16:55.06S 145:46.89E

After dropping Darren and Justin at Magnetic Island we headed north to Cairns and the final chance to get all the various problems fixed.  In horrible weather en route to Orpheus Island the halyard for the big Asymetric sail jammed half way up the mast.  So we had to lash the sail to the rigging and carry on using the genoa sail until we got to Orpheus and could go aloft to free the rope.  Once at anchor Mike was hauled up to the top of the mast.  In gathering darkness, heavy rain and 30 knots of wind the rope was freed having been wrapped around both forestays and jammed inside the pulley block.

The next day we went on in 30 knots of wind and 2.5m seas the 49 miles to Dunk Island.  A fast but rather rolly passage and a very windy and wet night.  In the morning we had a short passage of 24 miles to Mourilyan Harbour, a rather strange sugar wharf in the middle of nowhere, but thankfully a calm rain free night.  We left early the next day for the 49 miles to Fitzroy Island and a cracking fast sail with the Asymetric sail flying all the way.  Fitzroy looked a great place to stay longer but we needed to be in Cairns to get a lot done and things mended before the Rally started. 

Cairns is a pretty big city so we were able to purchase all the things we needed for the next 4 months before we reach Singapore, including a new soda stream, which Meryon expertly fitted in the saloon.  We also discovered that the problem with the water maker was due to a crack in the high pressure cap and just had time to order a new one to be collected by our friends Tim and Pim who were due to fly to Cairns a couple of days later.  Once fitted by our brilliant expert Gavin the water maker resumed normal service.  Hooray, one down two to go!

The next two problems were the Inverter and the 240 volt fridge.  The fridge technician Drew arrived early and pronounced that the fridge had not been working since Bundaberg as the Inverter was completely dead.  However, a new inverter was waiting for us, having been ordered when we were in Hamilton Island, and a very good technician Arran came aboard to fit it.  At this point we discovered that the old inverter also contained a clever circuit board with all the controls for the fridge.  Back came Drew the fridge technician and after a long and difficult technical discussion we designed a new system to be fitted involving several new pieces of equipment and three days work between Arran and Drew.  The two guys did a brilliant job and we now have a new inverter, a 240 volt power socket and a super 240 volt fridge fully working.  What a relief to have all the systems back running properly.

Just in time for Tim and Pim to arrive and for the Indonesia Rally briefings to begin.  There are 50 boats in the rally and most were now in the marina so there are lots of new names to learn.  More of this over the next few months.  A huge quantity of food and wine has been stowed on Tashi Delek and a route planned for the next 13 days to get us to Thursday Island in the Torres Strait.  This is where we all the rally boats have a rendezvous with the Australia Customs and Immigration to be booked out of Australia during 20/21 July to begin the passage across to Indonesia.