February - finalising plans

Contemplating moving on!

We started February making very "loose" plans for our cruising - subjected to changes with weather and circumstances, of course! At the moment we hope to leave the Gold Coast before mid March, be in the Great Sandy Straits before mid April and arrive at the Keppels before mid May...fingers crossed it all goes to plan!

In the meantime we are making a few changes to enhance our cruising experiences and the boat in general. While "Liberty" came with all manner of improvements (transom that raises and  lowers at the push of a button allowing us to launch and retrieve the dinghy easily, yacht controller to make docking, anchoring and picking up a mooring simple, satellite for television viewing - and checking the all important weather - from anywhere, cell phone booster for better offshore phone coverage, water maker to increase fresh water supplies, etc, etc, etc) there are still extra things we want to do. 

The big one was the installation of solar panels, reducing the need for using the generator when not at a marina. The captain, with support from his mate Ray, orered and completed the installation before Christmas, and an electrician hooked it all in when we returned in the new year. Voila! Much less need for the generator except for heavy duty uses like microwaving and barbecuing. And there's a bluetooth connection to the captain's phone so that he can check the solar input any time!

Another major improvement is the extension of shade cover on the flybridge. With the first mate's skin sensitivity, this was a welcome addition for protection from harmful UV from the sun. Screens were also added to ensure the back deck and inside would be bitey-free while the doors could remain open for fresh air. A block-out cover over the bedroom hatch and block out blinds for each bedroom window ensured we weren't woken by the sun's early rise. And a range hood over the stove top replaced a very noisy fan and enabled us to cook and communicate while reducing kitchen odours! We've revived our vege "patch" too - shallots and basil are growing at the moment. All very useful.

We’ve also spent time checking out existing systems to ensure they work at their best. From asking for specs to understand the water storage capacity to asking a fridge mechanic to check out all the refrigerators, getting a final service report to ensure the generator and engines are in tip top condition and cleaning out bilge and shower pumps to prevent blockages, the captain has been doing his utmost to make sure our cruising is as trouble free as possible!

We have still found time for cruising in between all of this. February began with a south-east Queensland heatwave, so we countered that with a cruise north, stopping for a night at Slipping Sands before traversing the Canaipa Passage at high tide and heading west across Moreton Bay to Coochiemudlo Island, a small settlement just off the mainland. We enjoyed lunch at the local bar and an afternoon of swimming and relaxing, then walked to 4km track around the island before breakfast the next day. From there, we raised the anchor for an hour trip to Horseshoe Bay, on Peel Island - a favourite destination when the wind is light - and we enjoyed the cool breeze off the water. Next morning we travelled only a little further to Blakesleys anchorage, south of Dunwich, on north Stradbroke Island. It is less popular with Boaties, even though there is a lovely swimming beach and it is well protected from prevailing winds. A couple of weeks later and we followed a similar path, with another night at Canaipa passage and two nights at Blakesleys - with a dinghy trip to Dunwich to try out the new brewery! We also managed overnighters to Tipplers, Paradise Point and Wave Break island when we had time between "boat jobs" at the marina, Tipplers being the most visited and loved. 

Lunch at Tipplers

Our social life has been most enjoyable too. We had a night in Brisbane checking out Kirsty and Ben's new abode and a lunch date with Jenny and Simon at Tipplers. We took a week out to travel south and visit the family - this will be the last time we plan to travel south before the big trip begins! And we wrapped up the month with lots of "farewells" (or maybe that is Bon Voyage??) - lunch with Fran and Peter, dinner with Kerrie and Reg, drinks with Angela and Ian, coffee with Trish and Ray; then, on our final night we caught up with Yvonne and Andrew, making plans to all go boating together somewhere around Bundaberg in the very near future. It's a very exciting time...!!