everything on a boat …

It has been a while since my last post. 

Our trip from Yeppoon to Maggie has had some ups and downs, but hey, what is it they say about the definition of cruising? 

Hmmm.  Cruising is really just about fixing your boat in exotic places or is it the word B O A T actually stands for “break out another thousand” or maybe it’s “everything on a boat is broken, you just don’t know it yet”??!!

Those “engine issues” in Yeppoon seemed to pile up for a few days, BUT after a quick reconnoiter by our mechanic, the Captain took charge and fixed them all himself.  We were back on track after 5 days in the marina. After catching up with our friends on Whiskers in Island Head Creek we went our separate ways. With a calm overnight forecast we decided to keep moving through the Percys, make up some time and wake up in the Whitsundays.

Why an overnighter? We were keen to catch up with our friends Carmel and Al from home who were unexpectedly holidaying in Airlie Beach and also to beat some forecasted strong winds. 

I am suffering from photo withdrawal though. No more reef visits to date. However, I did capture these whales breaching quite near us while on our passage through the Percy islands. There were two whales and we’re sure it was a mum teaching her calf some new tricks. It was quite spectacular seeing so many breaches one after the other. The splash these humpbacks make is humongous and so loud.  A very special moment.

Here’s a slideshow of one of the beaches …

Sunset passing Bluff Rock near Curlew Island and sunrise passing Brampton Island

We did squeeze in a Whitehaven Beach visit when we arrived in the Whitsundays, catching up with Vivacious and Serendipity V. Unbeknown to us, so did our friends from Airlie on a day tour boat. When we were there! Oops. 

Sunsets at Whitehaven Beach and Airlie Beach

While it was easy to think and hope that our recent engine issues could have been ‘it’ regarding maintenance, it doesn’t work that way on a boat and I think the saying “everything on a boat is broken, you just don’t know it yet” is so accurate.  

Airlie Beach Race Week was on.  With howling wind every day bar the last, we had a bit of fun watching some friends compete in the last race.  

Serious stuff this racing … our friends were crewing on Social Platform, the big cat in the RH photo.

These three photos from the race are of particular interest. The grey hulled cat is a Lidgard 52 (a ‘big’ Fusion). Gary Lidgard designed our Fusion 40 and there were rumblings a bigger Fusion was on the cards once upon a time but it didn’t eventuate. We have admired Avalanche from afar knowing it was a Lidgard design. But what about that squirt next to Avalanche playing with the big boys?? It’s a Magnum 8.5 trailer-sailer! Our sailing beginnings started with a Magnum and we thought they were ‘so big’. I was quite chuffed to get these boats in the same photo.

One of the parts we had to collect while in Airlie was a replacement boom gooseneck bolt. A 12 year old bolt fell out of its fitting while sailing way back in Hervey Bay. It dropped on the deck and with the boom then releasing from the mast, it was only the mainsail that was holding the boom up. Some lashing and temporary mods were made on the go. Fortunately Mr Seldon (it’s a Seldon part) was crewing in the Airlie races so we arranged to collect our bolt early one morning before he left for the day’s race. Very timely. Fez, the big cat Mr Seldon was crewing on, flipped over in the strong winds and partially sunk (we believe beacons are attached, identifying it, as it’s a potential navigational hazard in the Whitsunday Passage). Most importantly all the crew are ok, but the boat not so … phew, and we have our boom bolt!

With some socialising at Cape Gloucester, a visit to the Bowen market and catching a Spotty Mack during a lovely sail to Cape Upstart with Adagio, all was on track. Next stop Magnetic Island. A visit to Maggie is always a treat and it’s a great launching pad to visit the outer reefs..

Thanks for The Bossa photo Adagio

Then … our anchor winch jammed when retrieving it at Cape Upstart. The Captain had to pull it in by hand.  Fortunately most of the 40 metres of chain had been retrieved. A phone call to Muir along the way instigated a part being sent “overnight” to the Townsville marina.

We are currently in the Townsville marina … still waiting.  It seems “overnight” isn’t really overnight. Frustrating!  However, we need a dose of perspective as we have friends who have been held up in Gladstone for several weeks. Our hold ups are quite minor by comparison.