Sunday 2 December 2012

Visits from afar

November has been a busy month. We had Sara and Hamish earlier in the month (see our earlier blog) and then Jean's son Perry and his girlfriend Tracie over the weekend of the 23rd. - 25th. It was great to see them. Tracie had flown in ahead of Perry so we met her in town for lunch and then had a swim in the Cairns municipal pool right on the waterfront. A very impressive development (Airlie Beach has a similar one too) and obviously very popular with locals. Sure beats swimming with the marine stingers and crocodiles!! Tracie was staying at her friend's place and had ridden her pushbike about 6 kms into town. Our method of transport was much more staid - Sunbus!!
That was all very good and then, after Perry had flown in from SE Asia (via Sydney!!), they came aboard on Thursday afternoon. High tide was at 1739 so the plan was to leave an hour before which we did. We negotiated the "great grey green greasy Limpopo River, all set about with fever trees" and headed off for Fitzroy Island. We arrived after dark but no problem in finding a good anchorage and we settled down for a quiet night.
Next day we all went ashore where Perry and Tracie had booked a beachside cabin. They checked in and then Tracie's friend Jude arrived from Cairns on the ferry. They all stayed in the cabin which had 2 bedrooms and was quite luxurious and Perry and Jean cooked a BBQ meal on a nearby electric BBQ which we all enjoyed together with copious quantities of red wine back in the cabin. It was Perry's birthday in a week's time and we had brought a Tiramisu cake with us to mark the occasion. A spirited discussion about so-called indigenous people took place at one point (!) and then we took our leave and repaired to the boat for the night. Fortunately we'd remembered to leave the anchor light on so navigation was relatively easy!
The next morning we came ashore and had a very pleasant breakfast in the resort restaurant (courtesy of Perry) before finally all going back aboard for the passage back to Bluewater (Cairns). We needed to ensure that our arrival coincided with high tide (about 1800). We had decided to sail if conditions allowed and so very soon after raising the anchor we turned off the iron sail and abandoned ourselves to the elements. There was very little wind for a while and we were beginning to think that the iron sail might have to be resurrected when the wind slowly started to increase. We finished up having a spirited sail during which the skipper attended to navigation and tactics (very demanding!!) and Jean kept the "kids" supplied with snacks and drinks from the galley!
By great good fortune 6 - 7 hours later we managed to arrive off the leading beacons at Yorkeys Knob almost spot on as time went. Everyone thought it was the skipper's good management and skill (!) and who was he to disabuse them! We entered the Limpopo once more searching for the elusive crocodile but still have not managed to see him - or her. All very tired and a little sun burnt but very happy after a wonderful few days out on the boat. It was one of those times where everything went to plan absolutely flawlessly but in no small measure due to Jean's planning and execution in the food and accommodation departments.
After we had berthed Perry, Tracie and Jude left for Jude's place from where they were both flying out the next day - Perry to Melbourne and Tracie back to Auckland.
The biggest news since then is that we have acquired a portable air conditioner and the boat is now at a habitable temperature - about 25C. Outside these days it is commonly in the low 30's. We had our first major expedition on our bikes the other day - we rode over to Trinity Beach (about 6 kms.) and had breakfast on the beach. A lovely day and a beautiful beach - just such a shame that one cannot swim due to stingers and the possibility of crocodiles. One was seen off there just a few weeks ago. The only fly in the ointment was the seat on Jim's bike which is an instrument of torture!! We have since obtained another with more padding but haven't given it an extensive test yet.
We are looking forward to our visit to NZ coming up in 10 day's time. A brief itinerary: we arrive at 2025 on Dec. 12th. (staying with Perry and Tracie at Milford), then Jim flies to Christchurch to see Charlotte, Jon, Lucia and Elsie the next morning. He's back from Chch on the 16th. and then the next day we are both driving to Whangarei and staying with Sara and Hamish. Various things to do there including inspecting our storage unit and doctor appointments and then back to Auckland by the 21st. after visiting Roy and Jane at Mangawhai and Jean's brother Keith (and Eileen) where they are managing a large farm (ex Izard's) just south of Wellsford. Then some days in Auckland to catch up further with Jim's other 2 daughters (Amanda and Rozanne) and his grandson, Harry and brother Alec and his wife, Linda. Then sadly we depart for Cairns (via Brisbane) on the 27th. Hopefully after all this time in the tropics our blood won't be too thin and we can stand the cold.
Jean will be spending a fair bit of time with her sister, Heather.
Stay tuned to this website - www.tiaretaporo3.blogspot.com
With lots of love from us,
Jean and Jim

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