March 11 – 15, 2012 – Last Time at Coffs Harbour and a Visit From Friends

Good Sail for the first part of our day and then as a curtain falls, so did the wind. We made it into the marina at Coffs Harbour in time to get checked and for the boys to scramble off to the yacht club for drinks. I opted for some solitude.

Monday, the boys took off for a round of golf while I went into town.  I enjoyed my day of no men. It is nice that Frank has a friend to do "guy stuff" with, and nice for me just to have some time alone. I went into every store that I felt like browsing without the irritation of having someone impatiently waiting outside or hovering over my shoulder.  A friend of mine and I agreed one day that men take all the time in the world when they are in a marine store, DIY store, hardware, auto parts, or liquor store, but when it comes to shopping with us they grunt and moan as though being punished. So, yes I enjoy these times alone. I ended my browse around town and then walked the few miles back down toward the marina where I stopped for a very good lunch and a coffee. I retuned to Destiny, stowed my (mostly grocery) purchases and then settled down with a book to get the laundry done at the local facility. I was nearly finished with the washing when the boys appeared in high spirits. Scott insisted on treating us to dinner at the new local seafood restaurant overlooking the bay. We enjoyed that while appreciating a very lovely sunset.

Tuesday it rained. Frank went into town to take care of some of our personal banking business, with Scott in tow. I did rainy day chores. Then on Wednesday, Jan Meggitt's parents, Cecil and Patricia Williams, who live in Coffs Harbour, came for a visit. We had missed them the last time we stopped here. They drove down with Pat's sister Jean to the marina for a peek aboard Destiny, bearing an entire branch of Coffs Harbour bananas. We had a cuppa and some biscuits and then went up to the yacht club for lunch. After a lovely visit with them and a short stroll they returned home and we returned to Destiny to finish our chores and to ready Destiny for an overnighter to Gold Coast.

March 6 – 11, 2012 – Port Macquarie, Scott Morlan’s visit cont’d

On the way up to Port Macquarie (Port to the locals) from Port Stephens we warned Scott about "The Bar" into Port. Frank timed it so perfectly, however, that Scott wondered what the fuss was all about as we easily cruised through the jettys. The roughest part of that trip was getting literally thrown all over the place leaving Port Stephens! My gosh it was awful, and it wasn't until quite a long way out of there that conditions settled enough to feel really secure. I told the boys I would not be spending much time in the galley, and that they are on their own for lunch.

Because this is one of our favorite stops along the Aussie coast we enjoyed showing Scott the highlights. Foremost on the list was Finnian's Pub for the $10 NY strip steak. He loved it, as we knew he would and in fact we made a return visit for dinner one night for fish and chips. Everything they cook there is good.

Two of our days in Port, Frank and Scott played golf on the two different courses, declaring one of them nicer than the RYGC.

On the first pretty day we took Scott on the jetty walk along the waterfront of town out toward the river bar, showing him the colorfully decorated granite boulders that lined the entrance.

We paraded Scott on the "Bat" walk, through the park area along the stream. He didn't care so much for this one due to the stench of the massive amounts of guano and the screeching of thousands of Flying Foxes hanging from the trees above us. Parts of the walk are quite lovely though, taking you through the botanicals and along some very pretty trails.

Another day the boys amused me by accompanying me on the very long coastal walk toward Flynn's beach to the local second hand bookstore/coffee shop. We had gotten Scott hooked on Lee Childs' Jack Reacher novels, so he didn't mind so much perusing the shelves. Afterward, we hiked back into town along the inland path (road) and stopped at a local pub for a bit of people watching.

By now Scott has become quite the yachtie. He has very nearly perfected weighing and setting the anchor, grabbing a mooring ball and helping Frank with general boat chores. He is a good cook and insisted on helping out in the galley, washing or drying dishes. He has a great attitude about living aboard. We even taught him our favorite card game (Baja Rummy) and how to play Qwirkle. We got him as into "My Kitchen Rules" as we are. And best of all he became very comfortable with our evening after dinner ritual of having a cup of tea while eating chocolates. He of all the visitors we have had on board now understands the life and lifestyle of Frank and Barbara living aboard a yacht. He is now ready for an overnighter. This he would experience very soon.

At 5 AM on March 11^th we effected a very dark departure from Port due to two objectives: number one was to go with the outgoing tide from here and number two was to arrive at Coffs Harbour before nightfall.

March 2 – 6, 2012 - Port Stephens

We sailed fast and rough most of the way from Broken Bay. Weather was ugly making our ride a wet one. We pulled into Port Stephens' Nelson Bay in the pouring rain and finding no available mooring we dropped the hook. Eventually the rain lightened to intermittent, giving us a shot at going to shore. The boys found a great people-watching bar, and so that is just what we did. We sat, ate and watched all the people.

Saturday morning we could hear music wafting through the air from somewhere on shore. As the skies cleared we noted several small tents set up along the walkway at the local park. Frank and Scott decided to go in for an exploratory mission, leaving me on the boat. I really thought they were just going to see what was going on and would come back for me, but they were gone for several hours. I decided I could either be angry about this, feeling more than a little abandoned, or I could kick back with a good book and enjoy the solitude. I chose the latter.  Around mid-day, the Coast Guard stopped by to let me know that they would be clearing out the anchorage in the afternoon in order to move in the fire-works barge for a big show that night. I phoned Frank to let him know that we should move the boat. When he didn't answer I realized a rooster was "cock-a-doodling" from our study. Frank's cell phone ring is a rooster. Well so much for that. I climbed out on deck and craned my neck, searching the crowd but found no sign of Frank or Scott. I returned to my reading, counting to 100 first..

The sun made a big entrance at about mid afternoon and at that time Frank came out in the dinghy to tell me there is a BIG fishing tournament going on, a wine-tasting, music festival and market all happening together and that I should come to shore because I was missing all the fun! Now is this the best thing he could have said to me? I think not. I said that he initially was going to go check it out and get back to me...hours ago. He explained very innocently that he forgot his phone. Oh – I see, that explains it.  I then casually mentioned to him we had to move the boat. We began to weigh anchor just as storm clouds reappeared, blotted out the sun and threw wind into our faces, churning up the water. With great effort we managed to get Destiny moved over to the next cove and secured to a mooring. By now, the entire bay was filled with whitecaps. Frank wanted me to return to shore with him and I probably would have had he intended to go to shore at the beach where we were moored, and then walk over to the festival from this anchorage. He felt that would take too long and was worried about having left Scott alone to fend for himself. I told Frank with a wine festival and a beer booth at his disposal Scott would be just fine, nonetheless, he opted for the faster route across the cove around the point to Nelson Bay in the dinghy. I thought he was crazy because it was too nasty, and opted to stay onboard.  I watched Frank take off heading back with my heart in my throat. Several times he bashed into oncoming waves that literally stood the dinghy straight up on the stern. Only when he rounded the point into the protected waters of the marina did I exhale.  Eventually, Frank and Scott returned none the worse for the wear. They had a great time and carried commemorative wine glasses to prove it.

Sunday, Pauline phoned from her place at Boomerang. She was scheduled to drive home to Sydney that night and if she had time she planned to stop at Port Stephens to see us one last time. I tried to urge her to come early for the festival. She made no promises, having her hands full for the day. The weather had cleared to a nice sunny day. After breakfast Frank, Scott and I went to shore. There was plenty to see and do. They boys were done with wine. We strolled the waterfront tasting some of the food, checking out arts, gifts and other displays, then sat in the entertainment pavilion to enjoy some great live music.  Pauline phoned with the good news that she was on her way over. She joined us for part of the frivolity and then we watched the return of tournament fishing boats. We ended the day with a lovely dinner and then I tearfully saw Pauline to her car and on her way back to Sydney. I knew this was the last time I would get to say goodbye to my very dear friend. She above everyone else has gotten so close to me. She is my Aussie Gemini sista! I love her dearly. She hugged me hard and promised to come visit us when we get into Asia. I believe she will.

Frank and Scott had wanted to play golf at Port Stephens but with the crazy weather we experienced there they just couldn't get to it. We took Scott for some of our walks that we always enjoyed so much here, and then all too suddenly it was time to leave. Tuesday morning, Frank announced that we should be leaving around 9 or 10 AM so that we will hit the Port Macquarie Bar at incoming tide.  We braced ourselves for the rodeo ride out of beautiful Port Stephens and again, had a thriller of a sail all the way up the coast.

Feb 28 – March 2, 2011 Goodbye to Broken Bay and our Friends the Meggitts

Tuesday afternoon's arrival at Broken Bay was met with a downpour of rain and typical Russell/Aussie style hospitality. He had driven his classic Holden car down to pick us up at Bobbin Head, all smiles and ready to meet Scott. He deposited us at his house where he, Frank and Scott immediately began the male bonding process – meet new friend over a beer. I sought out Jan who had been busily preparing dinner. We enjoyed a down home evening with them, ending with one of Kate's mouthwatering dessert specialties: sticky date pudding.

Wednesday morning Jan picked me up for a girl's day out. We hit the Hornsby (Mall) shopping center where we enjoyed a wonderful seafood lunch, shopping at her favorite dress shop where I bought 3 lovely dresses, and went to see the movie, "The Vow".  We arrived back at Bobbin Head in a torrent of rain. I had forgotten to bring an umbrella. We didn't have the marina key so we sat in her car watching the downpour intensify while trying to figure out how to get in there. After quite a while of sitting and hoping for someone to come along with a passkey Jan was able to raise Russell on his cell phone only to find that they were sitting on board Tomkat in the marina berth. They didn't seem keen on letting us in. Instead, Frank appeared in the dinghy instructing me to meet him at the public jetty. I gave Jan one last long hug, thanking her profusely for everything and promising to always stay in touch as I bounded out of the car. I was laden with bags of food and clothing trying to walk from the parking lot down to the public boat ramp in the rain. I was drenched by the time I reached him. He grinned up at me, proffering my foul-weather jacket and although it was a little too late to do much good, I accepted his peace offering. I just couldn't be upset with him. He was so charming I knew he felt guilty about something, but I didn't want to know what about.  He seemed relieved when I sent him on his way (back to the boys and the beer), so I could get my purchases dried and stowed. I was very happy to be onboard a dry Destiny. Quite a long time passed before Frank and Scott returned. I'd had a big lunch and presumed that they would not be ripe for dinner, and had retired to our cabin to read my book. I was nearly nodding off when I heard the approaching dinghy motor, followed by giggling, stumbling and something crashing which I presumed to be Scott into the cockpit. He is still developing his sea legs. I stifled a laugh and sent up a prayer that neither was seriously injured.

Early Thursday morning we moved Destiny out to Little Pittwater Cove close to the mouth of Broken Bay.  The boys told me about their day with Russell. He took them in Tomkat over to his favorite restaurant in Broken Bay at the Patonga Beach Hotel. They declared it the best Fish and Chips in the Universe, as they know it.  They bonded with the proprietor and a local radio station celebrity who offered them t-shirts and a spot on the early (radio) show if only they would be on the open channel at 4:00 - 6 AM. He wanted them to broadcast their adventures moving along the coast. I am sorry to say it didn't get to happen.

Friday, March 2, we swallowed some coffee, weighed anchor at 7:00 AM and were off for Port Stephens. We enjoyed a bit of a rough ride exiting Broken Bay, which is on par in these parts, but that discomfort did not compare to the sadness I felt leaving here for the last time. One more door slowly clicked shut, keeping a piece of my heart behind.

Nov 12 – 19, 2011 – Newcastle, NSW, and Some Very Tragic News

On Saturday we left Port Stephens at 11:30 for Newcastle. It was a relatively uneventful day, other than the regulator continually blowing out the new fuses. Great! We'll just have to deal with that when we arrive in Newcastle.

Nearly the entire time we were here this trip it rained, and rained and rained. Sunday, my first order of business was laundry. I had 6 loads of it piled up so I lugged it all to the laundry room at the marina where I knew I would spend the entire day because there is only one dryer. I was settled in reading a book when Frank popped his head in. He had a very strange look on his face that telegraphed something not good. He said, "Barb, I have some very sad news. Jan from Triple Stars has been washed overboard at sea en route to Bermuda. There are rescue efforts but she has not been found." I sat stunned in a state of disbelief for several minutes. Then when the impact of his words hit me I felt a physical stab of pain strike my solar plexus as though I'd been actually punched, and then I burst into tears. I remember thinking, "This cannot be! No! No! No! This is all wrong! Jan is the safest sailor I know!" She taught ME about safety as sea. She and I had just emailed one another a few days ago as they were making their way with the rally to Bermuda. I knew the weather had turned, but I had no idea it had built to 30-foot seas and that they were helplessly hove-to just one day off the Bermuda coast. They were so close. Then I asked Frank, "What about Rob?" Frank said that Rob has been rescued and was off the boat; Triple Stars was set adrift. (In spite of the "post date", I am actually writing this several months later because it is so painful to recall. I am in fact choking up now and feel the bile rising in my throat at the memory.) Triple Stars set adrift? Rob rescued? This must mean they are not looking real hard for Jan to take these drastic steps. Jan was never found. My beautiful friend is gone and this is all I can write about this.

Thank goodness for the rain, maybe. I was numb for a long while. I spent a lot of time in prayer. Eventually the sun returned and thanks to Frank's encouragement we did take some nice walks. We found a marvelous Farmers Market that is held most Sundays at the Broadmeadow Showground in the morning until 1:00 PM. I'm glad we went. It broke me out of my funk for a little while.

Frank continued his dialogue with the mechanic over the mystery of the regulator. It's a blur to me now and I just let him focus on that. I almost just didn't care. I was at a real low point, and having difficulty really focusing on anything. Besides I was and am sick and tired of things breaking down.

We left Newcastle November19^th on a very foggy morning. Visibility was NIL. Gee, what a dismal start to a passage! Thank God for working instruments.

Nov 7 – 11, 2011 – Arrival at Port Stephens in a Raging Storm

November 7^th
We are leaving Port this morning, heading south for Port Stephens. Because we have to await the outgoing tide to cross the bar we won't leave before 8:00 am. It is an approx 14-hour trip, so we will be arriving late tonight. The upside is that it is a beautiful day for a sail and forecast is 15-knot winds from the NE. We started out nicely, but soon lost the wind. Where is that 15-knot wind the weather gods promised us? Oh well, we are satisfied that the current is going with us.

We have arrived outside the Port Stephens Heads - it is 10:54 PM. Things got a little hairy the last few hours when a horrendous storm approached from the west (on land), coming our way throwing hail at us and bouts of severe lightening. We had been watching it on radar for some time and praying that we could avoid this ugly thing. As we neared the Heads it seemed to be marching toward us instead of turning south. Captain Frank took us back out to sea while we stayed in constant radio contact with Marine Rescue. The helpful VMR operator gave us updates of the path of the storm. We checked our speed and slowly crisscrossed the offshore coast until finally, and by the Grace of God, the storm passed by allowing us to turn back toward shore, through the Heads and into Port Stephens. God Bless those who were in the path of that thing - it was quite a light show from offshore. I don't think either of us has ever seen so much lightening activity in a concentrated cell like that. Tragically, we knew there were many strikes and almost more tragically it was really quite beautiful. After the storm passed we were left in complete and utter darkness to pick our way through to the anchorage at Nelson Bay.

Tuesday brought lovely blue skies. No one could have imagined the dramatic spectacle that was wrought the night before. We moved over to Shoal Bay, picked up a pink courtesy mooring and then ventured to shore for a long walk along the colorful trails down along the beach and then hiked to top of Tomaree Head. To our surprise there were remains of armament placements where a fort had been built in 1942 and fortified with big guns to protect the headlands from foreign invaders (Japanese I think). It was a very impressive and educational hike to the top. We meandered back down via the golf course, past the dive-bombing white parrots, rainbow lorikeets and cockatoos, the laughing Kookaburras and back to the boat. It truly is peaceful and pretty here, but rolly in the Shoal Beach anchorage. We moved back over to Nelson Bay before nightfall to get away from the rock and roll. Wednesday we went to shore again for a long hike in the direction of Salamander Bay. Thursday it was back to boat chores and an afternoon of television to watch the Australian Open.

Friday, Nov 11^th we moved Destiny over to Jimmy's beach took the dinghy to shore there and set off on an hour-long walk along the beach across the isthmus to the ocean side at Providence Bay where the beach is covered in beautiful fine white sand. Although it was very nice on this side of Port Stephens, the winds made staying here too uncomfortable so we moved over to Bagnalls Beach at Nelson Bay, walked into town for dinner and on the way back got dive-bombed by hundreds of rainbow lorikeets, white macaws. At the end of the day, meanwhile back at the Australian Open, Tiger woods was in 1^st place.

Oct 21 – Nov 7, 2011 – Boat Maintenance and a little fun in Port Macquarie

On the 21^st, we departed Gold Coast at 5:30 AM, during slack tide intending to sail overnight to Coffs Harbour.  The day was perfect for sailing south for Destiny was making great progress picking up a 2-2.5 knot current that literally pushed us through the night in relative comfort. At times we averaged 9 knots. Toward sunset the winds dropped but for the most part we made incredible mileage through the night.  At 5 AM we realized we would be arriving at Coffs Harbour and rather than sit about in the bay to wait for the marina office to open at 8:30, we pressed on knowing we could make Port Macquarie by mid – late afternoon.  What a great passage! We arrive at the entrance around 2:30 on Oct 22nd, noting the bar was totally flat thank goodness! Fortunately the marina had one available mooring left for us. We hooked up and then went for a long walk into town to stretch out our legs and pick up a few groceries.

Sunday, the 23rd was Rugby World Cup Day – we stayed glued to the TV while New Zealand's All Blacks gave us a thrilling victory over France. What a match! It kept us on the edge of our seats the entire game.

On Monday (24^th), while it poured rain we enlisted a mechanic to assess a new little problem.  The house batteries are no longer charging from the engine and we keep blowing fuses. He determined that our regulator is shot and ordered a new one. What grieves me so much about this is that the cost is beyond outrageous. The price of a replacement ran approximately 4 times the cost of the one in West Marine's catalogue.  What's even more upsetting is it must be shipped from Sydney at an extra $200+. Had we been in a position obtain one from West Marine we would have, but we needed it now. Frank disconsolately instructed the mechanic to place the order. Our short stay in Port (as the locals call it) would be stretched to over 2 weeks. It is a darn good thing this is one of our favorite towns in NSW.

It rained and rained the next several days. We made short trips into town for provisions but otherwise amused ourselves tackling never ending boat chores. We played a lot of card games and watched a lot of television. What else is a retired couple expected to do?

On the prettier days we took lots of long walks up along the coast – eating at our favorite pub, Finnian's for lunch (best $10 steak on the east coast).  One of my favorite walks is down to Flynn's beach. Just across the street is a great second-hand bookstore/coffee shop.

October morphed into November as we continue to await arrival of our regulator. No matter the weather has not been conducive to moving south anyway and we are quite comfortable here. Tuesday, November 1 was Melbourne Cup Day (like our Kentucky Derby). I had a haircut appointment and didn't care much about the race, so while I set off for the beauty shop, Frank headed over to the local gaming club to watch the event. Sitting in the hair salon awaiting my appointment I amused myself watching all the ladies dressed to the 9's, heads adorned with extravagant hats and fascinators heading in the direction of the club. Frank was in for a real show.

Friday, November 4^th we were all set with new regulator and a fistful of fuses. We stopped by the marina office to check out, intending to make a Saturday morning departure. The marina manager smiled as he said, "You won't be going anywhere Saturday morning, Mate. The entire anchorage is used as the Iron Man swim course." He further informed us that we should be up very early – say 5 a.m. – to assist the Maritime boat when he comes by to tie us off out of the way of the course. We were exited at the prospect of being up close and personal in the Iron Man Competition and happily agreed to awaken very early in cooperation.

We eagerly awoke at 5 a.m. on Saturday, Nov 6^th brewed a pot of coffee and set ourselves at the ready. Surprisingly Maritime didn't show until nearly 6:20. One man hurriedly tried to push our stern around with the bow of the Maritime vessel in order to tie us out of the way of the racecourse. Just as he secured us to the stern buoy, along came an official yelling to cut us loose! He was the lead kayak directing the elite swimmers around Destiny. The poor Maritime official quickly dropped the line just in time for the lead swimmer to pass our starboard side. And this is how Destiny got to be smack dab in the middle of an Iron Man Triathlon swim course. We delighted sitting on our deck chairs, sipping coffee and cheering the swimmers on. We got some good photos of the participants and the safety officials. After the swim we jumped into the dinghy and made for shore to watch the rest of the events. It was a beautiful day and an exciting one to end our stay in Port.

May 14th – 18th Coff’s Harbour & Yamba

Coff's Harbour was a very quick stop where I got some laundry done and Frank took care of a few bits of boat business. We didn't do anything that would merit noteworthy mention.

The next stop, Yamba, was entirely new to us. The entrance from the Sea is known for taking boats and lives who attempt to cross the bar here entering the Clarence River.  We donned our safety gear and braced ourselves for the crossing over. It was rough. It was quite unpleasant and after getting through, we appreciated that we had chosen the optimum time and tide to navigate this nasty bar.  Leaving would be another challenge, but by now we are losing the fear and gaining a healthy and wise respectful knowledge of these Australian river entrances. The port at this river entrance is shared by two small towns: Yamba and Iluka.

We decided on Yamba, probably because we'd heard it mentioned by other cruisers and had heard nothing of Iluka. In fact we were such greenhorns that we tended to float and wander around for a long time through the shallows trying to locate a spot to anchor.  Could this be right? Are keelboats really intended to come in here? This place is shallow! We nearly ran aground a few times, trying to locate channel markers. Several spots used range markers instead, so we had to look up, look down and look all around! The markers were often jumbled and confusing to us, nearly putting us to the wrong side of a sandbar. We could spot other yachts but scratched our heads in despair wondering how on Earth they got in "there".

Eventually we made our way into what appeared to be an anchorage with some moorings. It was a very small area that did not look promising. As I stood on the bow, surveying potential sites to drop the hook, I announced to Frank that there was no room and we should try elsewhere. He insisted that this is the place he had been told to anchor. So of course, a debate ensued wherein I challenged him: "Who told you?" He responded with a vague, "They all told me." and of course I asked, "Who is They?"  Sometimes it goes on like this until we come to a compromise of sorts. The compromise this time was that I acquiesced because I was causing Frank considerable angst by arguing the point and he was tired and feeling stressed from the tense maneuvering into this place. We dropped the hook. I chewed on my fingernails and bit my tongue until I could no longer manage to keep it in, and exclaimed to him; "But, Frank, we are sitting in the middle of the Ferry route/waterway – won't we get into trouble?"  He did not respond, just shot me a "Frank Look" and continued about the task of settling in.

Sure enough, a Ferry approached, dodging us and not looking very pleased. Frank, being ever the optimist said to me that the boat (Destiny) would turn and then we would be out of the way. After a considerable amount of time this did not happen and we got a call from Marine Rescue  (Oz's coast guard), asking us to move. The kind volunteer directed us to the marina that we did not realize was available, as it looked like a commercial fishing boat wharf. Apparently inside of that and over a bit is a nice marina that had a casual berth available to us. Frank was dismayed and I kept my mouth firmly shut as we weighed anchor and moved into the proffered berth.

Once we got settled in, we took off for an exploratory walk to shake out our sea legs and to expel a bit of tension. All around were signs and advertisements that Yamba is the Top holiday spot in Australia…the best town in Australia, and so on. We think we must have hit it at LOW season, because we were not so impressed as all that. Most everything was closed, and in all fairness the weather was gloomy, overcast and cold. We took off in one direction in search of sights and amenities. Eventually, several miles up the road we came to a small shopping center where we had a coffee and bought some groceries. As we were setting back out, however, the heavens broke loose and unloaded a torrential downpour. We stood and stood under an outdoor awning, waiting for a break while the shops around us began to close for the evening. Finally, the rains abated and we made a run for it – really we made a hobble for it since our backpacks and arms were laden with groceries. It is difficult to run with a backpack full of orange juice and milk slamming up and down on one's back!  We darted and weaved our way toward the marina, getting soaked in the process. We would have hopped on a bus if we had seen one. Taxicabs were not around this neck of the town either, so we continued on foot until we came to the Fisherman's Co-op. We had been noticing ads for Yamba Prawns – the best (in the world maybe?). We stuck our noses into the co-op to see what all the fuss was bout with these prawns.  The price for these petite beauties was close to $60/kg. My goodness! Frank quizzed the lady at the counter, asking what is so special about these small to medium-size prawns, and she exclaimed "Yamba Prawns are locally caught and known all through Australia as being simply the best!". Well, OK then. We must have some!  Frank grimaced as he handed over our payment for ½ kg of these delectable crustaceans, and then onward we trekked back to the marina, soaked to the bone.

Returning to Destiny, we stowed goods, dried off, changed clothes and then settled in to enjoy our much-anticipated dinner. The prawns were good, but by Texas Gulf Coast seafood standards, we were not impressed – particularly by the gold-plated price of these little beauties. That's all right we had a nice adventure, nonetheless.

We arose early the next morning so to do a little more exploring before moving on.  We ventured out in the opposite direction this morning, toward the Australia-famous beaches of Yamba. By now, we were chanting, "Yamba, Damba Doo!"  The walks were very nice along the hilly shore, but again, the town was if not asleep getting ready for a long winter's nap. The small town looked like so many others we had already visited. Eventually we stumbled upon a café that was open for business and breakfasted on freshly baked, homemade victuals (vittles, in Beverly Hillbillies Speak!).  It was very tasty, and although I cannot remember the name of the café, it got our vote.

Although we never figured how Yamba is so famous, we enjoyed our short stay, however, we will not put it down in the books as a "Must see and do".  At 1 PM, we departed Yamba, making our way back out the Clarence River's challenging bar. Frank manned the helm masterfully and Destiny handled it beautifully. Only a few bits and pieces tossed about the cabins and galley.

May 13, 2011 – Friday. Leaving a Port on Friday the 13th – Are we nuts?

We planned our departure from Port Macquarie for 3 ½ hours after the morning high tide. It is Friday the 13th, and the marina manager and all the little old sea-salts around the marina think we are foolish but we feel the conditions are better for leaving today than Saturday. Besides a blow is coming and we want to be up the coast before it hits. We are pleased to inform that their fears were unfounded. The skies were clear blue, the prevailing winds and seas cooperative and the ride comfortable as we enjoyed a cruise up into Trial Bay.

Trial Bay is largely a wide open, circular bay that in the wrong weather can be an absurdly uncomfortable anchorage. To the eye it is astonishingly beautiful. The blue waters sparkle as though filled with diamonds, the sandy beaches appear virgin and inviting. Arriving from land this would be a perfect vacation spot. The highlight of the bay, just along the heads sits the most imposing structure of the entire area: The Trial Bay Gaol (jail to us Yanks). Talk about a room with a view! I can't imagine being incarcerated here in the 19th century, which in and of itself would be terrible, but to be incarcerated with such a view would be torture! It was last utilized in the early 1900's as a WWI German internment camp (prison camp). We wanted so very much to go to shore and explore the remains, but we had arrived at dusk and were due to skedaddle at daybreak on the 14th. So we had dinner with a view and dreamed of returning for a visit to the "gaol".

May 12, 2011 Last Day in Beautiful Port Macquarie

We just can’t believe how fortunate we are to have had so many perfect days here. Because we are coming up on winter, the evenings and mornings are very chilly! We decided since this is our last day here to take the bus over to Laurieton to visit the beautiful beaches there, so we layered and bundled up, packed the backpack for our little outing. We got to the bus stop to discover that we’d just missed the last bus out. Bummer. Oh well, we’ll save that for next time.

Instead, we decided to just go for a spontaneous hike. We took off in no particular direction and eventually found ourselves on the trail that leads along the coastline. It was spectacular! Part of the path goes through an area of preservation – vegetation and birdlife. The beautiful parrots that we love to watch were just all around us. Lots of the King parrots and colorful Lorikeets were just packed into the trees above, chirping and screeching their little hearts out. Passing on through we hiked up steep inclines and down deep drops to the beaches, the coastal path gave us one pleasant surprise after another and our eyes just feasted on the views. God, we love this beautiful country!

After about an hour and a half we arrived at one of the many surf clubs where a group of students were having their outdoor field day. We stopped at the little kiosk for lunch. Surprisingly the lunch was one of the best we’ve had. Mine was calamari and salad; Frank’s was a Mexican chicken wrap with salad. Yum!! By this time the sun was out in full force and I had stripped of my jacket and sweater and was down to a tank top/camisole. We sat enjoying the sun for a while, and then got started on our hike back home.

We arrived back onboard a little after 3 PM. Tomorrow is departure day so we began the process of preparing the boat to leave port and then went to the local Thai restaurant for an early dinner.

May 10 & 11th, 2011– Port Macquarie and a Surprise Visit

We awoke on Tuesday to rain, rain, rain and cold, cold, cold. I love these kinds of days, when I can just take my time enjoying the morning, snuggled up (still) in my PJ’s, with my hot cup of coffee, taking it slow and easy. We spent the rainy morning time browsing Facebook, catching up on what our friends and family are doing and then Frank and I both just kicked back and read our books.  Later on it cleared and as the lovely blue skies made their bold appearance we thought about going for a walk but had already started playing a ruthless game of Baja Rummy and had to finish. Frank not only won, he absolutely blotted me.

The local “world famous” (aren’t they all?) Italian Restaurant, Café 66, was offering 2 for 1 Pasta night this night so we set out to discover whether or not that was true. It was OK, and at their prices for a simple pasta dish we were happy to have paid for only one. At least I didn’t have to cook and clean up, but will probably not recommend this one as a Do Not Miss.

Wednesday morning, we received a call from Russell Meggitt. He and Jan had gone up the coast to visit her parents and thought they would stop by for a visit on their way back home to Asquith. What a treat! They arrived close to 11:00 AM. We took a nice walk over to Finnian’s Irish Pub for their $10 lunch special. We all ordered the Porterhouse steak. Now in America we call a large T-bone a Porterhouse, but here they call our Top Sirloin a Porterhouse. It isn’t really important except that we are still learning the proper names for cuts of meat here. Anyway, the steaks were delicious!  We visited for quite a while and then they had to get underway for the long drive back toward Sydney. What a lovely couple they are!

We said our farewells and because the anchorage was as calm as glass, Frank said we should probably go ahead with our fuel up now. So we spent the next hour getting fuel and wincing at the proffered $1,090 for the equivalent of 140 US gallons of diesel. Yes, that comes to just under $7.80/gallon. Ouch!

Afterward we took a long walk out to the jetties and then spent a very relaxing evening onboard.

May 8th and 9th, 2011 – Enjoying Port Macquarie

May 8^th Happy Mother’s Day! Another blue-sky day gave us the perfect catalyst to head to shore and go for a walk. First we checked in with the marina and prepaid a week on the mooring ball just in case we should decide to stay that long. We then walked across the street to the little shopping mall, window-shopped and, finding nothing of great interest, set off for town and a walk along the colorful jetty. The Iron Man event was here just last week so we figured we would see some new artwork on the boulders and we were not disappointed. Because of Mother’s Day the place is chockers with picnickers, waterfront diners and families out to enjoy the lovely day. Even the famous local pelicans were out en masse!  We enjoyed a very nice lunch at Finnians Irish Pub and then walked it off on one of the many trails that grace this town. We returned home pretty well pooped so we called it a day.

May 9^th brought yet another glorious day so this time we set off in pursuit of a 5k nature trail that we had noticed yesterday.  It meandered past an old turn of the century (mid1800’s-1900’s) cemetery, through the mangroves, along the river and up into the deeply forested area that is home to 100’s of BATS! Flying Foxes, they are termed, just like in Tonga, Fiji and other parts of the S. Pacific. They screeched loudly as we approached and then became very agitated and restless as we passed underneath their hanging hulks. It was like a contagion. As we passed beyond them they settled back down until the next intruder dared approach. We reminded ourselves not to look up and to keep our mouths closed if we did as we passed under group after group of the hanging rubbery-winged creatures. I was real thankful I was wearing a hat as I stepped past the plentiful droppings of guano. I was on the lookout for leeches in the muddy areas and Frank was ever wary of snakes. But really it was a great hike and afterward we were starved so we hit the town center, lunched and then walked back the mile or so to the marina.  We’re now back on board reading (well I’m about to). Frank is buried in a James Patterson and I am immersed in a Wilbur Smith.

May 7th, 2011 – The Long, Long Day Out of Port Stephens

We departed Port Stephens at first light, around 5:45, intending to do an 8-hour stint up to Forster-Tuncurry. After getting through the bar and adjusting to the swelly roll, we settled into a perfect sail. Destiny was loving this one! We caught the wind just right and away she coursed, making amazing time up the coast. About 10 miles south of Forster-Tuncurry, Frank said to me; "Barb, we are making such great progress, what do you say to pressing on into Port Macquarie? I think we can make it tonight". I immediately began to stutter, "But, but, but what about the bar? What about timing the entrance? Won't it be dark by the time we get there?" I was terrified of this prospect, however, it wasn't even midday yet and we were so far ahead of schedule it just didn't make sense to stop, especially because Forster-Tuncurry is not much of an anchorage and most cruisers try to avoid if possible; it would just serve as a place to stop between jumps. So in the end I acquiesced.

We continued to fly for maybe another 2 hours and then the wind began to abate. It slowed and slowed until we dropped below 5 knots (of boat speed). Time to turn on the iron jib! Frank reluctantly cranked the engine on and we motor-sailed for several more miles until the wind dropped to 6 kts. Horrors! We met with a countercurrent and realized that this baby wasn't going anywhere fast the rest of the day. Hours passed and the winds never returned as we chugged along under power as all hopes of getting into Port Macquarie by dusk are fading away. The rest of the day was so docile that we both read books and just took it in stride. There was no point in worrying and the coast guard was tracking us as always. Daylight faded into night. We watched a beautiful sunset and saw disappointingly that the moon was just an eyelash skirting the horizon. We still had over 2 hours yet to go.

Finally at close to 8 PM, under full and complete darkness we approached the dreaded bar at the jetty entrance to Port Macquarie. We reported in with Marine Rescue to let them know we were on approach. They wished us well and we said a quick prayer for safety. Although the seas had been slight for our little voyage, they looked like a surfer's dream and a boater's nightmare when we reached the bar. I have probably stated this in previous journals, but it is a law that when crossing a bar (the river entrance into most of these ports) all persons on board must be wearing PFD's (life jackets) and should be tethered in. We of course were but I had to go outside the cockpit to give Frank a visual for approach. I sat, straddling the cockpit step, calling distances to Frank – distances from us to the rock jetty and any other obstacles that were lurking about such as buoys and channel markers, night fishermen. This bar is known for picking watercraft up and slamming them back down 90-180 degrees around. It is difficult enough when you have daylight, but really scary at night with no moon. We got picked up by such a wave and Frank masterfully got us quickly back on point as I was straining my eyes to see where we landed in reference to the jetty. All of a sudden a bright light flashed right into my eyes, blinding me. Someone on shore was taking pictures of us as we approached (probably thinking they'd get a good crash photo to send into the local paper for tomorrow's headlines, of the dummies who navigated the bar at night). I can't blame them really, but it killed my night vision in an instant and I was blinded for what seemed like an eternity. I blinked and wiped my eyes rapidly, mindful of our perilous situation as Frank held the helm waiting to hear my next report. I continued to blink furiously and prayed that no one else would snap a shot at us until we reached the shelter of the breakwater. Again we got twisted as though someone was trying to spin us like a top, but Frank recovered quickly and cranked up the RPMs enough to shoot us past the worst. Jut then I got another flash but was ready for it this time, I'd been covering that side of my eyes with my free hand. Now that we were past the rough and tumble, I stepped out onto the foredeck with the headset on and talked Frank through the channel. It was eerie to say the least. We had been in and out of here last December so we were familiar with the zigging and zagging of the channel and the shallow flats that flanked the sides. Eventually we made it into the anchorage area where the Port's lights shone brightly enough for us to spot the mooring ball. We tied up, reported a safe arrival to Marine Rescue and breathed a sigh of relief as Frank popped a top to celebrate our hair-raising success. We will NEVER do that again.

May 1–7, 2011 Port Stephens

I neglected to mention two of our highlights at Newcastle. On April 30^th we took a water taxi/ferry Across the Hunter River over to Stockton just to see what is over there. Well, there isn’t much to see in the way of a town but there is a lovely walk along the beach leading out to a jetty that is completely formed of recovered ships that ran aground in this area. Stockton Beach and the Oyster Bank were notorious for shipwrecks. All along the walk are plaques identifying the name of the ship over which we trod, and the information gleaned from records of the ship, such as the type of vessel, the name of the captain, the date and circumstance of the wreck. It was a fascinating walk, and being so engrossed with the historic theme of the walk, before we knew it we’d gone several kilometers. Once again, it began to rain so we turned back to catch a loud reverberating sound replacing that of the wind and crashing waves.  Out of nowhere a couple of sleek racing boats sped by throwing beautiful rooster-tails in their wakes. What is this? We huddled underneath our jackets to watch the show. Apparently we had stumbled upon the time trials of the upcoming “Offshore Superboat Championships”. It was quite a thrill to watch these guys go airborne, jetting across the river and out across the bar into the ocean and back again. So loud!!! We realized we had better get out of here before we’re stuck in Newcastle until the races are over in a few days. This place is going to fill right up and the harbor will be closed to us.

On the morning of May 1^st, as we are pulling away from the dock; Frank at the helm and me making the rounds on deck stowing dock lines and fenders, we get a shout from one of the “arms” (marina floating dock)…”Frank! Barbara!” We looked over to find Tomkat with Russell and Jan aboard waving their arms. They had come in to watch the races and yet neither of us had known the other was coming/going. We all blew kisses and vowed to stay in touch as we moved along the coast. Thankfully we got out of Newcastle before the race committee closed the harbor on us.

Our journey was fair, arriving Port Stephens’ Salamander Bay at 3:00 PM. Port Stephens is very large and within it are many bays, inlets, cruising, fishing and dolphin watching areas. It is so lovely that we motored around for a while before deciding to settle in. We grabbed a pink mooring buoy, which is complimentary to visitors for a 24-hour period and then went to shore for a walk along the shore.  Right away we noticed an abundance of beautiful birds all about. Literally hundreds of Rainbow Lorikeets, white parrots, large ravens and cockatoos danced about in the trees and screeched their little lungs out. Although beautiful to look at their screeching sounds like fingernails on a blackboard, so when you hear the combined chatter of hundreds of them you just want to put your hands over your ears! 

The walk we found all along the waterfront is extremely well laid out and diversely beautiful. They meander up and down through densely forested steps, along the beaches, through grassy and well-tended areas and literally through residents’ lawns right into small townships. We just took off and as we seem to do, later realized we were hungry and a little worn, so we stopped for a bite at a local fish and chips and then returned to Destiny.

Each day we did much the same – got to a new bay and then explored the trails on shore. One day we came upon a stump in a back yard absolutely covered with stuffed animals. 

Upon closer inspection we saw that they are a form of mushroom. We felt we were in an absolute fairyland of beauty.

How odd yet cute! Along that same track we spotted what appeared to be lovely white flowers growing right from the ground.

On our return I began to notice tiny little feet imprinted on the walkway. Hmmm. It looked as though they were made from a stencil with either white flour or some sort of powder. Could it be there are Hash House Harriers in Port Stephens? We followed the trail for quite a long way, noting that at various points there would be two, three and sometimes four little feet printed together. Could these be Hash checks? I grew excited about the prospect of stumbling upon a HHH group here. We ended up going quite far beyond Destiny’s anchorage, up a very steep hill to one of the “points” before giving up and turning back. I “googled” Port Stephens HHH, but never did find out what that was about. Another mystery in the adventures of Frank and Barb.

Port Stephens is by far one of our favorite places to visit here in NSW (New South Wales), and we warmly embraced their little catch phrase or mantra: Port Stephens…P.S. I love you!

April 26th – May 1st, 2011 Exploring Newcastle

Gosh what a great city Newcastle is! The waterfront is being refurbished into an upscale living, dining and entertainment area. The boardwalk that begins just beyond our marina runs along an area called Honeysuckle, which meanders along the Foreshore, past Queen’s Wharf to just beyond the Bus terminal, ending at a grassy knoll known as the Convict Lumber Yard. We noticed so many historical markers just along the boardwalk that we decided to backtrack to the visitor’s center realizing there was much history to be revealed here.  We picked up several brochures and meandered through the maritime museum, then walked into the older part of town where the streets become pedestrian shopping areas. The first day out we just got the lay of the land as we often do. We discovered a little gelato shop called G & G Gelato in the old town and naturally gave it a taste test. It was by far the best gelato either of us has eaten outside of Italy! It surpassed our previous favorite. We must make an effort to visit G & G again. After a while our feet grew tired so we hopped onto the free shuttle bus, which delivered us close to the Coles grocery store not far from the marina. After a quick restock we ended our day back on Destiny.

Wednesday, we decided to embark on the self-guided Heritage Walk (tour).  The tour takes visitors over 200 years back in time to an era (of strife) for the indigenous Awabakal people, Newcastle’s original Aboriginal inhabitants. There isn’t much information to be gleaned about them, so my assumption would be that they were treated the same as all Aborigines we have read about which is not something today’s Australians are proud to advertise.  The walk led us into the convict industrial working areas such as the lumber yard, and the rail depot up the hill to Fort Scratchley and its underground tunnels, then out to the ocean baths, along some of the lovely beaches, down the old piers and wharfs, through the original settlement.

We veered off the prescribed 3K-walk course so that we could also take in the Christchurch Cathedral, an imposing structure along the periphery of our tour no matter where we ventured. Because our eyes were constantly drawn to its towering bell tower, we detoured to investigate this magnificent landmark. The grounds are beautifully and lovingly maintained. The cathedral has been being restored for quite some time and looks inviting. Upon entering its cavernous sanctuary I felt awash in warmth, love and peace.  As we wandered through the naves and up toward the alter, my eyes were drawn to the remarkable pipes of the organ that proudly dominated at least one-third of the structure. I could almost hear and feel the vibration and sound of these lofty pipes that ranged in size from that of my finger to a lodge pole pine, as they stretched far up into the cathedral ceiling. Wow! We took the stairs up to the second level that housed the organist and the choir. Then we noticed the door to the bell-tower and continued onward and upward into the dark, narrow passageway that rounded and rounded on small steep flagstone steps, until we emerged some 50-yards upward into the bell room which housed several bells, chains, cranks and shafts. From there led an even narrower, steel stepped staircase through the floor above. We followed it emerging on a parapet that resembled the tower of a castle with four bastion-like structures at the corners. The view from up there was breathtaking. Descending the tower, I felt sad to leave. This cathedral had a real spiritual impact on me. As we passed the front desk, we dropped a donation into the box on our way out.

Next stop was a very late lunch at one of the historic and beautifully built local hotels that is now a restaurant/pub situated among the government and judicial buildings, where men and women dressed in flowing black robes and powder-white wigs scurried about among others in business suits carrying briefcases. We knew that this hotel must be a favorite eating and drinking hole for this crowd.  The interior was rich with dark, heavy wood, brass and marble structures. We immediately decided we liked it whether the food was good or not. The food was good. What a nice way to round out our day of exploring Newcastle. From there we just walked. It was yet a good 3 miles (5K) back to the marina. Not a bad day at all!

The next couple of days were spent – as always – getting chores done, walking a bit and then planning our next stop. The tide tables and weather determined that we would make a late morning departure for Port Stephens on May 1.

April 21 - 25th , 2011 – Pittwater and Newcastle friends and fun!

Palm Beach – it’s not just in Florida – in Pittwater is just one of dozens of amazing anchorages in this part of Pittwater. We grabbed a mooring ball and awaited the arrival of our friends from Sydney the next morning. When they all arrived we found a happy surprise…Tuppenny was among them. After introductions to the gang they announced that we would be actually spending the night at America Bay! So off we sailed around the head back to the Hawksbury River side of Broken Bay. That night was to be a potluck dinner aboard two of the yachts that were rafted to a buoy. Since we’d had no idea there was an actual agenda and this was news to us, I contributed the dinner I had already prepared for Frank and I: skewered lamb souvlaki with homemade tzakiki and green beans sautéed with garlic and almond slivers. We used the lamb as appetizers for the group.  We feasted on a multitude of goodies and finished up with someone’s birthday cake (another surprise for us – but great fun!), then sat around chatting, until late into the night. What a great bunch this Middle Harbour Yacht Club is.

The next day, we all moved over to Cottage Point for breakfast and then the group dispersed so that everyone could do their own thing. Heather and Mark came aboard for the night with us and we returned to America Bay for the night. Early Sunday morning they all left for Sydney. Russell phoned to say that Jan and Tom were back in town and that they were coming over on Tomkat for a visit and to Spend Sunday night. Frank and I were exhausted and had planned a very early departure for Newcastle but looked forward to seeing Jan and Tom, so we found our second wind.  They arrived with a couple of friends on board and an absolute heap of food and drinks, rafted up to us and once again we feasted and visited into the wee hours.

As promised, we awoke at 5 AM on Monday, Anzac Day, gently cast off from Tomkat and whispered goodbye to Kate and Russell who had awaken to see us off.  We enjoyed a fabulous day of sailing up to Newcastle, arriving with the incoming tide as planned. Newcastle is another of Australia’s hidden secrets. Whoever plans a trip to Australia that includes Newcastle? Unless you travel by yacht you probably would not give it a lot of thought. Originally for us it was just another stop along the way to break up the trip along the coast.

The second largest city in New South Wales (NSW), Newcastle is one of the largest shipping ports in Australia and is currently the largest coal-exporting harbor in the world. Its Aboriginal name is Muloobimba. It has a richly colonial and violent history, including convicts used as laborers, suffering and hard times, but as with many of these fascinating cities this history lends to the charm and attraction of its modern self. 

Our first order of business (always) was to hit the grocery store. As we were checking out I wished the young cashier, “Happy Anzac Day!” and expressed my condolences that he had to work on this big holiday. He replied, “Oh, no worries, I’m not complaining because I’m making $53/hour today!” Uh, no wonder our grocery cost so darn much in this country! I’m thinking of getting a job at Coles, myself!  Back at the marina Frank washed down the boat while I trotted off to the laundry room. We didn’t do much the first night, other than bundle up against the cold drizzle and head to the yacht club for dinner. Tomorrow our Newcastle adventures would begin.

December 15, 2010 – Overnighter to Pittwater from Pt. MacQuarie

Oh, What a night! I kept thinking of that Four Seasons song last night
as we navigated our way through a minefield of large fishing boats and
container ships and watched a dazzling light show. We left Port
MacQuarie yesterday at 9 AM, thinking that we would have a quick and
easy 24-hour passage to Pittwater, some 170 miles south. Had the
weather forecast been correct we would have done just that, but it is
now 10 AM and we are at least another 7-8 hours from our destination.
The first couple of hours out, we managed to get 20+ knots of wind on
a very close reach. We knew from experience that once we got to the
eastern Australia current we would shoot right down the coast at
between 8 and 11 knots, regardless of the prevailing winds. For
whatever reason that did not happen. The current eluded us and
instead, we got some crazy erratic winding, swirling current that
would literally knock us out of Auto Pilot. We needed the winds to be
as forecasted: 15 -20 knots nor' easterly, tending northerly. Most of
the day, however, the winds were in our face (southwesterly) and the
current against us. By mid-day, we were managing to sail along at a
little over 6 knots, when Frank yelled to me to come help him with the
headsail. The halyard had snapped causing the genoa to drop like a
rock right into the water! Of course it immediately filled with water
and got sucked up under the bow. I scooted forward and for nearly 30
minutes, we heaved and pulled to get the sail out of the water, aboard
the boat. Thank God, the sea swell was less than 2 meters and the
winds were still under 20 knots. Frank quickly rigged a temporary
halyard from the spare we use for the gennaker. He got the sail re-
threaded into the track as I tried to hand crank it up. Geez, this
sail was wet and very heavy and I was having a hell of a time trying
to hoist it. Finally, we changed places so Frank could man the
hoisting efforts and I could guide the sail. When it was about
halfway up of course the wind began to build, trying to rip the sail
out of my grasp. Frank kept trying to turn the boat into the wind to
give us a break but the swirling current would just spin us right back.
Eventually we got the sail back into operation and were ready to sail
away with this fresh new wind. We were riding pretty steadily so we
turned on the watermaker and carried on. After about an hour,
however, the winds continued shifting and we began to heel too far to
Starboard so that the watermaker lost efficiency and began to suck
air. We shut it down to find that the water pump would not shut off
and that all of the water had gone into the Starboard tank, leaving
the port tank dry. It kept grinding away, so Frank turned it off –
this means we cannot use any water because the water pump enables
water to come out of the tanks into the faucets. We changed tack,
hoping that the water would level off back into both tanks. The
promised nor'easterlies did not arrive, but the sou'westerlies
prevailed so rather than beat ourselves to death as we'd done the
other day we just took our time and tacked back and forth making no
more than 6.5 knots.
As we were settling into a nice rest after lunch, Frank announced that
our flag halyard had broken. The Australian courtesy flag was
flapping haphazardly in the wind and hanging on by one end. He tried
to bring it down, but was unsuccessful, so he attempted to tie off one
end at the mast pulpit, raising the courtesy flag to the spreader in
hopes that it will hang in there until we can go up to retrieve it and
the broken halyard.
By 9 PM, both of us were still too wired from the day's events to get
any sleep but Frank urged me to try to go down for a few hours so we
could begin our night watches. This is about when the seas decided to
kick up, so I tossed and turned until around 10:20, announcing to
Frank quite often that I just can't do it. I drank 2 cups of
Sleepytime Tea and about 30 minutes later I finally got fell off to
sleep. I awoke at 11:40 feeling OK, although I'd only gotten an hour
of sleep. I went up to relieve Frank and that is when I saw the
virtual traffic jam of sea vessels. They were all around us and
seemingly coming at us from everywhere. The seas were chock full of
plankton giving us the phosphorescent light show we love so much,
throwing luminous pale green flashes out from Destiny's sides that
looked like glow in the dark wings, and shooting out the stern leaving
a brilliant 20 foot trail of sparkles in our wake. There was a
lightening storm many miles to the west that threw fantastic jagged
streaks across the skies illuminating the entire night like a giant
strobe. And to top it off, we witnessed numerous falling stars. It
was a show that entertained us and kept us awake and in awe as the
long hours passed. It was such a frenzied and busting atmosphere
around us that we both stayed up all night long watching and
maneuvering. I was tired, but Frank was exhausted. Finally just
before dawn, at around 4 AM, Frank went down for some rest.
Now the winds are nearly gone and the seas are relatively flat as we
continue to motor toward Pittwater.

Dec 11 – 14 Port Macquarie – Lovely and Lively

After a very early wakeup call, we departed Coffs Harbour for Port Macquarie.  Our day was marked by intermittent periods of good sailing, blue skies and then cloudy periods. It was varied enough to keep us alert for the trip. Timing the approach and departure of these ports is very important, so we coordinated our departure from Coffs with the advised tide schedule issued by Marine Rescue NSW. There are strong currents, adverse tides and winds to consider when making it over the bars; the great big shifting sand bars that lay across the opening of most of the harbors. Some are of not much consequence, however, some are quite risky to cross causing a vessel to get thrashed at an entrance or exit.  We have heard many horrifying stories of boats getting to the bar and then being tossed around helplessly when they hit it wrong. Port Macquarie's entrance is among the more hazardous ones. I am happy to report that my captain has thus far managed to navigate these bars masterfully.  Arriving into this beautiful seaside town was an absolute pleasure.

Two large rock jetties flank the opening. We noticed they were very colorful and just alive with walkers, runners and people fishing. A narrow channel has been dredged leading into the marina and even in the little channel we noticed the depth was at times just 2 – ft. under our keel so it is a bit like threading a needle. The water was clear and very beautiful though. Dolphins came along to lead our way.  We secured to our mooring and then retired early.

The next day we walked into town to discover great meandering walking/biking/running paths throughout. We chose one that led us along the river up past town. We crossed at a little footbridge and then followed it around toward the jetties, which took us to the main waterfront area where we found the most outstanding fish and chips kiosk. I had fresh grilled Barramundi, while Frank feasted on traditional fish'n chips. Afterward we discovered the ice cream parlor!  We continued our walk up onto the south jetty where we discovered the most unusual art. The large boulders used to build the jetty were painted in brilliant varying colors. Most were personalized, marking someone's passing, an anniversary, a graduation, a family reunion, and other events. Many were signed with the Iron Man logo, giving us the impression that this was part of the course for a past Iron Man event.  About us was the bustle of healthy people out doing healthy things and it was easy to get caught up in the fever. For the days that we spend there we enjoyed some great walks and hikes along trails that yielded to magnificent views and colorful flora. We enjoyed Port Macquarie very much and look forward to returning on our way back up the coast in the Fall.

December 7 – 11, 2010 Coffs Harbour

Another overnighter from the Gold Coast to Coff's Harbour left us pretty wiped out.  The big commercial vessel traffic is getting heavier the closer we get to Sydney making night watches tense.  We arrived at the breakwater to Coffs at daybreak, dropped the hook and decided to get some sleep until the marina opened.  It was extremely rolly, and we found sleep difficult as Destiny literally pitched from side to side. We prayed that the marina had an available berth for us. Finally at around 9 AM, the cell phone rang.  The marina had a spot available, so in we went.  We got settled and then as I was checking out facilities, Frank hooked up with Wasabi and Endangered Species to make plans for lunch.  He also ran into Deb and Al from Sunboy, the couple with the three teenagers that we met at Tanna in Vanuatu.  This is their homeport.

I was so exhausted that I just couldn't get up much energy until the next day. We tinkered around looking for some needed boat parts, doing laundry and generally awaiting an opening in the coastal report to make another dash down the coast. There wasn't much excitement here other than taking walks and chatting with friends.

Next stop will be Port MacQuarie.