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.

Good News-Bad News

18 May 2012 | Mooloolaba
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.
This has been a very difficult time for us, we remember all the wonderful times with you all in such fantastic places and we are always talking about,[I wonder where X is now etc].
Our news is both good and bad, Stuart is back on more chemo after the March scan showed renewed growth around his lung, and pressing towards his heart. The oncologist put him straight back on chemo, but a lesser dose of Carboplaten instead of Cisplatin with the Alimta. He gets very knocked about each time, but is really trying hard to keep his chin up. We hope to get remission until at least Christmas, but already he is doing much better than some others with the same disease.
We have very sadly put TP on the market at a low price, and with everything included, she still looks great and even has a brand new unused mainsail!!! That is painful.........
To think that we have no more sailing adventures makes us both very downhearted, so to perk us up we are spending some money on holidays while Stuart is still able to fly. A week in Noumea in between chemos, and then after his last we are going to Moorea in August and then on to the cruise ship Paul Gauguin to spend two weeks doing all the Tuomotos, Marquesas etc. So if we cannot sail there then we are doing it anyway!!!! The ship only takes 300 passengers and is shallow drafted to enable it to enter lagoons.
If any of you are passing Mooloolaba then please contact us, we are only a few minutes from the Yacht Club, which is really up and running again and we can recommend the food which is excellent and affordable. In fact we often go for lunch which makes a day out for us.
This will now make you laugh, we play lawn bowls about four times a week, yes I can hear the laughter from here!!!! Stuart has really taken to it and plays well, of course our Clubhouse and green is just downstairs, so very convenient.
That's it for now, please drop us a line with all the news and where you all are, then we can be green with envy!!

Home!!

02 November 2011 | Mooloolaba Marina
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 we were over the bar at 8.30am. The bar is still a bit lumpy, but would be better if we had more wind. We are motor sailing at present (9.00am). The forecast is for more wind by midday. I will comment later on that. It is now midday and we are sailing at 7-7.5 knots in 14-16 knots of wind from the NNE, a bit too much behind us to give more speed. Our ETA at the marina is 5.25pm.
At 15.20 it is blowing 20 knots from the north, we are goose winged using the Code 0 and main. A rollicking fast fly downwind – a good way to finish our trip.

Yankee Jack Creek

30 October 2011 | Sandy Straits
Fine & Sunny
Off yet again at 5.45 am, I was almost sleepwalking as the skipper did his usual, go, go, now.........
I think that I need a bit of a rest, it has been many long days, doing lots of miles. Today we will be in the Sandy Straits, but will now be held up as there is a strong SE blow coming on Monday 31st.Therefore as soon as that has gone, we will have our last passage home to Mooloolaba. We are looking forward to seeing old friends again!

Nearly Home

29 October 2011 | Bundaberg
Fine & Sunny
We had a lovely quiet day in the creek, we even played cards and Scrabble, beaten again!!!
We were then invited to Ishka for Sundowners, where we also caught up with Paul and Lyn from Sasha B [part of the Lizard Island group].
Today we left at 5.45am setting off to do another 61 miles to Bundy. Light winds, so motor sailing, but at least the wind was again NE.
Anchored in the mouth of Burnett River at 16.45pm, ready for an easy getaway tomorrow.

Dawn Start

27 October 2011 | Pancake Creek
Fine & Sunny
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.
At 7.45am, the wind is on the nose at 7kts [not forecast], and we are motor sailing again!
It is now 14.30pm and at last we have 8kts NE which is helping a lot. However the wind did not increase so in the end we motor sailed ALL day to get into the creek before dead low tide.
We just scraped in with only inches to spare under the keels!
It is now 28/10 and we are resting a day in Pancake Creek. The wind is SE again, so no point in flogging ourselves. We should , however leave early on Saturday for Bundaberg.

Another Ripper!!

26 October 2011 | Great Keppel Island
Fine & Sunny
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.
It is now 13.15pm and we have again been flying, a perfect day, and 12kts wind NE, what more can we want?
We will anchor at Longbeach Bay on the south of Great Keppel at about 1500pm. If this weather holds we will be back in Mooloolaba in a week or so. However, knowing Murphy it will now blow another SE gale.............

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