We are Heading Home!
30 August 2015 | Cape Gloucester
Fine and warm.
Tuesday was a quiet day, but I did go ashore for 4 o'clock drinks at the Cape Gloucester Eco Resort. While there I meet Dawson who gave me some good info and contacts for the Top Hat history I am writing.
On Wednesday I went ashore at the Eco Resort and walked around the road to Montes Reef Resort for a look. Most of the events took place at Montes. Back onboard I organised my flags for the best dressed yacht during the day competition. They also had one at night for the best lit boat. Later I went ashore, again to the Eco Resort for 4 o'clock drinks.
On Thursday I went ashore to get a tee shirt and cap and ended up volunteering as a First Aider as they only had a couple signed on. That night I went over to the Eco Resort and walked around the shore to Montes, as the tide was out. At Montes they had the introduction of the major VIP guests and sponsors for the Shag Islet Cruising Yacht Club Rendezvous. After that they had the Mud Crab races which raised over $1000. On the way home the walk to the Eco Resort was above the normal high tide mark and when I got to my dinghy it was just above the water but with quite a few dinghies, the owners had to swim for it to get them back ashore for their crews to get aboard.
Friday was the Shag Islet BBQ Party for members. With the party occurring during the low tide I moved my dinghy into deeper water twice before being left high and dry. One of the activities during the party was the flying of kites. While there I meet two Kiwi's from Dunedin in the South Island. Turned out one of them knew the blokes I had been associated with when I was the only Diving Instructor in the South Island and also the South Island sub-editor to a New Zealand magazine called, Dive South Pacific in the late 1960s. Small world! That evening we went ashore for tea at the Eco Resort.
Saturday was the big day. It started with the "Hands across the sea for Prostate Cancer". Here they organised all our dinghies into the shape of the Prostate Cancer Logo. It was very hot out on the water and as soon as they said 'That's it' I returned to Seaka, but the music went on for some time. In the afternoon I caught one of the two ferries [took 18 people each], circulation through the moored vessels, across to the shore and walked around to Montes. Reason for this was that the tide was even higher on Saturday night. The group photo was taken and then the auction started with quite a bit of money being raised. Also judged were the best dressed 1960s man and lady. The winning man was dressed as Fred Flintstone and one person paid $1000, just to see what he was wearing underneath. The evening meal, in four shifts, was good and after the last shift they had the fireworks, donated of course. I caught the second ferry out and both manage to cut dinghy mooring lines which caused a bit of a stir. I was back on Seaka at 2030, all done in. It was a big day.
Sunday was a slow start with the Pirates Party at the Eco Resort around noon. Mind you it had started around 0900 and would go to 2000 that night. A huge amount was spent over the bar and in donations. One girl who fronted, doing haircuts for the last four days, had the cutting off of her hair auctioned. Last I heard with still some to go she had raised over $17,000, a great effort indeed. I last heard that we had raised around $80,000 for Prostate Cancer Research and Support.
I was back onboard by 1530 and started doing all those small jobs necessary for going to sea. I brought the dinghy onboard to the foredeck as the sea will be flat tomorrow. With a low tide early tomorrow I'll be getting away about 0700 for Airlie Beach. I should be finished with my shopping by Tuesday and plan to sail for Thomas Island on Wednesday and thence to The Newry Group of Islands on Thursday. We will pause there until around Monday to let a southerly head wind pass through.
We are heading HOME after five and a half months away and should be there around mid-October.
There are new photos in the gallery.