Phil
05/10/2009, Hervy Bay

We managed to fill in the 2 extra days stay at Bundaberg and were glad we stayed as the wind from the SE was quite strong. On Sunday we went to the RSL club for a drink and when we discovered the $10.00 steak lunch stayed for that as well. They were selling tickets for the meat raffle so both Geoff and I purchased$5.00 each and we both won a tray of pork chops. What we are going to do with 16 large pork chops will challenge my cooking skills. On Tuesday morning we followed the tide back along the Burnett River and arrived at the entrance at midday. We anchored just outside the marina and had a very quite night. I started pulling up the anchor chain at 0530 this morning and getting the liberal coating of mud off it took a while. We are currently sailing on a calm flat sea with about an 8 knot SE breeze in perfect conditions. Our destination this afternoon is Urangan Boat Harbour where we will probably take a marina berth for the night.

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Phil Weather great
03/10/2009, Bundaberg

3rd October 09
Getting out of bed at 0400 last Thursday morning was not a drama as I was looking forward to rejoining the good ship Kirralaa in Bundaberg. The flight up was good and it does not bear thinking about that the trip up took 2 hours and I am planning at least a month to get back. The boat was good after 2 months sitting in the Burnett River although the dust storms and the so called Bundaberg snow (pollution from the sugar mills) had left its mark. Thursday afternoon was spent cleaning the boat and arranging a few other things and then Friday was a big shopping day and loading fuel and water ready to leave on the tide Saturday morning. Geoff arrived about 1600 Friday and with him a change in the weather. The plan was to sail to the river entrance Saturday and anchor and then head south on Sunday morning. Unfortunately the forecast is for strong SSE winds for the next few days so I will stay put here at Bundaberg until a favourable change which should be Tuesday. There are lot worse places to stay than here and we are moored in the middle of the town. Today we went shopping for new sandals for Geoff and a new pair of shorts for me.
I fitted an anchor roller system I made while in Sydney which seems to work OK.
I really enjoyed being home with Heather the last 2 months and it gave us a chance to do most of the finishing touches to the apartment. I have to admit I did miss having the boat back in Sydney while I was there.
Today we started the day with a little light rain but it has now cleared to a fine hot day 29 degrees.

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Phil
01/08/2009, Burnett River

We reluctantly left 1770 at 1400 for the sail to Bundaberg and had a good sail for the first 4 hours but had to motor sail the remainder of the trip arriving at the Burnett River entrance at 2300 hours. Next morning we went to the Bundaberg Port Marina. It was good to meet up with 2 other boat from the Coastal Cruising Club and sundowners were on board Kirralaa last night.
Today we will be motoring the 8 miles up the Burnett River to the town of Bundaberg and picking up a mooring. Kirralaa will then stay there for 2 months while Geoff and I go home for awhile. I am looking forward to finding out if Heather still remembers me!!.
We will continue the trip back home in October joining up with the CCC cruise at the Clarence River when the winds should be more favourable and the weather warmer. This will be the last blog entry for awhile.

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Phil
28/07/2009, Seventeen Seventy

There is currently a very big and very slow moving high over Australia and this means fresh SE winds until it moves which could be another week so rather than stay put at Pancake we bashed the 12 miles to Seventeen Seventy. I had never been here before by boat and what a great little anchorage it is. We are anchored in only just enough water opposite the camping ground where hopefully we will be able to have showers. There is a shop in town and a small shopping centre a bus trip away so we will happily stay put until the wind drops. The weather is perfect about 24 and clear.
Seventeen Seventy is the 2nd place that James Cook came ashore in Australia hence its name. I am not sure of the population but it would not be many and by the look of the homes on the hill overlooking the inlet there is a bit of money being spent.
We will go ashore and have our first explore today so will continue this later today.
We are back onboard after a look around and it sure is a nice little place. There is only one shop with not a lot in it but tomorrow we will get a bus from the Caravan Park and go to Agnus Waters where there is a small shopping centre. It's a lazy afternoonand Geoff is cooking curried prawns for diner.
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Phil
27/07/2009, Pancake Creek

Pancake Creek
We left Gladstone about midday with the breeze on the nose so it was a bit of a slog to Pancake Creek. We spent the night outside the creek and then came in on a rising tide. What a beautiful place this is with great protection from the south and clear calm waters. Geoff has been fishing most of the morning with only some small victims but they will find their way into the crab traps. The weather is perfect today with little wind and warm temp around 25. There are 4 other yachts in here and I would expect more later in the day.

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Phil
24/07/2009, stone Marina

We have just tied up to the Gladstone marina after a motor from Graham Creek against a 3 knot current. Not the recommended thing to-do but we only want to stay here 1 night and Noel has kindly offered drive us to the shops to replace our crab traps.
We had a very quite and calm night at Graham Creek last night and Geoff tried to catch a fish but all he managed was to snare a little crab. Talking of Geoff I was sure I would never meet another person as bad as Heather with dissatisfaction with hairdressers but Geoff's your man. On every trip with Geoff when we have had our hair cut in some coastal place I hear the complaints every morning when he combs his hair. As I am not sure who reads this I could not begin to describe his complaints verbatim.
We will leave here tomorrow on the tide this time and go to Pancake Creek about 30 miles south. Don't think I will have reception there so I may not post a blog again until Bundaberg.

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