Amazing times in amazing places with some of the best people with the biggest hearts is the most appropriate way to describe where we have been ever since we arrived here in this part of the world. We sailed into the Gold Coast Seaway ten days ago after a 101 nautical mile day sail from Iluka/Yamba in New South Wales. Our first night we anchored behind South Stradbroke Island, just north of the seaway. We were anchored all alone until another yacht came in and dropped their anchor behind us. We arrived after dark and did not want the hassle of trying to find a space in a crowded anchorage.
The very next day we motored for 11 nautical miles up the Coomera River and anchored just past what I would say is the largest boat yards that we have been close to, it is fantastic to have almost everything boating all in the one location. There are several haul out facilities all with huge hard stands, there is even an undercover marina, so you can protect your investment from sun and hail damage. It was good to catch up with Trent and Becky at the Gold Coast City Marina and Shipyard, we first met Trent and Becky in Tahiti as we sailed across the Pacific Ocean. There is a massive dry boat storage in the Gold Coast City Marina and Shipyard that is managed by John who happens to be one of the nicest guys we have had the pleasure of meeting for quite some time. We were trying to purchase some fish bait from a vending machine just outside of Johns office and all I had was a $50 note, John took us for a ride in his buggy to the main office to try to change the $50 but they could not do it so he took us back to the vending machine and gave us $10 out of his own pocket to get the bait, I did pay him back the same day and said that to keep a watch on our blog as I would tell the world about his good deed. So, thank you John, you have a heart of gold.
We now have Annie’s son, my stepson Dave crewing with us for a week, Dave has never sailed before so we are trying to pick a nice weather window to take him back to Brisbane before Sunday as he must be back at work next Monday. We must take the outside passage, out in the Coral Sea, up past South Stradbroke, North Stradbroke and Moreton Islands as the shallow water and the low power lines would stop us going up the inside.
While anchored up in the Coomera River we managed to catch up with some old friends who were participants on the Down Under Go West Rally that we were a part of last year and we went to the Down Under Go East Rally Masquerade farewell party, they will be leaving for New Caledonia at about the same time that we will be heading north.
The photo is Annie and myself at the masquerade party.
After a lovely eight days anchoring in the Coomera River we motored back down to the very crowded Bums Bay located just on the south side of the seaway, we plan to hang around here until the weather settles a bit before we start heading north again.
Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyse you, there are supposed to help you discover who you are.