BLUE WATER RALLY - AUSTRALIA MACKAY - GOODBYE
Saturday 30th August Although the UPS tracking told us our
water pump was held up in Sydney Customs, it arrived
yesterday……..fantastic! So we legged it around to the mechanic who
has been on standby to fit it every day (and still has the old one with the
required bolts attached to it) to find a notice on his door ‘family
matter – back on Monday!’ With no way of contacting him, or
getting back our bolts Paul has fitted it himself and tapped new holes for
spare bolts we were given by the shop next door! We have made excellent use of
our time here in this squeaky clean marina with water and electricity on
tap…….for 40 AUS$ a day. We have fitted the new auto pilot bilge
pump in the back locker and the hi fi system. I have done a huge shop to
replace the food confiscated on arrival – I keep finding things missing -
muesli for instance because it had dried bananas in it – Jennie from
Zippy came with me as coincidentally but happily they are the only Rally boat
left here now with us…..and a home cooked dinner invitation is on the
menu tonight. We should be leaving tomorrow – the clearances have been
done, the tanks and containers are full of diesel (£1 a litre here – ugh)
and the marina berthing bill has been paid. The weather forecast is for rain
and north to north east winds…..oooh la! An ARC boat we know arrived alongside us today – an Irish couple
who had stayed in the same b and b with us in We have around 1400 miles
ahead of us to |