Wednesday 12th November - Coral Sea Marina
School in the morning.
I went to office to pay for our stay, sort out fuel, and book the parking (more on that later!).
We had motored a lot (too much!) to get down there, so I needed to fill up the diesel.
With Lazuli already secure on the dock, it was easier for me to make a few trips in our tender to top up fuel using the jerrycans.
Also, no need to book or wait if you just turn up in your tender!
Since we were going to be here for a month, and possibly sell Lazuli here we decided having our Landcruiser up here would be handy.
We also wanted to have the storm-sails and some other equipment we’d left in storage onboard when/if we sell.
Slight problem - it’s all still in Brisbane.
Kristie came up with the idea that I should drive a hire car down instead of fly.
This way we could load it up with all the stuff we have on the boat that we don’t need anymore and declutter ready for any inspections.
Timing worked out well, as Dad was going into surgery today so I’d be able to see him when I got down there.
Kristie helped the girls pack all the stuff they don’t need - oodies, blankets, most of their warm/winter cloths.
We got a bit of rain throughout the day.
Emma and I cooked Banana Bread during one of those rain periods.
Kristie took the courtesy car to Bunnings and Silly Sollys to get packing bags and boxes.
I got busy on the boat:
- Packed away the wind generator (it’s not that useful when you’re plugged into shore power!)
- Removed the boat logs (speedo/depth sounder) and cleaned them; no point keeping them in if we’re not going anywhere.
- Lashed the sails on the boom.
- Filled water.
- Flushed tender outboard.
More packing.
I walked into town at 2pm to get hire car, ended up with a nice hybrid RAV4.
We packed the car, needed a few trips with the trolleys to get all our stuff up there!
Charlee came over for a play with the girls (Exhale was on the public pontoon for the night - coming into the marina the next day).
I took Kristie to GP and pharmacy, then a quick trip to Coles.
More packing.
I had everything sorted so I could just get out of bed and head straight to the car in the morning.
Thursday 13th
I was in the car and on the way to Brisbane just before 4am. Iced coffee to get me through to my first stop.
Back on the boat:
- the girls did school.
- Exhale came in so Kristie and the girls helped/see them come in.
- Back to the boat for more school.
- Charlee came over for another play.
- Arlo (another boat kid) got dropped in, and they all went for a swim at the resort pool.
- Kristie and Kristina walked home, leaving Emma with Niki.
- Kristie cleared the clears.
- Girls hung our on Exhale for a bit more.
- Kristie walked to town for postcards and Woolies.
- Laundry - soaked the cousin covers.
I was making good progress.
- Maccas for Breakfast in Mackay.
- Had a good chat with my brother while he was driving to work
- Lunch at a servo
- Listened to lots of episodes from my favourite podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/on-the-wind-sailing/id711410636
- Got to Graceville by about 5pm after nearly 14hours driving.
- Unpacked the car.
Shower, and then went out with mum to get takeaway from Ceylon Inn (our local Indian).
The girls FaceTime’d before their bedtime.
Friday 14th
Busy day for me:
- Walked over to the Graceville shops to get dinner - caught up with my cousin Chris.
- Dropped off the hire car at Rocklea.
- My brother picked me up from there and took us over to our house where the Cruiser was in the shed.
- Discovered both batteries had died completely and couldn’t even hold charge after jump-starting :(
- Borrowed my brothers ute to go buy two new batteries.
- Fitted batteries - drove back to Darra.
- Dropped one of his staff back to Oxley to drive his ute back to Darra.
- Back to Darra to get stuff out of storage.
- Back to Graceville via the shops.
- Fitted a wireless CarPlay adapter to the Cruiser
- Train into the Wesley to see Dad. Good news - he’s doing very well and he’ll be out tomorrow
- Train home
- Dinner with mum.
- Went over to catch up with Evan and Prue - his 50th party was on tomorrow and I wouldn’t be able to make it as I’d be driving back to Airlie :(
Back in Airlie:
- The girls did school.
- Kristie 2 load of washing.
- Girls sorted and packed the washing away
- Hung out the heavy cousin covers.
- Girls played on Exhale.
- Kristie cleaned deck and cockpit.
- Rust remover helped with the cleaning
- Borrowed a Gernie from Exhale, but our inferior hose couldn’t handle the pressure :(
- Lunch.
- Kristie took the curtsey car and the girls (and Charlee) shopping for stinger suits. They had to try Annaconda, BigW, Best & Less, and finally BCF (to get the same suits they had at Annaconda!).
- Woolies.
- Back to the marina the girls walked to the pool with Kenny; Krisite gave them a head start while getting a few more jobs done before joining them in the pool.
- Picnic dinner on the ocean deck. It’s much nicer for Kristie to sort dinner and dishes when not on a moving boat (Kristie assures me that even if a boat is tied up in a Marina it still moves).
Saturday 15th
I was able to hang around and pick up Dad from the hospital at 10am.
Mum got the train in early, and I waited for their call.
Pickup went smoothly. Got Dad home and settled in.
Early lunch and got in the Cruiser to start driving.
I’d booked a motel in Gin Gin, so it wasn’t a big driving effort and was done around 4pm.
Back in Airlie:
- Kristina went to shops with Exhale. Emma needed to rest.
- Kristie scrubbed cushion covers and some more soaking.
- Charlee came over for a play.
- More stainless steel polish.
- Lunch.
- Swim at the lagoon with Charlee.
- Swim at the resort pool on the way back.
- Take away dinner on Lazuli.
Sunday 16th
I was up early again to drive the rest of the way back to Airlie.
Had rain/light spitting for the first half of the drive.
There’s nothing between Gin Gin and Rocky, so Maccas breakfast when I got to Rocky!
While I was driving:
- Kristie did more washing. How is there still things to wash?
- Charlee came to play on Lazuli.
- Kristie did more stainless polishing.
- Lunch and rubbish run.
- Walked up to meet me and help unload.
Kristie then took cruiser to Coles, Silly Sollys, and finally to get some sushi ready for tomorrow.
Viv and Russ arrived - they had been back in Mooloolaba for a week and got back to Airlie today.
Had a quick chat with them.
Kristie got the cushion covers on, and then baked a cake for Emma’s birthday tomorrow.
Goodbye sips and dips on Exhale. They are off south now; hopefully we’ll see them again when we sail south.
Monday 17th - Emma’s Birthday
Birthday pressies.
Breakfast: Fairy Bread for Emma, and French toast for the rest of us.
As Exhale was heading off this morning, we had Birthday Cake straight after breakfast so Charlee could be part of it.
We were then off to Bredls Wildlife / Farm: https://bredlswildlife.com/
We had a great time and loved it here.
Kristie ended up with quite a few scratches where the Koala was clinging on a bit too tightly!
They were very relaxed about everything (except for this one time a toddler ran off towards the pond where crocs live!).
Once the tour was done we sat down at the shelter shed there and ate our sushi, and chatted with a family from overseas who were heading south in a campervan.
Back on the boat, and sorted out our insurance (need to extend our coverage again for being north of Gladstone in cyclone season).
I needed to have a quick arvo nap, still recovering from the drive down and back up.
Drove into town for Hogs Breath dinner.
Followed by Cold Rock afterward.
Tuesday 18th
As well as the resort pool, as marina guests we also get use of their gym.
It’s not massive, but it has a few cardio machines and weights.
I was there not long after 6am.
Girls had a sleep in - (8:30 for kristina).
School and work.
Our boat friends Stuart and Sanne (Vanetta) have left their boat at the marina while they spend some time on land.
She’d sold their surfboard (not much surf up this way) so I grabbed that from inside and walked it up to the gate to meet the buyer.
It was then time for cleaning. We need photos to put online.
I cleaned and took photos of both bathroom and all 4 cabins. It required quite a bit of moving stuff around as we still live in it, and despite taking a car load home we still have a lot onboard!
Fed the girls dinner, and went to have a few cocktails and some cheese with Russ and Viv on Bella Amalfi (a few boats down from us).
Viv put together another one of her amazing platters, and Russ made a lot of tasty cocktails!
Late night, lots of drinks any never any “proper” dinner, just lots of nibbles. Got back to our boat sometime after midnight.
Wednesday 19th
Sore heads all round, no gym this morning!
School and work.
Had to have a quick mid-morning nap.
Lunch.
Cleaned and took photos of saloon and kitchen.
Another nap.
Got a bit of work done.
Caught up with Viv and Russ. Apparently we’d gone through a bottle of vodka, a bottle of gin, a bottle of red wine, we’d finished off my port, and a had a few shots of their schnapps as well.
They had been suffering nearly as much as us - they have aircon in their boat which would have helped!
Thursday 20th
Gym in the morning.
School and work.
Farewell hugs with Viv and Russ. They are off to Mooloolaba, we definitely plan to catch up with them when we sail south (or drive up to go diving!).
More work.
Kristie did another load of washing.
Released the back stay to get the stay sail down and off as we had to replace the chain plate.
Friday 21st
Gym to start the day.
School.
Removed the chain plate, which was hot and difficult work as I needed to climb into the anchor well, and Kristie into the sail locker.
Delivered it to the local fabrication mob to get a new one made up.
Hoot turned up - said hi to them. They’ll be in for 2 nights before they head south.
Work.
Kristie off to woolies and postbox.
Sip’s and dips with Andrew and Bride, this time on Lazuli: one of the benefits of being right down the end is we get a good afternoon breeze.
Off to dinner at KC’s with Andrew and Bride and our girls.
Posted the add to list Lazuli for sale online.
Saturday 22nd
Girls and I did the Parkrun/walk (just over 1 hour and only just ahead of the tail walkers).
Breakfast at Rainbow Cafe with Bride and Andrew.
They borrowed the Cruiser afterward to do jobs/shopping.
We were going for showers, but the girls ended up just playing with Mia (off Tandanya) at Ocean Club.
We all had some down-time on Lazuli.
Andrew came over with some glue to help fix the lining. I’d been trying to find a solution for the last year but nothing stuck.
The stuff he had was magic and worked very well! Thanks Andrew.
Swim at resort pool - happy hour - so we enjoyed a Mango Daiquiri’s with Bride and Andrew.
I walked back with wet togs and to get our BYO drinks, and met girls back in Airlie by the lagoon.
Out to pizza for dinner. It was busy, so we had to wait quite a bit. The girls were done, it’s been a big day for them!
Kristie ordered an Uber, so she, Bride and the girls went home in that, Andrew and I walked back.
Sunday 23rd
Quick walk to Hoot to borrow the glue to stick down some ply. Worked a treat.
Then spent some time changing some of the remaining lights over to the LEDs, and to fix the wiring on some of the others.
Goodbye hugs with Bride and Andrew as they are off. We probably won’t see them on the water, but we’ll be catching up once home.
It’s been awesome to hang out with them these last few weeks since they got to Lizard.
I went out to by some oil and new step for the toilet. The old step was a left over from family day care, so a new one will look a lot better.
Replaced fine fuel filter, and then changed the oil (and oil filter).
Rubbish run.
Monday 24th
Went for a run in the morning. It’s a nice path all the way out towards Cannonvale. Just over 2km each way.
Back on the bot, I found that the hot water hose split and dumped a tank of water into the bilge.
School for the girls.
I did the hot walk to chandlery at the other end of the marina, but they don’t have any suitable hoses.
Walked back to the Cruiser and then went for a drive to a local hose/plumbing supply store.
Replaced hose and sponged out the water.
Kristie did a load of laundry
Disposed of the old oil (you need to get a key from the Marina).
Kristie went off to Woolies.
I got in some more Work.
Kriste filled up the water and cleaned up bird poop. As more and more boats leave, the chances of getting unwanted attention from the birds goes up proportionally :(
Tuesday 25th
Gym. Morning storm while I was at the gym, the girls shut the windows.
The Ocean Club here also has a coffee machine, so morning routine is Gym –> Shower –> Coffee –> long walk back to Lazuli
(it’s just over 500 steps from our boat to the Ocean Club!)
School downstairs as upstairs was still wet after the storm.
I worked.
Swim at the lagoon after lunch with Mia and Shaan (Tandanya).
On the way back I bought a new float switch for our bilge pump.
Krisite got post from the marina (we have had quite a few deliveries sent to the marina here!).
I drove out to get the chain plate as that was ready.
Kristie did a quick check on Vanetta to see how it was going inside.
Wednesday 26th
Work and school.
Empty water - still more coming out of the hose fittings - needed to tighten the hose clamps more.
Removed the old/broken float switch and fitted the new one.
Thursday 27th
Run. Same track as last time.
Attached the new chain plate. Still hot with Kristie in the sail locker and me in the anchor well.
I dropped one of the nuts into the pile of anchor chain and couldn’t reach it; Emma climbed into the anchor well and tried to get it but only pushed it further down.
School and work.
Lunch.
Kristie drove out to the newsagent and then BigW.
I cleaned the stainless steel that hadn’t already been done.
Friday 28th
Gym, followed by coffee.
Off to the chandlery to get some stainless steel nuts and washers.
Kristina had to help put the last/top nut on the chainplate, as it was right up behind some mouldings and there’s no way I could bend enough to get in and reach it.
Swim at the pool with Shaan and Mia.
Ice cream on the way home.
More Work.
Emma had a play on Tandanya.
I re-attached the forestay to the chainplate.
Kristie and I enjoyed a date night (no kids) at the Garden Bar. Food was amazing, and they have some great cocktails!
Saturday 29th
Rain showers in the early morning.
Parkrun day - Emma had already tapped out the night before, and Kristina decided not to run in the rain.
It stopped spitting just before the run started. It would have been nice if it had kept up as it was so hot.
Kristie did a load of laundry.
We got a message from someone looking to inspect Lazuli. Arranged to do that on Monday.
Headed out to the markets. It was hot, and not much stuff of interest there (except for a bag of delicious lychees.)
Woolies. Hot chook for lunch back on Lazuli.
Time to tidy up downstairs ready for the inspection.
Kristie and the girls put the Christmas tree up; my involvement was extracting it from its storage location.
Baked banana bread with Emma.
Attempted to hoist the staysail, but it was too windy (and in the wrong direction).
Cleaned all the underfloor storage.
Still more water coming in. Tightened another hose clamp.
Ended up needing to remove the old hose, but I had to go get smaller (6mm) spanners first.
It takes longer to walk from the boat to the car than it does to drive to Bunnings!
Back to replace the hose.
BYO dinner at the Ocean Club with Tandanya. Girls enjoyed making some necklaces.
They have a BBQ at the top, so we cooked sausages and steaks and had a nice salad.
Sunday 30th
Hoisted the staysail back up the tracks and furled it.
Filled water.
Kristie washed and scrubbed the cockpit.
I checked water and didn’t find any leaks!
Cleaned engine bay (changing the oil is a messy process for me!) and checked oil.
Cleaned out the salt water foot pump - removed the intake hose and flushed it many times with fresh water, disinfectant and finally vinegar.
Kristie did some more polishing, our bimini frame looks excellent now.
Drove to Bunnings to get endcaps for the ladder, BCF for more toilet paper, and supercheap for a cloth.
Click and collect Woolies on the way back.
Kristie and I enjoyed a swim at the pool by ourselves. Happy Hour so had to have a few more Mango Daiquiri’s.
Light rain while in the pool so we had it all to ourselves.
More rain after dinner.
Monday 1st
Gym and coffee.
Eddie the Elf arrived with advent calenders for the girls.
Tidy and clean inside. Birds had been busy overnight. Perfect timing as we had arranged Dan and his family to come and have a look at Lazuli today. Kristie cleaned the deck, clears, infill and solar panels of their mess.
Glued endcaps on the ladder.
Kristie polished the steering wheel, and then the clears.
First inspection after lunch.
During the inspection, Kristie and girls went up to the lounge and enjoyed the aircon and comfy couches.
Rainy afternoon.
I ended up having to walk umbrellas up to the girls for the trip back to Lazuli.
Tuesday 2nd
Early morning run.
Time to head up the mast to replace the wind anemometer bearing.
Kristie managed the 2nd manual halyard, with Kristina pressing the button to hoist me on the main halyard.
The girls were both keen to have a turn going up the mast. Kristina went up first, all the way to the top at 19m.
She got stuck for a bit at the top, as one of the halyards got a bit stuck. It was easy enough for me to straighten out the sheath and Kristina enjoyed the view while waiting.
Glad it got stuck for Kristina and not me. Kristie made a comment that if I was up the top, she would have had to go for help to try and get me back down.
With the halyard sorted, it was Emma’s turn. She also enjoyed going all the way to the top and was able to wave to Tandanya when they were on the way back in after testing out their anchor.
Kristina ran over to Tandanya and invited Mia and Shaan to come and see Eddie the Elf.
They had a quick visit, then Kristina went back with them to have a play on their boat with Mia.
I worked.
Kristie did some washing.
Took the afternoon to head out to Cedar Creek Falls, only about 30min drive. We thought there’d be more water there given some of the rain we’d had in the last few weeks.
We visited when we drove up 2 years ago. That time there’d been even less rain and the bottom was stagnant, and we didn’t swim.
Movie night. Kristina chose “In your Dreams”.
Wednesday 3rd
Kristie went out shopping for Christmas Presents.
I took up some wrapping paper to the Lookout Lounge so she could wrap the pressies.
I worked.
Movie night, Kristie’s choice: Wicked.
Thursday 4th
Gym.
Work.
Dropped the gas bottle up to be refilled. It wasn’t empty, but it’s convenient to fill it here and means we shouldn’t have to worry until we get back to Brisbane.
Took the big cyclone mooring ropes back to the Cruiser as we won’t need them going south.
Kriste did one last check on Vanetta and replaced their moisture containers.
Kristie off to Woolies and bottle shop.
Two trips to Bunnings for their Christmas activity (we took the 3 from Tandanya as well).
There was:
- Craft
- Free sausages / drinks
- the Grinch made an appearance
- One of the staff dressed up as Santa, the most un-Santa looking Santa you’d see (he must have drawn the short-straw) so there wasn’t much interest in any of the kids having their photo taking with him!
- There were also reptiles, so the girls got to hold a snake and lizard.
Back the marina, and straight to the showers; Kristie stayed there to do laundry while I got the girls to bed.
Whilst being one of the more expensive marinas, the facilities here are great and Airlie is a great place to hang out.
Tomorrow we leave the marina, and leave Airlie as we start to head south.
But first we will have a few nights exploring the Whitsunday Islands one last time before we start heading south.