Passion for Cruising

Vessel Name: Truest Passion
Vessel Make/Model: Seawind 1160 Catamaran
Hailing Port: Southport
Crew: Stuart Simpson & Nanette Black
18 May 2012 | Mooloolaba
02 November 2011 | Mooloolaba Marina
30 October 2011 | Sandy Straits
29 October 2011 | Bundaberg
27 October 2011 | Pancake Creek
26 October 2011 | Great Keppel Island
25 October 2011 | Pearl Bay
24 October 2011 | Middle Percy Island
21 October 2011 | Mackay Marina
16 October 2011 | Mackay Marina
14 October 2011 | Goldsmith Island
13 October 2011 | Turtle Bay Whitsundays
12 October 2011 | Gloucester Passage
11 October 2011 | Bowen
10 October 2011 | Rattlesnake Island
09 October 2011 | Haycock Island
08 October 2011 | Hinchinbrook Channel
07 October 2011 | Dunk Island
06 October 2011 | Fitzroy Island
02 October 2011 | Half Moon Bay Marina
Recent Blog Posts
18 May 2012 | Mooloolaba

Good News-Bad News

Hello to all our yachtie friends, it is so long again since I have posted a blog, but the moment has at last arrived that I can talk to you all.

02 November 2011 | Mooloolaba Marina

Home!!

The last lap, so we left Garry’s Anchorage at 5.50am to catch the incoming tide to cross the bar. No wind at all. We started down the “mad mile” towards the bar crossing – not for the faint hearted today, it was like a washing machine, however the largest wave we saw was about 3 metres. Finally [...]

30 October 2011 | Sandy Straits

Yankee Jack Creek

Off yet again at 5.45 am, I was almost sleepwalking as the skipper did his usual, go, go, now.........

29 October 2011 | Bundaberg

Nearly Home

We had a lovely quiet day in the creek, we even played cards and Scrabble, beaten again!!!

27 October 2011 | Pancake Creek

Dawn Start

Up at 4.30am [we must be mad]! To get to Pancake Creek before tomorrow, when a S Easter is forecast, means a very long haul today. We will pass Cape Capricorn at about 10am before sailing down the outside of Curtis Island and Gladstone etc.

26 October 2011 | Great Keppel Island

Another Ripper!!

Another day, this time up at 5am and underway at 5.40am. The water is like oil, not a breath of wind. The clouds are quite heavy at present, but it is very early yet.

Death March Memorial 65 years

15 August 2010 | Sandakan
Nanette
15th August 2010 First, yesterday was a rest and recuperate day. We went ashore and did market shopping etc. Dinner at a Chinese, which had a big poster advertising the memorial day for the Death March from Sandakan to Ranau 65 years ago. Quentin Bryce the Goveror General of Australia was to be guest of honour.
The Sea Bunnies [UK} and ourselves got up at 5.30 and took a taxi to the site of the infamous death camp under the Japanese. It is now a beautiful park, with a few grim reminders still to be seen. Please, if you know nothing of this, do read about it, so many Aussies died in such cruel conditions.
Out of over 2500 British but mainly Australian POWs,the officers were tranfered to Kuching, 4 escaped and 2 survived the death marches. The japanese officers were all sentenced to death for the war crimes.
Quentin Bryce gave a wonderful speech, as did 2 still living ex POWs. They were the lucky ones as they were removed to Kuching camp, where it was not quite so bad. However they still have a very clear and sad recollection of all the events, including the brutality and suffering.
The clearing in the trees saw hundreds of people all sitting quietly. I sat next to the local Chinese Business representative who laid a wreath. Of course the UK High Commissioner, plus many Australian Forces members of the highest rank, of course many relatives of the dead and people like us were there too. Locals and their descendants who had risked their lives were also there in great numbers.
It was a most moving ceremony, not easily forgotten, a privilege to be there.
A lighter relief, this afternoon we walked up the 100 steps to Agnes Keith's house. The author who wrote about Sandakan, ie The Land Beneath the Wind, plus others about her incarceration by the Japanese. After this interesting visit we went for an afternoon tea, an English one to boot complete with scones and cream, and naturally the maid in frilly white apron!!!! It was quite surreal being back in the 1940s
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