January - local jaunts

A new year brings refreshment and new adventures, particularly when we have a new boat to get to know and enjoy :-) We've got a few modifications and purchases to make before we start heading north so we have combined a few nights in the marina when necessary to modify or purchase with as many days out on the water as possible!! Here are a few of the highlights of our month:

Week one: The captain returned to Liberty on 29th December so he had a few days to take stock and restock before the first mate joined him! New breezeway and cockpit door screens had been fitted in an effort to evade bities, and the hatch over the main cabin had been fitted with a blackout screen so that the sun didn't wake us too early! When the first mate flew in on New Years Eve, the mooring lines were untied and we headed north. We stopped for a delicious prawn lunch at Paradise Point, and had planned on anchoring at Slipping Sands that night but the northerly wind promised to give us a rocky night so we headed further along, stopping at "The Huts" in the Canaipa Channel where we celebrated with sparkling wine and a three course feast, heading to bed well before the new year celebrations began! Next morning, as we enjoyed breakfast on the back deck, a dugong popped its head up to say hello - the first time either of us had seen one in the wild! We continued into Moreton Bay and across to Dunwich, on North Stradbroke island. After a walk and lunch on the back deck we raised the anchor again, cruising around to Myora for the night. It wasn't particularly warm so we weren't tempted to swim - a fortuitous decision, given that a crocodile was spotted right there a week later! The next morning we left reasonably early and dropped the anchor for breakfast at "Chain banks" before continuing cruising across to anchor off the "Little sand hills" of southern Moreton Island.

We had intended zipping across in the dinghy to check out the sandhills, but the water was so shallow for so far out we changed our mind! After lunch the captain explored part of the sandhills, climbing up to discover...more sandhills! The first mate was happy with her decision to laze on the boat :-) We breakfasted on anchor at the Chain Banks again the next morning, then rounded Peel Island to anchor in Horseshoe Bay. When the wind is from the north this is a beautiful anchorage with a long sandy beach to walk along and lovely calm water to swim in. We got the kayaks down and made our way between the many other boats, stopping for a swim on the beach before exploring more of the water craft anchored with us. There were a lot to see, as this is a popular destination for many Brisbane residents as well. The original settlement on Peel Island was a Leper colony and evidently some of the buildings remain but they are protected by National Trust and not accessible by the general public. Reading some of the history, it would have been a grim place to be sent at the time.

We had intended spending two nights at Peel Island but a weather warning for strong winds had us raising the anchor in the afternoon and heading back into the Canaipa, stopping at Canaipa Point (off Russell Island) for the night and then continuing on to Jumpin Pin and Millionaires Row the next day. Big tides mean there is a fierce current through the area, so we took the dinghy up to the little lagoon just near the jumpin pin bar to swim rather than risk being swept away from the boat! We kept cruising in the afternoon, deciding Tipplers, further along, was a much calmer anchorage. We spent two nights there, enjoying plenty of swims, walks to the beach and relaxing on the flybridge taking in the view.

Week two: We returned to Runaway Bay Marina in order to restock and do some laundry - this was also a chance to catch up for new years drinks with friends! But as soon as we were ready, we headed out, only going as far as Paradise Point for our first night, then continuing onto Tipplers on the Monday. We had made plans for a cruise with Fran and Peter, so we picked them up at the jetty at Jacobs Well and took them down to Millionaires Row for lunch. It was windier than we expected so we didn't go ashore, instead spending our time chatting and catching up on news from the last 12 months! We dropped them back at Jacobs Well late in the afternoon, returning to Tipplers for another night. Boat purchases and modifications had us back at the marina on Wednesday, but once everything was sorted we headed out to Wave Break island for Thursday and up to Paradise Point on Friday! 

There was lots of swimming done at both locations - Wave Break has a lovely long shoreline for walking and calm water for swimming, Paradise Point has an enclosure not far from the jetty and is lovely and sandy no matter what the tide is. On Saturday we headed down to Southport, not thinking about how many boats and other watercraft would be around on a weekend during the school holidays!! It was very busy all day but the nights were much more pleasant. We took the dinghy across to Southport Yacht Club for sundowners on Sunday afternoon, cruising past Clive Palmer's enormous boat "Australia" on our way.

Week three: We took the dinghy to shore and walked down to Tedder Street for some bread on Monday morning - perfect to go with the prawns we collected from the trawler on the way back to the boat! They were absolutely delicious when we stopped at Wave Break island for lunch. We returned to the marina that afternoon as the captain had arranged for the new Solar panels to be connected to the electrical system the next morning. We also had an expert come to work out the satellite TV - there was one setting wrong and when he changed that, voila! everything worked. We had three nights in the marina this week, with a trip to Brisbane on Wednesday and friends whose arrival on the weekend we wanted to prepare for, but we managed another night at Tipplers before the week was out!

Week four: On Sunday our friends, Glenda and Peter Splatt, arrived from Melbourne and we were keen to show them around the Gold Coast waterways and to show off our new boat! They appreciated having their own cabin, rather than having to make up beds in the saloon as they did on Manookatoo. A little bit of private space goes a long way!! We spent the first night at Paradise Point, with a swim in the pool there and a walk around the shops on Monday morning, before raising the anchor and heading up the Coomera River to Sanctuary Cove. We had visited the marina before but never stayed the night, not realising that this gave us access to the resort pools, where we spent a lovely relaxing afternoon before a delicious dinner at George's Paragon Restaurant, a favourite of ours.

The seafood was delicious!! Next day we continued on back down the Coomera and around to Tipplers. Sundowners on the flybridge and a morning walk to the ocean were compulsory activities. With family they were keen to see, we anchored the next day at Paradise Point, the captain and first mate taking the dinghy down to the marina to collect the car, then we drove them to Molindinar, farewelling our friends and returning after a drink with the family, happy we had secured an anchorage before Australia Day! The foreshore was packed and the waterway chaotic the next day, with all manner of watercraft - not all obeying the 6 Knot speed limit - and merry makers galore. It was a lovely, colourful day, but it was also lovely when everyone went home in the late afternoon and the place returned to be paradise again.

Week five: We spent Friday night at Wave Break island, still crowded with boats and people making the most of a long weekend. We enjoyed a couple of swims at the beach and tried to ignore the music thumping from the three boats rafted up just near us - fortunately when the tide turned their speakers were facing in a different direction! The next morning, after a swim, we cruised up the main channel, past Tipplers and on to Millionaires row, where there were still plenty of boats and people, including many campers on the foreshore, but there was a lot less noise. We ventured back to Tipplers on Sunday afternoon, surprised at how few boats were left there  - by late afternoon there were only 7 - the least we have ever seen in this popular location. We went ashore for a celebratory drink as day turned into evening, not thinking that this is prime time for all biting insects - we paid the price with scratching galore overnight!! We returned to the marina on Monday morning, with lots of washing to do as well as more boat jobs to complete and friends to see. 

And so we roll into February. Most purchases and refurbishments are complete, although there is a new shade cover to be fitted on the flybridge and a couple of new batteries to install, so that by March we will be (hopefully!) ready to head north...

Indigenous words I learned in January

• Minjerriba - Stradbroke Island - place of mosquitoes
• Teerk Roo Ra - Peel Island - place of many shells
• Canaipa - Russell Island - place of ironbark spear