Life aboard Shamal

Hello Again.

Thanks to you all for your emails.

This is our second note to you- first from Australia – Well it has all come together after 18 months of planning. SHAMAL is beautiful. She is bigger than what we remembered and so comfortable. We arrived Sunday week ago and moved aboard on the Wednesday. Our base is the Birkenhead Marina upper harbour. Helen and David are staying with their daughter Wendy who only lives a short distance away. They will move on board this coming weekend. We will be at the berth in the marina till Thursday when we then move across the bay to a mooring. Alex has got the tender up and running and we have been for a motor around this bay, so that will be our transport from Thursday on.

We have spent most of our time getting familiar with everything on board and sorting out a few defects – nothing too major, and, shopping for all those things we did not send over. That has been fun. We have had the use of Wendy’s car while she is at work during the day which has been wonderful. I also have ‘Aunty Useful’. [named by Helen] She is one of those old ladies shopping bags on wheels – a wonderful invention as it saves your arms when it comes to bringing all the stuff back to the boat.

Now this bit is for you girls out there who know me. Oh I how I wish you could see me now – well maybe not. Gone is all my gypsy gold which I never took off!! Still wear the black pearl earrings Dad, the ones you gave me, and three of my rings which I just can’t get off. Hair – never looked so bad. The hair drier was packed away so it is washed and how it dries is the look for the day!!. Then there are the shorts. Yes they have come out of the cupboard. When we first arrived the temps went up into the mid 30’s. It has cooled back down to the low 20’s again. I can’t say I look as good in them as I did 20 years ago. But it all comes down to comfort and being practical. Well that’s what I keep telling myself. Of course this is all topped off with a hat that stays on and a large pair of sunglasses. The only thing missing [Charlie this is for your interest] is my new pair of crocks!!! Promise I won’t get the bright pink ones.

We have had a couple of lovely days out on the harbour being shown the ropes - and I can tell you there are plenty of them. At this stage I can’t remember what you pull up or down first. [16 of them!!!] Thank goodness they are all labelled. We have had the MPS up and she is beautiful. Will post you a photo of that when I can. First day out Helen and David came and it was a crash course on everything, so I didn’t remember a thing!! The next day out was with a different guy who carried on a bottle of wine and decided we would have a fun slow day out trying out what we wanted. That was really good, not that I remember too much but I am sure that over time something will sink in. Oh we did pull into a bay and moored for lunch. I drove the ship onto the mooring while Alex picked it up. I did a first class job Molly!

The Seawind company who made the boat, have asked us to join them in a regatta at the end of this month. Our plans to date are to move up to Pittwater about next Tuesday, which is about four hours up the coast. It is the next harbour up from Sydney, and where the regatta will be held. We can then spend time sailing around more and trying everything out. That harbour is said not to be as busy as Sydney. I tell you the traffic on the water here is just as bad as on the roads around town. One has to watch out for everything from kayakers and rowers to the harbour ferries and bigger ships.

OK will sign off for this one. Hope this finds you all well.

Take care

Love Alex and Ann