Today was the finish of the Lightwave Regatta we had a great weekend seeing lots of the southern part of Morton Bay and met a number of fellow Lightwave owners. We also conned Lightwave into letting us borrow a staff member to augment our crew so Debs came along for a ride – what a nice lass and so we had five arms (Chris is still “single handed sailing”). Today was Ladies day and Chris did a great job of single handedly driving Phlat Chat around the course (see pic). We had a full weekend with a party Friday night complete with dress up theme and a beach BBQ on Saturday night, with a couple of very relaxed races in between. We think we saw a turtle or two and the water looked lovely in places, especially Peel Island where we stayed Saturday night. Tomorrow we go back to Lightwave so that the repairs can start on Tuesday. Right now we are in Jacob’s Well having come down the main channel in the dark – keeps the mind focused – Chris is an excellent navigator so we made it – crikey it’s shallow in places around here !

It has been a while since our last posting. So an update is in order, first, happy birthday to the fabulous Phippen women. Lisa’s birthday was on Saturday and Emily’s was on Tuesday. We hope you had a wonderful day girls and we are sorry we were not there with you. We spent the weekend with Rob and Steph, thanks Steph for letting us stay over – it was a great weekend, and yes, Rob my liver is improving – thanks for asking. We have been floating around waiting for the insurance man and on Monday we got a call and on Wednesday the Assessor rang and came on board to go over the Lightwave quote and see for himself. After going over it and talking to Lightwave an agreement was reached so we are now hoping to start work on the repairs early next week – hooray ! We spent last night and hopefully tonight at Paradise Point which meant we had the chance to have coffee ashore and go for a nice long walk, and because Chris is here we did some shopping this morning. Tomorrow we start the Lightwave Regatta so we are going north towards Morton Bay, but if the tides as right we can grab a coffee before we “up anchor”. More later

Catch up Day

Last night we had a very pleasant meal with Mal and Cathy who own a Lightwave, we met them on the hard stand where Mal is working on his boat. They kindly picked us up and the four of has had a lovely meal. Today has been a catch up day. But we started the day with a ride in the dinghy to Hope Island Marina, where we had a nice coffee in the sun and a wander around. We just might do the same tomorrow! We have finally got quotations together for the insurance company, Nautilus Marine – lets hope they get a good write later in this blog. We faxed them off today. The poor Lightwave people must be sick of the sight of us but boy they sure have been helpful. We are also in the middle of an engine service, which we needed after the “drive” up the coast. Guess what, the engine based bilge pump is cactus the weld holding it on has broken. It’s really only minor and fixable. Poor Chris is sick of the plaster already. We still don’t know how long we are here or what will happen when but we are not in a hurry so we’ll just take it easy.

We (Rob, Mark and I) had being telling Chris that she should do something about her sore arm (hurt in the accident at Port Stephens) but she kept saying it was alright and would get better. In spite of that today I insisted and we went to the doctor for a check up and to have an Xray. Thanks to the Lightwave team who were so generous with helping Chris get to the doctor. It’s broken isn’t it !!! Both bones – nice and clean but plaster for 6 weeks – I told you so Christine ! The sun is shining and it’s hot. We are collecting the info we need for the insurance and Chris is OK which is the only real issue. We are out to diner tonight with another Lightwave owner who is working on his boat here too, that should be fun. Nice people these Lightwavers.

It’s bananas !!!! We had bananas on board and that is an old sea going superstition – so that was the problem. You’ll be pleased to know we have eaten all the damn bananas and there are to be NO more bananas on Phlat Chat !!!!! We are moored at Coomera at the Lightwave factory and hopefully things will be back to “normal” in the next few weeks.

We are now tucked up at the Southport Yacht Club Marina having gone through the Seaway at 1845 Sunday night and we are in one piece in Queensland. We had a good trip but now of course it is raining – flooding in the region – what did we do and why do we bring buckets of rain where ever we go ? Tomorrow we go up the Broadwater to Lightwave to have the damage checked out – we have a few buckets out as we do leak but I am sure they will fix those. A heartfelt thanks to Rob and Mark for all their help. I hope they enjoyed the trip, it was good to be at sea again. What a beautiful sunrise. Chris and Rob were on watch and Chris took this picture while Mark and I slept as we were off watch.

You can't help but go forward and watch these guys playing under the bows Some one likes watching them.............................................................................. Right under the bows even the babies

Good old Rob, what a fisherman!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some Pictures

A decent fish

Chris and I off Cape Byron, Australia's most easterly point................... Breakie at Sea Some of poor Phlat Chat's damage :(

Day three at sea.

We are now well north and off Ballina having fuelled up in Coffs Harbour last night as the EAC (East Australian Current) was giving us a belting at 4 knots off Tacking Point (which I guess is why Cook called it that). With no breeze we chewed through the fuel and needed to top up. There is a fuel call out cost we had to pay on top of the cost of the fuel (which was not too bad) that was a bit of a pain but safety first ! We have broken Phlat Chat’s fishing jinx !! We have caught and released over 15 mackerel of various sorts and best of all a few Dolphin fish – one of which was legal size so it was served up by the Executive Chef, Madame Chris as a entrée that night – it doesn’t get any fresher that that. We have had benign winds and gentle swell as we nurse Phlat Chat up the coast. We are hoping to be in Southport late Sunday night if our luck (and the weather) holds. It is then up to Lightwave at Coomera and our baby gets fixed up and tarted up for the next leg – the push north. While it was pity not to have dawdled up the NSW coast we can always do it on the way back and our real adventure now starts from the Gold Coast – although this has been pretty adventurous so far !

Today was “one of those days”. We were planning to be in Soldiers Point to pick up an engine part so up we went – and clang stove in a window bent a few stanchions as the tide caught us. With one engine on one hull we had no chance. The guys at the Marine Centre up here did a great job and we have a cute little temporary window – once the rigging is checked tomorrow we hope to make a determined dash for the Gold Coast. We are getting a crew together to get cracking. Thanks to Mark and Rob H for volunteering hopefully it will be a pleasant sail up the coast – a quick couple of overnighters and we will be there. I am sure it is character building ( but I think my character is already built) but we could do without it. Chris hurt her arm which is the most worrying part – I hope it feels better in the morning ! Things WILL get better and we will overcome. On to the Gold Coast!!

Shoal Bay Monday 6 April

Monday in Shoal Bay – more dolphins and also some Fairy Penguins a most pleasant way to wake up. Boy did we sleep well last night. Still not used to this daylight saving change. We wandered ashore for a coffee and a stroll also to do a bit of shopping – the southerly was late but it did come in about 20 knots and is still blowing but Shoal Bay is well protected and we are quite snug. Today we discovered why the port engine bilge alarm would go off now and again the exhaust had a little hole and leaked seawater into the engine bay - not a good look. Thank god for mobile phones we were able to organise a new part from Sydney and it will be at Soldiers Point Marina on Wednesday so we might be a bit late for our Easter date – sorry kids. Today’s entertainment included Chris drawing – she is really good and me fishing off the stern ( glad there are butchers in Shoal Bay!).

Chris at the Helm

Sun over Anna Bay (nearly there)

Shaol Bay at last with the sunset

Our track from Pittwater to Port Stephens

Sunday, off to an EARLY start, up before 5 am to leave Coasters at a bit after 5 and head out to sea for Port Stephens. The weather boys got it right the SE died about 11 and in came the NE at about 10 + knots. Of course we were going north and had 75NM to do. But we got there and drove the old girl a bit and good on her – engines behaved perfectly. Saw a pod of 12 or so dolphins at sea who studiously ignored us ! But now in Shoal Bay the sun is setting and there are dolphins swimming around with young ones too. What a lovely end to a long day. Dinner and bed for the intrepid crew of Phlat Chat tonight. Tomorrow a few jobs and a nice coffee I hope.

Leaving Sydney

It’s been almost one week since we went through Sydney Heads and “turned left”. So we have started the journey, but we are still in Pittwater. The weather has been lousy and there is no way we would have left the calm of Pittwater to go to sea. But we think (hope) it is improving, and tomorrow, Sunday there may be a weather window to enable us to do the next leg. We are hoping to get to Port Stephens some 75 nautical miles north. We estimate this will take us somewhere between 10 and 13 hours. So hopefully tomorrow evening we can update again from Port Stephens. While we have been here we have been busy stowing things, finding new leaks and trying to fix them and waiting on parts to get our phone/internet working. Finally on Friday evening we cracked and found the faulty part so we are now on line. Therefore I guess it has been a productive few days, although I’d prefer to be further north.