Well, back to time on our own!
We have been cruising around the islands with our friends Lynn and Greg for the last week … visiting the usual Whitsunday haunts. After 14 days of fun, laughter, card playing, fishing, swimming and conversation … and sailing … we dropped them at Airlie to reluctantly return to their 12 degree days!
In 1987 we towed our first yacht to Airlie Beach. It was a 23 foot (7 m) trailer-sailer called Southern Comfort and it really did not have many comforts! Lynn and Greg visited us up here way back in ’87. No kids, no luxuries, bbqs on the beach each night, cask wine, lollies, games of 500, and fishing with Greg.
How times have changed. From porta potti’s, ice, ‘coffin’ bunks and bent backs … to queen size beds, showers, freezers and a 7.3 m beam. (The beam of Bossa Nova is the same as the length was of Southern Comfort.)
We have very fond memories of their visit. Greg’s fishing (with our embarrassing set of ‘toy’ fishing gear), Lynn’s nervousness in rough seas, sitting around the Hamilton Island pool listening to the Dees playing finals for the first time for ever (remember when Jimmy Stynes ran over the mark in the Preliminary Final?) and drying out in Hill Inlet running out of food.
Well, some of these have been revisited!
We give Greg great credit in trying so hard to catch his fish. He did have some success but not quite as much as he would have liked. Lynn conquered her fear of sea sickness. Our first day’s sail was like being in a washing machine and she survived.
Too many lollies and chocolates but the 500 card games were great.
We will remember Scawfell Island with its crystal clear water inviting us in, visiting Middle Percy Island on a beautiful still day and leaving our momento in the hut and Greg’s spanish mackerel and Lynn’s Thai fish curry.
Lots of laughs, serious sails with the long passages and a bit of adventure … all great fun … and all new memories in 2015!
