Brisbane - Moolooaba

Hello One And All

Well I can see Christmas is upon us once again as some of the shops in Brisbane are starting to put their trees and decorations up, and I am so far behind with it this year that I can see it passing before I have caught up. Me who never misses putting up a tree and doing something festive, is going to completely miss out this year. But in saying that I would not change this for all the world.

Saturday 24th. We have been here in Mooloolaba a week. The trip up was great. We left Brisbane at 5.25a.m. and it took two hours to motor back down the river and into Morton Bay. We had a wonderful sail up on the inside of Morton Island and on to Mooloolaba. We arrived here at 3.03p.m. It is a lovely place for yachts to stop over in. We are meeting lots who have come south for the hurricane season and will stay here till about April before going back to cruise the Great Barrier Reef next season. We went out to dinner with a group of them on Wednesday evening and everyone was swapping tales. We have met up with our old Oman friends Chris and Sam Fisher who have been great to us. We have been over to their place a couple of times for dinner and Sam took Helen and I along with another girl here on the Marina from America to the Eumundi Markets just north of here. That was a fun day out. We have also had Brian and Danna Rankin, the couple who had their “Seawind” Catamaran at the Auckland boat show which we saw, on board for a prawn BBQ which was fantastic. In fact we have having the same again tonight – big fat juicy ones, and they are beautiful. On Thursday we went to one of the local shopping centres in the tender as it is at the end of one of the water-ways. Not everyone goes shopping in a boat! Yesterday some friends of Helen and Dave’s, Peter and Lindy Vasey, who were also in Oman and who we knew of, came up from Brisbane and we all went out to lunch. Today I met up with Danna again and had a coffee. She is passing on a couple of things from their boat to us as they have theirs up for sale.

Tonight it is very warm and it is raining on and off. There is a big fishing competition on up here this weekend so the marina has filled up with fishing launches of all shapes and sizes. The folks on board are sure enjoying themselves and I can see it is going to be a long late night of parties for some. We are watching the Australian elections at the moment.

Monday Morning. We took ‘Shamal’ out for a sail yesterday. Chris Fisher and the youngest of his five daughters came with us. There was ulterior motive for going out as our holding tanks needed a good flush out after sitting in the marina for a week!!!! The other thing we did was to put up our MPS sail which is the huge colour one you fly out front. That was a whole lot of fun as we had only ever had it up once before and it was raised by one of the boys from the factory who came out to ‘show us the ropes’ on Sydney Harbour. I was the only one up front when he did it so it was my job to attach the ‘clew’ and ‘tack’ sheets to the correct corners of the sail. This bit of info is for you who know what I am talking about. Dad you will be very pleased I did not have it flying upside down or sideways!! Then last night we went back to their place for another roast dinner so we have been really spoilt.

Today it is raining again but very warm and we are making plans for the next leg of our journey which will be up to Maryborough – Helens home town. We have to cross a bar at the bottom end of Frazer Island so it is a case of getting the tides right etc. A bit of a tricky one but we are getting lots of advice from all who have done it, and most boats go in and out that way rather than taking the long way around the top. Alex and David are just off to the Coast Guard here to have a chat and get all the appropriate charts etc. To time it right we are looking at leaving around 10pm tomorrow night to arrive at slack water on the high tide the next day. We then go up as far as the Mary River where we have to anchor for the night before navigating the river in daylight. Murray we will be in Croc country then!!! We will spend a few days in Maryborough then carry on to Bundaberg which is on the mainland opposite the top end of Frazer Island. It is from here we will be leaving for Lord Howe Island and home. We still do not have our sailmail working to receive the weather fax but have found a guy in Bunby who will do this for us.

OK one and all I hope this finds you fit and well and embracing the Christmas Season like one should. Cakes and mince pies made, the ham and turkey ordered, tree up with the first of the presents under it, etc etc. Just don’t forget what it is truly all about.

Lots of love to you all

Ann and Alec