Phlat Chat is at Gladstone as we have had to come back to Sydney for a while. The adventures of Phlat Chat and her intrepid crew will continue in 2011!!

Tuesday 2 November We are now at North Keppel Island – we arrived from Pearl Bay on Sunday after a long slow sail to windward with up to 2 knots of current against us for the run in tide. Not much fun and it took us almost 12 hours to reach North Keppel. Today we are moving to Great Keppel Island for a couple of days before we enter “The Narrows” to go behind Curtis Island and for Gladstone.

Monday 25 October We spent last night at Goldsmith Island with Silver Gull and Bluglass, both cats, and this morning we upped anchor at 0530 to head for Scawfell Island. It is lovely morning and we have a nice 12 knot breeze and a good reach. Chris is on the helm and doing a great job. Tomorrow all things being equal we will head for Curlew Island.

Saturday 23 October We are back in Queensland, yep wound our watches back one hour (and twenty years), ready to start the trip south. We are already missing our grandchildren (and the kids too I suppose!) but we will have a great time going south again this year. The boat was left on a swing mooring at Airlie Beach for four weeks while we were back in Sydney for two weddings, which were both great. It has been an “eventful” start for Phlat Chat’s trip south. First we picked up the tender after having covers made for it and once we got it in the water it wouldn’t start – bloody thing. Fuel pipe was cactus and we had to replace it. Thank god for David and Lyndy from TackZ Evasion who came by and towed us to Phlat Chat. What a mess, and the smell !!! It was covered in shag shit, and covered is not an exaggeration. I hate shags! So much poo that the solar panels were not able to deliver the necessary voltage so we arrived back to flat batteries. Thanks again to David and Lyndy who kindly allowed us to stay on their boat Tuesday night. Wednesday we brought the boat into Abel Point marina where we refuelled her and grabbed a berth to clean, clean, clean. It took ALL day to scrub it clean. The last bits on our hands and knees scrubbing each piece with Jif and a scotchbrite. Sore hands and very tied. Into bed by 2000 and no tea – just too tied. Thursday it rained and rained so a few inside jobs. Friday we went shopping to stock up for the trip south and met with John Hudson for a coffee. John kindly dropped us back at the marina with the shopping. We left the marina at about midday to slug it to Gulnare or Happy Bay. We ended up at Happy Bay with Mal and Cathy from Silver Gull, another Lightwave. Gulnare at low tide is a bit hard. However a confession is needed, we were going to go over to Silver Gull for a drink so Andrew lowed the dinghy to get it ready and 2 minutes later it drifted off the stern of Phlat Chat and headed happily for Shute Harbour on its own – not tied on – what a rooky error! Good old Mal dropped his dinghy in the water and rescued our dinghy. This morning we were up at 0500 and left Happy Bay to head south hoping to get to Goldsmith Island but slamming into 20knots+ isn’t fun so we are only at Shaw Island, but it is a good anchorage and there is lots of company. We dropped anchor at about 1015 and Mal and Cathy came over for morning tea, with Geoff and Ellen from Bluglass, whom we had heard about but not met so that was good. Chris had made muffins, which were a treat. The weather is supposed to moderate tomorrow afternoon so we will probably head to Goldsmith tomorrow arvo.

Wednesday 4 August Yesterday we climbed Whitsunday Peak. The sign said a 4 hour steep climb and that you had to be fit! Well six of us tackled it and we made it but boy it was a serious effort – lucky we are so fit (??) It was really worth it. The view was nothing short of spectacular – really worth the aching legs and crook knees today. That night we caught up with CCC members, Kathy and George on Mee Too who came over to Cid Harbour. We had a lovely meal on board Mee Too and thoroughly enjoyed our evening, thanks George and Kathy. Tonight its drinkies with the “Shaggers” (members of that august group, the Shag Islet Yacht Club , where everyone is a Vice Commodore).

Woops – forgot to say on the way to Cid Harbour yesterday we saw two whales quite close to us – we had to stop our engines to wait for them. Apparently the whales have not read the government’s directive about staying 100m from boats. They really should pay more attention to govt directions!

The two days at Whitehaven were beautiful. We walked to Chance Bay one day (7.2km return!) which was great but again the SE winds had blown coral spawn onto the beach – it was bright green and stank (some people were camping there too – it would have been horrid!). Last night we sailed to Cid Harbour to hide from a 25 knot wind which is now blowing and bouncing us around a bit. But at least we have coverage, so I can update the blog.

Tuesday 3 August Beach BBQ was great and the next day, Friday we dinghyed to each of the three beaches at Thomas and walked each one. Pretty lazy day. We also walked to the other side of the island along a track marked out with old thongs. It was along an old creek bed thick with melaleucas. We emerged into a little cove which while pretty stank of rotting coral spores. That night we had drinks on the beach wit the usual crowd, plus the crews of two of the ARC round the world rally boats, one Poms the other Norwegian. Saturday we set off for Whitehaven Beach in think fog, which fortunately cleared by the time we were at the northern end of Shaw Island. We stopped at Maher Island for lunch and explored the “Phantom Cave”.

Thursday 29 July We left Mackay on Wednesday about 11.00 the halyard having been completed about 0900 that morning. The price was not quite as we expected but the Rigger, Tim was a good chap and unusually for the boat guy he kept us very well informed and came when he said he would – most unusual! It has not been stress tested yet and the invoice for the parts is yet to come so stay tuned for Andrew’s dummy spit. But the sail to Brampton was pleasant and we caught up with some the Mackay mob for drinks on Eureka. The fine crew from: Eureka, Shiraz, Chasseur and us all enjoyed the quiet of the evening, and few drinks to go with it! This morning we awoke to hundreds, literally hundreds or blue and black butterflies flying hither and yon over the water and on the island. A little later Steven, Sharon (Shiraz) and Chris and I walked into the resort at Brampton for a coffee before we headed off to Thomas Island (much more important to us now with our grandson, Thomas). We are now at Thomas Island about to go ashore for a beach BBQ !!

Friday 23 July Still in Mackay Marina. Chris is in Sydney getting a grandchild fix and due back tomorrow. We have been doing a few jobs meanwhile. Engines serviced, dunny fixed (what an unpleasant job that was – well I hope it is “was” because if it not I have to do it again and that, I do not want to have to do!!). We are also putting in an extra halyard so we can fly the spinnaker easier. It was all supposed to be finished today, but guess what, parts not available so it is now Monday……at least the chap rang and told us straight away so that is a good thing. From here we will sail north and are two days away from the Whitsundays now. It is howling today so happy to be in the Marina now. It is likely to blow hard for the next few days so happy to wander up the marina to grab a coffee etc. Couple of boats here we know so that’s fun. Shiraz is from SA and we met them in Middle Harbour, the other Eureka I met at Coffs while waiting for the steering cable (yes, Jim spectra would have been a good idea – maybe next time).

Monday 19 July. Well Digby is OK but rolly and windy but is was an OK anchorage for the night. We were up before 0600 and left for Mackay at about 0625 – it is getting lighter! The forecast was 10 to 15 from the NE but is came in 15+ from the SE which was even better for us. We shot to Mackay in great conditions. We are now in the Marina, a lovely dinner ashore and a few jobs to do. Andrew spent the afternoon working on the dunny which is not being a good lad. It was less than fun. We did have a lovely meal tonight at Latitude 21 the restaurant in the hotel where we met Kevin Rudd last year! Chris returns to Sydney tomorrow for a few days to catch up with kids and friends. Andrew is boat bound to finish jobs……then on the Whitsundays…..