Thinking of Home

CARANGO AMEL 54 #035
PETER and VICKY FORBES
Sun 24 Jul 2016 05:17
18:18.64S 158:29.27E

North East of Australia is the Coral Sea and we are right in that now - sadly not much wind but we are slowly tottering towards the Ozzies. It is a good thing that we are a bit ahead at the moment in cricket and Rugger - they may be marginally less cheeky.

We were visited this morning by two beautiful white tropic birds with their long white tails - they circled Carango for some minutes before flying off to where? There is not much out here in the Coral Sea. we will shortly pass North abeam a large area of reefs called Bampton reefs. We see shoals of flying fish from time to time out here in the ocean and wonder at such enormous depth what these creatures feed on?
 We flog on into the Coral Sea motor sailing.


 As you can see by the red edge of the sail we are flying the mizzen staysail in an attempt to squeeze some knots from this gentle breeze.

It seems strange to be approaching such a massive bulk of land as Australia when all we have seen since leaving Panama six moths ago is desert islands, coral reefs and small volcanic islands. In retrospect it is quite amazing how human beings live on these small islands and are so exceptionally friendly when people like us in yachts arrive browse and depart.

We are thinking of home very much today as we know Arthur and George are back form an adventure in Central America and they have shot off down to Dorset to be at home for a few hours with Serena and Will and as it happens Katie and Sammy and Minnie and Coco - so the whole team are at home and we are here waiting for the wind to blow stronger. 

LOTS OF LOVE TO YOU ALL FORM THEOLD PARENTALS XXXXXXXX