Quick update and sea tales to catch everyone up to where we currently are (knowing this is just a repeat of last year, damn COVID!).  Plus our AIS is not updating very well, working on it…..

A quick stop in Urangan so Terri could commence her drive to Brisbane airport and flight home to Sydney, 

Bundaberg

Dave and I continued up to Bundaberg in a 20-25knot westerly that shot us up the coast on a full beam heel. For the first time in a while Dave got to see MAD in action … eye opener  .

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Arrived early afternoon and straight into the marina berth. Still blowing a good 18 knots, but thanks to the newly fixed bow thrusters (Urangan) I managed with no issues at all.  Bundy was a chore stop. Had the anchor regalvanised and Dave and I remarked the chain. Main sail had to come down for a repair around two of the vertical battens.

Fun socially as usual at the cruisers corner. Dave golfed and I bombed around getting stocked up. Finally, on Sunday hit the fruit and veg markets in preparation for our departure to Lady Musgrave early early Monday, August 17^th 0300 hrs.  

We had noticed a nice looking boat on the next arm and couldn’t help notice the sea eagle nest above the spreaders, guess that is what happens when you don’t move your  boat frequently in Bundy .

Lady Musgrave

Lady Musgrave was beautiful and calm when we arrived around 1300 hrs and managed to catch up with a few yatchies there.

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A walk around the island and staring at the pristine waters, I was not keen on staying too long as I knew that a 30 knotter was due to hit on Wednesday so we took off on Tuesday to Pancake Creek. I am not sure it ended up being the lesser of two evils as the wind was blowing from the North causing wind on tide issues on the mooring buoy and many sleepless nights fretting over whether we needed to get in the dingy to push the stern around and free the mooring line from the keel.  

Pancake Creek

After 2 nights I had had enough and we moved around to Rodds Harbour, then up to Facing island (never anchor by a island named Rat Island!)  Yet again another sleepless night as at low tide we were surrounded by shallow rocks, yuck!  Left as early as the tide would let us to Great Keppel Island and finally breathed a sigh of relief. As we rounded the island to the anchorage we saw a total of 48 boats, so knew we should be good for some sleep catch up at long last.

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Great Keppel Island

We walked the island and saw lots of wild life (blue tongued lizards, echidna, birds galore. Had fun discovering the small low budget accommodation, café and people that ferry from Rosslyn Bay. Weather was beautiful! A few yachtie friends in the midst and then off to Rosslyn Bay for a marina rest,  clean up, stock up and of course repairs. We now have to fix the VHF and AIS aerial before the last leg up to the Whitsundays.  

Let me tell you John Sterling a Raymarine Technician from Moolalaba was fabulous help and highly recommend him.

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Hope everyone is doing well, big hugs from the Great Barrier Reef.