Mackay, what can you say? It was an anxious time for us as we agonized over the engine. Testing of the coolant revealed high levels of Sodium and Chlorine. Not typical of coolant at all. The inescapable conclusion was that salt water had entered the fresh water side of the cooling system of the Yanmar. However, pressure testing of the entire heat exchanger assembly failed to reveal any leaks. What to do? Eventually it was agreed to throw yet more money at it and so a new heat exchanger core was ordered and fitted. Ashley at Mackay Marine Services did a great job and to date the engine cooling system is behaving itself. We also found our alternator to be about to die so this was replaced. Then it was noted by Rod (Boat Power electrics) that the voltage sensitive relay was wired incorrectly so that the start battery was never being fully charged. So move the wiring around and put in a new VSR. But now the wind generator is not working properly ....
We did manage a day trip to the Eungella area on the Great Divide at the head of the Pioneer river valley. Quite spectacular and some nice walks. We had a late lunch at the quirky café run by the equally quirky and face-lifted osteoporotic vegan Hungarian lady owner of said establishment. The lasagna was outstanding and I would recommend this place. We later did some shopping back in Mackay at the Canelands Plaza shopping mall, just near the levee. There is a good walk along the bank to the semi-abandoned town centre that once was the heart of Mackay. Mackay itself is unusual. Immense wealth has flowed through the place, by virtue of the sugar cane and coal industries. Rentals driven by mining have been ridiculous with $2500 per week being charged for a 4 bed fibro cottage. Counterintuitively, Mackay airport has suffered, as miners are now flown directly to the mines on charter aircraft, essentially bypassing the town altogether.
However, as you know, coal is in decline for now. The job losses have been staggering, up to 15,000 miners let go. I am glad that I did not buy into the QR float of a few years ago.
We had a hectic trip to Sydney to sort out our lives back in the real world and it was great to catch up with our daughter Hannah, my parents Al, and Barbara, my sister Carolyn, and our many dear friends who so kindly accommodated the homeless vagrants. Thank you Peter and Vicki, Chris and Susan, Kel and Ingrid, Rachel and Adam, Deb and Dave.
I must say, it was with great trepidation that we returned to Mackay marina to inspect Diomedea after her major engine overhaul. We did meet a recently arrived yacht which had experienced storm force trade winds coming across from NZ and we were able to commiserate with them about their tribulations. We cast off the docklines in Mackay just after sunrise, only to find ourselves imprisoned in the harbour as an oil tanker was brought in, effectively closing our escape route. Finally clearing the breakwater we had a lumpy ride north with a strong flood tide against 25kt southerly winds for most of the day. Diomedea rode vicious overfalls around several capes as we passed the various islands on route to "Hammo". The only reason to go to this over-hyped location was to pick up an excellent shade cover which had been made up by Bruce Finlay. He did our upholstery back in 2005 and the MacroSuede fabric has held up extremely well. Some of the foam has been replaced as it collapses at about 10 years. The new yacht club at Hamilton Island is actually quite an architectural wonder and we enjoyed an evening stroll through its vaulted galleries. The restaurant looked tempting but at $50 for one main course, (on top of the $110 berth fee for one night) we decided against it. Hammo is really only for the very rich power boaties.
We left Hamilton island precisely at the checkout time of 11am the next day as we were told that any overstay at all would be charged. And so we sailed around Pioneer Point to Airlie Beach, where it all began. Diomedea had come home after 9 years away.