Back to Townsville, Rene and Magnetic Island 14th - 24th April

 

Picnic Bay Magnetic Island

 

Peter and I flew into Townsville in the late afternoon and were met by Andrew, Peter's dad. Caught up with all the news and installed ourselves into his unit ready for the next few days. On Tuesday we took the ferry to Nelly Bay to find out how Rene had fared over the long, hot summer months. It has been a very dry summer here with no wet season to speak of. Apparently Magnetic Island usually has 800 - 900 mls of rain from December to March and they have received 40mls. Unfortunate for the locals, but obviously good for boats, as when we opened her up there was no dank smell of a long unaired interior or any sign of mould. The hull was barely covered with a fuzzy green slime and the propeller edges sported a rim of prickly barnacles. Peter removed these quick smart and the slime dropped off as we motored to Horseshoe Bay a couple of days later. This year we can give a miss to the haul out and anti fouling rigmarole, a considerable saving for us. Peter used Altex 5, (8 litres) which provided two coats and we are impressed.

For the last ten days we have spent time socialising with the family, restocking Rene ready for our 2015 sailing season and taking her for a shakedown trip of five days to Horseshoe Bay. The family are all well and enjoying their busy lives, Rene is ship shape and the short stay in Horseshoe Bay was perfect. We even had a lovely dose of rain one evening. The next morning we found about four inches of water in the dinghy. The rain was persistent and heavy as it can be in this part of the world. A welcome relief for the vegetation here and a distinct cooling of the temperature, which I have enjoyed.

Maud Bay Magnetic Island

Before we left Albany one of the teachers at a school where I was relief teaching asked me what we do all day. Of course there are all the usual jobs that one associates with a home: cleaning, washing, food shopping, cooking etc. Then there are the maintenance jobs on the boat. Periodically we need to refuel and take on water which usually requires some research to find out where this can be done and in what time frame. Research on chart plotter and paper charts as to where the next trip will be, anchorages, weather forecasts and blog etc take up more time. Peter and I spend much of our time keeping fit by walking either on designated walks for fun and health or to the shops, which are not always close, to purchase stores. Reading, socialising and for me stitchery projects fill in any gaps.

Most of these activities take longer on the boat. 'Shanks Pony' is not a quick form of transport. On Wednesday we decided it was time for a proper shower. Bucket baths in the cockpit are good, but eventually one feels the need of a hot shower. We are paying for the facilities at Magnetic Bay Marina so we thought it would be a good idea to make use of them. This involved an hour and a half walk, over a small mountain range and around two bays on the south side of the island to reach our destination. It was one of the best showers I've had, but it took time to get there. To be fair we took care of our exercise for the day at the same time.

I lost my morning tea apple to this mum and her friends at the old ferry wharf at Arcadia, Magnetic Island

Horseshoe Bay was beautiful as usual and we had a perfect few days there. An interesting walk took us along a sandy ridge next to the mangrove creek running parallel behind the beach. The paperbarks and pandanas palms were huge and provided welcome shade as we walked. Bird and reptile prints criss-crossed the path and one of the slithery tracks lacked the claw marks of a lizard. It was huge!!! Luckily we didn't sight the maker of that track.

For the next week or so we will be back in Townsville for 60th birthday celebrations and four or five days farm sitting for Peter's brother Clive and his partner, Virginia while they have a few days holiday. When we get a weather window we intend to sail/motor south to the Whitsundays to explore the places we missed last year.

We discovered this interesting letter box in Horseshoe Bay. Maybe they're trying to keep the bills at bay.

Goodbye Sydney, Back to Townsville and Rene 8th - 13th April, 2015

Lake Macquarie 8th & 9th April

Peter and I have been listening to the radio (no TV on Rene) and the continuing commentary on the foul weather conditions being experienced in NSW in the past 48 hours (23-4-15). We were there two weeks ago to catch up with our friends Roger and Carole at Toronto and to look in briefly on one of our favourite sailing grounds. They met us at the Fassifern train station and took us back to their place for lunch and Toronto news. In the afternoon we drove into Newcastle to see the Maritime Centre. We were all interested in the various shipwrecks in Stockton Bight and the horrendous weather that accompanied them. I'm glad we weren't there this week.

Roger and Carole have a new toy - Zeus. He is a quirky little run about that they are intending to use to explore some of the lake systems in NSW. We took Zeus for a motor around Toronto Bay and called in for coffee at our favourite coffee shop. Thanks for a lovely couple of days Roger and Carole. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

Sydney 10th - 13th April

Only a couple of days left in Sydney. We managed to squeeze in as much family time as possible, accompanying Leisha and Jessica to the park, harbour walks and shopping. On Saturday Greg, Leisha, Jessica, Peter and I decided to motor Ocean Street over to the south side of the harbour to Rose Bay. Peter and I did not stop there back in 2013 when we were in Sydney in Rene. I wanted to visit Vaucluse House as I had seen it in a garden book and the kitchen garden piqued my interest.

We anchored Ocean Street in 4m of water between two jetties and a large port hand marker. Rose Bay is shallow close in and it is best to anchor in the eastern bay as seaplanes use the western area.
Everyone piled in the dinghy and we landed on a small beach nearby. A short walk up the hill and we found ourselves in the grounds of Strickland House. This part of Sydney Harbour was once graced by family mansions surrounded by extensive parkland gardens. It appears that in the 1920's many of these properties were purchased by the government so that the people had access to the harbour and the properties could be used for community activities.

Strickland House

 



Peter and I have spent much of our many visits to Sydney walking the beautiful bush tracks along the north side of the harbour from Gore Cove to North Head and marvelled at the wonderful access that the public have to such an amazing place. Looking over to the south side and seeing suburbia stretching into the distance we did not realise that these lovely public parkland spaces existed. At Vaucluse House we watched as men, and women dressed in brightly coloured saris, arrived for an Indian wedding. Peter was not very complimentary about the music. He thought that it sounded a bit like - 'if your cat made a noise like that on the fence in the night you would shoot it!!!' The kitchen garden was a disappointment. Maybe it was because of the change of season.

 

Vaucluse House

 

 

 

Stables at Vaucluse House

On the 13th it was goodbye to Sydney for a while and off to Townsville, Peter's family and Rene tucked safely in her pen in Nelly Bay Magnetic Island. Thank you Greg, Leisha and Jessica for giving us such a lovely time in Sydney. We'll be back!

Greg Leisha and Jessica 

WELCOME TO SAILING RENE APRIL TO OCTOBER 2015

Goodbye Albany! Hello Sydney April 2015

We rumbled out of Albany on 29th March, aboard the TransWA bus, bound for Perth and two days with Karin, Paul and our delightful little granddaughter Isabelle. It was a quick stopover but lovely to catch up with them before we departed for our third year on the water in Rene, our trusty ocean home, for six more months. At present Rene is berthed at the Nelly Bay Marina on Magnetic Island and it will be interesting to find out how she has fared without our constant care and attention.

Peter and Isabelle

 



After our two days in Perth we flew to Sydney to have some time with Greg, Leisha and our first granddaughter, Jessica. We were looking forward to spending some time with them in Neutral Bay and also on their new yacht, Ocean Street. She is an Island Packet 37, perfect for cruising with a family. The plan was for a relaxing Easter break sailing to Broken Bay and Cowan Creek for five days. The first night was spent on a mooring at Quarantine Bay just inside North Head, Sydney Harbour as the wind was in the north and it would have been an unpleasant bouncy trip heading off into the wind.

Good Friday dawned clear and fresh as the southerly had arrived during the night and we were off as soon as everything was organised. With the 10 knot south easterly we made good progress and arrived in Broken Bay in time to  make sandwiches for lunch. Peter contacted Ric and Val from Arkaydes, who we met and sailed with in 2014, and they were tied up to a mooring in front of the waterfall in Refuge Bay. Greg motored Ocean Street in close and Ric offered to have us raft up with them for a night or two. What a magic position! Right in front of the waterfall and small beach. Perfect for trips ashore exploring and swimming and splashing in the little stream with Jessica.

 

 



Ocean Street rafted up with Arkaydes

 

 

 

Jessica collects seaweed at Refuge Cove

 

 



During Friday night the rain started and kept pouring down for the whole of Saturday. Everything seemed to be wet or damp and Greg and Leisha discovered a leak or two they did not previously know they had. By late afternoon we had all had enough of being confined to the boat so decided to sacrifice some clothes to the weather and take a dinghy ride ashore in the rain to see the waterfall which was now pounding over the cliff, swollen with the constant rain. We all got wet and cold and thoroughly enjoyed our little sojourn ashore.

 

Waterfall, Refuge Cove

 

 

 



Contemplating the view in the rain

 



Ric and Val invited us all over to Arkaydes for dinner. Ric made his Mexican special which everyone enjoyed punctuated with sailing tales from us all. Thanks Ric and Val - it was great to catch up with you and Tiger. Sunday saw us motor over to Brooklyn to put some of the wet towels in the laundry there and take advantage of the café for our morning coffee. The day was beautiful and after a motor around Dangar Island we made for Patonga Beach to anchor for the night. Jessica had a wonderful time playing on the beach with the strands of seaweed which she collected and made into a pile.

Monday dawned fresh and clear and after a quick trip to stretch our legs on the beach we motored off south towards Sydney. With very little wind we motored all the way and managed to be in time for the 2.15pm opening of Spit Bridge and were tied up to the mooring at Cammeray soon afterwards.
What a fantastic weekend! Thank you very much Greg and Leisha for a lovely weekend.

 

 

Greg, Jessica, Liz and Peter on Ocean Street in Refuge Cove