fishing expedition.

Still getting over the beautiful colour of the water!

Skipper gets a bit frustrated when BIG fish hover under the boat and then DON’T take the bait but they can afford to be choosey up here there are so many other things to feed on than just a pretty lure.

We cannot tell you how beautiful the Whitsunday Islands, indeed all the islands inside the Reef are.  The water is an amazing colour and clear enough to just sit and watch the variety of marine life pass by.  Like your own private aquarium.  The sands are soft and fine and all the while the sun shines everything is great.  Hard to believe three weeks earlier the cyclone passed through.

 

Speaking of cyclones, we have been moored in Shute Harbour/Airlie Beach for a week and still there are boats up on the rocks looking very sad indeed.  Each boat we pass has some sort of damage and apparently there are three on the bottom.  It will take months to put things back they way they were.

But apart from that we have had such a wonderful time catching up with friends we met in Eden three years ago who have been moored in Shute Harbour for a couple of years now.  So it’s dinners, drinks, shopping, washing dinners, learning to play Mahjong, drinks etc.

 The weather has however, taken a turn for the worse.

Beautiful one day……...

Uh oh!

Time to leave.  We have many miles to cover over the next couple of months and will need to keep pushing on up.  We are due to meet up with friends in Townsville who are also registered in the rally and look forward to the next leg of our journey in their company.  So for now we will anchor in a protected cove in Hook Island for a night or two before heading off. 

Nara Inlet on Hook Island is a popular anchorage with the charter yachts and while we are awaiting the nasty weather here several boats come and go.  What a shame to have hired a yacht for the week we are here with the shocking weather that has eventuated.  We take the opportunity in between rain squalls to climb to the aboriginal caves on the side of the hill. 

Nara Inlet from the Aboriginal caves

Sitting on deck one day we spy a couple of goats clambering over the rocks!  Apparently years ago goats were put on most of the islands in the event sailors where shipwrecked - they would have a food source.  Descendents of the goats still inhabit some islands.  The eroded rocks lining the shoreline have the most delicate shades of blue throughout and coral reefs dot the shallows almost the entire way around all the bays within the inlet.

Soft blue of the eroded rocks

April 2010 - Island Head Ck - Middle Percy Island

Our next destination is also on the mainland – Island Head Creek for a few nights.  This area is within the Army’s Live Firing Range but there are no practices while we are there.  The official Notice to Mariners inform us of when they are Live Firing which isn’t until late April so we are safe this time.

Spectacular scenery in this area tree-covered hills come right down the water’s edge making landing the dinghy impossible but an excellent outlook for a few nights. 

From Island Head Creek we move to Middle Percy Island where we hang our obligatory sign.  To explain: for more than 50 years cruising yachts have been hanging their names on signs in a hut on the beach. Signs consist of anything you can get your hands on eg. bottles, bits of wood, old fenders, hats, life rings etc., etc.  We found half of a large turtle shell at Pearl Bay so ours is pretty unique.  It took us all morning to browse and find signs from 5 other boats we know.

We even had a visit from the caretaker who welcomed us to paradise.

Welcome to paradise

 Bluestone's sign at front of hut (top half of turtle shell)

March 2010 - Brisbane - Mooloolaba - Pearl Bay

After that bit of excitement we spent a pleasant day sailing to Mooloolaba where we 'holed up' to await the passing of the gale force winds forecast over the next week.  A second set of our immunisation injections were administered by a delightful young nurse at the local medical centre - thanks a lot - sore arms again.

Just as we were thinking it was time to move on Cyclone Ului decided to head towards the coast. - So WE decided to stay in Mooloolaba under the watchful eye of the neighbours. –

Mooloolaba anchorage

Navigation Notes:  When heading up from Brisbane we 'cut the corner' just after Salamander Bank, and headed outside the sandbanks, there was ample water but we may not do that were there a swell running, the electronic charts are excellent.  At Mooloolaba, a shallow but easy entry into the river however with a  beam on swell at entry.  When entering bay leave a fair offing, then come a full 90 deg to port when in line with entry groins, don't be tempted to cut the corner, there were surfers there when we came through but it looked calm from further out!  There are shallow parts after entry but in calm water so they are easily dealt with. High water seems to be about an hour later than the tide charts show.  We would suggest entering an hour or three before high water so as to carry one into the anchorage.  Follow marked channel, head past the coast guard station (leave to stb) and as you close the anchorage area move to port, enter the anchorage area via the eastern side, it shallows noticeably on the western side.  Good holding mud. Water and Fuel at Lawries (now renamed) Marina. Night entry easy.

There are a few yachts anchored here that we notice are registered for Sail Indonesia Rally.  One from USA and another from UK.  The migration North has begun.

By the time Ului had run his course we are well and truly over Mooloolaba and at 0730 hours on 28th March we said farewell and made a heading for Great Keppel Island.  Now we decided to stay outside of Fraser Island on our journey as this will save some time.  However, if someone had warned us that the swell all the way along Fraser Island was as nasty as it was, we may have taken the inside passage via Great Sandy Strait.  We pitched and rolled and rocked and bobbed about for around 40 hours before the seas calmed enough for us to be comfortable and not have to sleep on the floor of the saloon!  During this time ‘Otto’ our auto pilot (get it? Otto Pilot) also decided to take a break on the crew’s watch which meant she actually had to work a bit and hand steer for a while.  That’s sailing for you.  Thankfully Otto is functional again – just a glitch we hope.  It may also be interesting for you to know that we sail around 11km/h land speed so it’s really like jogging to Darwin around the coast.  So you see, sailing/cruising is not ALL champagne and caviar on a sun-drenched beach, catching fish and relaxing in the hammock – only sometimes.

So, where's my champagne?

56 hours after departing Mooloolaba we arrive at Great Keppel Island which is a bit of a dream achieved for the skipper.  He has been planning of sailing his own yacht up to the Great Barrier Reef for most of his life and here we are ………

A dream realised

  

Two nights at Great Keppel and we up anchor and move on to Pearl Bay (on the mainland) for a night.  A top little bay, great beach walks.

Navigation Notes:  56 hours to GKI outside Fraser Island.  Fairly roly for first 36 hrs.  The worst area was the top third off Fraser, we seemed to have swell, wind and waves from all points, sleep was impossible. Improved once past Fraser Island and started to come behind the reef. Through to GKI no problems, quite sheltered. Roly anchorage on northern side of GKI (Leeke's Beach) as there was a swell up from the east - moved to western bay - bit better but not perfect.  Electronic charts excellent. Good holding sand, but we understand there may be areas of reef or rock. Night entry to either bay would be fine but just anchor off a bit and then relocate during the day, the same could be said for Long Beach on the southern side should there be a northerly.  S23degs10.10 E150degs57.10 (Leekes) S23degs11.20 E150degs55.93 (Fisherman's)

Oh I have to tell you about the skipper’s Irukandji bites!  While sailing to Great Keppel we trail a fishing line in the hope that something might commit suicide on the hook.  Being the great fisherpersons we are, we forget that it’s out there and if something is on the line by the time we haul it in the poor fish is looking very bedraggled.  However, this time there was no catch but we did forget about the line being out and while anchoring it got wound around the prop.   Uh oh, we have to get the Hooker Diving unit out and the skipper as tired as he was, dived down to untangle the mess.  After a while he surfaces and says he has been bitten by something (he is convinced it is Irukandji) and is covered in small red dots!  Arghh!  Thankfully, enough time elapses to ensure that it is NOT Irukandji and perhaps something like sea lice which can be very annoying.  I am happy to say a swift recovery was made but of course the skipper’s version is much worse and involves Irukandji  :)

Navigation Notes Pearl Bay: Lovely bay entered between rocky islets.  Live firing range - check NTMs but the coast guard issue the warnings regularly on VHF.  The entry between the first island and the mainland is fine, lots of water.  Good holding could get roly if anything from the north blows up.  Can hook into southern end of bay but shallows rapidly.  Shallow reef runs off southern point of island, easily avoided.   Night entry would be OK but we would suggest going around the 3 small islands (South Hervey Islands) and entering from the north, then head straight to the beach and relocate during the day. S22degs26.70 E150degs43.00

 Pretty Pearl Bay

 

March 2010 - Gold Coast to Brisbane enroute to Darwin

Yahoo!  Bluestone has left the Gold Coast on our way to Darwin and the Indonesian Rally.  Finally (fingers crossed) we have left our mechanical problems behind (oops, no we haven't, last 2 days spent chasing a problem with new generator, which was fixed before we left he Gold Coast, (not) though it appears to be running OK now having replaced half the wiring loom, but wait 5 minutes!) . However the majority of the boat work, car accidents and personal injuries are behind us and are ready for smooth sailing/cruising.  It will be nice to be just 'cruisers' again reminiscent of the trip up from Adelaide.  Looking forward to meeting new fellow cruisers.

We are in transit (via the Broadwater) to St Helena Island to meet up with Lupari II (Greg and Sue) for the weekend to say "bye" and then KEEP GOING.  St Helena Island is very close to the mouth of the Brisbane River and although not a tropical paradise it is another nice address for a few days.  Now we know that KEEP GOING depends upon the winds but for the last few weeks we have had some good southerlies and that's what we need to push up the coast - just don't need the constant rain we have had - wish we could send some down south.   We had a very successful five days on the 'hard stand' scraping and anti-fouling the hull and propeller with the folks up the Coomera river at Gold Coast Marine Centre (highly recommend them), then a nice dinner at the club prior to departure.  We don't have an itinerary at this stage, just push on 'til we are tired and then have a rest in the closest port.  We do have to keep tabs on the date as we are due for our second Hepatitis A&B injections around or after the 9th March and will need to find a medic to oblige. Yuk.  Oh but there's more, we also have to have Japanese Encephalitis and Polio at some stage en-route to Darwin.  We have already had Swine Flu, Typhoid and Hep A&B shots - PINCUSHIONS!

Bluestone on travel lift - always a heart stopper seeing 30 tons lifted and driven around by these things.

 

We left the travel lift at Coomera on the Gold Coast under overcast skies and over the next few days cruised through the Broadwater to meet up with ‘Lupari II’ behind St Helena Island.  However, the direction of the wind and waves changed those plans and we headed for Mud Island where we were joined by Greg and Sue.  Mud Island lies at the mouth of the Brisbane River.  The weather was not the best and after a night of rocking and rolling and jerking around it was unanimous at breakfast time that we head up the river for a calmer address.  Thus the weekend was spent just past the Gateway Bridge an hour up-river in a much calmer anchorage.  After saying our goodbyes and as we were tidying up an explosion broke the relative silence.  A small pleasure craft exploded in flames at the boat ramp near us.

 

Dial '000'

Neil dialled 000 and reported the incident explaining that they would need to send a water-borne unit to deal with the fire but did they listen, NO, a fire TRUCK arrived and the water police had to ferry a couple of firemen out armed with an extinguisher to douse the flames just as the craft sank.  Good for you Brisbane!  Hmmm.  Thankfully no-one was injured.

Christmas 2009

It’s that time of year again and we are about to embark on what may be our last road trip down South for a while. We have overstayed our time in the Gold Coast while we fixed all the problems that the engine, transmission, generator and ‘dodgy’ mechanic gave us (fingers crossed) and when we return from seeing the family it will be anchors up, sails up and hopefully wind up, for a trip up the coast and around the top to Darwin before June 2010.  Here we intend to join the ‘Sail Indonesia’ Rally and with around 150 boats make our way through Indonesia and Singapore, and on to Malaysia and Thailand. This could also be the departure point for a westward passage through to the Mediterranean and Europe. Woo hoo, BIG adventure. Here’s hoping.  The link will take you to the Sail Indonesia site if you would like to have a look.

www.sailindonesia.net

There is not too much to whinge about being ‘stuck’ on the Gold Coast the weather is glorious, we have made new friends and the Southport Yacht Club have done all within their power to make us comfortable, welcome and accommodated in berths and on swing moorings. We have also had the chance to catch up with cruising friends we met in Sydney when they sailed up here recently.

Surf beach on South Stradbroke Island

 South Stradbroke sunset

You may recall the crew has been busy repainting bits of the boat over the last year? Well, she has finished – at 8:00am Thursday, 19^th November (around 12 months). Unfortunately, too early for a champagne at 0800 hours but she made up for it that night.

Below are the ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos. Before - Sydney Note: stained blue decks. After: P lease Remove Your Shoes.

Mum and Dad in Sydney

 

 Nice newly painted decks

Over the last 4 years (since our departure in April 2006) we have taken some great photos, seen lovely places, met wonderful people and had ‘things’ happen to us that no-one would believe and we never tire of looking through our photographic memories or recalling stories. We have learnt a lot about sailing (crew and skipper both), cruising ourselves and people and hope that everyone has an opportunity in their lives to do something similar to what we are fortunate enough to do.  It has been hard work at times, disappointing at times and sometimes emotionally draining but for the majority fantastic. We are closer and richer for the experience. It is very hard to leave children and family, but we count ourselves fortunate that we know they love us, as we do them. Our family is extremely important to us and we very often talk about our children, family and friends. You are all constantly in our hearts. OK, that’s enough I need a tissue!!  Although Bluestone has had her mechanical dramas she has bought us safely into port each time, sure and strong and we have total confidence in her ability to endure what may lay ahead (don’t know about us so much, but we will try)!

Here we are, skipper and crew

June/July 2009 Gold Coast

It seems we spend as much time on the road as we do cruising.  While the skipper’s foot was mending we decided another road trip was in order and we drove down South again so the crew could spend her birthday with family.  Although we do tend to wear them out – the grandson and dog that is.

I'm tired, me too!

Skipper’s foot is improving daily, mechanic has just one more job to do on generator and we are out of the seaway entrance, into blue water and heading north,  Yay!   Great Keppel Island, here we come – or any other island will do thanks.

March 2009 - Gold Coast (still)

My dear husband has been in the wars – been married about a month and he now has his leg in plaster.  For those who didn’t get the News Flash email, one stormy, windy and wet night while anchored in a snug bay with around 30 other boats, a hire houseboat had a lot of trouble staying in one place.  Not having the experience to anchor correctly, and after a 30 second instruction from the hirer on anchoring (unbelievable), they were unable to secure the houseboat in the very strong wind and collided with a couple of yachts, narrowly missing us.  Neil went to offer his assistance, which they quickly accepted and after helping to anchor the houseboat safely, fell down a recess near their outboard motor breaking two bones in his foot.  Further investigation revealed a broken navicular bone, a torn ligament and bone fragment from another break – so – it’s immobilisation (plaster cast, then restraining boot) for 6 weeks. 

The winds during that particular storm reached 117kmh and I must say it was very unnerving.  Our poor little dinghy had to be cut free from the side of Bluestone as she was getting swamped and we were unable to release her.  Thank goodness a fellow cruiser was able to assist the crew the next day retrieving it from the beach.  Four boats found the shore during the storm and looked so sad lying on their sides on the sand.  Our dinghy was all in one piece with just the outboard leg buried about ½ metre in the sand.  The outboard even started and ran (for a few minutes).

Thankfully not us!

 So there you have it.  Exciting life we lead eh? 

May 2009 – Gold Coast Wedding

Thank goodness the weather broke and we had a beautiful warm wedding day enjoyed with around 45 family and friends.  In fact, we had what you might call a 'wedding week'  as many of those attending the wedding arrived a few days before and departed a few days after the ceremony so we enjoyed a couple of cruises and meals with most of the wedding guests for around a week.  Longest wedding ever!  Best wedding ever   I think the guests really just wanted a holiday hmmm.  A HUGE thank-you to our friends on 'Lupari II 'and 'Sunray II' who sailed down to help us with EVERYTHING.  THANK YOU GUYS!! 

Ceremony

 Mr & Mrs Arnold

A week was spent recuperating beside Wave Break Island enjoying the beautiful weather and then it was back to painting (I swear this boat gets longer when you get the paint brush out).  I know we have already been painting (the cockpit and heads) but we have undertaken to paint the ENTIRE boat as she hasn't had a facelift for 20 years.  This means, railings, deck, anchor winch, etc., etc.  I know it will be worth it, yes it will!

July 2009 - Brisbane & Gold Coast (again)

Oh my is it almost a year since our last update?!! 

Since the August 2008 update our world has changed (nothing new there huh?) - We are still cruising but not to Indonesia as hoped this year.  But to bring you up to date with our lives ........We have had a BIG road trip. Two of our children decided to get married!  Not to each other, but to their respective partners. Departing Brisbane in October for Melbourne and Adelaide then back to Brisbane to check on the boat, we ventured up as far as Townsville in early December before heading back down to Melbourne and Adelaide AGAIN for Christmas, arriving home (at the boat) in January. Phew!

What great trip - we got to see a lot of this wonderful country.  Our little van was decked out with a bed, esky, and toilet, all that we needed to do some 'grey nomading' and that we did.  So you see, bit of cruising at sea, bit of cruising on land - great thanks!  While on the road we had the opportunity to meet some colourful characters from home and abroad.  One German couple were very taken with the Python that decided the Men's toilet/showers was the coolest option one night and then there's the possum who lost his footing on the branch above the van thanks to his pal who decided to join him on the said branch  - oops, landed on the windscreen, slid to the ground - shook himself and staggered off home bewildered.  Don't know what happened to his mate, have this vision of him sailing across the night sky from the branch recoiling - ha ha ha!  Ah but all that road roaming came to an abrupt end in January as Bluestone was sorely in need of maintenance.

Our little camper nicknamed: 'Minibago'

 A nice spot to camp  

The engine was well overdue for servicing, the generator too, the topsides and hull were due for painting so a trip to the slipway was necessary.  We arrived at the small slipway at Redland Bay and tied up to a very dubious-looking wharf which, at low tide, parted company from the pontoon that our aft end was tied to.  It seems they haven't had anything there quite as big as us for a while so had to tie a couple of bits together. The skipper and mechanic stripped the engine and the crew busied herself painting, painting, painting. Unfortunately, one chap who was also painting his boat decided to climb down his ladder only to discover someone hadn't secured it correctly and he landed on the concrete a little earlier than expected breaking his leg in the process.  Note to self:  ALWAYS check the ladder is tied on. With Bluestone freshly antifouled and the topsides (hull) repainted we made our way back to Brisbane to once again leave the ship and take yet another road trip down south, this time to welcome a new grandson.  Eventually we returned to the boat to be 'cruisers' again this time down to the Gold Coast to get married. Yep, we decided it was time.  We said farewell to Brisbane, its murky river and ferries and set sail for the beautiful Gold Coast again.  Well, we tried to sail - had wind on the nose all the way. Good thing the motor was overhauled, it never missed a beat.  And so, we sat at Wave Break Island watching storm after storm, wind and rain come in from the south hoping that by the Wedding day all this will have blown out and the sunshine will return.

August 2008 - Brisbane

Can you believe it’s August already?!  Again, the crew has been berated for being slack with the updates. So, to pick up after Christmas........after a shaky start to the new year with my foot injury and some technical (mechanical actually) difficulties with the new van we arrived back in Brisbane safely.  For those of you who missed “the foot” incident – During our travels (via road) down South for the Festive Season, the tailgate on the Toyota utility that we were using at the time parted company with the rear of the vehicle and landed on my big toe !  OOWW was not what I said!  Four hours in Emergency, x-rays, cushions, stitches, yelling (cause when a Doctor says “this is going to hurt” it DOES) and pain killers saw a very put-out crew member being wheeled in a wheelchair nursing crutches, for when I could stand and let the blood flow down to my toe again, back to daughter’s house for an extended stay.

Slowly, we headed further South for Christmas and New Year and eventually returned to our floating home when the crew was able to at least walk without assistance.

Happily on our return the yacht was still afloat and all was as we left it. Even the yellow dinghy was safely tied up.  Not so a little later on.........The dinghy story.  Once upon a time some persons as yet unidentified, decided to help themselves to our little yellow dinghy after the skipper forgot to padlock it to the dinghy wharf in town while delivering some visitors ashore to their car.  The stranded skipper (forgot his phone too) having only a couple of coins in his pocket walked to the nearest phone, called the Police and then called the crew with a very short message ie "the dinghy's been stolen, come and get me".  How would I go and get the skipper from shore if the dinghy had been stolen you ask?  Well, it was one of those evenings when we had several persons on board for tea so I had a couple of dinghies at my disposal.  Two persons were dispatched in one dinghy to collect the skipper but decided to leave him on shore (now with their mobile phone) and take off in hot pursuit, hopefully in the right direction, of the thieves.  Instructions were issued from the skipper still on shore, for the crew to call the Brisbane Ferries on the radio to ask for their assistance in spotting the dinghy (I must say they were very helpful apparently scanning the shore with their spotlights on their route) and the remaining guests opened another bottle to cushion the blow.  It wasn't long before the ferries reported seeing two men in a dinghy downstream and thought it may be the offenders (I told them the only offending things those two men did was not open the champagne before they left) !  Anyway, the Police did find the dinghy (around 2.30am) AND phoned to tell us and duly returned the dinghy the next morning AT 6:30AM – do they think we keep the same hours? On inspection we discovered the thieves had unsuccessfully tried to prise the motor off (chained on), unsuccessfully tried to lift the fuel tank out (chained on), unsuccessfully tried to either take the oars (also chained on) or tried to row and if they had tried to lift the dinghy intact out of the water they would both now have a double hernia (its VERY heavy) so ha ha, picked on the wrong dinghy didn't they?  Oh yes, they did take our bailing bucket (Huh?) Still can't work out why. Oh well makes a good story. – 

The Police returning our dinghy

We have not had too much opportunity to get out of the Brisbane River and into Moreton Bay as it takes us around 3 hours motoring with the tide, to get to the River entrance.  The crew has been working in the city and the skipper has been working on the boat. We did, however get back to the Gold Coast for the wedding of some fellow cruisers over Easter and very much enjoyed the clear blue water around South Stradbroke Island for a couple of weeks.

The Best Man on the day – The wedding theme Barefoot Hawaiian.

It’s amazing what you find in sails that have not been used for a while.  At our address here in Brisbane we are next to the Botanical Gardens and have come across other cruisers relating stories of “guess what we had on board the other day?”  Now these things tend to swim or fly, across to the boats closest to shore in search of a nice dry, quiet home.  One boat had a baby python take up residence – aaagh! another a bird and on Bluestone (we are further from shore than anyone else) we had a friendly rat decide that the folded mainsail was the best place to build her nest.  Fortunately, we evicted her before she had time to deliver.  You know how pregnant women crave certain foods?  Well, we enticed this rat with the usual – salami – cheese – bread - to no avail.  No, she liked Twisties – they were her downfall. 

While walking through the beautiful Botanic gardens one afternoon we came across a couple of British tourists taking photos of the garden, or so we thought.  On closer inspection a python around 7 foot long was slowly making its way through the scrub to hibernate for the winter.  The photographer was waiting to capture a good photo “the minute he puts his head up”, so the skipper obliged by getting a stick and encouraging him to put his head up for the photo – well, tourists, photographer and crew took off in all directions when brave skipper encouraged the snake with the stick.  Don’t think the poor guy ever did get a photo.  Funny as.

Old friends have joined us in Brisbane.  A couple we know from Hastings, Victoria have also decided the cruising life is for them and cruised into our little community by the city.  A few nights have been spent catching up on stories of their expeditions and just a few bottles of red consumed in the effort of re-living our own journey up the coast.  We never tire of looking at the many photos we have taken over the past two years.  Our journey has been an absolute joy so far and we are looking forward to exploring new waters.  

The next leg of our journey will be to sail up to Maryborough or Bundaberg in September.  This will be the first small step to Darwin to join the Darwin to Kupang Rally in 2009 – very exciting!  We intend to spend the good part of a year in Indonesia.