We spent the day getting ready to leave tomorrow – we went to the supermarket to get some fresh food and then filled up the water tanks.
Matt and Jayne, Lissa, came over to say hello whilst we were cooking tea so we invited them for a drink after dinner. We had a great evening with them. They are a similar age to us and have spent the last 6 months sailing the Australia east coast. They are thinking about going further so were keen to hear our experiences.
They are heading down to Sydney on their way back to Victoria so hopefully we will cross paths again there.
The weather looks good tomorrow to do the final 250 miles (48 hours) down to Sydney. We will hopefully be sailing under the Harbour Bridge on Tue morning!!
Saturday, 17 October 2009
16th Oct, Coffs Harbour, Australia
Today was a day for boat jobs – the saloon cushions got a scrub and Jonny went up the mast to tidy up the padding on the spreaders.
Thursday, 15 October 2009
15th Oct, Coffs Harbour, Australia
We walked out to Aldi this morning as there was a steam cleaner and toaster on offer. The saloon covers have been getting abit grubby recently and thought a steam cleaner would be useful. We normally walk to the mall and get the bus back but by the time we had finished in Aldi it was half an hour til the bus so we decided to walk back with the steam cleaner (no toasters left!!).
After lunch back at the boat we tested the steam cleaner but it didnt seem to have the right attachements for upholstery cleaning - never mind apparently Jonny can use it to clean the engine!!
Jonny went on 'Slippery When Wet' to do the Twilight race and had a good time (apart from a little collision!!) - finishing 2nd on the water.
After lunch back at the boat we tested the steam cleaner but it didnt seem to have the right attachements for upholstery cleaning - never mind apparently Jonny can use it to clean the engine!!
Jonny went on 'Slippery When Wet' to do the Twilight race and had a good time (apart from a little collision!!) - finishing 2nd on the water.
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
14th Oct, Coffs Harbour, Australia
We walked out to the mall this morning to do some clothes shopping. After a walk round the mall and a stop at the supermarket we got the bus back to the boat.
After a late lunch we had a lazy afternoon on the boat.
After a late lunch we had a lazy afternoon on the boat.
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
13th Oct, Coffs Harbour, Australia
We looked at the weather first thing and decided we weren't happy with the system coming through – we have still got plenty of time to get down to Sydney so we decided not to risk it. The weather at the weekend looks like a better option but we will have to see what happens as the week progresses (the weather info is normally only accurate for about the first 4 days so the weekend is a bit too far away).
We decided to have a lazy day on the boat as since we left Fiji we have been going non stop with a 5 day passage to New Caledonia, 4 days in Noumea fixing the engine mounts and then a 7 day passage to Australia and since we arrived here we have been busy doing jobs.
We did a load of washing as the wind had finally died enough to peg it out on the boat
and then I spent the afternoon reading my book. Jonny spent the afternoon on the internet researching the best option for transferring some of our money from the UK to Australia. By the end of the afternoon we were glad that we hadn't left as the wind was back up – although as it was now from a different direction it was a warm wind compared to the cold wind we have had since we arrived.
We decided to have a lazy day on the boat as since we left Fiji we have been going non stop with a 5 day passage to New Caledonia, 4 days in Noumea fixing the engine mounts and then a 7 day passage to Australia and since we arrived here we have been busy doing jobs.
We did a load of washing as the wind had finally died enough to peg it out on the boat
and then I spent the afternoon reading my book. Jonny spent the afternoon on the internet researching the best option for transferring some of our money from the UK to Australia. By the end of the afternoon we were glad that we hadn't left as the wind was back up – although as it was now from a different direction it was a warm wind compared to the cold wind we have had since we arrived.
Monday, 12 October 2009
12th Oct, Coffs Harbour, Australia
As we had been in Coffs longer than planned we decided to look into opening a bank account.
We walked into town – we had both decided to wear our deck shoes as it was a 3km walk and both regretted it by the time we got to town with huge blisters – back to flip flops!!
We visited the 4 main banks and got all the information before deciding which one to go with. We now have a bank account sorted ready for when we have some money to put in it!!
Back at Newt we looked at the weather and debated whether to leave tomorrow for a 160 mile trip to Port Stephens. The weather for tomorrow looked ok but as we would be approaching Port Stephens a weather system with 35 knot wind was also approaching and it would be tight time wise whether we made it into Port Stephens before it hit – we decided to wait and look in the morning to see how the system was developing and moving.
We walked into town – we had both decided to wear our deck shoes as it was a 3km walk and both regretted it by the time we got to town with huge blisters – back to flip flops!!
We visited the 4 main banks and got all the information before deciding which one to go with. We now have a bank account sorted ready for when we have some money to put in it!!
Back at Newt we looked at the weather and debated whether to leave tomorrow for a 160 mile trip to Port Stephens. The weather for tomorrow looked ok but as we would be approaching Port Stephens a weather system with 35 knot wind was also approaching and it would be tight time wise whether we made it into Port Stephens before it hit – we decided to wait and look in the morning to see how the system was developing and moving.
11th Oct, Coffs Harbour, Australia
The plan today was to go to the nearby markets. However as we were having breakfast we heard one of the local boats saying they were dressing their boat so we thought we would offer them our bunting for the day – it was the start of the sailing season and they were having a sail by the end of the jetty.
They encouraged us to bring Newt out but we are in a tight berth so they invited us on their boat "Slippery when Wet." The 'sail past' was scheduled for 10.30 so we headed out into harbour about 10.15 and motored round in the harbour with 4 other boats. By 11am Pete decided we needed some beers so we went along side the wharf and Jonny, Kathy and I held the boat off whilst Pete dashed to the bottle shop.
Stocked up with alcohol we headed bac k into the harbour where the other boats had started a small race so we decided to motor along with them.
By midday Pete and Kathys grand daughter, Chloe was starting to feel seasick so we headed back into the marina and spent the rest of the afternoon drinking 3 bottles of champagne and too many beers.
By the time Chloes parents came to pick her up at 4pm and we headed back to Newt we had a very quiet and early night!
They encouraged us to bring Newt out but we are in a tight berth so they invited us on their boat "Slippery when Wet." The 'sail past' was scheduled for 10.30 so we headed out into harbour about 10.15 and motored round in the harbour with 4 other boats. By 11am Pete decided we needed some beers so we went along side the wharf and Jonny, Kathy and I held the boat off whilst Pete dashed to the bottle shop.
Stocked up with alcohol we headed bac k into the harbour where the other boats had started a small race so we decided to motor along with them.
By midday Pete and Kathys grand daughter, Chloe was starting to feel seasick so we headed back into the marina and spent the rest of the afternoon drinking 3 bottles of champagne and too many beers.
By the time Chloes parents came to pick her up at 4pm and we headed back to Newt we had a very quiet and early night!
10th Oct, Coffs Harbour, Australia
This morning we got the bus into town to go to a book swap shop – we took about 12 books we didn't want and ended up with 5 we did!!
After a quick supermarket shop we were back at the boat for lunch.
After lunch we walked to a nearby surf outlet shop and found some new shorts for me – my favourite ones from the UK that I have practically lived in had to go in the bin in Noumea as they had holes in the bottom!!
After a quick supermarket shop we were back at the boat for lunch.
After lunch we walked to a nearby surf outlet shop and found some new shorts for me – my favourite ones from the UK that I have practically lived in had to go in the bin in Noumea as they had holes in the bottom!!
Friday, 9 October 2009
9th Oct, Coffs Harbour, Australia
I was very excited to be going to the hair dressers this morning for the first time since Panama. It was great to have some style cut back into my hair – not that I will be wearing it down much!!
Before lunch we went for a walk up Mutton Bird Island to see if we could see any whales however the sea was too big to see very much. We were glad we were safely in the marina and not trying to arrive today as there was a huge swell in the harbour.
After lunch Jonny went for a walk to find a new filter for our drinking water and I had a much needed siesta – 2 nights of windy weather meant I hadn't slept much.
Before lunch we went for a walk up Mutton Bird Island to see if we could see any whales however the sea was too big to see very much. We were glad we were safely in the marina and not trying to arrive today as there was a huge swell in the harbour.
After lunch Jonny went for a walk to find a new filter for our drinking water and I had a much needed siesta – 2 nights of windy weather meant I hadn't slept much.
8th Oct, Coffs Harbour, Australia
A busy day of jobs…
We put the clothes in the washing machine on the way to the showers and retrieved them on the way back to hang up on the boat. Unfortunately the strong wind had other ideas and we decided we would be chasing clothes around the marina if we hung them up and the guy on the motor boat offered us his tumble dryer.
Jonny started doing his job … fixing the water pump, fixing the back toilet pump and fixing the leak from the anchor windlass whilst I kept an eye on our clothes and look for our duvet which we had hidden away in the Caribbean.
The duvet was in need of a wash before we could use it and the tumble dryer on the boat behind us was taking a while so I took the washing anfd the duvet back to the launderette and used the big tumble dryers and wash and dried the duvet.
Whilst I was doing this Jonny decided as it was so cold last night he would have a look at the diesel heater – it was working in the UK but we were getting exhaust fumes in the boat – not a great idea!!
We got the washing done and Jonny got the heater working so we went to the supermarket to get some supplies and then on the way back went to customs to check on the status of our Tiki man wooden carving from Tonga. The Tiki man had been taken by customs because he had some 'bore' holes in it indicating that it possibly had creatures living in it. The customs man had taken him to put in the freezer until quarantine could look at it. Quarantine were happy that if anything was in there it was dead and we could take Tiki man back to the boat to de frost with the advice if we found any saw dust near it to put it back in the freezer!!
Back at the boat Jonny added extra lines and fenders as it was blowing around 40 knots and we were in for a windy night.
We put the clothes in the washing machine on the way to the showers and retrieved them on the way back to hang up on the boat. Unfortunately the strong wind had other ideas and we decided we would be chasing clothes around the marina if we hung them up and the guy on the motor boat offered us his tumble dryer.
Jonny started doing his job … fixing the water pump, fixing the back toilet pump and fixing the leak from the anchor windlass whilst I kept an eye on our clothes and look for our duvet which we had hidden away in the Caribbean.
The duvet was in need of a wash before we could use it and the tumble dryer on the boat behind us was taking a while so I took the washing anfd the duvet back to the launderette and used the big tumble dryers and wash and dried the duvet.
Whilst I was doing this Jonny decided as it was so cold last night he would have a look at the diesel heater – it was working in the UK but we were getting exhaust fumes in the boat – not a great idea!!
We got the washing done and Jonny got the heater working so we went to the supermarket to get some supplies and then on the way back went to customs to check on the status of our Tiki man wooden carving from Tonga. The Tiki man had been taken by customs because he had some 'bore' holes in it indicating that it possibly had creatures living in it. The customs man had taken him to put in the freezer until quarantine could look at it. Quarantine were happy that if anything was in there it was dead and we could take Tiki man back to the boat to de frost with the advice if we found any saw dust near it to put it back in the freezer!!
Back at the boat Jonny added extra lines and fenders as it was blowing around 40 knots and we were in for a windy night.
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