1st to 31st May 2005

Sunday 1^st May 2005    -   Day 67
Okay – it is now the  start of May so we are now going to try to stick to the budget!  It was very rocky about 1am when the tide turned (this is a normal occurrence) but only for about an hour.  Bacon and eggs, of course, as it is Sunday.  Geoff has just caught a Flathead but it was undersize (just) so back it went.  There are no radio comms in the bay so rang Coast Guard Tin Can Bay to log off from last night and to get the current waypoint co-ordinates to cross the bar and where the leads are etc.  I hope I don’t lose my brekkie when we cross.  We will cross after noon when the tide is coming in at its half way mark.  Well, it is now 1330 and we have crossed Wide Bay Bar.  Conditions couldn’t have been more perfect and as bars go (apparently – this is my first experience) it was a virtual millpond.  Didn’t really need to wear our life vests but better safe than sorry and it’s the law when you cross a bar anyway.  Of course, as we were crossing the bar, there were a lot of fish jumping but we couldn’t stop to take advantage of it.  Now we are in the Great Sandy Straits between the mainland and Fraser Island.  We intend to spend a few days here as we have been told it is a beautiful place and the weather sounds bad for a week from tomorrow.  It’s another long weekend up here as it is Labour Day tomorrow.  We have anchored at Garrys Anchorage with a lot of other boats.  Mozi’s about so we have put up the net across the hatch.  After dark there were a lot of fish jumping out of the water.  They were about 8 – 10” long and were frightening each other when they touched.  We think they might have been Whiting.

Monday 2^nd May 2005    -   Day 68

Windy during the night and the weather has deteriorated.  Glad we came over the bar yesterday.  Staying here for the time being as the weather forecast is bad for the foreseeable future.  At low tide we were aground (on purpose) and Geoff went into the water to clean the starboard hull.  We then moved into deeper water for the night as we didn’t want to bottom out with the bad weather hitting us.  Geoff went ashore to see if he could suck up any prawns for bait.  No prawns, but he did say he had caught a fish for my tea.  Looked into the bucket and there was this fat little 4” fish.  Looked it up in the fish book and identified it as a very toxic puffer fish that will probably kill you if you eat it.  Now – what does that tell you if he brings it back for my tea?  Non eventful day – chores only.  Treated ourselves to a movie in the evening  ‘Love Actually’.  A good movie (A Michelle movie) and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Tuesday 3^rd May 2005    -   Day 69

Very rocky as the tide turned at 0415.  Got up twice to secure the boom sheets (ropes) as the boom was banging from side to side.  Geoff slept through it all of course (or he pretended to).  Bucketing with rain, still I suppose IT IS the end of Autumn and nearly Winter.  We definitely need to get up north more – we’re trying to!  We noticed the Cat Arete had anchored next to us.  This is one of the cats Geoff looked at in January and that he nearly bought.  An American (Jay) and his Japanese partner (Hiroko) have bought it and will be cruising the Oz coast on a 12 month visa.  They are doing exactly the same as the previous English owners of 2AB.  We went ashore to stretch our legs and got drenched, of course.  We are just about to embark on our first newsletter since living on board.  Rang Sue and found we had both passed our HF/VHF Radio Operators Exam.  Sue will send our cards when we are next in one place for a little while. 

 

Wednesday 4^th May 2005    -   Day 70

AND STILL IT RAINS.  We’ll soon be suffering cabin fever at this rate.  Just listened to the weather forecast (which only goes to next Monday) and the weather is terrible so I can’t see us leaving here for a while.  We’ve finished the newsletter now so when we next locate an internet café we will send them out.  Also, we need to replenish our food as we are starting to run out – SHOCK, HORROR.  No – not really, we could probably last for another couple of weeks but it wouldn’t be our favourites.  Whadda you know.  After lunch and the sun is out but it is still blowing.  Only did some chores so a boring, uneventful day. 

Thursday 5^th May 2005    -    Day 71

Decided to head a bit more north towards Hervey Bay so we are ready to make a run for Bundaberg when/if the weather ever improves.  We left Garrys Anchorage at 0700 and after half an hour hoisted the headsail and cut the motors and sailed at an average of 5 – 6 knots.  If the wind does eventually increase to the forecast of 20 –25 knots we will probably have to take it in.  We have just tacked and I worked the sheets (ropes) by myself.  A bit bouncy on the tack.  Peter Hackett of Coast Guard Brisbane rang today to tell us we had both passed the Radio Operators certificate.  I got 100% correct for section A (10 out of 10) and 92.5% for Section B (47 out of 50) so was very pleased.  Geoff got 90% for Section A (9 out of 10) and 90% for Section B (45 out of 50).  Another good result, especially as he didn’t have too much time to study as he was installing the holding tank and fixing the invariable leaks that occur at the same time.  We are now anchored at Kingfisher Bay.  The sun is shining (with a few isolated showers) the water is as still as!  Where are these 25 knot winds that they forecast?  We have been ashore to visit the Kingfisher Bay Resort, had lunch there, bought a few basic stores, checked our emails (but not sent any as they have no facilities for my Flash Drive) and most importantly had a looooooooooong hot shower and shampoo.  Bliss!  Geoff has now gone back into shore to take some photos of the myriad armies of the different crabs.  There are ones the size of a Ferrier Roche chocolate in the body, blue and white (Blue Soldier Crabs) and ones ¼ of the size and black all over.  They are in clusters (big clusters) and as you come towards them they scurry away from you or bury themselves.  Very interesting.  Bought some prawns for bait and proceeded to feed the fish yet once again.  Geoff caught 3 small Bream but he was using worms – YUK. 

Friday 6^th May 2005    -    Day 72

A little rocky this morning, grey and drizzly.  Geoff caught a Flounder (hooray) which he is going to cook for lunch.  Rob J rang and said to look out for “Moonshadow”, another Cloud 9 cat that is also in this area and also heading north.  He also said that it had been a weird summer and looks like being a weird winter too.  Salpal rang.  BUT it has to break sometime.  As it is, it is quite blustery today.  We may move to either Great Sandy Straits Marina or go to Platypus Bay tomorrow but who knows, it really depends on the weather.  Non eventful day.  There was a wedding ashore and we were visited by dolphins again.  Geoff fixed the remainder of the fibreglass rods in the bimini to help shed the water when it rains.

Saturday 7^th May 2005    -   Day 73

And still the weather outlook is not good for the next 4 days.  Decided to go to the Great Sandy Straits Marina at Urangan in Hervey Bay until it changes.  Need to get some food, genny fuel, fill with water and do all the washing.  AND it will be nice to have some stability under ore feet as marinas are not so bouncy.  Just heard an updated weather report and it looks like  it might be easing Monday or Tuesday so if this is so we will make our run for Bundaberg then.  As we came into Urangan it was quite choppy as we were on a beam sea.  1230 and we are berthed in the Great Sandy Straits Marina at H1 ($30 per night).  Rob J cam to visit as he was in Hervey Bay visiting his girlfriend.   He introduced us to Trevor who has a modified Cloud (been widened) originally called “Super Cloud” but now named “Au Pair”.  He also said the other cloud “Moon Shadow” was here.  Rob then was kind enough to drive us to Woollies so we could top up on stores.  Fish’n Chips for tea – nice to not have to cook for once.  We’re in a funny berth – it’s kind of “V” shaped and is a bit short for us so we have had to tie really long ropes across the berth to stop us being blown forward on to the dock.  

 

Sunday 8^th May 2005    -   Day 74

Cleaned the boat today.  We had some yahoo’s in a teeny weeny trailer cat last night (next boat but one) who played VERY LOUD music till very late.  The boat next door eventually thumped on their roof

and told them to turn it down.  Apparently this young couple live on it (it must be all of 15 feet) and

come in ever so often to pick up their dole.  They consequently get drunk, play loud music and then

fall into a drunken sleep leaving the music to keep the whole marina awake.  Had a visit from a guy

called Peter who used to own a Cloud Cat “Dream Weaver” about 8 years ago and wants to buy

another one.  Geoff has disappeared and is chatting to a Canadian couple, Heather and her husband,

aboard Solar Driftwood.  She was the one who banged on the small cat to shut them up.  I have just done

a large amount of washing and have just gone up to pick it up and found the dryer is not working so I

have had to bring it back to 2AB and I’ve somehow got to dry it.  Weather looks good for Tuesday and maybe even Monday so we will make a decision after we listen to the weather forecast tomorrow morning. 

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Monday 9^th May 2005   -   Day 75

0720 and we’ve just listened to the weather forecast.  Doesn’t sound too bad so we’re off!   We are going to try for Pancake Creek, which is 100 nm away so I am about to experience my first night sail.   If the conditions are too uncomfortable we will stop at Bundaberg or turn back to Hervey Bay.  We’ve logged on to the coastguard, taken our sea sick tablets so we are as ready as we ever will be.  Geoff is happy again once we are out of the marina – me – I’m easy, as long as I’m not TOO MUCH out of my comfort zone.  It’s now coming up to midday.  The weather forecast was for winds 15 – 20 knots but still nothing.  We have been motor sailing since 0830.  We thought we had radio problems but have worked out that the stereo and radio do not like sharing the same antenna.  Geoff has put up the Spinnaker as there is a very light breeze coming up our “A”.  We have increased our speed a little and every little bit helps.   Now we are away from the influence of Hervey Bay the seas are a lot bigger but not so bad.  At present we are 1 ½ hours from Bundaberg. 

 

Tuesday 10^th May 2005   -   Day 76

It is now 0700 and we are still underway.  The wind came up late afternoon and we have been sailing all night with a reefed main and reefed headsail.  We got some good speeds up overnight but we are both very tired.  We did 2 hours on and 2 hours off.  During your 2 hours off you do manage to go some broken sleep but not too much.  I found the best place was to wedge myself on the saloon seat, between the back of the seat and the table.  I slept sitting up this way but didn’t roll around too much.  In bed I started to feel queasy as the bed was facing the wrong way for the boat’s motion from the big swells.  The only thing I wasn’t too keen on during my watch was when 2AB surfed on the top of some big waves that came through.  Not dangerous, just uncomfortable.  We decided not to stop at Pancake Creek but push on to Gladstone, another 30nm  on.  Since leaving Hervey Bay yesterday we have covered 104.3 nm and,  

for those non nautical people, that’s about 191 kms. (you can do it in less than 2 hours in a car). 

Well, we got in about 1230 and Sally had got us the berth alongside Acropora.  Quite narrow but with the amount of people she had rounded up to grab our ropes it was as Easy As.  I don’t think she was worried about us, more about us denting Acropora.  Rob J rang and was amazed when we told him where we were.  Socialising was then the name of the game followed by the inspection of 2AB.  Geoff then went for a snooze and Sally, Martin, Gary and I piled into the ute Gary had hired for the day and we went to pick up stock for Acropora.  More socialising, drinks and nibbles on 2AB then we set off for a very late dinner and we found a good, cheap Thai restaurant that was still open.  Back 2AB where I crashed. 

Wednesday 11^th May 2005   -   Day 77

Didn’t wake up until 0830.  The rain has followed us here.   Sally and Martin said that although it had been very windy there had been no rain.  Oh yeah!  We put up the clears and then pulled out the multi function sun, rain and water catching cover and proceeded to work out how to put it up.  It’s up!  It needs some neatening up and modifications to bring it up to Geoff’s satisfaction.  It’s very comfortable now with the clears and cover up.  It means you can have the hatches open for air without the rain getting in. 

Elevenses on 2AB so more socialising. 

Friday 13^th May 2005   -   Day 79

Too much socialising and not enough journal writing!  So what’s happened the last couple of days?  Not much.  Worked on the boat and socialised.  The weather has come good.  Sally, Martin and their friend Garry are hoping to head off to Noumea on   Monday so the customs are coming this afternoon to clear them out. Their duty free grog also arrives this afternoon whilst the customs man is here.  Just for interest to those of you who want to know the amount you can buy is worked out on 60ml per person a day for the duration you are away.  So if you tell them you are going to be away a few years you can buy whatever amount you want as long as it is all gone before you come back in.  Surely the 60ml per day only refers to spirits and liquors?  60ml of wine or beer a day is not much, is it?  Went into the CBD by bike and met up with Sally and picked up a few things.  Did ‘girly’ shopping.  Nice!  Went into all the shops that Geoff hates.  Back to the boat and then Geoff and I cycled to the chandlery.  Got a call from Polly en route and had a good natter.  Good to catch up.  Changed my phone over to a capped $79 plan which gives me up to $300 worth of calls/SMS per month and swapped Geoff’s over to a $10 plan so we can still get the 20 cents for 10 mins between 8pm and 7am.  More socialising?

 

Saturday 14^th May 2005   -   Day 80

Bad night as the sand flies had got at me and the bites kept me awake all night.  Scratch, scratch, scratch!  Took down the mainsail, took down the sun/rain protector, got out the storm jib and Spinnaker and the sail repairer has taken them all away for repair.  Got the wind instrument attachment repaired ($99) but it is stuffed again so the complete unit has been sent off for repair to the makers.  Geoff and Sally have gone off shopping, as it is my birthday tomorrow.  I am cooking roast beef for 7 people in my Cobb Cooker for dinner tonight so hope it turns out ok.  We shall see.  We have met a couple, Sarah and David, and their 11 year old German Shepherd “Boatswain” who are from Nungerner (next to Metung in Vic) and have a motor cruiser called Baybird.  They have A CAR and have been very helpful to both ourselves and Sally and Martin.  So we are cooking dinner.  Oh dear, Geoff has problems. He has changed a part on the 

starboard engine and now he’s having trouble so a few hard words are being said.  It’s now a few hours later and its all fixed so he is happy again.  A silly little fault.  Aren’t the always?  The roast turned out really well and we took it over to Baybird as they had more room than us.  Baybird was built in 1951 and is a wooden boat and well fitted out.  Oh bliss to have so much room but it uses 13 ltrs of fuel per hour with a range of 800 nm.  2AB uses about 2.5 ltrs per hour which is much more economical.  Couldn’t afford to run a motor cruiser. 

Sunday 15^th May 2005   -   Day 81

My birthday today.  Got a $100 clothes voucher and a bathyscope from Geoff and a top from Sally and Martin.  Cleaned up from the roast the night before as I was too tiddly to do it last night.  Tch, tch!  Had a birthday lunch on Acropora and went to the Gladstone Yacht Club for birthday tea. 

Monday 16^th May 2005   -   Day 82

My bites drove me crazy last night.  The locals call the sand flies “no see ums”.  I make sure I put the Mozi nets up and spray before I go to bed.  Geoff is changing the oil on the engines today as at the moment we have done 96 hours to date.  Also, Geoff eventually got the Pactor modem working on Acropora, which will enable them to access their sailmail and get basic emails and weather services.  Great as Martin had spent over $1700 on the modem and thought he may have to leave for Noumea without it working.

Tuesday 17^th May 2005   -   Day 83

Boo hoo but Hooray!  Sally and Martin have gone.  They fuelled up and by 0800 were on their way to Noumea.  The weather looks good for the next couple of days and then a high is forming.  They need to sail as much as they possibly can even though they have 280 ltrs of fuel on board.  The passage to Noumea takes about 7 – 8 days with reasonable weather.  We will be here until at least Saturday as we have to wait for the sails and wind instrument to come back.  We are also waiting to have our rigging checked.  Rob J rang for a natter.  The doctor from Scarborough rang and Geoff has arranged to go to a local doctor here (Dr Moore) on Friday and his report will be faxed up.  There is another cloud 9 in the marina (Rainbow Dreaming). 

Thursday 19th May 2005 - Day 84

I’ve been a bit slack writing the old journal. Tch Tch! So what have we been up to? Yesterday we went on a free tour of the Ports Authority. We went round the coal export terminal which is, apparently, the 4th largest in the world. I can believe that as all the boats in the marina get a fine film of coal dust over them. It was quite interesting but the guide could have been a little bit more informative. We went to the Power Station last Tuesday. The tourism body and local commerce have got together to produce these local tours around the big industries in Gladstone. It is quite a novel concept and being free, very appealing.  We had the rigging checked yesterday and it was all ok. Apparently our mainsail is on its last legs and will need replacing one day. The sail maker said it would not be worth repairing again. Maybe it will at least last us out. Today we caught the bus to the shopping centre. Geoff took his big hiking backpack and I took the medium one plus a shopping bag with wheels. We filled them all! I’m glad we don’t have to carry this type of weight too often. Canned food weighs a ton! Geoff has also cut a hole in the back of the port saloon seat as there is a lot of wasted space behind there. He has made an area behind a hinged door for all the books etc that we are not presently using. I wish he would sit still occasionally as he makes me feel lazy. Whilst out we bought a bug zapper that runs on mains or 12 volt. Hope it works as the sand flies are driving me nuts. Geoff hasn’t got one bite.  I’ve been told they are attracted to the female pheromones. I can’t believe that such a tiny insect can cause so much grief! Sent S&M an email via sailmail re their insurance.  Hope they get it. Thunderstorm happening at the moment.

Friday 20th May 2005 - Day 86

Another nice day at the moment. Did a few chores then caught the bus to the Valley to the doctors for Geoff’s doctor’s appointment. As per usual doctors are the same where ever you go. His appointment was for 11.15 and we got in at 12.30. More blood tests and she wants Geoff to see a specialist (rheumatologist or haematologist) but it’s finding one as we proceed north. (I have since found one in Townsville and Cairns).

By the time we had finished with the doctor, more blood tests and done a wee bit of shopping we had to catch the last bus back to the marina at 2.40pm. Yes – you heard right – the last bus is at 2.40 pm. Still, we should be thankful that there is a bus service at all. Kari (Norwegian/Aussie) and Michael (American/Aussie) came over for sundowners. They are off the other Cloud 9 – Rainbow Dreaming. Had a good natter.

Saturday 21st May 2005 - Day 87

Nice day again. One of the yachts has lost its Siamese cat overnight. Hope it didn’t fall overboard as it would be difficult for it to climb out of the marina. Went up for a shower in shorts and T shirt and everyone said “It’s cold this morning”. Laugh – they need to come to Bright on an early May morning. Received an email via sailmail from S&M. They are S23°21.9 E155°33.3 and we’ve looked on our computer map source and it puts them 4.8nm from Hutchison Rock.  We calculated they have done 240nm since leaving at 0830 last Tuesday. It appears they are averaging approximately 70 – 90 nm per 24 hours. The actual passage distance is 890nm and they said they think they will make landfall about Thursday next week. Sally said they have had waves to 4 mts (horrid) and sometimes have become almost becalmed. It was really good to hear how they were going and I sent the email on to the kids. The sails have just come back.  $385 which covers the rigging check, the mainsail, spinnaker, storm jib and sun/rain shade repair.  Very cheap!  Sarah and David from Baybird gave us a lift to get some shopping (Alcohol – most important and Vitamin B1 for me for the sandflies – it’s supposed to work) and then we had sundowners and nibbles on 2AB. Got a bit tiddled.

 Sunday, 22nd May 2005  -  Day 88

Nice day again. It will probably break up as soon as we want to leave. Found out it will cost $800 to repair the wind instrument so we will buy a new one as they are around $900 new.  Not worth repairing the old one. We were very slack last night and now Geoff is doing the washing up. It’s his penance for eating most of the prawns whilst I was emailing. I only had about 7 and he ate the rest. Boy – did I whinge, or what! Got my sewing kit out and made up a mozzie net for the main door. I used fishing weights to hold it in place so now poor Geoff has to go and buy more weights. We are going to buy a crab/cray pot and prawn dilly nets anyway so he can buy them then. Maybe we will have more luck with the prawns than we do the fishing.  Geoff took off the doors to the shower/loo and has painted them. Heard from Sally and  Martin via sailmail and have plotted their position. Looks like they have made as good  a distance as the last position. Used the

Cobb Cooker again. Chicken, honey, macadamia roll, roast spuds, carrots, corn and gravy. Afterwards I cooked a good old English bread pudding. The Cobb Cooker does a roast to perfection – YUM. Dropped a can of coke today and it popped its top and it Just about went everywhere. What a mess I had to clean up – AND I DON’T EVEN DRINK THE STUFF!

Rang Sammy and had a good natter.  Rang Rob J and he is At Dunwich on  North Stradbroke Island. 

Monday 23rd May 2005 - Day 89

Another nice day. Ordered the wind instrument but it was $1100. The $900 one was for a monohull and as cats have more windage and are more roachy (whatever that means) we had to have the dearer one. Hopefully, it will be here tomorrow. Geoff has mad up a new fly screen for the saloon hatch. He pulled the original one down the day we took over as it looked so daggy. Prototype 1 didn’t work out so we are now on Prototype 2, but Bunning's here don’t have the fittings he needs so it’s a straight fly screen at the moment. He wants to hinge it so we can open the hatch easily without taking the whole thing out.

Tuesday 24/5/2005 - Day 90

Baybird has left this morning. They are headed north via The Narrows. The Narrows dries out to 2 mtrs above chart datum at low tide so you have to go through with 2 mtrs plus your draft plus some. Unfortunately, we are at low high tide at the moment but, luckily, it is a spring tide which means it is higher than it usually is. So we should be ok.  Or we can slowly make our way there stopping at a couple of anchorages on the way and cross in the rising tide cycle. Today  we are off to the doctors for a letter of referral and to do some last minute shopping. We will be on the bicycles this time.  There is a big hill en route and then they definitely become “push bikes” Keep standing by……………….