Monday 31 October 2011

Stuck in Coffs Harbour

Have arrived in Coffs Harbour after making some quick miles down the coast from moolooaba. Crew have now departed and am waiting for the southerly to die down before the final run to Sydney.
We sailed through Great sandy straights behind Fraser island is a magic part of the world, you could easily spend a month here, next year maybe. Pics below.
Rob left in moolooaba after two weeks, I was lucky to have him Onboard, anyone ex navy is always welcome, they love to polish and scrub!
With the southerly predicted, scot and I decided to do a 30 hour sail straight to moolooaba and miss southport all together, we chugged along averaging 7 knots with 1000 rpm and a 10 to 15 knt ENE breeze. There are lots other yachts here all awaiting the weather, the marina is actually full! Pic below

Now I also promised a rundown of our wharf neighbors in bundaberg, linda and warren onboard 'leisure lee' I have put everything down in the ships log, so this is just a quick summary.
The bundaberg mid town marina was washed away in the recent floods and remaining or new wharf space is a premium, liveaboards have priority. we were lucky as one yacht had gone on the slip the day we were in town. Our lines were eagerly taken and friendly gestures were as good as anywhere, Linda even presented us with a homemade muffin, pic on previous blog.
Returning from the Bundy distillery I invited them on board for a quick drink, the next 4 hours we kept the marina awake with laughing that neither rob or I have done for ages, these guys are a undiscovered by the entertainment world but surely have to be soon.
Bundy locals and empty nesters, they sold up house and bought a boat to live aboard and learn boats, neither had any experience, zero! For two years they have been out 6 times and had to be rescued and towed back 5, what made the stories funny was that firstly they should not have been there, any small nautical knowledge would have seen them through, they didn't have a nautical term between them thus making their boating mishaps stories sound unreal.
I wont go into depth with all the stories as usual a lot is in the telling, like the time Linda thought if she put a lead weight on the dock line, then she would be able to look better when she threw it to waiting hands on the dock, yep hit em in the head and knocked them out.

The swingers club in burdett heads boat harbour, failed whale watching, marina gossip to make north shore mums look tame, aground on sand bars and numerous failed trips to lady musgrave island, (I was disappointed the we didn't get ES there this trip, these guys are only 30 miles away and have been trying for 2 years) to get these stories in full, tie up at the marina and ask them over for a drink, you will have a great night.
Theirs is a story that need to be in a book, very similar to teenagers sailing round the world, neither know what they are up for, just a touch difference in age.
Anyone like to sail from Coffs to Sydney, am hoping to leave Friday morning, let me know

1 comment:

  1. Top photo has to be the Great Sandy Straights ??? So calm ....
    Scot told me the main is out of action. Is that because of the temporary boom repair from Race Week ?

    Hurry up and get home. It is soooooooo Boooooring here.

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