Saturday 30 November 2013

Christmas Road Trip

Like many boats we have parked up in Brisbane for the cyclone season. Others who will cruise North again next year have headed off to Europe, Melbourne, Sydney and elsewhere, leaving their boats in Brisbane or Mooloolaba. We aren't headed North again next year but have still headed off on a road trip for Christmas. We plan on visiting family in NSW, currently in Port Macquarie then off to Sodwalls, before returning to the boat after Christmas. From there our plans are uncertain, there's too many options! 

Remembrance Day at Mapleton


Thursday 21 November 2013

To Brisbane

We crossed the Wide Bay Bar after a wait of a few days for the right weather. We were anchored the night before the bar crossing at Pelican Point with about 6 other boats waiting to cross. We calculated the tide to be best for the crossing at about 0900 but despite this we awoke at about 0600 to see an empty anchorage with all the other boats having already left.  We stuck to our plan however and crossed a very calm bar that looked markedly different from the washing machine we had come across a few months ago.

The Sandhills of Rainbow Beach

A long day saw us in Mooloolaba that evening and we enjoyed getting back into the surf at the local beaches and also catching up with friends in the beautiful hinterland.

From here we sailed South to Moreton Bay through a convoluted route due to sandbanks and we are now at Scarborough on the outskirts of Brisbane. We have enjoyed seeing our friends from the yacht Last Dance again here after spending some great times with them up north.

The Local Lagoon
Tree Climbing
We are going to spend a bit more time here catching up with various friends and exploring the local area.

Tuesday 5 November 2013

Big Barrel and Marina Muddies

From Yeppoon we went back out to wonderful Great Keppel Island for a last burst of clear water and sandy beach goodness. Then it was a dawn start for the 70nm down to Pancake Creek. 

From Pancake Creek we had a fantastic sail in a good 20kts of tail wind to Bundaberg where we holed up for a few days while the SE winds blew. Luckily our friend Lozza was in town at his parents house at nearby Elliot Heads so we enjoyed catching up and also seeing the local sights.

Swimming at Elliot Heads
We made the obligatory visit to the Bundaberg Ginger Beer factory and enjoyed swimming in the estuary at Elliot Heads. The girls hooked up with some kids off two other boats, one from Germany and one from New Zealand, and despite a bit of a language barrier (with the Germans that is!) the girls had a ball playing around the marina with the tribe.

Learning how to make Ginger Beer
The Big Barrel 

Next stop after another day sail was Urangan in Hervey Bay. That's where we are now waiting out more Southerlies before heading down the Sandy Straits and to Mooloolaba. 

While in the Urangan Marina and on local advice we set the crab pot under the boat and caught a big muddie. It was a female so we put it back and besides this we'd become a bit uncomfortable about eating something out of the marina. 




D'Arcy meets a local

Marina Muddie!