Once we arrived back in Bundaberg at the beginning of March we set to getting things ready for our next sailing expedition. We had put in one electric toilet before going back to NZ so did the other one when we got back. Bought a wheel steering auto pilot to act as a back up if the main one fails as it really is an extra crew when we are only sailing two handed. All the electronics (except the wheel steering motor) on it are the same as the other one so things are inter changeable which is a real bonus and a much cheaper way of replacing some of the main parts. Our EPIRB had to be sent down to Brisbane to be serviced and as the electric winch, to pull the main up had died, it had to be sent down to Sydney to the manufacturers to be repaired. It has never worked properly since we bought the boat so it's great to have it working properly and makes my job a lot simpler. We did some big repairs on the water maker which included getting a new membrane. Also did all the other little repair jobs that need to be done regularly.

We finally left Bundaberg on 23rd April after going down to Frazer Island for a few days the previous week but headed back to Bundaberg when we ended up having a really roly night and also had a few water maker problems to sort out. First stop was Pancake Creek just north of the town of Seventeen 70 and unfortunately arrived in the dark so had to be on the ball as in parts coming in the water was very shallow and our friends on Gitano ended up on the sand bank. We had to wait an for for the tide to come further in to get them off. Dave went over in the dinghy and helped guide them in. It really is very shallow water up the coast here and there are a lot of places we will either not be able to go into or have to go in at half or full tide as we draw 2.2 metres. We caught an albacore tuna on the way up and had a feed of tuna steaks and then smoked the rest which we enjoy for lunches. Our smoker had died but we finally found one in Bundaberg and it is a beauty as it collapses down and can be washed easily and also takes up very little room.

As the winds changed to the North, although not strong, and the next few anchorages we were heading to were only sheltered from the southerly winds we ended up staying put for a few days. The first three nights we were anchored only just in in Pancake Creek but we had two really roly nights so moved further down the creek where we had had two good nights sleep. One day we went in the dinghies investigating Chinamans Creek which is a tributary off Pancake Creek and predominantly mangroves. Gitano were with us and we took a picnic lunch and found a nice shady spot to sit under and eat it. Linda and I also had a swim which was very refreshing. Had a long walk another day trying to get to the light house but there were no tracks to direct us so after three hours gave up on that one!!

Chris and Linda bought a crab net so we kept the tuna frame to use as bait in it and Chris has been putting it out in the hope of catching crabs but as yet to no avail. I think Dave will have to give him a few pointers. Wherever we sail nobody can believe how many fish we catch. Mind you we have two lines out most of the time although up the coast there are a few conservation areas so have to pull the lines in. We got all the maps showing the areas before we left Bundaberg.

We finally left Pancake Creek on 29th April and on getting to the entrance had a rude awakening to find a yacht completely on its side on the sandbank with the water lapping the decks. It had apparently come in the previous night and run aground and the owners had been taken off. We doubted whether it would come afloat when the tide came in. The authorities or whoever have put a yellow buoy with a light on at the entrance to the channel have put it in the wrong place as that is what got Gitano into trouble when we came in. They felt rather sick when they saw it because it could have been them.

Dave is always putting the fishing lines out as soon as we get going and I could have donged him as just when we were getting the sails up after we had got out of the channel the fishing rod screams and we had a fish on - couldn't have come at a more inopportune time and then we found it was a skipjack tuna of all things. Needless to add we did not keep it. Started off on our way to Cape Capricorn with a good breeze but then later in the day died off and we ended up motoring. We had to be on our mettle up to and past Gladstone as we were in the shipping channel and there were 23 ships out there waiting to go into Gladstone Harbour. The AIS system came into its own but not all of them registered on it. No doubt as most of them were anchored they had it turned off. Arrived Cape Capricorn late afternoon and it was a lovely spot and we were quite sheltered. There was one other boat in there along with Gitano and us.

From Cape Capricorn we had a great sail up to Great Keppel Island which was a nice spot and we were there for nearly a week waiting for our water maker water pump to arrive after being serviced in Brisbane.

We had a frustrating time as we were expecting our water maker pump to arrive at Rosslyn Bay Marina sometime on the Friday and had jacked up for the ferry to deliver it to the Island, when after lunch we received a text from our friends Fran & Dave who were still in Bundaberg marina to say that our pump had arrived there. We had emailed the guy twice plus talked to him on the phone to tell him to send it to Rosslyn Bay. Had to go for a hike up a hill to get good cell phone service to talk to Dave as to what we wanted him to do. In the meantime he had rung the outfit and they were arranging for it to be picked up again and hopefully Friday afternoon but of course that did not happen so we then had to wait until the Wednesday before we would get it as the Monday was Labour Day holiday for Queensland. We paid extra for express delivery so we would get it on the Friday because of it being a weekend. All in all rather annoying. The service at times in this country is appalling - nobody gives a damn. Every single yachtie whom we meet says the same thing.

After hiking up the hill to make phone calls we carried on down to investigate the resorts etc. on the other side of the island. Both the resorts on the Island have closed down, and one is owned by the Tower Group, along with the Youth hostel and a tent park that is here - all such a waste and right on a beautiful beach. However it was a nice place to be stranded in and there were heaps of boats in there over the weekend and the weather was great. Dave did a few little jobs that we wanted doing for a long time but were not absolutely necessary. He dived down and put on a new zinc anode plus scraped a few barnacles off the propeller and rudder.

Gitano carried on further north on the Saturday as there was no point in them hanging around for us.

Dave rigged up the deck wash down pump to the water maker to give us a bit of water in the meantime but as it is not continually rated it heats up and cuts out after 15 minutes but the flow of water is great - have never had the water maker making water so well. He has learned a lot about it in the last few weeks on talking to other people who have them and also reading their manuals. Our original manual is not very explicit.

We finally managed on the 6th May to find out from the Port Bundaberg Marina that they had posted our water maker pump up to Rosslyn Bay by Express Post (overnight delivery) so early on the Wednesday morning we left Great Keppel Island and headed in to Rosslyn Bay, booking in to the Marina for the night. Arrived there at 9am and as they provide a courtesy car for those in the marina we booked it for 10am and we were allowed to have it for 2 hours which was great. This enabled us to go to Yeppoon (10km away) and stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables. Yeppoon is a small town right on the beach and we were very impressed with it - great place for a land based holiday but it is gradually becoming more and more popular.

The marina was great and the Capricorn Cruising Club is situated there so we went over for Happy hour before coming back to our boat for dinner. Our parcel did not arrive on the Wednesday but fortunately arrived just after 11.30am next morning. We had until 12 noon to leave before being charged another $A42 for another night so we untied and took off at 11.50am!! We were beginning to think we would have to stay another night.

We headed off up the coast for 20 odd miles and spent a rather roly night at Freshwater Bay which was the next bay around from Cape Manifold - you are all going to have to start getting your atlases out!! Next day we decided on a short hop to a lovely bay called Pearl Bay which is a popular spot with boaties. We were away early the next morning and headed up to Hunter Island (40 odd miles)for the night which is in the Duke group of islands.

From there we headed up to Middle Percy Island in the Percy group which is a must for all yachties. Went ashore to visit the Percy Hilton which is an old A frame building and all yachties leave their boat name, who they are, Port of Registration and date of visit in some form, whether it be on a shirt, piece of wood, you name it it is there - even a boat name on a bra (Two Abreast)!! Really interesting and it is impossible to see every name. Couldn't find Melric 11 but he tells me it was on the roof although did see quite a few other boats we knew. Ended up cooking my own Mother's Day dinner and did roast kangaroo. We have taken a real liking to kangaroo meat - it is so tender, fat free and very tasty.

Most days when we have taken off we have had to motor sail for an hour or so and then the south easterlies seem to kick in at 12-15 knots so we have had some good sailing and only using our Genoa. If we put the main up the Genoa is shaded, but we have been getting along at between 5.5 and 7 knots. I've been taking sea sick pills on the longer trips as this point of sailing is the worst for me.

On Monday 12th May we had a four and a half hour sail up to Curlew Island and then the next day we were away at 7am for a 48 mile trip up to Scawfell Island which had a nice big deep bay and we had a relatively calm night. Caught three nice Spanish mackerels on the trip so had a nice fresh fish dinner, froze some and smoked the other one next morning on shore.

We wanted to be in Airlie Beach by Friday 16th and had decided we would have another day at Scawfell but after lunch we were looking at our charts and decided we had a lot further to go than we thought so we up anchored at 2pm and headed to Brampton Island, arriving at 5.45pm and giving us 20 miles less to travel over the next two days. Brampton Island is the most southern island in the Whitsunday group and does have a resort on it. With the south easterly trade winds we find the anchorages are relatively sheltered but when the tide changes we get this easterly roll and swell and we either rock from side to side or have this continual slap with the waves on the stern for 2-3 hours. Dave being deaf doesn't hear much of the slapping but it certainly keeps me awake.

From there we moved on to Lindeman Island and were later joined by some Norwegian yachties who are also going on the Indonesian rally and they came for drinks - first contact with anyone since leaving Rosslyn Bay. From there we set off for Airlie Beach on Friday (16th) and got there before lunch and met up with Chris & Linda on Gitano again.

That night we decided to treat ourselves and went to the Boating Club for dinner and then did the town. Chris is really into live music and we ended up in an Irish bar. Managed to watch the Brumbies/Force game but headed off back to the boat after half time so missed the best half. By half time the noise from the music had got to Dave!!

Did the Airlie Beach market on both the Saturdays we were in Airlie Beach to replenish our fresh fruit & veges supplies. Karen & David (our niece & nephew from Brisbane) arrived late Saturday afternoon (17th) so spent another night at Airlie Beach and Chris took them out on the town as he wanted another live music fix!! Linda, Dave & I stayed put! Must be getting old!!

Sunday 18th May we headed off to Nara Inlet on Hook Island and stayed there two nights - Karen & David spent an afternoon kayaking in Chris & Linda's kayaks which they enjoyed. Also did a walk to some aborigine caves with paintings on them but the paintings were nothing exceptional. On Tuesday morning we headed off up to Border Island (Gitano continued on their journey north and we will meet up with them probably in Townsville) and managed to get their early and get a mooring. .While there we went for a walk and then later in the afternoon had a snorkel to look at some nice coral, fish etc. It was probably better than any we had seen in the islands (other than Makongai in Fiji). We had planned to spend the night there but at 4pm an Aussi in a charter boat told us that we had been there long enough and wanted the mooring even though there were still two vacant ones there. So we did the decent thing and moved off and motored down to Apostle Bay on Whitsunday Island and had a very smooth anchorage.

Wednesday we headed to Whitehaven Beach which really is the only really beautiful beach - the sand was so white and was as fine as salt. Tourist boats were in and out of there all day and also at Border Island so they are obviously the hot spots. Spent the night at Whitehaven and then moved on around Whitsunday Island, past Hamilton Island into Cid Harbour where we spent the night at Sawmill Bay. On the way we caught an albacore tuna which nephew David hauled in so had tuna steaks for dinner and then Dave smoked the rest on Friday morning before we headed on back to Airlie Beach where we anchored off near the marina which was a bit more sheltered and I could get Marinanet broadband for my family fix. We walked into town in the afternoon and bought a crab net so hope to get some crabs. Did the markets in the rain and ended up getting wet twice as after Karen & David caught the bus to the airport Dave and I went for a 5-6km walk along the Centennial Boardwalk to Cannonvale. Started to rain again just before we got in the dinghy to go back to the boat. Was really the first rain we have had since we arrived back in Bundaberg at the beginning of March.

We didn't think the Whitsundays were that spectacular, other than Whitehaven Beach - we have better in NZ. Very few fish and no shell fish which doesn't add to the flavour.

Last Sunday (18th) on the radio I heard that a South African sailor had died after being hit by the boom off Frazer Island and suspected it was a couple we met and had a bit to do with in Bundaberg and I was proved right so we were pretty upset as they were very experienced sailors and have been sailing around the world for 10 years and we had made a loose arrangement to meet up in Malaysia next year so it is all very sad. For the boom to hit us we would have to be standing upright on the teak bit where we go down into the boat, but we also have a boom brake on which stops the boom from flying across if it gybes. If we are in the cockpit the boom is well above our heads.

Sunday 25th our journey continued on up north to Bowen.