30 June 2012
I arrived in Cairns and there was “Anyway”. Transposed, a sort of Higgs
Boson effect, where she was dematerilised in Opua and rematerised in Cairns.
The best thing was that Gavin was also there, he had lost some mass in the
transposition process, probably about 5 Kilos, but otherwise none the worst for
his travels. He has provided a log of that period (see below) which included some much
enjoyed time with daughter Koel.
So Cairns, a lively holiday spot with the usual bars, markets, restaurants and
people having fun, I think.
Nice waterfront, different from Opua, more energy but
not necessarily easier to prepare for a longish sea passage, for example the
nearest supermarket is a way off so bringing back the wine supplies for the
journey North meant several trips.
Classic car race starting by the marina, I expect Mike would have liked to be here.
1 July 2012
Tried out my new super long free diving flippers in the local waterfront
pool; so the kids thought I was Jaws, what do I care. Interesting that Gavin
tried not to be seen with me and decided not to get in the water. Definitely a
knack to the long fins, slow and steady I suppose, well, like so many things. Won't show a demonstration photo quite yet
The
pool was a necessary attribute to Cairns given its situation on an otherwise
muddy estuary.
2 July 2012
Today is Gavin's birthday; he had a good day including his first climb
up the mast. He wanted to mend the windvane, bent by a bird that had
tried to land on it out at sea and also see whether there were obvious reasons
why the radar wasn’t working The radar still isn’t working but the windvane is better.
I brought one of our foldaway bikes with me from Auckland, definitely
won’t be dubbing with Gavin who did however send me on a “mission”, to locate
insulating tape for the fridge. Rode through some very industrial parts of the
outer city to reach my destination. No helmet, passed a policeman, just smiled.
Nice dinner, a good day and some things, such as a better insulated
fridge, accomplished.
3 July 2012
Well, we haven't left port yet but at least we will be allowed to leave.
Got clearance from customs yesterday, after they impounded the boat when Gavin
arrived here. We seem to have convinced them that we don't want to keep the
boat in Australia and therefore he doesn't have to pay $30K (import duty and gst)
or leave the boat behind. Problem was that with Gavin, being an Australian
national, it was assumed that he wanted to import the boat. However, the
customs people we dealt with in Cairns were very helpful and even allowed him
an extra months stay, that is 13 months in Australia so that we want we can
join a rally going up to Indonesia from Darwin in July next year if we want.
Today we went to Kuranda via a sky rail and back on a train. Definitely
worth doing if in Cairns and a good day out. The tropical forests looked very
like the Waitakeres I thought, but the terrain was more rugged. The
Kuranda train was an absolutely amazing feat of engineering built over 100
years ago.
4 July
The wind is very strong, well maybe not very strong but not a good start
to our journey. 25 to 33 knots and gusting higher so better to let is subside a
little before we go. Problem is that it doesn’t look like that will be for a
few days. We might however make a run for it on Friday. Louise has sent most of
Gavin’s charts of the region on to Cairns so we have an interesting array of
slightly old and out of date charts to guide us. How much has the Earth moved
anyway in the last 20 years?
Went to see some of the “State of Origin” game on the TV in the
local. Yes Queensland won, people here happy, but I missed the ABs.
5 July
Several trips to shops and stocked up enough for a while but can get those things we have no doubt forgotten
while in Port Douglas.
Watched Spider Man in 3D, it was OK, special effects pretty amazing.
We have both had computer and phone problems; it’s the inconsistency and
intermittent nature of the problems that is most frustrating. Mine seemed to be
connected to the recent Taranaki earthquake that fortunately didn’t hurt
anybody, Gavin’s is more of a mystery.
I’ve finally bought and paid for the
section that we will build on in Wanaka, since I have been away from NZ.
6 July
Set off just before 10.00, maybe not a crack of dawn start, having
studied the forecast for several days. It wasn’t far off but the 2.5 metre
swell and the gusting 35 knots winds (never looks as much in photos I find) could have waited for another day when I
was better aclimatised. However took a sea sickness tablet before we left and
was fine for which I was very grateful.
Two reefs in the main and the foresail up but not the Genoa. We had a
following wind all the way that Gavin reckons isn’t Anyway’s best sailing
position but it seemed to go well with us surfing, as much as a fat 13 tonne
boat can surf, much of the way. Arrived at the Port Douglas Marina about 4.30,
right on low tide and at one point had to work the engine hard to get us off
the mud. Literally slid into the marina berth, again in the mud but close
enough to tie off, have a drink or two at the bar and then tie up properly once
the tide started to come in.
The weather is cool, given that this is the Tropics, not cold of course
but if it was sun and surf you were after, this would not be the place to come
to right now. I am sure that over the next free weeks it will improve.
7 July
Port Douglas has a nice slightly laid back appeal, strange as it was
billed as up-market but I wouldn’t call it that.
A bit like Coromandel township
but bigger. Interesting shops and cafes.
Like Cairns it was originally a gold mining town, founded in
1877. The population grew quickly but dwindled again once the Railway from
Kuranda was built in 1891. A cyclone destroyed the town in 1911 and it stayed
very quiet until the 1980's when Christopher Skase financed the Sheraton Mirage
and Marina Mirage. Now it is often a day trip from Cairns or a domestic holiday
destination. As an additional point of interest in 2006 Steve Irwin died of the
sting ray injury at the Batt Reef, out from Port Douglas in 2006.
Stocked up on prawns from a boat, a popular retail outlet on a Saturday morning.
8 July
Headed out to the fuel dock at 4.00pm and stayed there for the night and then off to
the Hope Islands in the morning a long sail which requires all the daylight we have.
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