We have finally commenced our voyage north in ‘Singing Duo’. We are currently anchored at the Great Sandy Straights in behind Fraser Island at an anchorage known as ‘Gary’s Anchorage’.
Yesterday morning a Dingo was walking along the beach so now when we go ashore, Maryanna is equipped with an ‘Anti-Dingo Extendable Tummy Tickler’. Not sure if it is going to keep the Dingoes away, but if they do come Maryanna can give them good scrub-down….
It is Day 4 for us.
Day 1 – We spent travelling from Scarborough to Mooloolaba which was quite relaxing, not very strong winds only a bit of gentle swell in the ocean.
Stayed overnight at Warren and Joan (friends) pontoon and had a nice
visit.
Day 2 – We continued north and while passing Noosa, we were pulled over by two uniformed officers in an official looking rubber dingy with blue flashing lights….I thought ‘shit we must be speeding!!!!’. Turns out it was the Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol people.. They called out ‘Put your boat in Neutral we want to board you!’ I thought ‘Maybe they are looking for ‘Boat People’…..’. Turns out, they wanted to check out if we had up to date up to date flares and life jackets, and after spending 20 minutes on board with the other bloke idling away in the Rubber Dingy, and just shooting the shit talking about dogs in particular Hungarian Vizslas (as he had one as well). All this of course at the Tax Payers Expense…what a job…
Shortly after that coming south past us was ‘Brahminy’ a monohull Yacht with other friends of ours Burney and Hans on board having a little mini-holiday. Amazing who you might meet out in the Pacific Ocean.
On our way again we had 5 dolphins playing with us for a few minutes and a little later about 1/2 Nautical Mile off the Port bow a mother and calf Humpbacked Whale swimming past.
We crossed the famous Wide Bay Bar (a notorious tricky area where the waves can break as you enter the shallows), which was a little like being in a washing machine, but for the most part quite manageable. Once we crossed the bar we decided to let Minni (the boat-dog) go for a run on the sandy spit called Pelican Bay, but don’t cut the corner will you Henk……oops! Hit bottom….stuck…should have listened to Maryanna!!!!! What else is new….luckily the tide still had 3 hours of incoming tide so it wasn’t long before we floated again. It gave us a chance to let Minni have a nice long run to wear down here energy. We then carried on further north to Gary’s Anchorage arriving just after sunset, catching up with our friends Merv and Marlene on ‘Rimfire’ a 32′ Fastback Sailing Catamaran and Nigel and Janet on ‘Cat Balou’ a 38′ Lightwave Sailing Cat. A quick dinner and off to bed.
Day 3 – Just relaxing at anchor and letting Minni run ashore. Another Lightwave Catamaran suddenly arrived near our anchorage, new people we had never met before Wayne and Donna aboard ‘AXIS MUNDI’ they normally run a charter business called ‘Robinson Cruises’ in Moreton Bay, but they are taking a week to relax and use the boat themselves. Invited them and the crews from ‘Rimfire’ and ‘Cat Balou’ over for ‘Sundowners’ on board ‘Singing Duo’… a couple of hours of chat and nibblies and drinks. Eventually everybody back to their respective boats… Then just enough time for a nice chicken and veggie stir fry, a bit of news on the T.V., then off to bed.
It’s rough…..
Day 4 – Much of the same, reading, relaxing, listening to the waves lap on the hull, a bit of music. I think I can get used to this…… Also Maryanna has Minni trained to pee on a large piece of artificial grass we have laying on the front tramps. Which saves a lot of hassle particularly last thing at night, no need for a midnight run to shore in the dingy…thanks God for that….This afternoon while on the beach at Gary’s we were being stalked by a dingo, it kept keeping an eye on Minni, or maybe it was me…. who kows…whatever it was a bit scary, we couldn’t get back on board quick enough.
The winds are a bit strong coming from the north but we are fairly protected where we are, probably moving further north tomorrow.
