Well, I’m back at the boat. I spent three solid weeks on the hard in
this desolate boat yard at the end of last season and now it’s as
if I never left.
The Summer Amy is immaculate. She has been kept spotless, all the silverware
is glinting in the evening sun,her bottom has been anti fouled, her hulls have
been polished, brand new sails have been fitted and I am slowly remembering all
the jobs I did during those three weeks.
I have my music blaring because I can while I
contemplate the season to come.
The plan is to launch on Friday, test the sails on Sunday
with the sail maker who will also serve as crew to get me to Lavrion harbour where
we rendezvous with Sal, Will and Summer. There we will provision the
boat and head off for the summer.
Now here is a real cutie. NOT. These birds are the scourge of any boat yard. They will find the perfect spot to nest somewhere in your boat rigging.
Last year it was up the back of the boom and unfortunately when I was clearing out the nest, it came with two eggs and a newly hatched chick....
I was gutted. All that time building a nest, laying eggs, one chick out, two to come and along comes this human!
I caught this little guy in the act of building a nest in one of the davits that hold the dingy. I thought my presence would deter any further action but when I rose this morning he was in full swing. I had to vacuum out the pipe just behind that wheel and in front of the white string and tape up the entrance underneath while this little guy perched only a few yards away and complained. Once I was done, he just could not figure it out and with that feather in his mouth persisted for a good half hour before giving up and probably losing his mate as a result! Humans!
Now, just for our record, I would like to briefly record an intense 8 months in the
Southern Hemisphere between seasons....
Sal spent 12 weeks in total helping her mum in her final
days and then assisting Paul in finding more practical digs, furnishing them
and basically setting him on an entirely new life trajectory.
Sal shouted her Mum the lifetime bucket list item, a cruise.
Paul was never interested, a sentiment to which I related but I persuaded him
that if he went, I’d go. We all knew it would be the last item on Maureen’s
list before she left us and so it
was only fitting.
I had never seen Maureen happier. She was in her element.
The day we disembarked was the day she was admitted to hospital and within two weeks she was gone. Rest in Peace Mausie, we are so glad we joined you on
that cruise.
Her passing delayed our ski trip to Big White, Canada by a
couple of days and changed our Christmas plans somewhat, from a family do at our house to a wake in Queensland. We did get to enjoy the best season Big White had seen since the
80’s. The skiing was sensational, although Sal had a nasty wipe out in a total
white out and injured her shoulder and knee. The knee injury persists. Mark
also broke his thumb. What’s the matter with these people?
I then went fishing with a bunch of mates to Weipa at the very top of Australia in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Exquisite, and
the fishing gods smiled upon me from the third cast on the first day with a 6kg
Barramundi and just kept smiling on all of us. Mackerel, Tuskas, Golden Trevalli, Tuna, Breem and we ate everything we didn't return to the water.
It was hot, the water was inviting if you were happy to share it with sharks, crocodiles and lethal stingers..
Up to our paradise that is Sth Stradbroke Island with my
buddy Marco. I can say without equivocation that I have never seen that place
so utterly beautiful, calm and clear with the wild life coming right up to the
boat, or right up to my chair while I fished the sunset. If any of you ever get
the chance, you should join us there as many of you already have.
And then I clocked 60. Sal threw the bash of the decade, no holds barred, everybody she knew or knew of in my address book was invited and it was just so cool that so many friends from so many phases of my life made it and I have no doubt enjoyed it. The only problem was, it took half the night saying hello to 120 people and then the second half saying goodbye!
We were instructed to go sailing on the day while the house was sorted for the bash. It was a great day, it really was.
The annual Vivid Sydney was on, which to me surpasses New Years Eve by quite some way and is getting bigger and more spectacular every year. A couple of couples ignored the instruction not to buy any presents for my 60th and I was given a Bridge Climb Voucher. Sal suggested I wait for Vivid and do a night climb. What a good idea that was. It was worth the wait. Thanks Fiona, Chris, Kate and Tom.
Mark and his flat mate Max Champion decided to Kayak from Balmain to Bondi Beach. A trip of 20kms along the harbour, through the heads and down the coast to Bondi. Against their protestation I borrowed Mike Chapman's boat and with some mates, followed them at a reasonable distance checking in and taking photographs from time to time.
This is them on the outside at the bottom of the famous Gap. Sydney's favored suicide venue. Sadly it is a tourist attraction for that reason...
It was no mean feat, particularly because by the time they reached the beach it was down to 10 degrees and they were both soaked and nearing exposure. The whole thing was for charity and raised over $3000 for Kids With Cancer.
Well done boys and thank you to all who donated. It is our number one cause and thank you Mike for the use of your boat, the boys appreciated it in the end and we enjoyed the trip.
It was very nice to have lived at our home this southern summer. Last time we rented as our house was rented and it just didn't feel like we were home. It was a very busy period but we resolved not to even think about this season before it arrived and just enjoy being in Sydney in a newly renovated house... for the times we were actually there!
This is Summer and her friend using the conventional entrance to the pool.
I’ll keep you posted as usual.
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