Hi to all,
Well we’re up to 9/7/08 and we’re still at Lizard Island. We haven’t had a lot of good weather really, lots of cloudy overcast days but still pretty warm. We still have our mates from ‘Kinchega’ & our yankie mates from ‘Barefeet’ with us plus an assortment of other yachties coming and going. So in between sausage sizzles on the beach at lunchtime & ‘pot lucks’ for dinner at night at the Lizard Island Yacht Club we are having a ball. I might say the Lizard Is. Y.C. consists of two picnic tables & chairs and one tree on the beach!!. We’re now up to 18/7 and very sad because tomorrow Erin & Chris (‘Barefeet’) leave us to keep heading north. So over to ‘Barefeet’ f’or some of Chris’s very lethal margaritas & a farewell party. We also said farewell to Ferne (‘Kinchega’) as she had to get back home so felt a bit lost. Anyway just to console ourselves we went ashore next night for sundowners on the beach, and after a few chardys came back to the boat for dinner BUT unfortunately in trying to negotiate the back steps of the boat, I missed altogether and ended up having a moonlight swim in Watsons Bay!! Of course Kev reckoned I was a little pissed but I didn’t think so.
We finally left lovely Lizard Is. on the 27/7 & had a lovely motor sail in S.E 10-15 knts all the way to Hope Is. Then left next morning for Low Isles (where Steve Irwin died).
Saw our first whales about an hour out, then Emma phoned to say she’d won a $1000 in a radio contest and to cap it off Kev caught a huge fish (enough for 3 meals). Arrived at Low Isles having sailed on dead flat seas all the way. Beautiful place and lots of fabulous coral ‘bommies’ to explore. Once again had huge batfish feeding off the back of the boat.
Sailing is weird!! After having two perfect days sailing we left Low Isles for a quick 8 nautical mile run across to Port Douglas and got absolutely hammered! Worst two hours of our journey so far. We had three days in Port Douglas and left on 2/8 for Fitzroy Island. Once again a magic sail in S.E. winds. Talk about lucky. Left next morning for High Island & another lovely sail of just 13 miles. Just after lunch we heard from ‘Out of the Blue ll’. They saw us anchored and radioed in on their way north. Such a shame to missed them. Kev caught another lovely big fish. He’s really getting good at huntering & gathering.
Left lovely High Is. next morning and nearly ran into 2 whales just off Mourilyn Harbour. Golly they where enormous. Stayed at North Barnard Is. that night. Very steep corally beach but still pretty.
Next day had another beautiful sail (10-15 S.E.) to Goolde Island which is just 13 miles south of Dunk Is. Spectacular island with an amazing camping area complete with BBQ’s & fresh water tank. The scenery here was awesome with the glorious Hinchinbrook mountains as a backdrop. So, so lucky to see this wonderful part of Oz. Next motored over towards Cardwell and anchored at Scraggy Point where we met some yachties we’d befriended last year at Great Keppel. So, of course lots of sundowners to catch up.
We decided to go into Hinchinbrook Marina at Cardwell for a week coz some fairly heavy weather predicted and who should we meet there but ‘Salacia’ & ‘Muscat 7’ ( two more Lightwaves) . So we had a fabulous time there. I organised a wharf party which was a great success. Had about twenty people down. Then on Sunday (10/8) Kev & I took a day trip on the Hinchinbrook Explorer which was fabulous. Went to places we wouldn’t normally see on our boat. Had a lovely lunch at the Resort at Cape Richards & walked over to Orchid Beach which is where they filmed ‘Nims Island’.
So finally left Cardwell along with ‘Salacia’ & Muscat 7′ & once again anchored at Scraggy Point for the night & A pot luck on ‘Salacia’. ‘Muscat 7’ just came over for the night.
Then this morning we motored on south down the Hinchinbrook Channel to Deluge Bay where we are now anchored with ‘Salacia’. Will probably head for Orpheous Is. tomorrow. The weather has been just lovely with quite cold nights. Just can’t believe we’ve been so far & seen so much. Of course our lovely Lightwave has been just amazing. Hey Roger how about a salesperson job at the next Boat Show? I reckon I could sell half a dozen! Simba has had a ball, God knows how he’ll amuse himself with no seagulls & scrub turkeys to chase at Ashby.
We hope this letter finds you all well & happy & would love to hear back how things are with you.
Take care sweetpeas
Lotsa love Paddy, Kev & Simba
