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December 1st - To Brisbane
We left Mooloolaba at 04.00 am and arrived Manly Harbour at 1.00 pm on a calm, near windless, sunny day. We had the flood tide and up to an extra two knots of current with us most of the day.
The only distraction was when, for the first time in my sailing life, a voice came through on Channel 16 from a massive container ship. It was addressed to the sailing vessel ahead that was close to the main shipping channel. I suddenly realised that he was talking to me. It was a polite, clear English voice and he let me know that he was behind me and wanted to turn to starboard across my bows to enter the port of Brisbane. I, also politely, gave him permission to do so.

We have enjoyed such freedom in our cruising life over the past six months
Freedom to sail anywhere we felt like, dropping anchor in remote places, walking on deserted beaches. Freedom and the lack of the stresses of urban life. Freedom together with peace and quiet. And best of all Lorraine enjoyed it!
Now we are back in the land of rules and regulations. Don't do this, don't do that.
Why is this country so full of petty regulations, parking, block sizes, building regulations, bicycle helmets, parking, seatbelts, tree lopping, speed limits, shopping hours, grog sales, the list goes on and on.
Is it the convict heritage? It is certainly a dichotomy as Australians pride themselves on a casual, free and easy lifestyle and yet live under some of the pettiest regulations of any country in the developed world.
It makes you want to buy a boat and sail north.

Met up with some of the boats that we had come across over the last six months. Donna from Kidnapper cooked a chocolate cake for our parting lunch. We leave at 4.00 am in the morning for Brisbane and expect to dock at Manly around 2.00 pm.

Kidnapper

Does civilisation start in Mooloolaba?

November 27th Wide Bay Bar to Mooloolaba

Time and tide waits for no one and so at around 6.00 am, two hours before high tide, Antidote, Molokai, Defiance and Sweet Mango from Pelican Bay and three other boats whose names I know not, but who had anchored on the other side of the passage, headed out between Inskip Point and Fraser Island to cross the Wide Bay Bar.
The wind was 10/15 knots from the NE and the distance from the anchorage though the gap between the breaking seas of the north and south bars was 7 miles.
It was rough with seas around 1.5 metres but not a difficult passage on that day and we avoided any breaking waves.
Note for the appropriate authorities; the 15 deg sector light on Hook point is pathetic, we could barely make it out on a clear day and why the port and starboard segments either side of it don't work during the day is illogical as you have no idea, if you loose sight of this illusive light, which side of the sector you are on. It's all very well having waypoints and electronic instruments but in the case of failure you could be in serious trouble. This is supposed to be the most dangerous bar on the Queensland Coast and should be lit up like Kings Cross an Anzac Day.
Once clear of the bar, sails were set and we were off at over six knots with wave surfing taking us to seven and a half. We noticed Defiance a small 28 ft boat sailing single handed, but with small dog (ears up, peering forward over the rail) set a spinnaker straight away, and it stayed up all day. I would have needed all the Hamilton crew to have done this on that day!
The wind dropped after about an hour and the iron sail was switched on to maintain a tolerable average speed for this long 60 mile leg. By noon the wind had increased and with it the swell and we were off, really sailing and surfing, at a consistent seven knots plus. After a week or so of northerlies the seas had built up and this leg, now we were clear of the protection of the Great Barrier Reef is exposed to the Pacific Ocean swells. It was a very tiring sail as on these downwind legs with large following seas the autopilot steers a rather erratic course and we were hand steering constantly for the ten hours it took to get to Mooloolaba.
It was a very uncomfortable entry into Mooloolaba Harbour with breaking seas over the entrance and I was reminded of Don's infamous (and expensive) entry on Therapy many years ago.
It was hoped that we would be able to make the last leg to Brisbane on the following day, but just as we were dropping sails a strong wind and storm warning was broadcast on the VHF. We therefore decided to enjoy the delights of Mooloolaba for three days as Monday looks perfect for the last leg.

PS. Great to hear from Reg and Judy, and Arch and Glenda.
Reg, since you sold Flamingo II do you carry around a hand held VHF all the time, or have you secretly bought another boat (must be shallow draft if you can get into Caloundra!)?
Glenda, you shock me, the Samuel Peyps of sailing! He was far too risqu� for me.

Civilisation after the World's financial collapse.