Echo Beach Essentials
08 June 2013 | Mackay
Windy, rain at times, sun every now and then
We are now safely tucked up in Mackay marina with the wind howling through the rigging... We will be here until at least Tuesday - we have to get the engine serviced (200 hrs for warranty) and being long weekend, the earliest they can do this is Tuesday.
The weather is clearing from Monday so we will be keen to take advantage of it for a week or two before our planned trip back to Sydney and Perth.
On Friday we woke at Curlew Island early to grey skies, wind and rain - not the best ingredients for a dawn exit between the sandbanks and rocky islet. Awake earlier than planned because of the noise of the wind and current against the boat, we fell into all sorts of reflections and fun at 4 am cursing 'Murphy' but at the same time remembering those glorious moments that we have had so far - Middle Percy the day before being just one of those. Did we tell you how perfect it was amongst a week of weird weather? Check out the pic.
So our reflections went something like this....
There are six essentials on Echo Beach that keep us safe, on track and able to do what we are doing. They are:
1. "James" (named after Captain James Cook) - our navigator and pilot: he has the maps, over charted rocks, sandbanks and obstructions, he steers us through thick and thin (although has been sacked on a few occasions when it gets too rough for James and the true skipper comes into his own) and tells us where we are when the weather determines that we can't!
2. "Araldite" (AKA 'Aral') - the anchor : Trusty 'Aral' sticks when we need him to even when its howling 25kts overnight and we are swinging between rock shelf to sandbank. He doesn't care what he's thrown into - infested mangroves, coral, sand, slimy mud. He sticks to them all!
3. "Gretel" - the hand held Garmin GPS. In the middle of the night Gretel keeps a watch on Araldite (like all good women) and tells you when he is not doing his job. Yes, she is high maintenance needing new batteries every night - but well worth the investment when in exposed anchorages and tidal ranges of 6 metres mean a lot of chain for high tide and a lot of slack at low. So Graham goes to bed with Leanne in one arm- and "Gretel" on anchor watch in the other!
4. "Victor" - the Volvo engine. He's the marine machine, ticks over like a swiss clock and is due for his check up while we are in Mackay. Victor powers through crashing waves and big swell and breaks the back of these bar and river entrances. 'Vic' keeps us going when the wind doesn't.
5. "Molly" the modem: the way we stay in touch and connected with what's happening out there - weather, news and family and friends. The trick with 'Molly' is that we can hoist in a little pouch up the mast to get that extra internet coverage that you can't get at sea level - but every now and then she gets sick of being hoisted by the skirts up 18 metre mast and left to swing wildly in the breeze for an hour or two - but is a godsend and we couldn't do a trip like this without her.
6. And of course us - the final two - the Skipper and First mate (skipper elect!). Two of the more complex essentials each with their own unique operating system. Skipper plots the course, watches the gadgets, supports and trains James, catches crabs, has a chat with the locals and does a superb job of chillin.. Its a different kind of work though believe it or not with always something to do and lists of things to be done - and he still is yet to read one book!
Leanne first mate expertly bounces from one end of the boat to the other as she keeps us fed, watered, clean and clothed, at the same time as being chief radio operator for each journey. She is now also a superb gymnast amongst the anchors and ropes (sorry lines), and is getting expert at fenders, marina berthing, and last minute social/event planning. Currently working on learning a few more knots.
So... that's the cast of essential characters on Echo Beach - what a crew. No, the sun hasn't gone to our head yet (there hasn't been enough!) but its always good to reflect on why and how it can happen, what makes it doable, manageable - and to be especially thankful for those great moments that we have had and will continue to have over the next 6 months or so. Molly send this one....