There you have it, the day came when we said “yes” to exit Port Bundaberg and head off 250 odd NM to Port Brisbane. Of course we use the weather as our guide to choose the right time to leave, but then again it is all in the interpretation of the report. Don’t tell he who hums, but I now realise that they (the sailors) can read into it whatever they want. If you walk the marina and chat to them, half will say it is good to go and half will say it is not good. Either way, another week has flown by us up here and ‘someone’.... who hums a short tune was getting toey. The day we got the weather we took a while to digest the options but over dinner you could read that he was already untying the lines in his mind and working his way out of the channel. Making a run with no wind didn’t sound right to me (ps I call this is a ‘blue’ decision not a ‘pink’ one), but by Saturday 3rd November there is more ugly weather forecast from the south. So! Things to consider before you pull up anchor and make the dash back to life as you knew it.
FIRST: Are you able to talk to more than one person at a time?; Are you ready for the work phone to start ringing?; Are you ready to pack away the sailing survival kit and pull out the office supplies; Are you ready for the clock alarm to replace the bilge alarm?; Trade the thongs , beach hair, 5 o’clock shadows, block out traded for makeup, dingy ditched for a car and sundowners replaced by the 6 o’clock news Ugggg!...... and it goes on as there is much more to think about prior to returning back into your life and the closer it comes the more you can’t deny that the experience has changed you. I guess it is time to hang up my catering hat; Pedro can ditch the mast harness and his Super Pedro cape; and Captain Humming can take off his Captain’s hat and that weight belt labelled ‘responsibility’ that he has had firmly buckled on since we set sail in Mexico. You my captain (and Pedro) have managed to get us all home safely.... in one piece and no scars to talk of (except the black eye I have from the window latch in the shower). My Hummer you can now free yourself for some new light tunes as you have accomplished all you set out to do. So TICK that box - we have sailed 1/3 of the way around the world together in this space AND we still love each other! When we first stood in front of the ‘larger than life’ world map 2 years ago I knew when he arced his pointer across the wide spanse of Pacific Ocean before he paused at a minute dot of an island that we were in for hell of a sail. But we had no concept that this journey would entail so many diverse experiences, so many wonderful friendships, so many cultures, nationalities, cuisines, languages, and repairs ha! I think we knew about the maintenance as you could not expect 24 hr Murphy to miss the boat. I guess we best we set the alarm as we have got people to see, places to go, and things to do here in hometown Brisbane and they are just as awesome and diverse. And luckily we have “Condesa” our familiar and new home, to come back to every night to ween ourselves back into city/river living. It depends who you are speaking to when describing Condesa, but we say she is 60ft+ Schooner however the “+” is actually another 14ft so that makes her 74ft really truly. Therefore she is not easy to find a place for as she swings a very wide circle of love. For now she is bound for the Gateway Marina in the Brisbane River where we can complete the required pest control work to be totally cleared. Speaking of larger than life – I think you Captain Humming are taller than before we left home and rightly so. Well done - so proud of this achievement...... it wasn’t all about lying under palm trees, sipping cocktails and writing postcards. I actually got used to chatting to your bum when your head was in the motor and I almost let you get away with wayward hair because you were too seasick to care, along with the 10 o’clock shadow when it was too rough to do personal maintenance .....and, I do stare at that little patch you wear behind your ear when I whisper sweet nothings to make sure it is still in place for you. I can’t wait to sketch out our next dream in the sand. Oh and in case you didn’t know I will be your wing man any day.