Very long week-end away

Moreton Island is just few miles away from the big city and offers white sand beaches and good anchorages. So with no much wind forecasted and with the wish of being anchored off these beaches we left Dockside Marina early Friday morning. After 2 hours of motoring in the Brisbane River we were in blue waters again.

It was the start, at noon, of the famous Brisbane to Gladstone Race and Greg couldn’t resist being close to the line. With tens of other boats, we enjoyed our sandwiches watching all these fast boats trying to catch the little breeze.

We anchored off Tangalooma (away from all the other boats who had the same idea) and were happy to have a great sunset as the backdrop for our first night out.

The next day, to avoid mutiny on board, we had to please the young crew and motored few miles South (of course we had the wind on the nose!) to find the white sand dunes we enjoyed so much in January. We stayed there for the rest of the long week-end. There were quite few other boats (50+) around us but this anchorage is huge…however not too protected from the weather we had. So, as the weather changed becoming windier and the seas bumpier, we ended up just with a couple of other cruisers by Monday.

We went sliding the big dunes few times, having a ball rolling over, running down the slopes, enjoying the great weather and the great views from the top of the biggest hill. After their 1^st session, the kids decided to eat less sand and be more protected. So they went down with goggles and snorkels.

Of course we had the visit on Sunday of “Mr Long Ears” who left chocolate all around Merlin.

The kids gobbled up their treats in less time than you can say "Happy Easter" and couldn’t understand why they couldn’t have Nutella on their pancakes that evening.

We played games, watched movies, ate a lot, read, slept and it was too soon that this super long week ended up. 

We sailed back to the river mouth, with 3 reefs and doing 8.5knt. We arrived safely on our pontoon, under a hard rain but a delicious home made pizza was warming up the atmosphere of the saloon. 

(Lots of photos in the gallery under Australia)

Decouverte des charades

Mon premier est dans les contes

Je dors dans mon second

Mon troisieme est l’avant avant derniere lettre de l’alphabet

Je suis mon tout !

Considerations (suite)

Pour des raisons administratives (sacres visas), les enfants ont du aller passer une visite medicale ou la vision des enfants est testee. Clea doit ainsi reconnaitre les lettres qu’elle voit. Il n’est meme pas venu a l’esprit de l’infirmiere que des enfants de 5 ans ne connaissaient, en general, l’alphabet que de facon tres sommaire, et pas forcement en anglais. Apres avoir attendu 2h (pour une visite de 20 minutes et un RDV pris 4 semaines a l’avance): je suis rassuree, mes enfants sont en bone sante, mais j’ai les poches videes ($600).

Dans la serie “Australiens, on vous prend par la main”, voici l’observation faite dans les toilettes de ce grand centre medical: “Les toilettes en Australie s’utilisent en s’asseyant sur le siege”.

Quel pays!!

Active week-end

Shopping, baking, and then of course eating, cleaning, crafting Easter eggs, watching kids circus shows, walking and great socialising: just another week-end on this side of the world where days are getting shorter and temperatures cooler!

(5 days to go before sailing and anchoring again as Easter week-end is a really long one here!)

3 years under the sun

Photos de la mise a l'eau, il y a 3 ans, dans le port de Hout Bay. Que d’emotions au petit matin !

Et que d’emotions depuis…

Cela vaut bien sur un gateau et une petite fete a bord. Merci Merlin pour toutes ces belles aventures!