At 0300 this morning, 11 days after leaving Port Vila, we dropped the anchor in the Quarantine area adjacent to Port Bundaberg Marina. As per the practice here, we had radioed ahead yesterday afternoon to let the local Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR) know we were on the way in overnight. There was a strong and quite nasty squall as we came in across Hervey Bay towards the harbour entrance channel, which delayed us further since it's unwise to try a narrow entrance with shallows on each side, without good visibility.
So all in all it was a longer and more "interesting" crossing than we planned. Oh well - if you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans!
We popped and quaffed the bottle of champagne we had kept for the event, and fell into a deep coma rather than sleep at 0345. We were wakened by the Marina office calling us on the radio: "Destiny, Destiny, Destiny: this is Port marina. Customs has requested that you leave the anchor spot you are in there next to the red mark and come to the Quarantine berth for clearance. They say it will only take you five minutes from there and they will be at the berth at the same time" So we did as required - and when Quarantine arrived we asked how they knew exactly where we were. They have surveillance cameras looking at the anchorage from three different positions, which can zoom in quite close. They know who you are, where you are from, which direction your boat is facing and even if you are fishing illegally there. Scary.....
Quarantine were efficient and friendly but didn't have much work to do as we had eaten or tossed most of what they would want to take - fresh dairy, fruits and meat. Customs and Immigration were a friendly pair who filled in the forms and then sat with us for an hour talking yachts and the sea, encouraged by Shauna's espresso machine churning out the cups of aroma-filled stimulant. That will be $240 thank you for the Commonwealth Government - ouch!!!
Tonight, as a reward for the harshness of the crossing, Shauna has decreed that we are going to have a slap-up meal in Bundaberg and are going to stay at Bundy's finest lodgings (?). We'll report back on that one.
We are already missing our new friends and the places we have seen, but have a month of cruising down the coast yet, so more adventures no doubt will emerge. Check the gallery tomorrow for new pics.
Cheers from us!