Bundy to Brissy

Leaving behind the tentacles of the termite inspectors and with the final custom paper “Authority to Deal” safely in hand we set sails to go south. The pain of an empty valet was soon replaced with a better mood when the Great Sandy Strait appeared sheltered between Fraser Island and the mainland.  Sneaking around the many shallow sand bars was a bit challenging after being used to blue water! We eventually anchored at Sheridan Flat on the west coast of Fraser Island waving to Neil and Ruth on Ruthea. The sunset over the calm waters was magnificent.

Sheridan Flat/Fraser Island Sunset

Double Point Lighthouse

 Quickly off to the south entrance, we anchored in Pelican Bay among several well-known boats all waiting for a weather window to go further south.  Next morning we were off in a NE soft breeze negotiating the sandy spit and passing the Double Point Lighthouse. Then no wind, little wind and motoring by Noosa Head to enter Mooloolaba River just before sunset. We caught no fish!

At sunrise we left in light NE winds passing Caloundra Head and Bribie Island to enter Morton Bay and straight to Brisbane River. We caught no fish!

Minor traffic obstacles in the river

Brisbane CBD and the Botanical Garden moorings

The Story Bridge

 Brisbane River is an interesting experience. The river mouth is a busy place with rows of container ships, Roll-Off-Roll-On boxes and bulk carriers waiting to get in and out.  Passing the Rivergate Bridge, the local river traffic sets in. It’s a long way in before finally getting under the Story Bridge at Brisbane CBD. At sunset we anchored just upstream of the Botanical Garden in a marginal place. Although the Brisbane CBD is spectacular, the anchorage and the pole moorings are not! Next morning we decided to leave this experiment behind and found shelter in Scarborough Marina five miles north of the river mouth. It is time to see the family.

Wrap Up of a Pacific Passage

As a pistol used by the Kelly gang at the siege at Glenrowan, Victoria, in 1880, came under the hammer at a Melbourne auction we got out of jail! Getting ourselves and the boat through customs and quarantine in Bundaberg was not as bad as expected. The official Bundaberg team was a nice bunch of people and as soon as we understood the process, it was just a matter of patience.  Meeting the Port to Port people was also a nice experience and catching up with other cruisers from the Pacific passage quickly filled the day. It was only after some time on Australian soil reality caught up with us - or was it reality, hard to say! Marquesas and Tahiti seems a distant memory and this was only half the passage! Then followed Suvarow Reef in the Northern Cook Islands, Pago Pago in American Samoa, then beautiful Fiji where we were cruising the Yasawa Islands with Ib and spend a whole cyclone season in Vuda Point Marina. Then we were off to Vanuatu and Port Vila, cruising between the islands north to Peterson Bay with Heather. Then off to Huon and Chesterfield Reefs joining the Port to Port Rally straight into Bundaberg. Just before that our legs got shaky! Where do we want to go? Maybe a year in New Zealand or what about turning around and stay another season in Fiji – why the rush?

Memories of people, fellow cruisers and events along the way were many, some may say too many. Somewhere the tale has to end, because a new one will begin. This happened at the Tahiti – Moorea Rendezvous, this happen in Fiji, this happened in Port Vila, this happened in Bundaberg and many other places. Suddenly, it is time to say goodbye – it is all over!  What is left in our memories is not the hardship at sea, not the frustration over broken gear, not the time and money spent along the way. It is the adventure, the people and the friendship we shared along the way, it made us humble.

Daniels Bay, Marquesas

The Blue Lagoon, Manihi, Tomotos

Tahiti girls

Moorea Dance Group

Yadranka crossing Equator

Slipstream canoing, Papetee, Tahiti

Nothing ventured nothing gained!

Welcome to Australia

Bundaberg Blues

Melody: Heartbreak Hotel, distorted version.

I used to sail the oceans,

I used to sail the seas,

but now my boat is landlocked

for the custom fees -

My baby left me -

My baby left me -

My baby left me -

for the custom fees.

I joined the Port to Port race

on the wide open sea

hoped that this would get me

to the land of liberty -

My baby left me…

I left the port of Vila

in stormy southern seas

and headed for the Huon

and Chesterfield Reefs -

My baby left me…..

With Wreck Reef to starboard,

clearing Cato Reef 

I saw the Lady Elliot

and the evil Breakseas -

My baby left me….

Sailing up the river,

with rum on my mind,

I was towed to the jetty

For quarantine and fines -

My baby left me…..

So now my time has come,

I am left on my own,

the only comfort is Lady Elliot

and Bundaberg rum -

My baby left me….

Port to Port Rally or Reef, Rocking and Rolling

P2P Rally route

Sula sitting

I am writing to you from my favourite hang out in Bundaberg “The Sugar Cane Café”, a frinking and dishing establishment. Fait brought us here! We endured the worst passage of all from Chesterfield Reef to Bundaberg with raving winds and waves. The passage from Port Vila to Huon Reef and further to Chesterfield was a treat. Nice mellow trades and time for fishing, but we caught nothing and got a few hooks straighten out by unknown monsters. However, on approach to Chesterfield Reef fish were everywhere. We got an 8 kg Trevally! Nothing can beat fresh fish in the freezer!

Chesterfield Sunrise

Goodbye Chesterfield

Trevally Tandrum

Yadranka's Shells

Huon Holliday

The reefs were nice; it was time to relax with snorkelling and beach combing. Also time to socialise with other cruisers with the consequence that we ran out of booze! We spent time with Neil and Kathy on Attitude and Steve and Vicky on True Companions. On the spacious deck of their cat we were introduced to Mexican Train Domino – great fun! Watching the nesting birds on the islands was interesting. Even these remote reefs cannot escape the curse of humankind – floating garbage! There were many fresh turtle tracks indicating nesting activity. It was full moon!

Storm Approaching

We left Chesterfield Reef on a Saturday with the confidence of a load of grip files showing initial little SE winds and then freshen to about 16 knots for the next four days. Twenty four hours later we had fresh grip files and 25 knots winds gusting to 30 with six meters waves! It was like being in a washing machine – an industrial one! Fortunately, it was all out of SE so we raced on with boat speed up to 9.5 knots eventually settling to 7.5 knots with reduced Genoa and a trysail in the main. After 48 hours we were still in it easing to twenty, but expected to arrive in Bundaberg 12 hours earlier than we told the customs! Aeolus performed well, but the monitor was in constant need for adjustment. Water came over the cockpit so all navigating activity was from the hatch with small athletic excursions. Not much food – was once thinking about chewing on an old salty shoe!