Today is October 30, 2012 in the United States. And yesterday it was October 30, 2012 here in Queensland, Australia. A wonderful bonus to sailing down under is the celebration of a birthday two days in a row!! Yesterday, Sea Child was anchored just offshore Whitsunday Sailing Club at Airlie Beach. This club is a delightful stopover for visiting yachties as well as local sailors. Complete with inner harbor/boat ramp, including a nice long dinghy dock, the club also features a wonderful bar & restaurant, mini casino, full services including showers & laundry as well as incredible views. We returned to Airlie Beach because the freezer compressor on Sea Child had failed, and a local cruiser had recommended to us that Able Point Marina had a great refrigeration repair man. Hard to resist the recommendations of local sailors, all Aussie watermen have been spot on with destinations, tides, marinas, etc. So we headed over to Abel Point last week once we discovered our very bi g problem with the compressor and ordered a new one. While we waited for the new unit to arrive from Brisbane, Sea Child returned to the incredible Whitsunday Islands, and we gave special attention to the anchorage at Cid Harbor called Sawmills. On the west side of Whitsunday Island, Sawmills anchorage is quite popular with the charter boats as well as the local Aussie cruisers. When we first arrived there last week, we were kindly invited to a "sundaowner" where we met several other yachties and a couple from Tasmania in the far south. Prepared with bug spray and delicious appetizers, everyone mingled along the sandy beach just below the pines and palms and scrub that covers this national park island and made new friends and contacts as well. It was at this gathering that we learned about the repair facilities at Airlie Beach, a short 16 NM to our west. We enjoyed a tremendous hike up 1300' in about a mile on a rocky, steep trail where the top views were astounding of all the Whitsunday Islands and mainland Queensland in the distance. Whitehaven Beach, Hamilton Island, and the Great Barrier Reef in the distance were marvelous to view, especially after such a strenuous hike uphill. And the next day, we sailed around to the eastern shore of Whitsunday Island to that famous white strand beach of Whitehaven to play on the SUP boards and enjoy the glorious views. Note, though, that the anchorage at Haselwood Island just to the east of Whitsunday was one big pain in the butt. As the day drew long, we headed about a half mile to this beautiful looking island, only to be woken twice during the night with the anchor dragging in the gusty winds of an approaching squall line. So after a few days waiting for the lovely freezer compressor, we finally got the call that it had arrived back at Airlie Beach and could be installed today. So we headed back, with time to drive to Mackay and retrieve our absentee ballots, vote, and celebrate day #1 of the wonderful birthday. Today, our new compressor was installed, (Happy Birthday, Eric!!!) and we now are sailing back to Cid Harbor and Sawmills for another "sundaowner" on the beach! The winds are currently gusty, to 28 knots apparent SE and the seas slight. The main is reefed (single) and the jib is full. After two hot days & two fantastic birthday celebrations, we are beginning the 500 NM journey south to Brisbane with beautiful weather. Happy Birthday Eric!!!