Alex

**********  UPDATED  **********

Hello everyone! 

On my route to the shops...

Well… I’ve been living at the marina for a week now which has been great, except (you’ll be glad to hear) the weather has been terrible for the most part. On the odd afternoon where it hasn’t tipped it down I’ve been cycling around the area on Fi’s bike, to the shops and to the library to go on the internet. Once, and this is bizarre, I was riding along minding my own business when a magpie came flying along above me a foot from my head, repeatedly swooping down at me and grappling with my helmet! I screeched to a stop (on a main road) and it landed just by me – then a rediculous staring-competition started – I’d move foward, it’d move foward…I’d stop, it’d stop! I had to stare it down over my shoulder for around 200 meters until it was a speck standing stock still. Then two days later, it tried it again! This time I turned right around in my seat, pointed at it and shouted so loudly it flew off straight away! Bloody Aussie magpies.

Obviously I’ve managed to get online finally, as the internet has been down throughout the suburb after the worst storm (a ’super-cell’) in 25 years rolled over us! And what a storm! It came looming over towards the marina, with flashes of lightning every couple of seconds on the top of a huge bubble of cloud. I sat on the dodger watching the HUGE forked lighting getting closer and closer until it was right over head and I was getting deafened and soaked! We got away lightly compared to some leafy suburbs that look like war zones, it hasnt been off the radio for days and the government has issued disaster relief funds and brought in 600 soldiers! Quite exciting.

There was lightning flying all around this front...

I started work over the weekend which is quite good – I have to make maps of office pods, move the furniture and boxes etc and lift up the carpet tiles in government buildings, a proper backpacker’s job. The only problem is that I have to cycle 11.5 miles (one way!) to the station to get into Brisbane, which early in the morning and after work is bloody tiring! Oh well, it’ll keep me fit….

As I said, the weather has been terrible so I have been confined indoors most of the time, to read, listen to the radio and have a stab at some cooking (haha)… cheese on toast seems to be my staple diet… ) I was invited out for a nice meal at an italian restaraunt with the family living next door which was nice, although we had to drive around for ages to find a suburb with power!

 Finally, I’ve just been reminded of what a unique place Australia is – (bearing in mind that Aus. is an island continent…) I have just heard on the radio today that they are letting their Navy off for Christmas!  What a country… )

All the best for now, keep in touch, Al x

Bundaberg Marina

Well we’ve had a really good time in Bundaberg, although we felt a little rallyed-out towards the end. The rally put on all sorts of meals, sales and a sports day for us, which were good fun – especially the sports day as I won the thong throwing contest! (thong = flip-flop) ) The prize was a mini trophy, a sarong and some xxxx gold flip-flops, yyes! Other events included cane toad racing and one-handed prawn peeling.

We’ve been taking it pretty easy after our voyage really – eating some fantastic food, helping Lord Fred maneuver some big boat parts and meeting loads of friendly yachties, including one from Tywyn! (who agreed that its not up to much) )

We had a couple of good nights drinking and socialising with Fi and Chris’s long standing friends on Alaban and Lord Fred too – Fred and Rob from Lord Fred are in their late 60s, early 70s and hearing about their antics aboard and fixing their boat was like a carry-on film!

Three Ships also won a $100 marine shop voucher for the best dressed ship, and so much time was spent having a good browse for boat parts before we set off for Scarborough. We left with Alaban, racing our way down to Fraser Island through narrow channels where a few meters off course meant running aground. We did actually touch the bottom once, but we managed to get the sails down and motor off again easily enough. I glimpsed a Dugong a few times, which is a funny looking seal/dolphin/hippo, at Pelican bay – and then was woken up at 4.30am by it banging repeatedly into the boat!

Visiting our neighbours

The next day we sailed further down the coast to Mooloolaba, which is a pretty plush city and anchored up a river amongst million-dollar waterfront mansions with the odd superyaucht moored outside – we felt like aliens, just crusing in and crusing out the next day. We saw a pretty good example of Ozzy life on the way in, with hundreds of happy, fit Australians all walking, running, bodyboarding, surfing, rowing, dragon-boat racing, kite-surfing etc all over the beach and waterfront.

The next day we had a lesurely sail down into Scarborough, and on the way we passed huge blooms of algea in the sea and fleets of baby blue jellyfish spread over miles and miles – definately not a good place for a dip! Not in Aus, where even shells on the beach can kill you (seriously!)  )

Fi has lent me her bike and so I’ve been riding around town, finding the shops and internet cafes etc and checking out my home for the next 2 months. A couple from the boat next door came over to say hello yesterday, and when they heard that I was planning on getting a job Jonathan offered me one! And invited me around for a barbie sometime – unbelievable! So in a weeks time or so I’ll be shifting furniture and moving carpets in city offices… at least its not spar eh?

Heavy traffics a nightmare

There have been some impressive thunderstorms over the last two nights, but we’ve hunkered down with Fish and Chips and a good film or three. Also, Fi and Chris are off to the Uk tommorow, so Ive been learning how to look after the boat, bilges, pumps and power these last couple of days.

Well, Im looking foward to a taster of Aussie working life for a while, but Ive heard there is a skydiving club 5 miles away – so maybe it won’t be so ordinary! Cheers for now, thanks for keeping in touch, Al x

'Tu na Du' Last shore at New Cal.

We’ve finally arrived in Australia! The crossing only took 5 and a half days, which over 800 nautical miles is pretty quick. It was an ideal trip – we had really good weather for the most part, with plenty of wind and quite flat seas. Although we did have 4 meter rolling seas for the first two days and I was quite seasick – but once I recovered it was a lot more enjoyable.

We entertained ourselves with good books and scrabble during the day and took turns keeping watch during the night. My watch was 21:30 – 0:30, and then again from 5:30 – 8:30, and surprisingly I wasn’t tired. Probably as the whole night sky was lit up with stars and clouds of galaxies every night, and I spent a lot of time peering at the milky-way with binoculars – it was an awesome sight. Also, our bow waves sparkled with specks of luminous green phosphorous, which was really pretty,

Beautiful skys at sea

and every now and again a bright green patch would go off – as if someone had lit a big bright torch underwater.

Around half way through we heard that a fellow rally boat had crashed on a reef in the early hours and had to abandon ship with just what they were wearing! The Australian navy and other yachts went to help, but you can bet there was a lot of checking and re-checking of charts for hundreds of miles around after that!

One night on mine and Fiona’s watch, humpbacked whales sang to us for hours! One held a long, tuneful, echoing note for minutes at a time, while at least one more made more typical whale cries – it was an amazing sound!

Reelin it in

Also, we had a pod of around 15 dolphins swimming and jumping around the boat and the bow wave once, which was my first time seeing them up close and playing about in the wild. They didn’t stick around long enough for a photo though unfortunately.

After leaving the lures out for the whole time I’ve been on the boat (two weeks) we finally caught a fish 35 miles from the coast! And what a fish! We’d just come over the continental shelf, when Fi and Chris jumped up shouting ‘Fish!’ as they’re ears are well tuned to the ‘pang’ of the rod, and from there I reeled it in over around 20 minutes. We managed to get it alongside, where Chris hooked it with the gaff into the cockpit. It was a beautiful Dorado (Mahi-Mahi), around 1.1 meters long, and although we didn’t weigh it Chris’ guesstimate is between 8-9kg (20pounds)! Needless to say, it tasted delicious.

Well, were off to explore Bundaberg today where Im going to try and get my camera fixed etc. We’re planning on staying for a few days before heading down to Scarborough where Fi and Chris are leaving their boat for the winter. I may will join them down there, and look for a job using the boat as a base…

The prize!

All in all, it was a truly ideal crossing – so much so I’m considering sailing down to Sydney in the new year!

All the best for now, thanks for all the comments and messages everyone, its nice to hear your news. Al x

p.s. The Dorado is actually a shocking bright yellow and blue, with small spots – it looks fantastic, but after around a minute it all disappears so it looks less impressive in the photo.