0065 Christmas in Port

And for those of you who think that "in port" is referring to the drink, and we were in it, - WRONG !!   It is in Southport Yacht Club, the marina where Jamie and Suzie's yacht Solitaire (of Coast Guard fame - see previous entries !!) is currently moored.

Suzie and Jamie invited us down last night (21st Dec) to share a few (!!!) prawns with them, and a drink or three, while other boats that were lit up for Christmas paraded past us, and down to the Yacht Club restaurant, where they did a pirouette and then came back past us again.  We had the perfect position.

Anyway, I will write more, and caption the photos later - Just wanted to get the photos up for Suzie to see !!

Here :- https://picasaweb.google.com/117739775480775657932/0065ChristmasInPort?authkey=Gv1sRgCN2rvqLRuLnwNw#

Sailing to Gold Coast, Days 9 & 10

No sooner had I got back home than Jamie called me on Sunday evening to let me know the engine issue was sorted, and the weather was going to be just perfect for sailing the last leg to Surfers Paradise on Tuesday - Could I come back up to Mooloolaba on Monday evening for a 4.30 am departure Tuesday ?   I wanted to finish the journey, and Jamie is a good friend, so of course I said yes.  And with the 3 hour train journey from Surfers to Mooloolaba only cost $5.85 or so, it wasn't exactly a financial imposition. Neil who sailed with us last week had had to return home to Grafton for work, but Jamie had lined up Brady, a very experienced sailor, to join us (and make up for my old age and lack of sailing ability !!), so Brady and I caught the 4.30 train from Nerang, and set off north.  Conversation was easy because it turns out Brady likes cars almost as much as he likes sailing and racing yachts !!

Sailing to Gold Coast, Days 7 & 8, Dec 6th

Friday 6^th Dec    8 am the next morning and there was a diver at the dock with one of the Coast Guard officers, ready to go under Solitaire and sort out the rope issue.  After a quick check, and taking a few photos for report purposes (see attached photos that he took), he managed to free the rope, and reported that there was no apparent damage down there – Which was a big relief for Jamie.  Now we needed to find out what the engine problem was, and soon Jamie had lined up a mechanic through his sailing connections. We were able to shower in the Coast Guard offices which were right beside where we were docked, and that shower was BLISS  !!   Our last proper one had been  in Yeppoon  last Monday – 4 days ago !!!   Phew !!

Sailing to Gold Coast, Days 5 & 6, Dec 4th / 5th

Wed 4th Dec.  We were allowed  to sleep in this morning – woke up at 4.30 am for a 5 am departure !!!  Today was going to be another long haul down the coast with less than ideal winds and currents, but at least we had all slept like logs in a yacht that hardly moved in the calm waters of Pancake Creek.  Sailing out around the headland of Bustard Head (Captain Cook anchored here…), we passed the lighthouse which had

helped to guide us in the night before, and then the town of 1770. (Yes, that is its name !!)   While the weather was perfect and the seas flat, unfortunately the wind was not only minimal but also dead ahead, so we had to motorsail (engine plus main sail) down the coast at about 4 -5 knots.  This was not enough speed to get us to the shallows behind Fraser Island on the high tide, and also get us across the later Bar at Double Island Point, but fortunately the weather turned a little more favourable in the afternoon and we had some great sailing which helped us catch up some time. 

Sailing to Gold Coast Days 3 & 4. 2nd / 3rd Dec.

Mon 2^nd Dec.   Everyone was up by 6 am (the others were up long before that, but I snoozed on….), and after showers etc, we went up to the marina for a really good breakfast of things like Eggs Benedict, and plotted our day.  Final decision was to fuel up after lunch, then head out to Keppel Island, and hope the weather would be good (and the wind blowing in the right direction) for us to head south the next day. Right now the weather looks good until Thursday or Friday, which should enable us to reach Bundaberg, and maybe even Fraser Island, by which time we will know more accurately what is happening weatherwise.  At present it doesn’t look good, in which case Neil would have to fly home (he has work next Monday) and Jamie and I would hang around until we get a weather window to head south to the Gold Coast.  But we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

Sailing Solitaire to Gold Coast, Day 1 & 2, 30th Nov / 1st Dec

Sat 30^th Nov.  St Andrew’s Day.   Having only got back to the GC from Melbourne on Tuesday evening, and then losing Thursday afternoon and evening due to a “very enthusiastic” acupuncture session (Don’t ask !!), I was still unpacking while simultaneously trying to get everything ready to head off to Rockhampton.  My ex-neighbour Jamie had asked if I would like to help him sail his 45 ft yacht Solitaire down from Rockhampton to the Gold Coast – About a 6-7 day trip, dependent on weather.   Initially I had hesitated as I am truly a landlubber, but after some consideration I realised that this would probably be the only chance ever in my life to have such an adventure, and with a very good friend  – So despite it being way outside my comfort zone,  I accepted !!   Jamie’s brother in law Neil was also coming from northern NSW, so he came to our house and then Janet drove us up to Brisbane airport to catch the flight to Rockhampton – And it was bucketing down with rain !!! Luckily, being Saturday, the traffic was OK and we made it to the check in desk with about 10 minutes to spare.  By the time we got to the gate they were already boarding the plane, which was good !!  Easy flight to Rocky, and then Jamie met us a drove us back to Solitaire in the marina in Yeppoon.