June 8th - Port Douglas to Hope Island

Frank sprang out of bed at 6:30, got dressed and by 6:45 was walking to Mocka's. He returned shortly after 7 a.m. with our frozen bounty. I quickly repacked the croissants, meat pies and spanos into freezer bags and stowed them away. We hurriedly downed some coffee and prayed our way out of the marina. Thankfully this recent tide was a "high" low tide, yielding enough clearance for our departure, although I noted we stirred up quite a lot of river bottom (translate to brown murk), backing out of the berth and turning to exit the waterway.

Once we got underway we noticed how beautiful and dramatic this coastline is. Approaching the Daintree rainforest area everything is intensely green. Mountains drop steeply toward the sea, yielding to attractive white sand beaches along the waterfront. The colors are captivating, as the brilliant blue sky and the green of the landscape seem to meld into a clear turquoise that becomes the Coral Sea. Heavy thick cloud cover hovers at the mountain peaks, somewhat resembling a giant floating marshmallow. It is true that this is some of the best and prettiest sailing most of us will experience in our lifetimes.

Although 15+ knots of wind were forecasted, we saw a mere 5 knots (true), building to about 7.8 for the better part of our morning. There wasn't much swell, but heavy traffic from motor cats ferrying tourists out to the Reef rocked us endlessly until we managed to put enough miles between us and them. With 48 miles to go to Hope Island we hoped to pick up that forecasted sou'easterly, so with fingers crossed we unfulred the staysail for stability and carried on. After lunch time the wind began to build from a whisper to a promise allowing us to furl the staysail and hoist the genoa. We were enjoying a 6 or so knot sail when from the horizon emerged a large official looking vessel that appeared to be heading our way. Earlier we'd noticed a fairly lo-flying aircraft that might have been Customs. It didn't take long before the big gray/green cruiser with CUSTOMS boldly emblazoned across the vessel caught up and then slowed just off our starboard beam. It didn't approach but as Frank was spying it/them through the binoculars I said to him they are probably watching him right back with some seriously high-powered glasses. He laughed but kept looking. They cruised slowly alongside about 50 yards away for a few beats and, seeming satisfied, sped up and away. Now you see them, now you don't.

Hope Island way in the distance

Tiny little Hope Island

A little while later came the 17 - 20 knot trades and we were able to put out the whisker pole and wing out the genny for a blissfully perfect downwind sail into Hope Island. What a smooth ride! By the end of our journey we were cruising along at 8-9 knots in 25-knot winds. This is what we dream of, and what our sailing friends who have made this passage before us claimed it would be like once we passed north of Cairns. As soon as we had a good visual sighting of the anchorage, we noticed Avant Garde was rested there. Wow, they made some progress! Shortly after settling onto the mooring, we were greeted with a flyover, a really, really low flyover by CUSTOMS aircraft. Shortly afterward they radioed for a chat to each boat in the area. Eventually they got around to calling us. They were very friendly and a bit less intimidating than the officials in other countries have been. They assured us that we would see them and hear from them again along the coast. Before signing off, however they issued a friendly reminder to us NOT to go swimming and advised that the absolutely beautiful and inviting beach may not be safe from Salties. It really is a shame that these crocs are getting out to the offshore islands as well as the riverbeds and mainland shores and lagoons, making some of these beautiful reefs and reef islands unapproachable to us. Perhaps somehow that is nature's way of protecting her environs from the human invader. At least the island provides a beautiful and secure setting for us to stop for the night.

Sunset from Hope Isl over the mainland in the distance

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

June 7, 2012 - Port Douglas, Reuniting with Some Sydney Friends

A cruise ship had arrived at Port Douglas while we were sojourning at Thala, pouring a throng of visitors into the small town. The wharf had suddenly sprouted scores of vendors along the main passage through which we had to "pardon me" and "excuse me" on the back way to Destiny. By the way, we had checked dive prices from here going out to the Reef but decided for several reasons not to book: they pack the dive boats to overflowing, the boats all seem to converge on the same reefs (making it very crowded), and the prices are unbelievable for a 2-tank dive under these conditions. Being ferried out to the reef like cattle where, we have been informed by those who have gone before us, visibility is cloudy at best had lost its appeal to us. To book a smaller more private dive was so far outside of what we were willing to pay we realized we are better off on our own. You really cannot imagine this unless you come here to witness the mass of humanity that pours in and out of Cairns and Port Douglas alone just to see the Great Barrier Reef. The actual reef system is hundreds of miles long and comprised of hundreds of reefs, however many of them are not visited by the big dive operators. Another reason we didn't do it is that going to Thala had carved out precious cruising time from our schedule to get up the coast over the top of Cape York. We would be going out to the Reef on Destiny anyway.

We spent the day running around town procuring food and supplies to last us through the end of the month. This is the last town along this coast for us. Stepping into Mocka's, we placed our order for pies and croissants to be frozen for us to pick up very early Friday morning. We hope we thought of everything. I'm a little out of "provisioning" practice because we haven't cruised away form civilization in a long while. Leaving here will be quite like that. Although we are still in Australia this is like the last stop on the way to no-man's-land for us.

Back at the marina weaving our way through all the people back to Destiny I set to storing our goods, while Frank cleaned up outside. We had visitors arriving this afternoon. Colin and Scott (s/v Shazaam) from Sydney are holidaying nearby in their caravan (what we call a motor home or RV), and are joining us for happy hour on Destiny and then dinner at the Club. They arrived wearing big smiles and bearing a chilled bottle of very good champagne, which they presented to me for my birthday. I was indeed honored! When champagne glasses were called for, they were crestfallen when I didn't partake. They had forgotten that I had quit drinking several years ago. I assured them that I was very impressed and hugely grateful for their generous gift, then reminded them that this left much more of the precious nectar for them to enjoy. Not to be put off, Frank presented his glass insisting that he would take care of my share with pleasure. What a thoughtful man I married. I joined them by filling my champagne glass with sparkling water as we enjoyed a happy reunion. These two rate high among my favorite Aussies. After we munched on a few appetizers and covered all the goss, we walked over to the RSL Club for dinner. The place was packed to the gills and after we ordered a righteous feast Frank and I understood why the large crowd. The food was outstanding. We seriously stuffed ourselves on the platters of food Frank and Colin ordered for us all to share, and then moaning over our full stomachs we declared that a walk through town was in order to get the digestive systems churning.

As we walked the main drag, approaching a somewhat hidden walkway between two buildings, Colin asked if we had had a chance to dine at Nautilus. We had not and asked him what it was about. He stopped and pointed to the obscure pathway marked by a sign on a small marquis. He and Scott explained that Nautilus is not only the finest restaurant on the coast, it is by far the most beautiful and that dining here is a unique experience. Scott said we must at least have a look. We were intrigued to say the least as we followed them up a beautifully landscaped and steep cinder pathway. Just the walk up was an interesting and scenic little trek. When we arrived at the top we felt we'd stepped into a tropical jungle. My goodness! Whoever built this place put a masterpiece together. There is no ceiling as I think the dining areas are completely out of doors, yet Scott and Colin pointed to upward to call our attention to the retractable roof that was so well disguised we would not have seen it. They remarked that we might have dined here but we would more than likely have been unable to get a table at such a late date. As we stood gaping about we decided to ask if we could arrange to have dessert. The hostess indicated that the restaurant was full to capacity and seemed amused at our request, nonetheless she arranged a 4-person table in what appeared to be a lounge area.

What a lovely, romantic, elegant place to end this delightful evening. Colin said that Nautilus always features a soufflé special which he and Frank both ordered (mango), I chose the pear tarte tatin, while Scott opted for the wonderful chocolaty something. It was heaven. I can't imagine how wonderful dinner must be! We have certainly enjoyed the dining in this part of Australia - these Queenslanders know their way around food. The evening eventually came to a close and we all hugged goodbye hoping this is not for the last time.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

June 4,5,6,2011 - Thala Beach Lodge

Monday morning greeted us with sunny skies, dozens of stomping feet along the dock, the sound of rumbling helicopter and motor-cat engines and PA systems barking itineraries and safety procedures. Port Douglas was alive and ready for business. Destiny rocked in her berth as the big boats scuttled out toward the Reef, filled to capacity. We were on the commercial wharf. This is when I noticed the monohulls were on the "other pier". Just maybe this is why we got stuck coming into this one. No matter now, we were in. The transport van wouldn't be picking us up until 1:00, giving us plenty of time to walk around town after getting Destiny set up to sit unattended for a few days. Frank remembered that Andy and Melissa had lauded Mocka's Pies in Port Douglas for being the best they had eaten in Australia. Pie to an American generally indicates dessert. A pie to an Aussie is a meal. We've tasted meat pies in many places and generally gave them a pass, but Andy and Mel are not often off the mark so we stopped at Mocka's for lunch. I ordered a mini Original and a Spanokopita (spinach pie). Frank held back, still not convinced this is something he would enjoy settling for a strawberry custard tart. The crust on my pies was as good as any French pastry and the fillings were simply the best flavor combinations. Tasting mine, Frank soon returned to the counter to order his own. We were hooked! Thank you again, Andy and Mel! We asked the clerk if they would prepare some frozen pies for us to take on passage. Of course the response was a cheery, "No worries, Mate!"

Departure time arrived quickly, and fortunately we arrived 10 minutes early for the van. As soon as we boarded he closed the doors and sped off as I was still struggling along with my suitcase. He made a few more stops and by 1:00 we were well out of town heading toward our three-day getaway in paradise. On arrival we were immediately swept away as though we were the most important people on the face of the planet. Our personal hostess gave us a quick tour of the Lodge pointing out the dining, lounging, and bar areas and as she led us past the art gallery, gift shop, pools and lobby she directed our attention to the events board that displayed all of the activities for the week. She explained that their mission was to make our stay as pleasant as possible and that we were not to lift a finger unless we wished to do so. After our short welcome tour she then deposited us onto a large veranda area high above the trees with a sweeping view of the ocean and the resort's sprawling property below. Soon a waiter arrived handing each of us a freshly made tropical fruit drink and urged us to have a short rest until we were summoned by the staff member who would accompany us to our cabin. We relaxed into our seats and let the beauty and serenity wash over us, feeling no need for words.

A short while later our peaceful interlude was disrupted by a gentleman clearing his throat then quietly speaking our names. We both jolted a bit and then gathered ourselves for the short trip to our cabin where our bags awaited. We literally dumped our stuff and set off for a bit of exploring along the 145 acre estate. First was a trek down to the secluded beach.

Thala beach

We walked its entire length, oohing and aweing and then splashed along the water's edge where Frank took a dip but I found it a bit chilly, so I just skipped around in the shallows. What a gem they have here! Next we walked a good bit of the property noting how well hidden each cabin is among the canopy of rainforest. The owners certainly paid great respect to nature when constructing this amazing resort.

At 6 PM we attended a cultural presentation from two elders of the Kuku Yalanji tribe. We learned more from them in 45 minutes than from any other experience we'd had on Aboriginals, their customs, mystical beliefs, diets, history and handiwork. We learned of how they survived in the bush/rainforest and upon what trees, plants, rocks, fruits and animals. They use everything in nature to some degree in ways we would never have dreamed. One gentleman explained the didgeridoo's history and uses. He played for us and this time I felt a great appreciation for the specific sounds and notes that came from this amazing instrument, as never before. We came away from this demonstration with a renewed sense of respect and appreciation of these Aboriginals, their history and culture.

Dinner was nothing short of a culinary spiritual experience. I wish I had taken a copy of the resort's menu so that I could describe the meal parings. To say that I had crispy-skin salmon and Frank eye fillet steak (which we did have) is almost insulting to the chef. Whatever he or she does with food here is pure magic. I could go on and on and on but will leave it at "5-star+". After dinner we were to attend the stargazing at the resort's onsite observatory but those nasty clouds from down south had made their way here and completely obliterated the night sky, so the event was canceled. We opted for hanging out in our cozy cabin - Frank on the porch, feet propped up with his cleansing-ale in his hand while I headed for a great big aromatherapy bubble bath.

Tuesday: today is my birthday, goodness alive I'm 55! Frank presented me a big red hat (a gift on top of this amazing gift!) and promised that today was my day. Although a bit dreary, we donned swimsuits under our clothes anyway hoping we could mentally dissipate the clouds. We enjoyed a truly scrumptious late breakfast. Frank went to heaven on blueberry pancakes while I hovered around the massive honeycomb that drizzled fresh honey onto my awaiting croissant. This will be a difficult place to leave. After breakfast I dragged my laptop out, Frank his iPad, and we attempted to get connected to the outside world. Although wi-fi is free here in the lodge area it is not available anywhere else on the property, so of course anyone who wants to get a signal is assembled in this little area, causing a very slow connection.

We had no cell phone reception, which was fine by us because our intention was to get away for a few days, but both my brother and brother-in-law were also celebrating birthdays and I didn't want to miss giving a shout out at least. We managed to get a few messages out but finally gave up after watching the little icon just spin, connect and then spin finally deciding we could live without internet as well. Trotting our electronics back to the cabin, we wandered the property stopping by the pool and beach during times of intermittent sunlight.

 Trails meandered through the resort leading us up to high vantage points where we would just stand in awe, looking down at the beautiful waters of the Coral Sea on one side, and then on the bush trails we were taken up to the canopy above the cabins where we could see miles of rainforest. We never tired of just gazing out at these magnificent vistas. At 3:00 Herbie's Shack was open for drinks and snacks down on the beach. Frank grabbed a beer, sauntered over to a nearby hammock and plopped right down like he belonged there for eternity, a silly grin plastering his face. I carried my book to a picnic table and read while I sipped my dry ginger ale (wish they had these in America). Life couldn't get much better than this, could it? Yes, it could - dinner was yet to come. We had fallen victim to Thala's chef and couldn't wait until each and every mealtime. For my birthday dinner, Frank had the local fish (Emperor) and I feasted on rack of lamb, followed by an amazing presentation of birthday dessert that of course included chocolate and ice cream and it was some kind of special.

Wednesday was beautiful again, and after enjoying a splendid breakfast we gathered for the guided bushwalk/nature hike that took us through a large part of the resort. Our guide has been with Thala since before its inception when it was a working farm. Part of it is still a coconut farm. We saw some massive spiders, and monitor lizards as well as many species of birds, butterflies and flora. We enjoyed it immensely, and learned quite a lot about the local habitat in this special area of Northern Queensland.

Afterward, we lunched by one of the waterfalls at the rock pool and did nothing else for the entire day. Except dinner!

Thursday, we lingered over breakfast, much in denial about having to leave this secluded paradise. All too soon our 10:00 shuttle arrived to take us back to the real world. We both agreed we would return here in a heartbeat.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

June 2 & 3, 2012 - Saying Goodbye to Cairns and Our Friends - and Getting STUCK in The Mud

Saturday was crazyville in Cairns, with hoards of people arriving for the Iron Man events and weekend revelers pouring into the city. Officials, volunteers and vendors bustled about putting finishing touches on tents, stages, and staging areas all around town and up and down the waterfront. This afternoon will be the Iron Man Kids event yet we are determined to get all of our last minute business taken care of and to enjoy our final day here regardless of the pandemonium. Frank kept disappearing on me saying he had to go back to the tourist center for this and that. I was preoccupied with other tasks and didn't give much thought to these frequent absences. All the while, rainstorms continued their brutal assault upon us turning parts of the event's running track into slippery mudslides. Those poor "Iron Kids" have to compete in this mess.

Around 4:00 PM, Pauline and Meimei stopped by the boat for a tour. Meimei just could not imagine life on a boat. We wanted to show her that it isn't as bad as whatever pictures her imagination might have conjured. We spent a little while visiting over the cocktail hour and then walked over to the boardwalk for an early dinner. I think by now we were all bone tired of the weather, which will take the oomph out of any gang of rebels, so after dinner we strolled a bit before bidding each other an emotional farewell. Back on board Destiny Frank and I put the last minute touches on preparations to leave Sunday morning for Port Douglas.

We awoke early to the sound of swimmers at the end of the wharf, and to a brilliant blue sky. Finally the sun has broken through, a bit too late for our week in Cairns, but wonderful for the athletes and nice for our short trip to Port Douglas. Sunshine was a pleasant surprise; yet an even better one awaited me as I sat down to sip my first cup of coffee. Propped on the table in front of me was a large pamphlet titled "Thala Beach Lodge" displaying an alluring beach scene on the front and words written by Frank: "Happy Birthday, Barbara!!! June 4,5,6!" He booked this resort for us to spend my 55th birthday - what a sweetie! He then admitted the reason for his frequent absences; he was going back and forth to the tourist center because he couldn't do a proper online search with me hovering around all the time.

Leaving Cairns, on this magnificently clear morning we were able to take in picturesque coastlines and looming hillside landscapes that were previously denied us. Winds were fair with seas a bit rough for the first couple of hours, but as late morning unfolded we found the perfect point of sail riding the gentle swell up the coast to Port Douglas. We enjoyed the day so much, not believing how beautiful it turned out to be. Frank had timed our arrival in Port Douglas to catch the incoming tide because it can get very shallow in the river leading to the marina. Entering the river mouth our depth registered 1 foot below the keel. Oh, well maybe this is not a good idea. It was now 1:30 PM. We proceeded on in where the depth increased slightly, and as we arrived at the outer pier we began hailing the marina for directions to our reserved berth. We were instructed to stay close to the fingers of the dock and told that with our draft we should be fine. As we rounded the end of the first dock, Destiny's keel got sucked right into the mud bottom. We were sitting in the middle of the passageway between two busy piers stuck fast. People were standing around waiting to grab our dock lines and shouting directions at us. I found this pretty funny since we couldn't go anywhere. I smiled, waved and sat down on the front of the boat as Frank fervently revved the engine and the bow thruster in a frustrated effort to break free, meanwhile accomplishing nothing but stirring up blobs of mud. We were dug in! He waited about 15 minutes, cranked on the engine and tried it again. We managed to move a few feet before once again the muddy bottom bested us. This went on for about another half hour. Frank was not having any of it and persisted in his efforts to float us when Colin and Marion Cashmore (from s/v Avant Garde) appeared on the dock. They were waving and smiling which gave Frank all the more urge to free us from the bottom. Meanwhile tourist boats were coming and going all around us, giving their passengers a good show. I sat, smiled and waved back at them. Finally at around 3:00 we were able to slide into the center of the double berth, tossed our lines to those still waiting and were just able to get a short wrap on the cleat.

Colin trying to pull us in

  We were at least out of the waterway but too far from the finger to get off the boat. Colin and Marion stood and chatted with us for a good while - Frank tossing them drinks while we visited. No one ever thought to take pictures of the debacle. Colin and Marion had rented a car for the day in Cairns, had driven to Port Douglas and were walking the waterfront when we arrived at the river mouth. Watching our agonizing progress ratified their decision not to bring their yacht in here. At around 4:30, we were finally able to inch Destiny close enough to the pier for us to jump off. Colin and Marion had long gone, the Sunday Markets were now closed and we barely got to the Marina office before closing.

By the time we took care of business it was nearing dinnertime, so we took a stroll into town, which is just a few hundred yards from the waterfront. We liked Port Douglas immediately - although very touristy it has the feel of welcomeness. We strolled the center of town and dined at Jade Chinese garden for a very good meal. After dinner we walked around for a good while getting to know our surroundings before heading back to the Marina. Tomorrow we leave for Thala Beach Lodge.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

June 1, 2012 A Rainy Day Adventure Out of Cairns

Pauline and Meimei picked us up early Friday morning for our driving adventure. We were completely socked in by rain and fog but set off in high spirits nonetheless. Meimei first drove north along the coastal road to Kuranda, which is known for its sprawling markets and historic train. We arrived at 9:00 AM to find the place absolutely deserted. There was nary a soul around, so we drive on to the train station which, by all appearances, is like stepping back in time. I was reminded of an old Rogers and Hammerstein production, “Music Man”.  Charming is too quaint a word to describe this pristine setting.      Yes it was a setting - almost like a movie set. As we walked through the quiet station, Meimei murmured that everything here is very old. Just then a gentleman popped his head out of a doorway and pronounced "Including Me!" Ha ha, very clever! He stepped out from the building explaining to us "…the town won't come alive until the first train arrives at about 11:00 AM, or maybe 10:00 AM but it is a slow time and the weather is just dreadful…" We strolled around a bit longer, snapped a few photos and then drove over to the waterfalls at Barron Gorge, got out walked along the boardwalk to the lookout point where we observed nothing; it was too foggy and rainy to see even five feet in front of us. We could hear the waterfall but that's about it.

We hopped back in the car, drove back toward the market where some movement was just commencing. Most of the people opening their shops were reminiscent of flower children and hippies straight out of the 60's. Lots of dreadlocks, beads and attire that appeared to have been sewn together from boxes of old rags. We were in a time warp. There were a lot of naturals for sale: fabrics, yarn, teas, herbs, hemp, oils, candles, and the list goes on. Although only a couple of shops were open, we managed to find a creperie that was serving breakfast. We dined on scrumptious vegetarian breakfast crepes and rich steaming coffee. The café was outdoors; as are most of the markets there and by the time we finished eating the rain was now pouring down. The temperature had dropped as well giving us good reason to make a run for the car. We scurried into the car, now heading inland to Mareeba in the Tablelands.

At Mareeba we were salivating in anticipation of visiting Coffee World where we could sample unlimited quantities of coffee, chocolates, and teas. We were not to be disappointed. To Frank, Pauline and Meimei's delight, tastings also included unlimited samplings of coffee and chocolate liqueurs!!! Coffee World's onsite museum houses the largest collection of coffee paraphernalia in the world. We took the self-guided tour. During our tour, the rain reached storm proportions bringing a downpour so thunderous we could not hear a thing for a good 15 minutes as the roof of the building got absolutely pounded. We were very thankful not to be on the road just then, nor out on the water! Before and after the tour we sampled products until we were all on a sugar and caffeine buzz. In the end, Frank and I spent so much money on coffee beans, chocolates and tea (we are stocking up on coffee for the next 6 months) they threw in several freebies. One of those was a $45 bottle of chocolate liqueur. Poor Meimei had to rearrange her trunk to make space for everyone's purchases. They joy of our Coffee World adventure nearly made up for the horrible weather this day. By now Frank had taken over the driving duties leaving Meimei free to enjoy the trip as a passenger.

Leaving Mareeba we continued our drive through the countryside passing mountains overflowing dozens of waterfalls. Even through the dreary rain their beauty and majesty could not be obscured. You could spend a week just touring waterfalls and heritage sites in this region alone. Leaving the mountain area we ventured on down past Atherton to a site just outside Yungaburra that really is a do-not-miss to check out The Curtain Fig; a massive tree that I can't even begin to describe. Here in Australia what appear to us to be Banyan Trees are called Fig Trees. They do not resemble a fig that bears fruit as we know them, rather this type of fig tree is more parasitic. This Curtain Fig was like nothing we have ever seen, rising hundreds of feet into the sky supported by a wall - or curtain- of roots.

By now the cold and wet were getting to us all. We made a late lunch stop and then drove on back to Cairns. We ended the drive at Meimei's for a hot cup of tea and a rest before going to dinner at a Thai restaurant that was within walking distance of the marina. We lugged our purchases home in the drizzle, thankful that we were at least safely tucked away in a marina and not anchored out somewhere in this miserable weather.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

May 28 – 31, 2012 Cairns

The sun came out for nearly an entire day for the first time in ages today, and we walked around looking at the beautiful man-made lagoon along the waterfront, the shops along the Esplanade, the lovely old architecture combined with the new, giving it a strange feel for us. Cairns is very commercialized, with Asian-owned souvenir shops EVERYWHERE. On the flip side of this is the benefit of having great eateries, salons and every kind of shopping at our fingertips. Sadly on this beautiful day neither of us thought to bring our cameras. But Cairns lagoon and Esplanade are easily "googled", for probably a better picture than could be taken by us anyway. Today our main mission was a trip to Whitworth's Marine store that happened not to be at our fingertips. There is a very small but well equipped chandlery right at the marina and yet what we needed could not be found there.

Although we plan to have entirely new and updated electronics (chart plotter, radar, etc.) installed in either Singapore or Thailand, new requirements implemented January 2012 necessitate our installing an AIS component in order to cruise Singapore waters. We have been researching AIS devices with the assistance of our favorite Aussie electronics professional and have found one that will perfectly amalgamate with our current device.  We would like to install and utilize it on the way over "the top" to Darwin in case there are any glitches or bugs to work out before leaving Oz. Whitworth's is approximately a 4-mile walk from the marina. We could take a bus or a cab, but why not stretch our legs? Walking also gives us a better feel for what is where and the opportunity to stop wherever we like along the way at our own pace. We made a morning of it, paying visits to several stops on the way.  We ended our excursion at what we call the town square, although I didn't pay attention to what it is really called. It is sort of a people mall where we noted three things of import: there are more Aboriginal people in Cairns than anywhere we have yet been, there is a café named The Gingerbread House that serves the BEST French pastries, sandwiches, pies and the like, and I found a hair salon that felt right. We stopped for a very late lunch and while waiting for our meal to be served, I made my hair appointment and Frank watched people. After lunch we strolled about watching volunteers ready the town for the Iron Man competition that would be taking place over the weekend. This is a big one – full Iron Man, half Iron Man, Iron Man Kids and some other events including concerts and the whole she-bang. It is touted as a festival. We've been forewarned that beginning Friday the town will begin shutting down to accommodate the thousands of athletes and their support people; families, friends, trainers, and so on. Vendors are already pouring in.

All in all it was a lovely day, and as we wandered back toward the marina big dark clouds began building like giant black cotton balls being crammed on top of one another. It just might get ugly. It did get ugly and cold! Our plans to grill turned into Frank running out for a pizza (I would have cooked but he was Jones-ing for pizza), and then we snuggled up to watch Revenge on TV. Yes, we are hooked and enslaved to this show now every Monday night.

Tuesday we awoke to rain. Not much surprise there since the weather forecast calls for it the rest of the week, increasing toward the weekend. After some morning chores we grabbed raincoats and umbrellas and set off for separate venues – me to my hair appt., Frank in search of boat stuff. We met for lunch at the Gingerbread House, finished some business in town and returned to the boat to get warm and dry. We had looked into getting a rental car for a drive out of town to the Tablelands, and the surrounding countryside but the big event coming to town created too much difficulty for us to make it a manageable option.

Wednesday we set out – in the rain – just to get off the boat since we are on a dock and able to get out and walk around. Volunteers continued the seeming never-ending task of setting up the Iron Man courses that were becoming more muddied as passersby trod upon the parts that veered from road and sidewalk. What a mess. The sky is black/gray/sinister. It is freezing out.

Thursday – more of the same. Tonight my friend Pauline Broadhead is flying in to visit her life-long friend named Meimei Battaglini who lives here. We look forward to hooking up with them for dinner. Pauline arrived on a delayed flight, but no matter to us we met the two ladies at a restaurant down on the waterfront for dinner. Meimei is a delightful lady! She appreciated our problems around doing the rental car gig and offered to take us for a drive on Friday. So we parted with the promise of an early departure tomorrow for an adventure with Meimei and Pauline.

May 26, 27, 2012 Fitzroy Island and then Cairns

We survived the second night at Dunk Island a little more comfortably than the first; were up and away at first light. Light I suppose is a relative term because we mostly had rain and clouds overhead, but enjoyed a good push from the wind nearly making it all the way to Cairns.  Realizing that would be a stretch, we aimed just east of Cairns for Fitzroy Island – another of the islands that hosts a resort, yet welcomes day-trippers.  We dropped the hook east of the public wharf where ferries and other large craft deposit visitors from the mainland.  By the time we showered and dressed, darkness had dropped its black curtain over the sun.  The water was very choppy and the air quite cool, so we conned our foul-weather jackets for the splashy ride in. As we dinghied into shore, not having much light, we could not see that shore as it were was actually coral. We "ouched" our way barefooted, dragging the dinghy up onto a sandy patch, grabbed our shoes, and sought a place to clean off our feet and roll down our pants legs (well, mine anyway…Frank always wears shorts). My jeans had gotten soaked at the fold near my knees where I'd rolled them, so when I pulled them back down I had a completely soaking wet 6-inch ring around my knees. It looked pretty funny, but I acted as though I didn't notice the strange glances coming my way. We dined at an outdoor restaurant/bar area that closely resembled so many beach bars at resorts in the islands of Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu.  The food was a BBQ buffet that offered an amazing variety of MEAT. Good thing we aren't vegetarian because there was no other option for dinner. Casual guests are apparently not permitted to dine in the resort restaurant. Anyone who knows us would understand this didn't bother us one bit. There was a salad bar as well – but veggies??? Forget about it!  We enjoyed our dinner and although there was also music, we had sailed a long day to get here, so after we absolutely gorged ourselves at the buffet we headed back home to Destiny under (finally) clear blue, star-studded skies. Returning to the boat I brewed us some tea and we sipped as we watched the stars sparkle wildly above.

May 27, finally we faced a perfect morning, which by my designation means sleep in until 8 and enjoy a leisurely 12-mile sail into the mainland port of Cairns.  We arrived in the marina around mid-day, allowing for a slack tide approach into the berth. It was a cakewalk for Captain Frank. In fact he maneuvered us so expertly that the large motor yacht in the adjacent berth told us we are the very first boat to come in there without hitting him! Scallywag was already there. We paid a quick visit with Paul and Glor and then set off to explore the marina and to get checked in. This marina is NICE. The boardwalk along the water’s edge is chock-a-block with good restaurants, shops and tour operators. This is one of the main terminals for travelers to get hooked up with a trip out to the Great Barrier Reef (The Reef).  That night we walked into town for dinner at a wonderful Indian Restaurant on the Esplanade with Paul, Glor, Keith and Christine (from S/v Achates).

May 23 – 25, 2012 – Orpheus & Dunk Islands Dunk & Rough Weather

We left Townsville at 6:30 AM (in the cold rain) and immediately picked up a perfect sailing wind, onward to Orpheus Island, averaging between 6 – 9 knots of boat speed. Orpheus is said to be one of the prettiest islands, housing a top-end resort that does not allow children or casual visitors. That's all right, the next bay over from the research station is also very beautiful and a popular stop for private yachts. We arrived shortly before dusk and although it was rainy and dreary, we could see that this is truly a beautiful place. The rain could not completely obscure the blue of the water in Little Pioneer Bay. Just as we were relaxing before I started to prepare dinner, a very large tugboat came along depositing a great big barge behind us. Huh? What on earth? The tug then moved over about 100 yards and set anchor. We guessed they had a long haul and also needed a place to rest for the night. Then out of nowhere a fast moving Zodiac sped over, stopped by the tug for a few minutes, then raced past us and stopped by two other yachts in the bay before zipping over to Destiny. I was never going to get dinner made with all this activity going on and besides I didn't want to miss anything potentially interesting. The Zodiac was a Department of Fisheries tender, manned by two officials from Fisheries and Conservation or some such agencies. They stopped for a welcome visit, asked us a few questions about ourselves, our vessel and our trip, then quizzed us about the rules of fishing, anchoring, respecting the coral and the reef habitats. Satisfied that we were OK sort of folks, they wished us well, bade us a goodnight and fair winds on our journey before racing away to the station on shore. Nice couple of guys.

Because the weather was so rotten we spent only one night then eagerly left early Thursday morning, heading for pretty little Dunk Island. Several of our friends had spent time here in 2010, and praised it as one of the best stops they had made along their way to Darwin. From pictures we've seen and the description from our cruising guide, the Lonely Planet and from many others who have passed here before us we could not wait to get there and spend a few days.

The weather was unrelenting, however, and we just could not shake the rain, in fact it seemed to be chasing us. We were sailing OK, but were wet and cold, and ready for that nice break at Dunk Island.

After a long day of sailing, we arrived in the anchorage at Dunk Island. Something wasn't right. Even with the crummy weather there was no activity whatsoever. No sign of life on shore. Frank spoke my thoughts; "It looks like a ghost town". We pulled out the binocs, and while Frank was trying for a better view I booted up my Mac Book. The internet signal was good. I did a search for "resort at Dunk Island". The website came up but with a notice that the lovely resort was closed last year due to extensive damage from Cyclone Yasi. After all of the "research" I'd done on the place, never had I thought to check to see if it is still "alive". It was basically wiped off the map - decimated and of course it was now absolutely pouring down rain so we were being held hostage here by the elements. We danced a jig on the hook that night and slept very little when the full brunt of the storm hit. The wind howled like a banshee and tossed us like a cork, but we held fast and awoke to find that we had not moved an inch.

Friday, May 25^th we continued to be pelted with heavy rain and rocked by disturbed seas. We did not dare move from here. News reports indicated that Mackay had been ravaged by tornadoes last night. We knew this had been a big system, and now it is sitting above us. Our anchor is well dug in and we won't be leaving until tomorrow. We spent the day playing cards, reading and trying to capture glimpses of the resort through our binoculars. It looks war torn. How very sad.

May 20 – 22, 2012 Townsville, Australia

Ah, Townsville with its lovely marina setting, beautiful waterfront, easy access to shops, restaurants, museums, parks, and GELATO all along The Strand. "Gelatissimo" was just across the street from us. Dangerous.

Weather remains dismal but not our spirits. We set off for a stroll along The Strand and finding a trendy café with live jazz/blues music we planted ourselves for a delicious dinner and excellent entertainment by a local trio.

Monday we walked all over Townsville, taking in the sights, browsing shops and then realized a little late that we had not eaten lunch. Many of the cafés and restaurants had either closed or stopped serving.  We spied people eating at a bar called Longboard's and stuck our heads in to be told that they were no longer serving lunch but could offer the bar menu. We ordered crispy/spicy chicken wings and salt and pepper calamari that both turned out to be mouthwateringly delish. Chance delivered us another dining boon. Afterward we continued our stroll back toward the marina in the rain noting the attractive beach with posted warnings about the stingers, and boxes containing vinegar for application to the stings. I couldn't help but wonder how vinegar would and could counteract a deadly Irukanji or Box Jellyfish sting and yet hoped never to find out.

Tuesday was another on and off rainy day, but we had places to go and things to do. We finally located a back-up impeller at a chandlery across the river. The cost was 3 times what we would have paid West Marine but we are not in America anymore and have to keep reminding ourselves to get over it. I had also wanted to step into one or two of the museums in the area but when you are walking a town looking for boat parts and supplies time gets eaten up quickly. We pacified ourselves with a trip to Gelatissimo later in the day.  That night we dined at The Seaview Hotel that boasted the best steaks in Northern Queensland. I decided to try the steak, while Frank opted for wood fired pizza. As we often do we each eat half of our meal and then switch plates. I sadly admit that his pizza, although not the best we've had, was far better than my $40 steak and I had to fight him to take the steak for my half of the pizza. What a disappointment! Not even close to The Norman or Breaky Creek back in Brisbane. Big price ($40 for the steak) and big disappointment there.  

We planned another early departure for Wednesday, since the weather was not giving us much to look at or to do, and we were eager to get further north. Several locals told us the cruising from here north was the prettiest in all of Northern Queensland.

May 18 – 20, 2012 Island Hopping toward Townsville…Cape Upstart & Magnetic Island

Another 6:30 AM departure and another 10-hour day ahead, we departed Cape Gloucester under gray skies and with the semblance of decent winds. With recent erratic weather, however, the ocean was chopped up. We managed to pitch about until Destiny found a relatively comfortable point of sail, and at times we flew at up to 9 knots.  All day long the sails went up, the sails came down, we pushed to 9 knots and dropped to 4. We smoothly cruised onward and we pitched and rolled.  The sun came out; the rains poured down under threatening skies. One cannot accuse this day of being a boring one. Our concern and focus was arriving at Cape Upstart before sundown. We are constantly reminded not to cruise these waters at night, and although some cruisers do, we prefer to keep it to day trips.

We finally rounded the point to Cape Upstart and moved along the shoreline seeking a reasonably calm spot to drop the hook for the night. We made it in about an hour before dusk. Perfect timing. I'm bushed and just want to have an early dinner and sleep.  This weather is getting tiresome. Although the anchorage is quite safe and well protected we heard loud whistling and thundering bullets gusting and pulling at Destiny all night long. Frank mostly slept through them, but I was awakened several times, so that 5:45 AM came much too soon.

Up and away we caught great wind and spent a wonderful 12-hour day sailing to Magnetic Island in spite of the rainstorms and dark skies.  This time, arriving after dusk, we dropped the anchor in Horseshoe Bay at 5:30 PM. It appears to be a great spot to go to shore, enjoy some good food, have some fun and explore this popular island, which the locals nicknamed "Maggie", but the weather was absolutely dreadful.  We opted for dinner onboard and another early evening.  I was able to pick up intermittent internet access and got an email from some other cruisers with news that our friends on Scallywag blew out a headsail on their trip to Cairns.  This is not good news, as it rates among the top ten of a cruiser's worst nightmare. Poor Scallys!

Meanwhile aboard the good ship Destiny, our generator had begun acting up and then quit altogether, overheating. Captain Frank flew into troubleshooting mode, checking all of the through hulls and hoses, filters, etc. I asked him several times (in my annoying wife-way); "Could it be the impeller?" He would firmly answer "No". Then after more of his unsuccessful searches, I asked; "Are you sure it couldn't be the impeller?" Response "No, it could not be, it only has 300 hours on it".  After hours of failed attempts locating the source of the generator's failure and having to run the engine to charge the batteries, watching my husband become more and more exasperated I insisted; "Why don't you just check the impeller?" Guess what???? The impeller had blown to bits – literally. Frank was none to happy about only getting about 300 hours out of a 1000-hour product. Fortunately we had a spare, which got installed immediately, and then we began to look for the shredded pieces that had come off which are normally found scattered about the bottom of the housing.  They, however, where nowhere to be seen and seemed to have vanished into thin air. Frank eventually located where they had been sucked into the seawater discharge pipe, and gingerly picked them out with the angled needle-nose pliers amazed that 6 or 7 of the little rubber blades ended up packed in there. What an exciting night, and we thought there would be nothing fun to do.

Moral of the (generator) story: So, ladies – no matter how much your men roll their eyes and treat you like a pest don't give up on your gut instincts. I am often in a position of ineptitude and helplessness in this new life because I am always "still learning". I do not have as much self-confidence as I do insecurity and fear, so if I let that drive me then I lose the baby steps I have gained thus far.

May 17 – 18, 2011 - Airlie Beach to Cape Gloucester – Monte’s Resort

Winds in the anchorage at Airlie beach gave us a clear indication that we would enjoy a good sail up to Cape Gloucester. Weighing anchor at around 9:00 AM, then bucking clear of the bay we drank the wind! Destiny cruised a nice 7 – 8.5 knots up to the Cape enjoying 25+ knot winds from the SE. The days are becoming more partly cloudy than sunny as we near the tropical area of North Queensland. Rains are coming in scattered patterns leaving us just enough blue sky to catch patches of the beauty of these waters. The hues run from turquoise green to aqua blue, interchangeably.

Approaching Cape Gloucester we hit a fairly strong headwind that was whipping around the island and through the channel. The chop made for a bumpy ride around the point and into the very shallow bay. We carefully picked our way around cardinal buoys marking the shallows. We could not get closer to shore than about 100 yards before registering 4 feet under the keel. It is mid-rising tide now, which clearly indicated we needed to back away. The deepest spot we found to drop the hook was in 8 feet (under the keel).  Although there was a fair bit of wind in this anchorage, the chop was erratic but slight given the shallow depths. We donned resort attire, put on our reef-walkers (carrying our dress flip-flops), and went to shore for lunch at Monte's Resort, which is a lovely bungalow-style getaway situated on a pretty sand beach. We spent the afternoon there. The food was outstanding. The resort personnel welcomed us as though we belonged. Later on, we walked the beach and then when it looked like we would soon lose our sun, and the incoming tide might float the dinghy we returned to Destiny for the night. We considered sticking around this little paradise for another day, but the urge to get a move on and catch up with Scallywag was more compelling. We would need another early start tomorrow to make the next stop before sundown. The days are getting shorter much faster as winter approaches, making dayhops strategic. Most anchorages in these parts are very swelly/rolly and exposed, so to find one that is bearable we have to often stretch ourselves, pushing the daylight hours, and testing these unpredictable winds.

May 15 – 16, 2012 - Airlie Beach, QLD, Australia

We enjoyed a fantastic sail from Hamilton Island to Airlie Beach.  The sailing wind right now is great and alternatively the anchorages are a bit rough yet not unbearable.  We phoned the marina to secure a berth but when we were told that we would need a $10,000,000.00 Certificate of Currency bond (like a liability coverage), we gasped and said that we would just anchor in the mooring field off Airlie Beach. Fortunately the yacht club is a short dinghy ride away and was the obvious choice for dinner. Our meal was excellent leaving us to feel good about the choice, but afterward about 200 yards into an after dinner stroll the temperature dropped significantly sending us straight home. We still had not heard from our new friend, Barton.

Wednesday brought a pretty yet windy day, nice enough to explore Airlie Beach. Strolling around this charming town we were reminded of a North Queensland version of Byron Bay. It is a bit artsy and a little more backpacker-ish. Lovely. 

We walked along the beach where some clever artist sculpted the torso of a young dragon in the sand, I dropped a small donation in the proffered bucket. We continued our stroll past the Airlie Lagoon which is a perfect alternative to swimming in the bay, where the worrying factor would be the deadly Irukandji; thumbnail size jellyfish that make an appearance in these waters from October to May.

We meandered onward to the marina and then back into the main thoroughfare for a memorable lunch at a local pub. It drizzled on and off all day, putting a bit of a damper on our sense of adventure. Eventually we decided to take the public bus to Airlie's local shopping center a few miles out of town where we were able to re-stock our depleted food supplies. Once again rainclouds were threatening as we returned across the choppy bay to Destiny. As of 9 PM we still haven't heard from either Barton or Juri so we made the decision to head onward tomorrow.