These pictures are from left to right: Fog on Hervey Bay - hard to see anything; Chris' fish on the way to Bundaberg - goodie too and the leads going into to Port Bundaberg - bloody difficult to find, but if you look to the right you will see markers.

We are now in Bundaberg, well, Port Bundaberg anyway. We came into the river in a fog. We could see one mark and as we got closer the next one – usually. The fog was horrid. In the middle of Hervey Bay we could see about 100m in each direction. We were seriously hoping no big ships (sugar carrieres come out of Bundaberg) would appear out of the fog ! We did hook a few fish on the way. Andrew would slow down and turn into the school of fish to try to hook one. Once or twice it worked, none worth eating but good fun. Except Chris’ Spotted mackerel which she hooked in the back and could not land – I was busy taking a photo – shame they are supposed to be good to eat. We arrived at Port Bundaberg at about 1330 in the fog – what fun !! We are tied up here doing boat jobs and enjoying the surrounds. The gannets are amazing they dive full tilt into the water and stay under for 15 seconds until they pop up with a fish in their mouth. The noise they make is like a bullet hitting the water – it is great. We plan to leave for Lady Musgrave Island on Tuesday or Wednesday ( Monday is for Andrew to fix the dunny!!) Lady Musgrave in the one of the most southerly of the reef islands and is supposed to be beautiful. The weather is perfect and looks good for the next few days for Lady Musgrave.

Its a tough life; our followers today and the killer sunset. Well we didn’t get to the mungo ball – we had dinner on Phlat Chat with Chris and Judy instead and tried to get the usb TV tuner to work its magic. Guess what it’s a digital HDTV and it isn’t available here – so we listened to bit of it on the radio and got bored. Tried to leave today for the top end of Fraser Island but the fog rolled in big time and we could not see a thing. We snuck back to Kingfisher until about midday when the fog lifted a bit and off we went but only a short trip to Moon Point, which we hope we can use as a jump off for Bundaberg tomorrow (assuming no fog!). It is a lovely spot. Big sandy beach – we went for a walk to be disturbed by dingo’s howling – we walked back to the dinghy to be followed by two dingoes who were obviously hoping we had food. Chris made me beetle back to the dinghy and the jolly dingoes followed us all the way to the very edge of the water where the dinghy was anchored. We finished the day watching a WONDERFUL sunset as we sipped a cool one and retired for a wonderful meal. Chris is a wizard in the galley! Up early tomorrow (weather willing) for a 40+NM trip to Bundaberg. Things to do there – there are always things to do !!!

An unexpected visitor, a beach sundowners, our tenders. One of the locals and our beach BBQ

We have been a bit slack with the blog lately as we have been just too busy !! Since we last updated the site we have had a blast. The guys for the cat have just been a great source of information and friendship. Thanks to Chris and Judy for their help and great company. We also met a delightful couple, Mark and Katrina. This was all at Garrys Anchorage. What a top spot, and yes Rob, Goondaloo would fit. We had a great BBQ on the beach on Saturday – early dinner / late lunch. I even lit the fire with a “device” I purchased from a con man at a boat show 10 years ago and this was its first use. From memory the Swedish army would be lost without it ( I am such a sucker for these blokes at shows….). Met a heap of interesting people heading north, a number of whom are first timers and others are experienced hands. It was great. On Sunday we had a relaxed morning and spend the afternoon fishing with Mark and Katrina. We had each been pumping yabbies (nippers) on the beach for bait and we got stuck in. I am (sort of) delighted to report that Chris caught the biggest and best fish a lovely flathead, which we ate for dinner that night – it was delicious. We also ended up with 5 whiting ( a couple of them were contributed by Mark and Katrina who insisted we have them) Mark even cleaned them. I think he thought we southerners could probably not do it. The people we have met on boats have, so far, been delightful, generous and knowledgeable and keen to share their hard won knowledge with we virgins. On Monday we moved anchorages to Yankee Jacks about 8 NM up the track towards Hervery Bay. That night we had dinner on Two Easy, Chris and Judy’s boat – it was a feast ! The day had been a shocker !! It poured and poured – the odd dry spell for ten minutes but down it would come again. Everything was damp and to top it off as we left Two Easy it pissed down and blew like hell from the SW. We got soaked and it was tricky getting aboard from the dinghy, in the dark, wind and rain. But we had anchored carefully and we held so it was just something to be endured until it passed. Tuesday dawned bight and clear – gee doesn’t the sun make a difference !! We were stoked! We ran around opened hatches hung out washing (like everyone) and hoped for continued sunshine. We were in luck it has been a beautiful day, and our stuff dried. We moved up the Sandy Straits all the way to Kingfisher Resort today about 10NM – it is a great spot we had a lovely walk up the lookout and a real coffee. Chris was pleased to see a shop, it’s been so long (NOT!). We are two lucky people today was a pearler with a beautiful sunset and with luck (and BOM) tomorrow looks good too. We will probably go ashore to the resort to watch the mungo ball tomorrow – the second sate of origin .

We "live aboards" grow our own herbs - here is young Basil. Thanks Bunty for the plant it is doing famously

Pictures: 1. Chris hard at it kneading, 2. the result, and 3 we even ate it ! It was good too.

Since our last blog entry we have been busy bees – summed up best by “Domesticity and the lesser booby”. Read on dear readers…… Wednesday 17 June About lunch time we decided to leave Pelican Bay to head down to Teebar Creek to spend the night as we would be protected from the Southerly breezes. We found a nice quiet (but shallow) anchorage and had a quiet night. On the bright side Andrew noticed our neighbours, three house boats. The main one had a bit of a party going on - all old blokes and I am sure I saw a few scantily clad women on board. Thank heavens for binoculars – right again Phippo. Two young women toppless serving drinks to old farts. What a laugh, Chris was less impressed. Thursday 18 June, Tried to leave about 0900 after a very leisurely morning relaxing, but guess what it was bloody shallow. You guessed it we ran aground about 150m from our anchorage point – we had a cuppa and waited until the tide went down (about an hour to go) and up again - we pooped off about 1230ish to slip out – at least our keels are clean. We went down to Tin Can Bay township and decided it was too close so we went over the way to Smuggers Point to anchor up for the night. We did a bit of shopping and back to the boat for a quiet night, but the domestic goddess was in full flight. So we had a roast pork dinner and good it was ! Chris also became inspired to make bread from scratch. She mixed it and kneaded it and left it over night. Friday 19th June. We decided to head north from Tin Can Bay this morning the weather was good and headed up to Garrys Anchorage about 14 NM north of the Wide Bay Bar entrance. We had a great sail, about 15 – 20 knots of S/SE. We used the schreecher and pootled along at about 4-6 knots. Breakie was great – fresh, hot bread with butter and jam – yum. So we dropped the pick at Garrys and about midday and after lunch we went ashore to go for a walk on Fraser Island. It was a pleasant walk with lots of birds and some really cool fungi – bright red crimson in fact. I don’t reckon you’d last long if you had them on toast ! On the way back from the beach we met a couple who own a catamaran and have done the trip north many times – we had a drink tonight and unashamedly picked their brains. Tomorrow we plan a beach BBQ with these guys– what a treat!

Pictures are our track to Wide Bay Bar, our new friends in the Great Sandy Straight and our anchorage tonight is just the other side of the sand spit. Well, for those of you who read yesterday’s entry Lucas was not too far out. It was pretty uncomfortable but we had out lots of anchor chain – so we were not going far. Up it came from the south and at about midnight down came the rain. However Tuesday dawned bright and sunny with a 15 knot southerly to get things moving. We had agreed with Tin Can Bay Coast Guard that we would transit the Bar at about 1300-1330 which is about 2 hours before high tide, and we would cross with an incoming tide. We were given the waypoints the previous evening and had entered them into the computer to aid us navigating the Bar. It has a pretty bad reputation and both Chris and I were apprehensive, even though we knew conditions were excellent. We decided to up anchor about 11.30 to go and have a look at the bar, we were 8NM away, but by the time we got there it looked pretty good and it was about 1300 – so off into the wild blue yonder. With Chris keeping me on the straight and narrow (this time literally) – we hit each waypoint spot on and over we went – just like that. It was a bit rolly in places but nothing to worry about. All that fretting for nothing. We are now anchored in a pretty little bay around the corner from the Bar, it is quiet, sunny and just lovely. This is the deal man !! One the way in we saw some more turtles and we think a family of three dugongs (but they were hard to identify – they might be small whales ?). Look at the pic and decide for yourself. Tomorrow – who knows…….

The fish, we ate some of him the other picture is our anchorage off Rainbow Beach at Double Island Point.

Double Island Point, leaving Mooloolaba and our track north

Today’s trip was from Mooloolaba to Double Island Point. We are camped here overnight. It is an openroadstead – that is it is really in the ocean and according to Alan Lucas – the expert “one of the most uncomfortable anchorages on the east coast” – great! But so far it has proven to be OK. Tomorrow we cross the infamous Wide Bay Bar to enter the Great Sandy Straights – the path to Harvey Bay. Today was a mixed bag of nice breeze (for 50 minutes or so) and just enough wind to help the engines along. We arrived at our overnight anchorage at about 1500, having seen a big turtle on the surface – scared the hell out of him poor chap. We also saw a pod of whales mooching along – a few spouts, a few tails etc. And I almost forgot a HUGE fish. We actually hooked two at the same time but one broke the line – so we missed the fish, and the trace and the lure – damn. Tomorrow we wait until about 1330 to cross Wide Bay Bar as we need the flood (or incoming) tide for safety’s sake. I hope it stays quiet as it is pretty tricky and we’ll be glad to have it “behind” us. The weather is due to come in from the south overnight but not too strongly. – Boy it’s a dark night – can hardly see your hand in front of your face.

Tangalooma wrecks in Moreton Bay our anchorage and above Mooloolaba while below the end of another tough day.

Chris en route while the Ladies relax as we've got it under control the next pic is our new hardtop & halyard / reefing arrangment with the fearless crew in charge. We are delighted to be able to say we are now free again to pursue our goal of heading north. Yes, the work is now finished (with the notable exception of one or two things that a subbie did not complete but we can move on). We set sail from the Gold Coast on Friday with Steph and Rob , who took a day off to come for a ride and we motored all the way to Tangalooma, an anchorage off Moreton Island in Moreton Bay. It took us all day to motor but the day was beautiful and the ladies made the most of it (see photo). We arrived at the anchorage (“protected” by some old wrecks) at dusk and enjoyed a rolly but comfortable night. The next morning we cracked it! We had a wonderful sail all the way to Mooloolaba, 15-20 knots of S/SW breeze and Phlat Chat slid along at a good pace to land us in Mooloolaba at 1330 to cross the bar which was dead calm. We are now in Sydney for a while to attend a function and soon we will be back heading for Wide Bay (and the trickiest bar on the east coast- but more of that later).