"And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love... you make". Well, a philosophical set of lyrics to describe what you get out of life is what you what you put in. How true....

It was a quiet night on the end of D Arm, only the birds stirring us (well, the Captain actually) just after daylight made itself known. Despite the daylight saving time I was still waking at 5:30 am ! I sometimes wish a man could sleep in a bit .. but then again, time waits for no one .. it would be a waste !

Being reasonably early I thought Billi may be the first to leave his scent upon whatever vertical post or object took his desire .. however people get up early around here and he certainly was not the first to leave his mark on the decorative lighting post bases equally placed along the marine frontage. It's funny how he knows, or selects, the objects to do the business on. The very next light post may hold no attraction, yet the fourth one is the target and no level of pulling on the leash was going to stop that happening. If he could talk it would be something like .." hey dad, I need to sniff this thing here and then leave my scent" .. "that other one is for losers and I don't go near those ..". They say dogs have between 10,000 and 100,000 times more scent receptors than humans, with the Golden Retriever having one of the highest number beaten by the ever faithful Bloodhound. So, whoa, who knows what they can take in from a single sniff, it's the neighbourhood newspaper for K9s. Ok then. With the morning walk over it was time for a quick cuppa and start the checks in preparation to depart on our last leg of our trip.

It was an easy 180 degree turn once we were away from the pontoon-end and we steamed towards the harbour heads at a steady 5.5 knots. The C12 motors droning away as they climbed to normal running temperature.

Looking up the harbour almost directly into the sun the water glistened in appreciation of our last departure, a send off, almost waving us goodbye and good luck.

As we exited the heads the swells rolled in from the east once again reminding us we were going outside of the harbour walls. As we rounded the last entry marker into the harbour I pushed Charmers throttles forward and we accelerated to cruising speed which glided us over the gentle swells. This would be a pleasant trip back to Pittwater today.

And it was. The sea was kind to us, probably the most benign conditions of the NSW leg ! How appropriate given it was our last.

I put 'Homeward Bound' on the Bose unit and cranked it up. With the First Mate joining me in chorus as we cut our way through the green. It was emotional. We were almost home after 8 months. 8 months of an adventure we had planned almost 3 years earlier. Many other people have done this trip numerous times, some longer than others, however, whether we do it again or not, I think the first time will be the most memorable and the most satisfying.

We left Pittwater during COVID times when the weather was unkind and the price of fuel was climbing towards the $2/litre. When we returned COVID was no longer the scourge it was when we left, however, fuel had risen another 25%, putting an added frustration to the increase in inflation.

I didn't track the distance we covered, although I could probably determine that approximately, however I did track fuel usage. Charmer's fuel tanks, depending on which specification document you read (and convert US gallons to imperial litres) holds 4,500 litres. We used 14,430 litres during our voyage. The cost is significant in fuel alone but cruising in luxury has a cost and one we were fortunate enough to fund and really, really enjoy. Charmer has proven herself as a terrific boat to live on and navigate through rough, smooth, treacherous and cantankerous waters, she has been a fantastic vessel and we love her.

The Captain of this fine vessel has been ably supported by his First Mate for the entire journey. Billi our sea dog only experiencing the trip to and from the Gold Coast, but forever in our thoughts as we arrived in locations where the white sanded beaches were empty playgrounds of dog-loving paradise. We have shared the highs of smooth water boating and excellent anchorages, witnessed incredible sunsets where the sky is on fire, the numerous arrivals to new anchorages and hidden beaches, the celebrations of making yet another 'unique find' of a location (knowing full well we are one of no doubt thousands saying the same thing over the years), meeting fellow boaties and talking about nothing in particular; to the lows of heading into 3 metre plus swells at an angle for hours at a time, sometimes as objects get thrown around the saloon and drawers inexplicably fly open (even though they are locked !). By the end of the trip I think we had mastered the ‘securing of movable objects’ sufficiently to avoid further damage to Charmer’s teak floor. Or the ‘amusing’ time we were being pursued by a loaded-up bulk carrier who appeared to accelerate towards us (those things are big and they can move !). Then there were the navigation of bar crossings where the first mate is relaying water depths as the Captain navigates between waves, shoals and sometimes rocky shorelines... It has been a great experience. And how lucky were we to have shared the journey together.

Now.... What's next?

Not a Beatles song title but one befitting the second-last leg of our trip.

We left Port Macquarie marina on Wednesday morning at 0530 hours and snaked our way to the bar crossing. As bars go, it appeared nice 'n' quiet. That was soon to change. Crossing the Port Macq bar is usually navigated via the northern side of the channel but as today was reasonably benign I decided to go out through the middle, keeping a vigilant eye on the turbulent sands on the southern side of the channel. We passed the heads on a virtual 'flat track' it was then I said to the First Mate .. ".. hey, check out these swells!! .." . Sure enough the bar was reminding us not to displace respect. Coming at us we're a set of 2-3 metre swells numbering more than 6 ! I mean, buggar me, this is the last bar we have to cross, couldn't it just be calm and flat ?? I guess not. By the stage we hit the 2nd or the 3rd swell (I can't actually recall what number as it was a little frantic at this point), we were travelling over 10 knots and the anchor had a nice wash in the swell as we sunk into the trough and then buoyed back up on the face of the next swell. "Geezuz" came the joint exclamation from Captain and First Mate in unison. Only three more to go over and we were out ! No more bars to cross ! Yahoo.

Conditions outside of the heads were very pleasing. A swell of +1.5 metres but in the same breath, smooth ! We rolled over the swells quite comfortably and settled back into what will be a 10 hour leg. With the C12s set and the weather playing it's part we were prepared for our second last leg of our trip to Newcastle.

We arrived at Newy heads bang on schedule at 1535 hours. I had logged on until 1630 so we had some time to get to the Newcastle Yacht Club marina and tie up before I had to log off with Marine Rescue.

Tim and Ted were tracking us on AIS (although the app doesn't update on a regular basis !), however, as we passed Tim and Helen's we unleashed a horn salute for our welcome as they waved to us from the 3rd story of their apartment on the harbour edge ! It was disappointing that Tim had not booked the tugs for the water cannon salute, however, as Ted rightly pointed out, Charmer would have been washed down in salt water .. yes, good point, and it probably had had enough of salt water thrown all over its superstructure !!

We steamed down to the marina and once located our berth started to place fenders along Charmers port side. It would be a tight fit. As we were manoeuvring to enter the broadway, Mathew the marina manager came out and advised us to move to the end of D arm "you're not going to fit in there" ... that's the kind of welcome we like ! It was an easy berth to tie up on which also meant, an easy departure.

Tim and Helen, Ted and Sue arrived at 5:00 pm for a few pre-dinner drinks and a welcoming back excuse for a few cold ones. It was then into the yacht club for a slow roast lamb and veggies! Welcome back. A few glasses of red over dinner a few laughs and it was back to Charmer for our last night away.

Tomorrow we depart around 0730 hours to be home by early afternoon
--

"Got a good reason, for taking the easy way out" .. well, those lyrics pretty much summed up our trip back down the NSW coast. By taking the easy way out and completing our day trips meant we had more time to relax at the end of each day and get up early to leave the following day. It was a day here and a day there only, one night stopovers. Luckily the conditions were on the more positive side and we could plan to travel more than one day ahead ! Luxury !

We upped anchor at 0730 hrs and exited the Iluka anchorage under a 3/4 tide however we still had to watch the shallows inside the break wall of Iluka Bay. Iluka bar crossing is often confused with itself with the number of swells coming in all directions, the best way to traverse this bar is under power and Charmers diesels were warm enough to plough through the swells under a reasonable speed. The bars always seem to remind you as you leave them that they are still capable of dishing out some decent swells. It was a rolly ride but no issue as we cut through the surging green mounds.

After we passed Yamba Point we set course for Coffs Harbour with an ETA of 1230 hours. Wit was a relatively enjoyable run to Coffs. Rolling swells for most of the way with the occasional rogue swell from the east making sure I didnt fall asleep as we rode the repetitive easterly swell. Once again the wipers were on more than they were off, we had the occasional session of 'no wipers' which almost deserved a celebratory drink, however, that would wait until we arrived in port.

We rounded Mutton Bird island at 1230 hrs, pretty much on schedule. It's nice to go into a port without having to cross a bar ! And I don't mean one where you can get a cold beer, however, once through a bar a man needs a cold beer - no matter what the conditions ! Sometimes you need more than just a beer.

It was nice to have a rest before our next leg to Port Macquarie and the fact this was only a 5 hour run means we could enjoy some time with Mandy and we booked for dinner at Latitude 30 for 6:30 pm.

We were sitting around about 30 minutes after arriving when a call came in on my phone from Coffs Harbour Marine Rescue. Turns out there was 'some guy' who was out near the lighthouse on South Solitary Island (about 9 NM out from Coffs) whose motor had fallen off the back of his boat. The radio operator, in the nicest possible way, was describing this type of boating person without being too derogatory. It was an interesting conversation to say the least. The point of the call to me was to see if I could assist as I would be passing by. I did explain we were already in port (I extend my arrival time just in case we are slowed by current or weather turning sour). I took the opportunity to log off on our journey down to Coffs during the discussion and he was happy to do that. They would send a rescue boat out to our hapless boating mate. According to the Marine Rescue operator, "his motor fell off his transom into the deep blue poo poo out there". Well, it is deep out there for sure, the rest, I dunno about that.

As usual with old friends it was a great night and the food at Latitude 30 was exceptional and a surprise to boot ! Washed down with a nice bottle of cab sav from Margaret River followed by a dessert of sorts we all enjoyed a very nice espresso martini each. I think we are becoming addicted to expresso martinis and bloody marys and red wine and .. and .. and ... They are, well, you know, all very nice.

As per normal, we were the last to leave the restaurant and they were basically shooing us out ! A group selfie on the walkway was almost photo bombed from another couple we didn't see (also leaving) on the outside terrace ! We hugged each other and as usual vowed to keep in touch, which we do pretty well I think.

We returned to Charmer to the welcoming tail wagging and fussing around of Billi our dedicated and much loved sea-K9 ! This was followed by a bit of TV and bed .. the plan was to leave at 0630 hrs for the trip to Port Macquarie in the morning. Apart from the squeaky roller on the finger wharf it was a calm night.

Up at 0530 I took Billi out for his morning constitution and exploration of the break wall, which he loves ! The odd pigeon feeling the wrath of a fierce hunting dog as he tried to catch them in his chiselled jaw ! Fierce action for such an early time.

We left the berth bang on 0630 hrs and swerved our way out of the marina walls. Conditions today were basically a copy of yesterday with a serve of grey skies and rain thrown in for good measure.

It was an interesting passage down from Coffs. The weather forecast advised the conditions as NE 10-15 kts on an easterly swell. However, in reality the wind was a constant 10-15 kts from the SW - the complete opposite! I took a screen shot as a visual record, bizarre no matter how you looked at it. At one stage during the leg the swell switched around to the south west and we we're copping chop spray for a few hours on th tar board side until it miraculously reverted back to the south east ( keep in mind it was forecasted to come from the east). Either Huey is playing games with us or the BOM is reading their weather maps upside down 'cause we ain't in the northern hemisphere where the wind direction is the opposite to ours ! Anyway, we move on.

We hit some rain about 20 NM out of Port which calmed things down a bit and we reverted to the rolling swells for the last 2 hours or so. I radioed ahead asking if any bar warnings existed and was happy to hear conditions were good and "as long as you pick your swells, it's OK".... "just follow the lead lights" was the advice. Fair enough. As it turned out it was quite a straight forward crossing, or, am I getting used to them ? I dont think you ever get used to them. We feathered the throttles to nurse our way over the bar swells and steamed up to the marina. Making sure not to run aground near the Marine Rescue HQ. We did sight a navigation buoy had been placed where it should have been last time we entered the Hastings.

We were tied up in our berth at 1300 hrs a little ahead of our schedule logoff time with Marine Rescue. I logged off after securing Charmer and we needed a few consumable supplies and walked across to the shops for an hour or so.

Luckily we were berthed close to the fuel wharf and after the first mate and I wrestled with the diesel pump hose to extract almost the entire length from the hose reel we positioned it over the transom to give Charmer a little drink to make sure we could get home with out a further top-up. This was the most expensive fuel of the trip $2.84. Nasty.

We had a BBQ planned and looked forward to a quiet night in preparation of a 0530 hrs departure

"Take me back to where I have come from"... we are in NSW and heading south.

After Charmer was placed back in the water I spent over 2 hours washing her down to remove dust and grime from the time in the shed having the work carried out. A frustrating and disappointing exercise ! I drove back to Tweed for the night and in the morning we would depart from Maxine's for the last time. It was blowing a strong 15-20 knots down the river at Coomera but nothing was going to stop us leaving Boat Works. We angled out of the berth in blustery conditions and started our steam to Marina Mirage for the next few nights.

I was anticipating a Sunday morning departure as the forecast looked bleak from Wednesday ... so we need to get moving ! Our berth was close to the main wharf which was great, however, since our last visit they had built a fancy 'beach club' thingy across one of the main finger wharf to no doubt attract the Gold Coast posers in their Chanel shirts and Gucci shoes. Apparently this was the first Friday night since opening and the clientele was, well I guess you could say, very Gold Coast. Enough said. Our only criticism was the guy who played a tenor saxophone around the 'beautiful people' for hours and hours ... seriously, if you were in there and there was a knife close by who knows what may have happened.

We left Mirage marina on Sunday bang on time, 0600 hrs. It was a 30 minute cruise to the seaway exit where we logged on with VMR and headed out to Yamba.

Conditions were the best of the last few days, low wind with +1.0 metre swell. It would be a little choppy but staying any longer would mean it would get worse with the forecast showing big winds on Wednesday. If we stayed, it would be for another week. So we go ! Charmer loves a bit of swell ! Not so sure about the crew however.

Out past the seaway it was a little choppy, probably more swelly than chop but the small seahorses we're doing their thing every now and then. Put it this way, the wipers were on every 30 seconds or so, sometimes staying on for more than just a few wipes ! Having said that Charmer carves through swell like this relatively smoothly and travelling at almost 11 knots she has plenty of forward momentum to move ahead with ease.

The conditions stayed the same for the next few hours and after passing the Ballina break walls we suddenly hit a patch of water that defied the status quo. It became almost calm , the swell seemed to stop and the wind abated to no more than a few knots. What made it more interesting was the water colour. We traversed from the deep blue ocean to a much lighter colour blue, almost as if a switch was turned to the opposite polarity - bang - you now have calm seas.

The 'calm' lasted for another 45 minutes or so before the swell reappeared, however this time without the sea horse chop. That made it more tolerable and I was excited to inform the first mate and Billi (the ever vigilant K9) that the conditions have abated somewhat and it isn't so rough anymore. That statement was greeted with the 'are you kidding' look, however, in all honesty, it was definitely calmer !

As we entered into the 6th and 7th hour of the trip the conditions stayed the same.. a rolling swell of about 1-1.5 metres with the odd rogue swell jumping out of nowhere completely covering the pilothouse windows with a solid overspray wave that had all wipers on to see forward. It was at this time I kept thinking whether the wipers were off as long as they were on ... I think 'on' won that mental debate. They were definitely on more that they were off. The only good part of that was that we were heading straight into the swell, no side-on push from an angled wave to really set the boat sliding or jolting to one side. This was tolerable.

The run down from Ballina was pretty much a rhum line to the starboard marker on the northern break wall point of Yamba bar. About an hour out as we approached the swell increased but we were able to maintain our +11.7 knots of speed having sectors of +12 knots for long periods. I was feeling Charmer was enjoying the conditions and she was happily cruising through the swell enjoying the rise and fall of the waves eager to reach our destination.

We were about 30 mins out of Yamba when Marine Rescue Yamba called me on radio to verify my position and situation. Apparently I missed a sched call on the hour and they were following me up. Oooops, It would seem I was still on Queensland time and forgot to adjust the timepiece ! After we cleared that up with the very efficient radio operator at Yamba the world returned to normality.

I radioed Marine Rescue Yamba as we were about to make our final approach into the Yamba Bar and requested any mariners warnings or notifications in relation the the bar. Our very informative radio operator advised there were no warnings or issues with the bar crossing, finishing off her message with the immortal words "you shouldn't have any problems today".

Well, she was right... we came in on a swelly entrance picking the swells we rode the back of as we steamed in at over 10 kts. Apart from one cantankerous swell it was pretty smooth really. We motored up past Moriaty's wall and weaved between the defined sand shoals to get into the protected anchorage. It was shallow but well protected as expected. We dropped anchor in about 3 metres of water surrounded by a selection of cats and mono hulls all happily stationary for the night.

We lowered the dinghy down as a priority as Billi had hung on since 6:00 am ! Not bad. As you can imagine as soon as the tender was in the water he was straight down to the transom and jumped in.

After a quick shore visit we returned for a welcoming celebration drink for our arrival. It wasn't long after that we once again climbed into the tender with the beast to meet Peter and Lisa at the Iluka pub for dinner. As usual, a great catch up and we realised it was almost 7 months since we did the same on our way up the coast ! Always good to see Pete & Lisa.

It will be a calm night with plans to leave around 0730 hrs in the morning heading for Coffs

"The long and winding road, will lead to your door ..." yes, it certainly will, however, there's a few winds in the road before we get to our door !!

As fate would have it, we are still based on land in Tweed Heads while the boat receives its finishing touches at Boat Works. Yes, it's taken longer then expected and yes there was more work required than initially estimated, however, it did need a lot more effort to rectify old antifoul and it was overdue to 'fix' the condition of the hull. Having seen another boat undertaking the same job without high-pressure blasting, I am happy we made the right decision. It took longer than first thought and it was a big job, but the hull looks sensational and compared to what it was before, its "pretty f*%$#n good" as my service coordinator commented.

To break our land-lubber time up we took advantage of the extended timeframe and ventured over to North Stradbroke island to stay with Mal & Maria for a night. There was a music festival happening on the island and parking at the ferry terminal was scarce. At one stage we considered taking the car across but we would have missed the current car ferry and had to wait another hour for the next. So, the first mate noticed a number of people arriving off the passenger ferry and suggested we follow some to their car .. bingo, just as we exited the car ferry carpark a car was leaving and we jagged a spot right outside the entrance gate. This was preceded with multiple searches in numerous car parks and neighbourhood streets for a car space (imagine the expletives emanating from the driver)... the car space was a smacking of good luck .. and we made the car ferry as passengers !

Neither of us have been to Straddie and the 40 minute ferry ride over departed on time and the cruise over was smooth and enjoyable on the top deck (we had Billi and K9 not allowed below decks) .. great boating weather when you don't want to leave somewhere ! Mal met us at the terminal and commenced his informative info-trip on the way to Lookout Point where they have a 'fishing shack' to live in while a 'shed' is being built. That's a whole separate story in itself for another time. Straddie is well established and much bigger than we thought. The beaches and lifestyle are first rate and Mal gave us a great overview of the place, not to mention sessions at the Surf Club and dinner at the Pub .. which was great. The water on the beaches is crystal clear and the sands white ... there's a beach to suit every wind direction, all relatively close to each other. It was great to catch up and we vowed to return for a bit longer next time. The next day, we returned to the mainland and dropped Maria off at home in Brisbane to then return to Tweed and prepare ourselves for the next phase in Charmer's maintenance.

That said, it's taken just over two weeks to have the work completed and we still are waiting for the polishing to finish. The hull has been polished although there is a small repair that is yet to be finished. She needs a wash down to then complete the cabin and deck areas. We are lucky we have accomodation in Tweed Heads with Kath's mum otherwise it would be more expensive than it is ! I know, I know... it's a boat. That aside, you still expect things to be completed in the estimated timeframes ... that doesn't usually happen however.

We anticipate a few more nights on land, then a few days in Southport at Marina Mirage until this wind dies down and with it, the accompanying swell ... we hope. The weather just isn't cooperating and after the good run down from the Whitsundays it's frustrating to have it now turn sour. Onwards and upwards.... you can't do much about the weather, only wait really, or confront the beast head on ... We have decided to (almost every time) take the first option ! Why is it then when you don't want to travel anywhere it's great and as soon as you want to leave it turns ? That answer belongs with the missing sock in the washing machine. Who really knows ?

I, (for the 7th or maybe 8th time), have travelled down to Boat Works to 'check' on progress and I ended up obtaining a time slot for the boat to go back into the water a day earlier. To save even more time and hassle (although time is somewhat meaningless around here), I had a tanker come out to the boat on the dry stand and pump 2,600 litres on board. It's slightly discounted to the marina price, so any discount at these volumes is welcomed. Can't help but cast our minds back to when we planned this trip fuel was less than half what they charge now ! Who expected fuel to double in less than two years ? Don't even try to answer that one.

I must say the work to the hull and the antifoul application looks first rate. It has taken longer but it's a solid job. The polishing will set the boat off and complete the package.

I keep getting reminded why didn't we just get the work done at home ? The answer, as I keep asking myself is, well, it is supposedly cheaper up here and of better quality. Having said that, we would have been home two weeks earlier ... sometimes you just have to ask yourself "why"? And sometimes you don't really have an answer.

That aside, Charmer is back in the water and today is having finishing touches applied to complete on deck and flybridge polishing, plus a little floor repair in the flybridge area, that will complete maintenance. Our plans for the subsequent 24 hours include another visit by me to verify completed work later this afternoon and an early drive back down to Boat Works Friday morning to 'check out' and relocate Charmer to Marina Mirage for a day or two to await favourable weather.

We are hoping for a Sunday/Monday departure to either Yamba or Coffs depending on what we are dealt from the weather Gods. Huey has not been kind of late, although the forecast is back to its previous unreliable self .. we cross fingers and hope.

We are on the precipice of our return legs in NSW and look forward to catching up with friends again in Yamba, Coffs and Newcastle on the way home.

It won't be long .... Until we are back in Pittwater.

The journey through the Broadwater was, initially at first, under quite a reasonable speed. The water was as smooth as glass (clear glass, not mottled glass), and the only breeze was what we were creating moving forward. Funny (funny strange not funny ha har), as we approach our last scheduled stop, the weather has taken a turn for the best ! Typical.

It wasn't long before I logged on to Seaway Tower at the Gold Coast Seaway for passage coverage down to Jumpinpin on the bottom of North Staddie Island and then it's a short trip down to the Coomera River.

As per the previous trip, the passage through the Broadwater is a mildly stressful affair - vigilance being the operative word. The nav buoys are spasmodically located 'all over the place' and it takes continued focus not to miss a turn or drift away unintentionally from the deep water path. I still don't see how a keel yacht drawing about 2 metres would ever get through without grounding. Anyway... onwards and upwards.

At one stage we had 0.6 m under Charmer's bottom, potentially less if I strayed off the so-called channel. Slowing down to a snails pass, just in case, was the best approach.

After a few hours of careful passage we reached Jumpinpin with the tide still yet to peak. Fortunately we would be able to make it to Boatworks, no problem. I called Steve from Precision Marine to confirm our ETA. The original arrival was 1100 hrs today, however, due to our extended stay in Bundaberg we were arriving this afternoon. Not bad really, only a half day late, or as the airlines say .. "a few hours delay".

Unfortunately, with the boating community, you get a slot to haul out your boat and if you miss it you go back onto the list for another time. Totally understandable, to a point. But hey, the notice I provided should have allowed some shuffling to occur... I know what you're thinking .. everyone's an expert. I'm sure they know how to run their haul out maintenance yard.

We tied up at 1500 hrs and after doing so I immediately walked to the Boatworks office to obtain access keys and car keys for the courtesy vehicle. We would both be staying with Maxine while in Tweed and Kath was starting tonight. The courtesy car provided meant I could drop her off, have a bite to eat and get back to Charmer for the night and early morning meeting with Steve. Besides, the car had to be back by 0730 hrs.. a potential risk travelling from Tweed to Coomera on the M1.

Finding the Boatworks office was the first challenge. This place is seriously enormous... everywhere you look there are boats, boats and more boats. Not to mention the shops and businesses .. everything you could imagine is here .. all in the one place. Brilliant. I called the office and Natalie advised me .. "we are on the other side of the culdesac ..." that's fine, but, er, um, that would depend on what side you are on surely ... anyway, my next question seemed to hone in on being a little more specific ... they were in the southern marina. Once located, I checked in and received the access pass and car keys .. I did ask whether I was getting the Maserati today and the lovely girl on the desk, Haylee, advised, "not today, I'm afraid, you have the grey Porsche". I bet I do was the immediate thought. I also asked about the haulout time and was advised I was on the waitlist for the next two days. Oh dear. We shall see. I walked out to the car park and found the Porsche.

Funnily enough, it had morphed into a silver Hyundai with Boatworks plastered all over it. Hummmpf.

Next morning, Steve was coming down about 0730 hours to chat about what was going to happen and I was looking forward to that.

Kath had packed a few personal items for at least a week off the vess and we loaded up the 'Porsche' and headed for Tweed Heads. Dinner at Tweed heads with Maxine was well appreciated (corned beef and veggies) and I returned to the boat about 8:00 pm Queensland time and was asleep by 9:00 pm. Big couple of days.

I returned the car keys at 0715 hrs to discover Charmer was coming out at 0900 hrs which was a nice surprise. Steve was pretty much on time and he explained the process of the next couple of days. In doing so he asked me whether we would be interested in selling Charmer ? Turns out he has close contacts with a major broker in the Gold Coast and when he told them he had a Marlow coming in called MV Charmer, the broker knew the boat and was very keen to speak to me.

So, apart from the annual maintenance we were also discussing a pretty serious decision to put Charmer on the market.

The initial meeting with the broker went well and he was very impressed with our vessel. Authority to sell would be prepared.

In the meantime, Charmer had a visit from the anti-foul guy, the stainless guy, the wood guy and of course, the broker. Not to mention the side intro I had with Sarah from Leigh-Smith sales who was already trying to flog me another boat .. I mean .. hey, I haven't sold this one yet !!

After the First Mate and I discussed the pros and cons of leaving Charmer at Sanctuary Cove for the sale process we soon came to the conclusion it was not such a good idea, for more than one reason. So our original plan to return Charmer to Pittwater will stand. If a sale were to be executed it would be better to be with the boat than distant. I want to be part of the process and provide a good experience to the new owner, unlike our handover which was non-existent. Besides, until we get back into Mountview - where would we live ??

Hull preparation was scheduled to commence on Thursday, it would be a scraping and sanding exercise for almost two days before a primer could be applied. At least the job will be done properly this time.

I will continue to visit Charmer daily to monitor progress and keep an eye on what is going on ... from a more positive standpoint, not necessarily monitoring, more for personal enjoyment. However, it's always good to see the prep work so you know the quality of the job. The 5 Ps ... Stays true in every aspect !

As it has turned out, the hull is undergoing a complete strip and re-prime. She will look fantastic and will no doubt appreciate her new bottom.

We are looking forward to heading home in a couple of weeks.