Wednesday 7th April (Lini’s Journal)
Brindabella's Web Diary
Simon Williams
Thu 22 Apr 2010 19:46
We leisurely packed up and set sail at 9.35am taking the Goat Head
Channel on the inside of Cades Reef to Jolly Harbour on the west
coast. The sky was overcast and we were hit by a couple of showers and
several bouts of very gusty wind. I dug deeply for buried spray
jackets to keep off the cold rain that blew horizontally under the
bimini. As we neared the harbour the sun shone over the fantastic vast
expanse of pale blue water with beaches of the whitest sand lining the
shores. Jolly Harbour has been massively developed since I drove here
six years ago and from the sea it was clear what made the area so
attractive for a huge project of hundreds of waterfront properties
with moorings. I remember stopping our drive to cool off on a totally
idyllic beach that was my screen saver for some time with its huge
white foam waves breaking from turquoise seas onto white sand with
Montserrat on the horizon and a superyacht just in front.
It was gusting over 26knots as we dropped the hook in shallow
water just outside the channel then had a late lunch while admiring
the views all around with the wind whistling through the rigging. It
was a great relief that Mosquito Bay didn’t live up to its name, but a
few flies paid us a visit. I have been really amazed how few flies
we’ve had aboard; infinitely less than a summer in England and my net
food covers which I thought would be essential have hardly been used.
I looked around the anchorage for familiar names not seeing anyone
we knew, so was surprised a short while later to hear voices off the
stern. Michéle and Emmanuelle (Swiss/Australian,French/Canadian) from
‘Teepee’ who we’d met in Las Palmas were anchored just behind us! We
had all felt really guilty on ‘R’ pontoon as not being ARC
participants they were booted off their berth to make way for us and
had to spend two weeks in the rolly anchorage until we left. We had a
brief chat and invited them for sundowners to catch up properly.
‘Papillon’ then anchored next to us and invited us to them for drinks.
We asked if we could bring along the girls then set off in Shovell for
a major food shop.
The waves were bumpy for my still poorly back and it was a relief
to near the marina into calmer water. We had a stroll around the good
selection of little shops, banks and bars then hit the supermarket,
filling our trolley safe in the knowledge that it could be wheeled to
the dinghy dock. There was a great selection of fat free foods
available some of which amazed me: Do cream cheese and fat free go
together in the same sentence and what is fat free mayonnaise made of
if its main ingredients are usually eggs and oil? Best not to think
about it I thought and loaded the trolley with my thoughts focused on
tuna sandwiches and jacket potatoes which won’t get stuck in my
throat. Simon accidently knocked the sweetie shelf too and chocolate
and jellies fell into the trolley on top of chockie biscuits. Most of
the trolley however was packed with fresh produce, meat, soya milk,
juice and flour, the stuff we always have to stock up on. It is never
fun stowing everything away back on Brindabella and we were ready for
our sundowners.
Colin and Sandie had been very busy on ‘Papillon’ and the table was
laden with stuffed eggs, dates filled with cream cheese, dips and
nibbles. I felt rather embarrassed just bringing along pretzels and
drinks. The girls arrived and then Chrissie another Kiwi friend of
theirs who brought with her a big bowl of salmon dip. Unfortunately
her husband Simon was not well but the seven of us had a great evening
except for the weather which turned really chilly and had long sleeved
tops coming out of bags. I was really quite cold in a little thin
strapped top and can’t remember when I last wanted a woolly. It was
bed time not suppertime when we finally dragged ourselves away from
the jolly get together in Jolly Harbour with invitations for drinks on
Brindabella tomorrow night.