Seisia Anchorage. May 11

Our last stop before we left Queensland and the east side of Australia. Lots and lots of red dust everywhere. 4173, and a monument in the town square to a local person who was killed by a crocodile in the harbor in 1982.
A tire cover that reads “Adventure Before Dementia,” which we think is a good slogan for all those our age. (The phrase rhymes if you say it with an Australian accent.) The first phones in quite a while, and Natalie phoned home on Mother's Day.

Cooktown Anchorage. April 30 – May 1. (Google maps -15.461, 145.249)

This is the site where Captain James Cook repaired his ship Endeavor, after it struck a reef in 1770.
Here is Rob coming in from Wilhelm while our dirty laundry waits on the dock.

Cooktown

We had a most interesting tour with Willie Gordon, who took us on a walking tour of Guurrbi, providing an insight into some Aboriginal customs, meanings of their paintings, and ways of life.

Yorkey's Knob, near Cairns, QLD, AU

We've spent a few days in a marina near Cairns. The warning sign tells us to beware of saltwater crocodiles, the sign on the tree says "Beware of falling coconuts" - both are hazards from here north.

Rob is standing in front of big tree. See Rob?

Bowen, QLD.

Bowen. Our first and, Natalie hopes, last experience with pile moorings. The boat is moored fore and aft with lines through fittings on poles. Very hard to get in, and hard to get out.

Watch for this hotel in the upcoming movie "Australia" to be released in the fall of 2008. (Staring Nicole Kidman.) Apparently, there is a cattle drive down the main street in front of this building. Somehow the movie makers avoided showing the phone booth, utility wires and other signs of contemporary life.
Rob is real. Plane is part of a mural on the Bowen library.

Sailing North Through Great Barrier Reef and Offshore Islands

At last! The bottom is painted; we've repaired the furler; we're ready to go. During April and May, we plan to sail north along the east coast of Australia to the Torres Straits, then west to Darwin....then across the Indian Ocean to Africa. We'll add updates when we find internet.

Wilhelm waits at the dock while we provision, review our charts, and check our gear for the sail north.

March 2008. We're back in Australia. Ready to start the next chapter of our journey, as we head north from Bundaberg along the Queensland coast to the Torres Straits.

GONE SAILING!!!

We are off to Noumea, New Caledonia. Customs officials are on board as we speak. This ends the period of wireless internet and frequent blog posts. We will update when we can, and rely on son Matt to fill in when he has time. Best to all. R&N 

More Dinghy Than Ever

We took a big step and bought a new dinghy! Our Australian friend Bob Barrie delivered it in style - see truck. He also had the letters made for the stern so that it proudly proclaims "T/T Wilhelm, York, Maine, USA" (T/T = tender to) Now stowed safely on deck for island adventures. We sold the little Walker Bay that has loyally brought us this far.


 

Tiara for Wilhelm

Rob designed a stainless steel guard that goes around our foredeck light - about half way up the mast, to keep lines from snagging on the light. We had problems in high winds with snags....one more little innovation to keep us safe at sea! 

We are solar!

After much thought, Rob figured out how to utilize solar panels on Wilhelm. He is installing two 12-volt panels in series to produce 24 volts (required for our 24 volt electrical system) on each quarter. They can be raised to different angles to catch the sun. (As you can see, we are still in the marina in Manly - part of Brisbane, ....having fun, finishing boat jobs, and waiting for auspicious winds.)

Can't Keep a Good Man Down

Rob is up the mast again, this time to fix a wind instrument and attach a strip of reflective material (used in road signs) to the mast. Now you can see our mast with a flashlight ("torch", as they say here) from thousands of feet away....One dark night in a deserted lagoon, we had trouble finding the boat when we were out in the dinghy and it started to rain. We learned a lesson and that won't happen again!  

Cans 'R Us

Buying food four months in advance is a challenge. Natalie surveys our provisions for three months when we will be cruising among remote islands. New Caledonia has great French cheeses, mustards, etc. so we will add some more there....this is all our basic stuff. This includes ten jars of 100% peanut butter (and some Nutella as well) Stowing all of this on Wilhelm is a challenge. Remembering where it's all located is also a challenge. 

Better Communication

Our latest gear - great walkie-talkie headsets so we can talk to each other in normal voices while anchoring. Much better than trying to yell over the wind and waves !!!  

Wrecked Sleep

We spent three days and two nights out in Moreton Bay, looking around and refreshing our memories about the boat and our equipment. Spent one night at the "Tangalooma Wrecks" where the government sunk a lot of old boats, trying to make a windbreak. It didn't work. The weather was stormy and we rocked and rolled all night - good practice for the worst of what might happen at anchor elsewhere. 

Au-Italy

Along with most of the nation, we watched Australia play Italy in the World Cup round of 16. The live telecast was 1-3 a.m. local time....so we are moving very slowly this morning.... 

Favorite mode of public transportation

City Cat. The high speed catamarans that criss cross the Brisbane river
 

Another good sign