From Australia 2015

From Australia 2015

Greetings from Brisbane. We did finally get a weather window to leave Port Stephens and do a three day passage to get here. I don't think it could've been any easier although our engine wouldn't think so- we motored much of the way. No problemo, we were thankful not to have wind against the 3-4 kt current that runs along this stretch of coast. It was great traveling with Jan & Rich on Slip Away and seeing them on the horizon the whole time. We would weave in & out from each other depending on who was fighting less current. I think traveling along Australia's east coast is the first time we've ever completed passages where we had internet the entire way! Trying to stay out of the current, we were never more than a few miles offshore so we always had 3G coverage. It adds a whole new dimension to watches, weather & tide checks, and just plain getting a few things accomplished while underway. The downside is you can then spend money while on passage since you can order stuff online...

From Australia 2015

We enjoyed our last few days in Port Stephens. Walking or biking on the paths with the parrots & cockatoos hanging out in the trees, you would think you're in a pet shoppe with all the racket. Combine that with the pungent smell of eucalyptus and it is unique to any other place we've been. I wish I could bottle up that smell and take it with me.
From Australia 2015

From Australia 2015

Yesterday, we came in a cut from sea called the Gold Coast Seaway and then rode the tide up an inland waterway that reminds us of the ICW. We got to about 25 miles from Brisbane and anchored at sunset. Had a good sleep with the boat all quiet and no hot bunking it for watches- what luxury. Then we rolled out early this morning near sunrise to ride the tide to Moreton Island, home of the Tangalooma Wrecks. I think the idea started back in 1963 to intentionally sink 15 decommissioned ships and create a more protected anchorage at Moreton Island. By default, these wrecks have of course become a great place to snorkel or dive. The water is super warm & clear and there are fish galore. The ships are well opened up so you can swim all around, in and on top of them. We took a nice walk on the beach with Jan & Rich to be sure we'd had enough sun for the day- nearly all of Moreton island is park. We plan to do a day walk tomorrow on trails. Then we'll head to the marina in a day or two. That means projects will resume- yuck!

From Australia 2015

We always foolishly think that each year we might have a "light" year for boat expenditures but it never works out that way. We did the solar panels, got a whole new house bank of batteries, we're pretty sure we're getting a new anchor and there were some other smaller items like a deck washdown pump and other "fun" things to add. Meanwhile, other things are breaking along the way- the MP3 player is shot, the propane sensor broke today, it never ends. But then the latest blow is our liferaft. When we researched a liferaft purchase at the boat show years ago, we shopped for it like we were buying a new car- comfort, safety, longevity. We wanted it to last and be of good quality. It had to be nice if we were going to spend any time in it. Stupid! We've been able to service it in the US between cruises but it's now due again. You might think there would be a place to service our Winslow in Australia- this huge continent, but no, there is not. There was one in NZ, but that was a year early and that's a lot of time to forfeit on a service bill. I always say misery loves company, and we nearly split a gut talking with our friend Richard when he at first scolded us for letting our raft expire in December, but then we discovered together that his had expired the month before. So he was in the same boat so to speak. Anyway, to make a long story short, we found out that there was a place in Melbourne that is just getting up & running to re-certify Winslow rafts but the price is more that it costs to just buy a whole new one and pay for the shipping from the USA to here! Richard's raft is only 3 years old so its even crazier for him. So what do you do, you need a raft... So much for a light year of expenses. At least everything is normal and makes total sense at the same time. With our new found knowledge, this new raft, if we go through with buying one this way, will be a 4 person, no frills raft. It won't be the Cadillac, more like the economy car. It feels much more like us. Sure hope we'll never have to use it!

From Australia 2015