It's 5 years to the day since we completed our Circumnavigation!
22 November 2014 | Mooloolaba, Qld, Australia
Today I received this lovely message from Heather:
"Just finished your book for the second time and enjoyed it again. I took it slow this time to appreciate it more. I then looked at the date and realized it is 5 years today when you sailed back into Brisbane. Think that deserves a champagne this afternoon for you and Bill if you need an excuse. Have a good day."
Wow! 5 years to the day since we completed our circumnavigation! Yes we will have to celebrate tonight that's for sure. I remember powering along at 9 knots in a strong northerly, exactly the same weather as we are having today. And as a yachtie said to me in South Africa as we were observing gorgeous animals in the wild - "Memories are better than things."
So here are some memories taken from an excerpt from our blog 5 years ago:
COMPLETED WORLD CIRCUMNAVIGATION!
24th November 2009
Rivergate Marina
Brisbane
The Captain and crew wish to announce that Valiam has circumnavigated the world.
Valiam has flown around the world in 2 years!
Australia departure passport stamp on board sailing vessel Valiam - Townsville: 23.11.2007
Australia arrival passport stamp on board sailing vessel Valiam - Brisbane 23.11.2009
Departure home port Mooloolaba: 5 November 2007
Due to arrive back in home port Mooloolaba: 26 November
30 countries
28,350 nautical miles
"How do you feel?" "What are you going to do now?" are the main questions asked by family and friends.
I feel tired today from the last few days! On Sunday 22nd the wind picked up considerably blowing at a good 25 knots from the northeast.
"She's sniffed the home paddock" says the captain
Valiam was doing 8-9 knots. We could see the hazy outline of land through the spray.
"Is it really Australia? It feels like when we saw Africa!"
We were buzzing with elation.
"We did it!"
The extra speed got us into Moreton Bay by about 4pm. As Moreton Bay is quite shallow the wind wave made for rough conditions. I sent sms message to family and friends near the Sunshine coast. We took the mainsail down to slow Valiam down. She continued galloping past Caloundra. Our friend Jackie and son Sean drove down from the Glasshouse Mountains to watch us sail past. It was lovely knowing someone was there to welcome us!! A dolphin also leapt around in the waves behind us.
The ship plotter was working so we could work out which way the ships were going as it got dark. In the old days when we used to sail Valiam in Moreton Bay we had no electronic gadgetry - not even a depth sounder! The chart plotter and electric autopilot made it so much easier to negotiate the channels when we were so tired.
Next morning we were at the Rivergate Marina quarantine dock (behind a locked cage!) in the Brisbane River. As we pulled up a young woman named Clare was there to catch our lines.
Elated and tired I said
"We've just circumnavigated the world!"
"If I had known I would have worn my good clothes!" she said.
It wasn't long before Customs and immigration officials turned up followed immediately by Quarantine officials. Everything went well. They were pleased with our prepared paperwork and all the 'quarantine items' that had been sprayed in garbage bags. Not one live insect could be found. I was happy that none of my wooden items or baskets had to be taken away.
"You did a good job on the spraying" she said.
So the only thing they took away were 6 knobs of garlic, a cucumber, 2 onions, a piece of ginger and the spice necklace that was hanging in the cabin. ( and a $340 quarantine fee)