We have just arrived at Garry’s Anchorage in the Sandy Straits. It’s a beautiful sunny warm Queensland day. After a midnight departure from Mooloolaba and a 9 hour overnight passage, it’s time for a lazy day.
We were back on the water after a week of insurance repairs in Brisbane. We made the most of our misfortune by seeing some of Brisbane and taking a drive to Maryborough to pick up our new rudder. We stopped in at Tin Can Bay (don’t we love that name), visiting the marina and yacht club, followed by fish and chips at the launching ramp. A trailer sailer was being retrieved. Our old stomping ground of course. Would you believe, it was not only a Magnum 8.5, but one we knew, Top Shelf. New owners. It did bring back memories.
We spent nearly a week in Mooloolaba timing our departure for the Wide Bay Bar. Always a great stop anyway. Great beach walking for me and lots of coffee shops for Neville. Great seafood too, particularly the prawns. We also enjoyed Friday night fish and chips with Zofia, Casablanca and Bungaree. We sat out yet another big storm with a ‘mini cyclone’ taking a roof off a house nearby but we were safe.
We caught up with our diesel mechanic who gave our engines a once over. We had fuel problems as we entered the Mooloolaba River and it was particularly timely happening there as Alex lives in Mooloolaba. Funny thing is that we had the same problem last year … same spot, the Mooloolaba River. Not sure what that tells us! I think it meant we hadn’t really fixed the problem last time.
We crossed the Wide Bay Bar this morning just on high tide along with eight or so other boats. An uneventful trip (just like we like it). No swell, calm and right on high tide. Perfect! We saw our first whale for the trip, dolphins and a dugong.
It is so calm here and incredibly quiet and peaceful. I think everyone’s snoozing. The only sounds I’m hearing are the birds in the mangroves and the occasional turtle gulping for air in the water around our boat. The photos don’t do it justice. Twelve boats are anchored here, most of us having crossed the bar this morning.
Garry’s Anchorage brings back memories from last year. We sat out a big blow here for a few days with Easy Tiger and met Chances. We learnt how to catch mud crabs with ET (we’ve bought our own crab pots now) and Gary from Chances gave us some welcomed fishing tips. We made the most out of being ‘stuck’.
Kids arriving Sunday for two weeks!