�� The ARC office opened this morning and Si set off to register and book our safety check. Thinking the office opened at 9am rather than 10am he was first in the queue being persuaded also to be first for a safety check as they had so many to get through in the next two weeks. Back on Brindabella it looked like a bomb had landed inside, and outside First Mate was busy scrubbing the decks and as far down the sides as her little arms could reach. Si returning with news of our imminent visit by the boys in yellow commenced a frantic hour or so of stowing some stuff and digging out items to be checked. We were still deficient in lanyards on wash boards so we don�t lose them if we�re knocked over so Si quickly got the tool box out.

�� We have two yellow shirted ARC reps for our pontoon, one being Rob from Hamble School of Yachting who we know from courses and the seminar back in March. He arrived with Paul and commenced our thorough examination. They started on deck with lights, life-raft, man overboard gear and the one problem we were expecting, the lack of a cockpit bilge pump, a well known problem with Hallberg Rassys. We have adequate bilge pumps elsewhere so we just have to sign a waver for that one. Down below and out came the life jackets with gas bottles, lights and hoods all checked, then lifelines. Over the next half an hour the flares came out with dates confirmed, the cooker lifted to see if it would fly off if we�re knocked over, fire extinguishers examined, communications and GPS systems noted and grab bag contents Okayed . Si is so thorough regarding safety I didn�t foresee any problems but we�d had little time to do our own checks beforehand. Ticks in all the right places we could then relax and over afternoon tea we opened the canvas briefcase given to us and looked through a mountain of information and tickets for events before departure. Si had booked places for just about all the seminars and also bought us tickets for several dinners. Free tickets were also given for other social events including tonight�s welcome drinks in the ARC bar, an open air area with some shelter set up alongside the marina.

�� Today is Luke�s 19^th birthday from �Sunboy� next door and everyone on the pontoon joined in singing �Happy Birthday� this morning. There is a real community spirit developing along �R� with everyone helping each other with problems onboard. I am gradually remembering names and continue to gather top tips being offered on any subject being discussed.

�� As happy hour approached, yachties headed to the ARC bar for the first of many social events and we enjoyed a drink with fellow participants before returning to �Sunboy� for birthday celebrations. Deb and Nicki had been very busy preparing delicious nibbles and Al wasted no time in making sure we weren�t becoming dehydrated! The lovely Belgium family arrived from �A Small Nest� (an anagram of their surname) and we had a great evening ducking down below when rain was coming horizontally under the bimini. Watching Simon drinking beer at happy hour and initially on �Sunboy�, then birthday bubbly, then a grappa as the evening came to close, I knew someone would suffer. We staggered back to Brindabella expecting the worst.