The weather allowed us to leave MacKay on Saturday and we sailed under grey skies to Goldsmith Island. We intended to stay two nights, but it is not so easy to go ashore there so we moved on with a short sail to Thomas Island, which we had enjoyed so much last year. Here the sun was out and we could go ashore and take the ten-minute walk to the other side of the island with its wonderful view of the Whitsunday Passage - and phone reception. The track is marked with various discarded times like oil containers, hanging toothbrushes, rope and even a brassiere cup. We added a few bits of rope here and there where needed.

At Thomas we became aware that we had no propulsion, forward or reverse. Shades of last year with the prop and clutch! The winds were quite light, so we waited at, and enjoyed, Thomas while we waited for a day of suitable wind to sail to Airlie Beach. It came on Thursday. We had to sail off the anchor, Tom Cunliffe style, but it was not so easy to raise the sail, as the tidal flow prevented us from heading into the wind. But off we went and had a great sail up the scenic Passage in sunshine. We raised the spinnaker and then looked around to see if anyone was noticing us. When you have a spinnaker up, you assume the same mentality as a JetSki rider.

The local marine rescue crew were a bit reluctant to help us in as they had last year, and suggested we tow in using our dinghy. So, when we arrived off Airlie Beach, we dropped the sails, tied the dinghy on the side and entered the marina with Jenny on the helm for her first ever berthing and David in the dinghy. On the way in, who should we see coming out but the marine rescue boat with quite a few on board! Training or drinks? Friday was a public holiday, so we had to wait until Monday for the mechanic's assistance. The culprit was a drive plate which had failed in fine style, leaving springs and balls here and there. This was able to be replaced on the spot, but we will remain in Airlie Beach for other reasons for a while. With a new drive plate here, and a new clutch and propeller over summer in Bundaberg, no further correspondence with the propulsion system will be entered into! The weather seems more like summer at the moment, with skies often grey and showers passing through.

Our plan now is to spend less than a week in the Whitsundays after leaving Airlie and then to work up to Cairns, returning for a longer stay in the Whitsundays in September.