Qld and into NSW - by car!!

S 29⁰52’05’’, E 153⁰15’57’’

 

 Yeppoon to Wooli

Merry Xmas and Happy New year to the readers of this blog – interestingly have had over 1600 views since May ‘14. Blog will recommence around 20^th January 2015.

Firstly, where the hell is Wooli? South of Byron Bay and near Grafton on the NSW north coast – a very small settlement. Think pub, bowling club, café and a hilarious combined venture of garage-fuel /butcher /grocery store. Unspoilt would be once way to describe it – or developers delight! Property prices there are exe, and indicate that city folks like it just the way it is. A nice little river the Wooli, but not one for any vessel that takes over 1 metre draft.

And why are we there? Because we are land lubbers for a few weeks, and Kirra Kirra is up on the hard stand (read concrete) over the Xmas period while we drive south to Port Macquarie to spend Xmas with family. KK is in South Port area at The Boat Works, up the Coomera River. Excellent one stop shop  to get any and all marine work done. Complete with a nice open deck café and coffee shop – with a license. And everything there in a work yard is actually clean!

A typical abode of  humble
Gold Coast folk

Another typical abode of  humble
Gold Coast folk

A further typical abode of  humble
Gold Coast folk -

Sunset on the Coomera River - just after a huge thunderstorm

Stopped off on the way to Pt Macq. at Wooli to chill (we do a lot of that). We originally planned to sail south to Pt Mac. for Xmas, but this was stymied by delays in getting work done on Kirra Kirra, and heavy south-easterly gales that  prevented any sane sailor from venturing south. In fact 2 days ago one yacht just off Wooli going north did hit something in the water in 30 kts of wind, and they had to abandon the boat as it was filling with water.

Back to our sailing – cast off from Yeppoon, and then via Great Keppel Is. we had an overnight sail south in calm weather to the exquisite Lady Musgrave Island, one of the most southerly parts of the GBR (Great Barrier Reef) where we stopped for a few nights in perfect weather. This coral cay has a sand island, which is one of the major nesting sites for terns (ground nesters) and noddies (nest in trees). It’s a bit whiffy but terrific bird watching! A broad brimmed hat is advisable here to avoid the aerial bombardment! Great snorkelling and we were at the right time of year to watch the green turtles come up onto the beach at dusk to lay eggs. The beach around the small island looks like trench warfare has taken place there is so much turtle digging. Over 2 months, hundreds of turtles lay their eggs in any 100 metre stretch of sand fish.

Corals at Lady Musgrave Is lagoon

Noddie on the nest

A turtles eye view of Lady Musgrave Is 

And then another longish sail for a day and a night (180nM) down to Mooloolaba, going outside Fraser Is., wind fickle and mostly motor sailing. Now Mooloolaba has it all – good coffee, cheap and good restaurants, a great beach, the marina handy to town and not too developed (well just a bit). We chilled there for about a week drinking a lot of coffee, enjoying The Spice Bar restaurant, while waiting for the SE winds to abate and go northerly so we could head south to Brisbane.

Spinnaker wrapping can be a learnt skill

Caught up finally with Black Pete at Mooloolaba
 - the Bastard Pirate of Gloucester Passage.
This Victorian vessel has a huge motor and does 40 Kts
when in pursuit.

Then sailed via the Tangalooma wrecks, which was our first anchorage when we headed north from Brisbane back in May this year. And then a good sail back into Manly, meeting up with cruising buddies Maurie and Joan for a lunch time anchorage at Mud Is. Brissy weather up to its usual tricks with thunderstorms every afternoon, luckily no damage to us.

Gold Coast with back lighting - more humble abodes

Tangalooma wrecks, with water nymph

Skipper at Tangalooma

Now living life on the land in NSW and will drive back up to Kirra Kirra early in the NY.

Highlights of the past 3 weeks:

·          Lovely lovely Lady Musgrave Is. – snorkelling the coral, swimming and watching turtle nesting

·         Overnight sails – different and tranquil, to LMI and then down to Mooloolaba

·         Meeting up with all our Lizard Is. cruising friends in Mooloolaba marina

·         Catching up with Sue and Pete in Brissy and enjoying their hospitality

·         Catching up with Robbie and Bob in Brissy

·         Catching up with Sandy and Den at their hideaway near Mudgeeraba

·         Seeing a great play (yep culture) – Gasp – by Ben Elton in Brissy - excellent

·         Just enjoying Brissy (but not the thunderstorms and rain)