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Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Mum onboard whilst leaving gladstone
Mum in the early hours as we leave Gladsone. The shipping wharves are always busy.
LINDA, THE CHAMPION FISHERMAN
This was the catch that made me "champion fisherman" for the day. 11 fish were caught with 20 yabbies in about 1/2 an hour. What fun!
LEAVING GLADSTONE
It didn't take us long to get ourselves organised in Gladstone once we arrived but because we'd arrived so late in the afternoon, we decided to anchor near one of the shipping wharfs until the following morning.
One of the main chores was to get the washing done whilst in Gladstone because we hadn't done any washing for over a week & the fishing clothes in particular, were a bit on the pongy side. However, after berthing at the marina & carting two bags of dirty washing up to the laundromat, we were met with a "CLOSED" sign. "SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE"! The next alternative was to catch a taxi to the nearest laundromat, so while Mum & Dad tended to that chore, Rees & I walked into town to do the grocery shopping.
The courier had arrived at the marina at 9.00am with our antenna for the HF radio, which was fantastic, but even better when Rees installed it & it worked as it should. What a bonus! Anyway, with everything in order again, we were ready to leave the marina after one night's accomodation & are currently underway through the Narrows, headed toward Yellow Patch, one of our favourite fishing & crabbing spots.
Cyclone Jasper is currently off the coast of New Caladonia & is creating some strong S.E. winds along the Queensland coast but once we get into Yellow Patch we'll be O.K as we'll be quite protected in there. Meanwhile, we'll have a slow day of motor-sailing through the Narrows but will be fishing again by this time tomorrow.
One of the main chores was to get the washing done whilst in Gladstone because we hadn't done any washing for over a week & the fishing clothes in particular, were a bit on the pongy side. However, after berthing at the marina & carting two bags of dirty washing up to the laundromat, we were met with a "CLOSED" sign. "SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE"! The next alternative was to catch a taxi to the nearest laundromat, so while Mum & Dad tended to that chore, Rees & I walked into town to do the grocery shopping.
The courier had arrived at the marina at 9.00am with our antenna for the HF radio, which was fantastic, but even better when Rees installed it & it worked as it should. What a bonus! Anyway, with everything in order again, we were ready to leave the marina after one night's accomodation & are currently underway through the Narrows, headed toward Yellow Patch, one of our favourite fishing & crabbing spots.
Cyclone Jasper is currently off the coast of New Caladonia & is creating some strong S.E. winds along the Queensland coast but once we get into Yellow Patch we'll be O.K as we'll be quite protected in there. Meanwhile, we'll have a slow day of motor-sailing through the Narrows but will be fishing again by this time tomorrow.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
SEVEN MILE CREEK
After spending the day in Bundaberg, where we were able to organise a replacement aerial for our HF radio, the decision was made to take off early the next morning to Seven Mile Creek, a 12 hour sail further north. Due to another cyclone forming in the Coral Sea, the winds were going to increase with each passing day, so the quicker we arrived to the relatively safe waters of Seven Mile Creek, the better!
We had 20-25 knot S.E. winds blowing the whole day which made for quick sailing although the seas were a little lumpy & uncomfortable. Thankfully we'd taken our sea-sickness remedies so there wasn't any need of buckets along the way but we were all glad to finally drop anchor at the end of the day so we could sit back, relax & think of the fishing that awaited us.
Initially we had scattered showers, which was annoying more than anything else, but that finally cleared, leaving us with bright sunny skies. Unfortunately though, the winds had increased as predicted, leaving pretty blustery conditions for fishing.
We couldn't wait to get to our favourite fishing spot the next day, so after rigging our lines & pumping the yabbies for bait, we set about finding the best spot. We all become pretty competitive when we're fishing, hoping that we'll be the one to take out that sort after prize of a chocolate, for being the "fisherman of the day", so the "best spot" is essential.
Our first day of fishing turned out to be a circus! When we first went ashore onto the exposing sandbanks, we hadn't really noticed the sludgy mud that we'd walked through to get there. However, after a few hours of fishing & with the tide dropping rapidly, we certainly noticed the mud when we tried to return to the tender. Suddenly the four of us, with rods & buckets in hand, quickly sank to our knees in thick, sucking, grey mud. What a predicament! As we tried to take each step, we'd sink deeper, fearing that we'd be up to our thighs at any minute, or possibly our necks! The harder we tried to get out of there, the more impossible it became until we all got a fit of the giggles & just about lost the plot. Rees was the first one to get to the tender & somehow managed to take our buckets & rods from us to free our hands, giving us better balance. Then Mum decided that it'd be better to crawl on her hands & knees, so there she was, laughing her head off as she slowly made her way forward. That left Dad, hopelessly bogged like a pig stuck in mud, holding my hand as I pulled with all my might to free him. Where was the video & camera when you needed it? At least we had a bag full of fish to make our efforts worth while. Needless to say, we didn't fish that area again!
We had 20-25 knot S.E. winds blowing the whole day which made for quick sailing although the seas were a little lumpy & uncomfortable. Thankfully we'd taken our sea-sickness remedies so there wasn't any need of buckets along the way but we were all glad to finally drop anchor at the end of the day so we could sit back, relax & think of the fishing that awaited us.
Initially we had scattered showers, which was annoying more than anything else, but that finally cleared, leaving us with bright sunny skies. Unfortunately though, the winds had increased as predicted, leaving pretty blustery conditions for fishing.
We couldn't wait to get to our favourite fishing spot the next day, so after rigging our lines & pumping the yabbies for bait, we set about finding the best spot. We all become pretty competitive when we're fishing, hoping that we'll be the one to take out that sort after prize of a chocolate, for being the "fisherman of the day", so the "best spot" is essential.
Our first day of fishing turned out to be a circus! When we first went ashore onto the exposing sandbanks, we hadn't really noticed the sludgy mud that we'd walked through to get there. However, after a few hours of fishing & with the tide dropping rapidly, we certainly noticed the mud when we tried to return to the tender. Suddenly the four of us, with rods & buckets in hand, quickly sank to our knees in thick, sucking, grey mud. What a predicament! As we tried to take each step, we'd sink deeper, fearing that we'd be up to our thighs at any minute, or possibly our necks! The harder we tried to get out of there, the more impossible it became until we all got a fit of the giggles & just about lost the plot. Rees was the first one to get to the tender & somehow managed to take our buckets & rods from us to free our hands, giving us better balance. Then Mum decided that it'd be better to crawl on her hands & knees, so there she was, laughing her head off as she slowly made her way forward. That left Dad, hopelessly bogged like a pig stuck in mud, holding my hand as I pulled with all my might to free him. Where was the video & camera when you needed it? At least we had a bag full of fish to make our efforts worth while. Needless to say, we didn't fish that area again!
As each day passed we gradually fell into a routine, where we'd wake around 7.00am, have brekky, fill in time reading while we awaited the correct tides for fishing, fish for a few hours , then be back at the boat ready for lunch when the fish went off the bite. Nannie naps usually followed, before waking in time for "happy hour" & our afternoon card games. Oh, such a hectic life!
Competitions are always an interesting way to pass the day & because we're always being out-fished by Mum, we decided to see who could catch the most fish with just 20 yabbies. There wasn't a time limit but within about half an hour, we'd all used our bait & the champion was declared. YEAH!! I was the winner with a total of 11 fish, followed by Rees with 7, then Mum & Dad with 4 each. I finally got a look in!
Besides fish, we've also caught a few crabs during the week & although more would've been eaten if they'd been caught, 6 crabs over 6 days, wasn't too bad an effort. With this morning being our last day at Seven Mile Creek, Rees really proved to be the "crab catcher from hell" when he returned with 2 monsters. Their claws were as big as Rees's hands, so as you can imagine, he was extremely careful taking them from the pots. I wonder how the crabbing & fishing will be at Yellow Patch?
Sunday, March 15, 2009
WE'RE ON THE WAY
Finally our plans fell into place & we were able to leave Tingalpa Creek, ready for our 2009 cruising season. We left an hour before full high tide on Saturday, 14th March with Mum & Dad onboard & headed into Morton Bay with the intention of making Tangalooma our first stop for the day.
With the cyclone well & truely behind us, weather conditions looked ideal but we weren't quite sure how much swell we'd be confronted with. However, once into the bay with light ESE winds & no swell to talk of, the decision was made to pass Tangalooma & Mooloolaba & keep heading north, ready to cross Wide Bay Bar the following morning. We don't ever really enjoy overnight sails but with the promise of a full moon & calm seas, it was an easy decision to make.
It was definately a long night & with Rees & I sharing the watch & doing 2 hours on, then 2 hours off, we were sure glad to see the sun rise the following morning. We'd had a long, uneventful night which was good, but it was all spoilt to a degree when we noticed that the tip of the HF radio antenna was hanging by a thread & couldn't be fixed without Rees climbing the mast. Unfortunately though, before we knew it, the top of the antenna suddenly gave way without warning & spearheaded the deep blue waters of the ocean! Bugger!
Without an antenna we wouldn't have HF radio range & therefore no email range which was disappointing, so while I have this opportuntity of having internet range, I've decided to quickly update the blog.
Crossing Wide Bay Bar was a "non event", as the bar was flat & because it was still only 9.00am, we decided to motor through the Great Sandy Straits while we still had the run-in tide with us. As tired as Rees & I were, we were still happy to make more ground & motored through to Kingfisher Bay Resort where we finally dropped anchor after 28 hours of travelling.
After a good night's sleep, we were up early this morning & are currently making our way toward Bundaberg where we'll probably spend a few days getting this HF antenna sorted out. We have an absolutely beautiful day with light breezes & to make the more morning exciting, we've just caught a 15kg Spanish Mackeral on our lure-----our dinner tonight!
Monday, March 9, 2009
GETTING READY FOR THE LAST HOORAY
Mum & Dad arrived last Wednesday, ready for our trip north, but as "Murphy's Law" would have it, bad weather is on it's way down the coast. Actually, it's more than just bad weather, it's a category 5 cyclone! Cyclone Hamish has missed the Whitsundays, Mackay & Gladstone but it's now heading toward Bundaberg & the Frazer Coast so everyone's holding their breath.
Meanwhile, family & friends have been arriving to say farewell & bon -voyage. My sister, Kay, & her family visited us in Tingalpa Creek over the week-end where plans were made for them to join us somewhere in Indonesia over the next 12 months. Then we had a family dinner at my daughter's where we half heartedly celebrated our imminent departure. I say half heartedly because both Kristy & I know that we'll be very sad & will have plenty of tears when we do eventually say good-bye.
Our plans at this stage are to return to Australia toward the end of the year where we'll escape the heat of the monsoon season in Indonesia, but who knows what might happen. Time will tell, I guess.
Meanwhile, family & friends have been arriving to say farewell & bon -voyage. My sister, Kay, & her family visited us in Tingalpa Creek over the week-end where plans were made for them to join us somewhere in Indonesia over the next 12 months. Then we had a family dinner at my daughter's where we half heartedly celebrated our imminent departure. I say half heartedly because both Kristy & I know that we'll be very sad & will have plenty of tears when we do eventually say good-bye.
Our plans at this stage are to return to Australia toward the end of the year where we'll escape the heat of the monsoon season in Indonesia, but who knows what might happen. Time will tell, I guess.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Rees & Linda
Oh no, I've just turned 55years of age but the up side, is that Rees will always be 2 years older !
Rees & I retired 7 years ago & have been involved with yachts ever since. We bought our first yacht from Townsville & were so thrilled with our Roger Simpson designed trimaran, that we thought we'd have her forever. However, "Liahona" only served her surpose for 6 years before we began to feel that we needed more space. Of course that was going to be in the form of a catamaran, so after buying the hull & deck of a Chincogan design, we set about building our next yacht.
Of course we didn't have time for sitting back with cocktails then as every day was spent on the boat, grinding, bogging, sanding & all the other horrible jobs that go with boat building. However, every afternoon was spent with a nice cold beer or wine in our hands as we sat back & perused the day's efforts.
2007 was spent building our pride & joy, "Windy Spirit", & after cruising aboard her during 2008, we are more than happy with her. We both love the space that she offers us as "liveaboards" & love her performance on the water. For a 40ft yacht, she's quite fast & because I just love speed, she suits me down to the ground.
Rees & I retired 7 years ago & have been involved with yachts ever since. We bought our first yacht from Townsville & were so thrilled with our Roger Simpson designed trimaran, that we thought we'd have her forever. However, "Liahona" only served her surpose for 6 years before we began to feel that we needed more space. Of course that was going to be in the form of a catamaran, so after buying the hull & deck of a Chincogan design, we set about building our next yacht.
Of course we didn't have time for sitting back with cocktails then as every day was spent on the boat, grinding, bogging, sanding & all the other horrible jobs that go with boat building. However, every afternoon was spent with a nice cold beer or wine in our hands as we sat back & perused the day's efforts.
2007 was spent building our pride & joy, "Windy Spirit", & after cruising aboard her during 2008, we are more than happy with her. We both love the space that she offers us as "liveaboards" & love her performance on the water. For a 40ft yacht, she's quite fast & because I just love speed, she suits me down to the ground.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
A VISIT FROM KAY & JIM
Kay & Jim Moodie, from Brunswick Heads, are friends who we met at Lizard Island about 4 years ago. After cruising with them last year around the Whitsundays & then back down along the coast to our respective homes, it was decided that they would do the Indonesian rally this year as well. So after many emails & phone calls backwards & forwards, they decided that it would be much better to just pay us a visit to talk & plan personally.
The weather is still hot at around 34 degrees but thankfully we had a northerly breeze blowing down the creek to cool us off as we talked the morning away. Each of us had questions to ask of the other so after writing lists & jotting down points that seemed a good idea at the time, we had a better grip on the whole scenario. We've all learnt heaps through reading last year's rally cruisers stories & because most of those people were so positive with their outlook, we're all pretty excited. Forget the PIRATES, forget western civilisation as we know it & just appreciate the diversity & friendliness of the Indonesian people. WE CAN DO THAT!
The weather is still hot at around 34 degrees but thankfully we had a northerly breeze blowing down the creek to cool us off as we talked the morning away. Each of us had questions to ask of the other so after writing lists & jotting down points that seemed a good idea at the time, we had a better grip on the whole scenario. We've all learnt heaps through reading last year's rally cruisers stories & because most of those people were so positive with their outlook, we're all pretty excited. Forget the PIRATES, forget western civilisation as we know it & just appreciate the diversity & friendliness of the Indonesian people. WE CAN DO THAT!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Tingalpa Creek
Wow, what a hot day we're experiencing today. The temperature at the moment is 33 degrees with the humidity only sitting at 44%, so it has me wondering just how hot & sticky we'll be feeling next year when we're sitting at anchor somewhere in Indonesia!
Since being in the Morton Bay area, we've spent most of our time in Tingalpa Creek. Actually, since living onboard, we've quite often spent time in this safe haven as it's an "all weather anchorage" & offers nearby facilities that every yachtie looks for when going ashore. Meanwhile, we still have easy access to the bay when we want to go sailing so it definately suits us. Of course, being a hop, step & jump from our daughter's place at Manly comes into the equation too, so as well as having access to facilities, we always have access to some of our lovely grandchildren.
Time is flying by at the moment & with everything on our yacht up to scratch, it's just a matter of waiting. My Mum & Dad are joining us for the first 4-5 weeks of our trip up the coast so once they arrive from Nambucca this week & we've shopped for supplies, we'll be ready to sail off with the first southerly winds. How exciting!
Since being in the Morton Bay area, we've spent most of our time in Tingalpa Creek. Actually, since living onboard, we've quite often spent time in this safe haven as it's an "all weather anchorage" & offers nearby facilities that every yachtie looks for when going ashore. Meanwhile, we still have easy access to the bay when we want to go sailing so it definately suits us. Of course, being a hop, step & jump from our daughter's place at Manly comes into the equation too, so as well as having access to facilities, we always have access to some of our lovely grandchildren.
Time is flying by at the moment & with everything on our yacht up to scratch, it's just a matter of waiting. My Mum & Dad are joining us for the first 4-5 weeks of our trip up the coast so once they arrive from Nambucca this week & we've shopped for supplies, we'll be ready to sail off with the first southerly winds. How exciting!
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