Getting closer

[Hickers]

House settles on August 20 th and we head north with the Clipper crew on the 27th of August and plan to stay in in the area for a month or two before following the sun south. We are up at the boat having driven up to the boat with what felt like half of our apartments contents. Still all stored away, a home found for the car in Manly and slowly learning my way around the Cummind Qsb 5.9 motors. Checked the anodes this morning at the 6 mth interval rec by the cummins tech and all good. Back to Melb this week to pack up the house and spend some time visiting family in Tassy and WA.
Can't wait to for the moment we throw off the permanent dock lines!

 

[Manly Q.]

Congratulations Hickers.

One day this might be me.

Good Luck with the transition, fair seas and calm winds to you.

Regards.

David.

 

[Wayfarer]

Congratulations! So many of us here just dream of doing this, and here you are, making it happen. Good on you, mate.

Best of luck to you and your crew.

 

[Tidahapah]

Good luck mate,
Hope to see you on your way north.
I am in Mooloolaba until Sept. Not going far north this year.
Cheers
Benn

 

[Peter B]

Congrats. You will be livin' the dream. Great boat choice as well. 'Course I might be a bit biased there, because I have one of its little brothers….or should that be sisters..?

 

[Hendo78]

When and Where abouts in WA are you coming? I'll be sure to have a sander ready


Sent from my iPhone using Trawler Forum

 

[Hickers]

15 days, counting!

 

[Hickers]

After what seems months of preparation we departed Sanctuary Cove for Fraser Island at 7 am this morning. On board 2 people, 1 dog, 70 bottles of wine, 3 cartons of beer, 1300 liters of water and 2200 liters of fuel. Fat as! #escaped

 

[FlyWright]

Congrats on casting off the lines and making it happen! I'm a little worried about just 3 cartons of beer, but I'm sure you know your limits. Those 70 bottles of wine should help.

No doubt some of our fellow Aussie TFers can assist in replenishment if needed!!

 

[BruceK]

Any food on board?
Al, a carton of beer is 24cans/bottles. Also referred to as a "slab".

 

[Peter B]

Also Al, here in Aus, every town, no matter how small, has about 3 pubs or more...replenishing beer will be easier than fresh water in many places.

 

[siestakey]

welcome aboard

 

[siestakey]

welcome

 

[Off Duty]

... On board 2 people, 1 dog, 70 bottles of wine, 3 cartons of beer, 1300 liters of water and 2200 liters of fuel...

Now that's provisioning!
uh, wait.....dog food???

Safe travels...

OD

 

[FlyWright]

Any food on board?
Al, a carton of beer is 24cans/bottles. Also referred to as a "slab".

Also Al, here in Aus, every town, no matter how small, has about 3 pubs or more...replenishing beer will be easier than fresh water in many places.

Well that's a relief!

We call 'em cases here and with 3 cases, I figured he was just taking a short trip of a week or so!!

 

[BruceK]

Well that's a relief!

We call 'em cases here and with 3 cases, I figured he was just taking a short trip of a week or so!!

Well, there are 6 dozen bottles of wine too.
If I look carefully there is always a bottle or two of wine to be found, stored under the fwd berth. One bottle matured into a surprisingly good semillon/sauvignon blanc while "lost" in there.

 

[menzies]

Also Al, here in Aus, every town, no matter how small, has about 3 pubs or more...replenishing beer will be easier than fresh water in many places.

Them Botany Bay Irish convicts brought some culture with them at least!

 

[Hickers]

Been great fun with the Clipper crew, 15 boats, mix of weather which sees us tucks into Tin Can Bay marina to avoid today's 30 knot winds. The Clipper Regatta heads home Saturday am, one day late to avoid forecast 25 knot southerlies and we will head to Gary's Anchorage. Boat has been great with less than 500 litres for the trip to the north of the Sandy Straits. Only gremlin has been our Simrad autopilot which has a noisy hydraulic pump and has blown the autopilot computer fuse a couple of times. Had the lines checked for air today but no quick fix there! Waiting to hear back from a Simrad specialist to see if he has any suggestions though I am tempted to swap the 15 amp fuse for a 20 amp version given the Octopus 1212 pump can draw up to 25 amps. Cruising, repairing boats in different places!

 

[Tidahapah]

Hickers,
How long are you staying in the Wide Bay , Fraser is area.
I am heading up in about 10 days and will be up in the northern area between Moon Point and Rooneys
Sounds like you are having fun.
Cheers
Benn

 

[Hickers]

Hi Benn, here for 6 to 8 weeks. Give me a call on 0418844171 when you are here. Tucked in to Gary's Anchorage today and heading for Kingfisher before picking up my daughter at Urangan in the 10 th. look forward to catching up. Regrds Andrew & Tamara

 

[Hickers]

Update, new hydraulic pump solved the autopilot problem, bearing was shot causing pump to bind. As well as the pump replacement moving on board full time pushed the house bank into failure with three new 230 amp agm batteries fixing that problem! So the annual boat breakdown budget has gone in 4 weeks! If you have the chance to bring your boat here Fraser and the Sandy Straits offers great boating, just needs to be a bit warmer. Ps, I did need more beer!!

 

[Hickers]

Lying in bed listening to the whales singing, magic!

 

[Tidahapah]

Not b ad is it Andrew.
Sat with 5 seperate groups all around Tidahapah at once this morning on our way down to Wathumba Creek. We sat with the engine shut down for about an hour and a half.
One cow and calf came up and sat just about 10 meters from our back deck.

Dam it will all come to a close in a day or two and back home for a week or so.

Hope you guys have been having as much fun as we have.
Cheers
Benn & Gayle

 

[CPseudonym]

Sounds like your living well Benn. Goodonya mate. What kind of whale are these?

 

[Peter B]

Sounds like your living well Benn. Goodonya mate. What kind of whale are these?

In case he misses your post Craig...they'd be humpbacks, now heading south again for the S/H summer to Antarctica.

No probs Benn...

 

[CPseudonym]

Thanks for that Peter. I wasn't sure but somebody once told me there where Humpback whales that made the circuit in the Southern Hemisphere. Thanks for the confirmation.

 

[Hickers]

Not b ad is it Andrew.
Sat with 5 seperate groups all around Tidahapah at once this morning on our way down to Wathumba Creek. We sat with the engine shut down for about an hour and a half.
One cow and calf came up and sat just about 10 meters from our back deck.

Dam it will all come to a close in a day or two and back home for a week or so.

Hope you guys have been having as much fun as we have.
Cheers
Benn & Gayle

Hi, yes I think our visitors are impressed. Been round the corner at Moon last 2 nights, and looking forward to the lovely weather forecast for the next week. We will be at GSSM Sunday but if we miss you have a safe trip home. ?

 

[Tidahapah]

Andrew,
Great to meet up.
We had the last night at Coongal and came into the marina this morning. Heading home on Sunday but hope to be back up in about 10 days time for another week out before I head north to go fishing.
Superb drift with 5 whales yesterday just north of Coongal Point.
2 cows, 2 calves and an escork Drifted with them as they played around the boats, I was with Lawrie on Phyllis may a blue motor sailor. ( no real aerial displays) for about 40 mins.
Enjoy your stay.
Cheers
Benn and Gayle

 

[Hickers]

Back at Gary's waiting for right conditions to cross Wide Bay Bar, hopefully tomorrow. Had the most amazing storms last night. It was like a giant series of strobe lights in the sky with a kick ass bass track! Big gusts too but with42 metres of chain out we went nowhere. Never a dull moment on board!

 

[Tidahapah]

Good to hear Andrew, cruised past you at Moon Point last Monday afternoon, gave you a wave but I was in a friends fishing boat.
Must be good getting on the move.
I thought you may have become the Mayor of Moon.
I am heading south later next week to haul out at Gold Coast City Marina.
Stay safe and comfortable.