16.55S 145.47E
JENNY
Alan Franklin/ Lynne Gane
Sat 13 Sep 2008 07:17
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Hi everyone. Alan here
It seems like an age since we updated our Blog -
well I guess it is - we're a long way from Vanuatu, and it seems an age ago that
we arrived in Australia. Much has happened to make the time disappear -
Peter's son Gareth got married, thus Peter and Jenny and Ellie have been
back in the UK for 3 weeks, and also myself back there for 2 weeks, here endeth
the excuses!!!
We had a long wait before we had weather good
enough for the passage from Vanuatu to Mackay, we heard a boat in the preceding
rally - ARC world - lost its mast, and our friends who left the Rally in
Fiji, Hakuna Matata had a grim journey down to Brisbane - 50 knot
headwinds, so we decided on the cautious approach!!
We got to Australia after a surprising lovely
sail from Port Vila. It was almost welcoming to be buzzed by the
Australian immigration/custom people - but they've known we were on our way for
weeks!! The Gt.Barrier Reef proved to be
just that - we passed through "Hydrographers Passage" and still had 120
miles to go! We arrived early morning, and quickly met by immigration,
customs and AQIS - quarantine - but they were all very pleasant and very
professional.
We found Mackay a buzzy town with every
week-end stashed full of miners from the local collieries - coal is big around
here! The marina was very welcoming, and the town bright and very modern -
a complete contrast to Vanuatu. We were made so
welcome, and Brian and Margaret Baker (Our Island) hosted a glorious "welcome to
Oz" reception, food and wine in abundance! Sadly we were to have confirmed
what we already suspected - "Our Island" was leaving the Rally. We were so
sad too see them go - they were always the first to offer help to anybody, and
quite a few tears were shed.
Whilst there we visited their botanic gardens, and
a Brahma stud farm!! very interesting!!! but we also saw some of the
countryside, and the massive sugar plantations surrounding the
town.
We have to report some further problems which led
me to live life high and dry (in the boatyard!) On our way into
Mackay a nasty vibration heard below was causing concern - nothing to do
except have the boat lifted out to investigate - shame we couldn't wait till
Cairns where we were scheduled to be lifted out in any case - but you can't
ignore symptoms of problems!! The propeller shaft ("cutlass")
bearing had worn out and the propeller suspect - but amazingly all fixed
including dropping down and replacing the rudder - all in one day (prob a
week in French Polynesia!!) A new coat of antifoul and back in the
water - just in time to leave for Cairns.
On the passage we motored first night to an
anchorage in the lee (shadow) of Shaw Island, one of the Whitsunday Is.
sheltering out of the big swell and rising winds. The next morning we
motored off our anchorage, and to charge the batteries. after an hour we began
to sail through the Whitsunday Is, however when we stopped the engine a piercing
whine told us all was not well. we found the propeller shaft red hot caused by
misalignment in Mackay!
Boatyards!!!!!!!.
We sailed almost on to the berth in Cairns. I had a
flight home and had to go - I left 0400. Peter arranged for the
propshaft to be realigned (again) before the boat was moved to Norship
boatyard. Here we had prearranged to have a lift out, with the new
generator installed, as well as other maintenance work, sails, winches, rigging,
etc - in fact a major service - we've put more miles on the boat than one
would expect to put on in over 5 years of "normal" sailing. The boat
was in the yard for 3 weeks whilst Peter and Jenny flew home.
I returned about 10 days ago - back to
Cairns - via 2 days touring in Sydney with Chris Price
In the boatyard the boat was looking neglected, and
it took 3 days to prepare it to go back in the water. It had rained every
day for 5 days with workmen crawling all over it, and it
showed!
Anyway, after launch, we went back to a berth in
the Marina, still having outstanding work to be completed and getting boat
shipshape. Ellie has now joined me and Chris Price, who is
also on board - we had a great time in Sydney before coming back to Cairns.
We were waiting for Ellie to join us as well, the three of us intending to take
the boat to Darwin,
Peter and Jenny are in Melbourne, but Darwin is
where Peter and Jenny return to the boat from visiting friends and
touring.
Cairns was interesting too. Its just a modern seaside town but it seems its the backpackers
capital of the world - and very lively!,We had the chance to experience the
Kuranda railway which climbs a tortuous path up through the rainforest to a
1000 ft, a trip full of fabulous waterfalls, bridges and tunnels so many in only
30km.! It was built about 100 yrs ago with terrific hardship in order
to get to the gold mines. The
scenery was breathtaking, complimented by the return trip - via the
skyrail - a little nervy - swinging in a gondola high above the
rainforest canopy all the way down. In Kuranda town - the top - it
was the usual touristy things, shops etc, but also a "Koalaworld". the
snakes and crocs you can keep, but feeding Roo's and wallaby's is nice and
cuddling a koala possible too - soft, cute but a bit smelly!!
We have dropped our lines - we are on our way
as I write. We left 5 hours ago - we're off "Yorky's Knob" (don't ask!),
we're sailing fast with following winds, and the best sunny WARM
weather we've had for well over a week - NOW I
remember why I'm doing this!!
My fingers are worn out, sorry bout the length,
bye for now A
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