Life is Good...

What a wonderful life we lead.

It is hard to believe that just 4 months have passed since we drove out the gate of Melrose and flew up to Townsville to SOL. In that time, we have sailed up to the Palm Islands, back down to Magnetic Islands, to the Whitsundays, Scawfell, Brampton, Percy, the Keppel’s, out to Lady Musgrave, down to Hervey Bay and many other stops between – and this is just the start of our journey. There is so much to see and do and we are just touching the surface.

Up close and personal !!

We were joined for 5 more days of fabulous Hervey Bay whale watching the next weekend

by Helen (an old friend of 25 years) and her partner, Andrew – and the whale shows just keep on getting better – I think they are beginning to recognise SOL and so are becoming more curious about us and venturing even closer, one came almost within touching distance!!! More fishing was done – not terribly successfully, maybe the fish are recognising us as well and keeping away!! We had a superb time and when we dropped them back at Urangan on the following Wednesday they both said it was the best and most amazing experience they’d ever had.

Lilly's cabin all ready

Thursday, we entered the Great Sandy Straits Marina – we had a berth here for the night as Dolly and Lilly were coming up, flying to Brisbane from Adelaide their plane didn’t get in until 8pm so we had hired a car to pick them up – we wouldn’t get back to the boat until midnight. Phil had told Jamie he was unable to come as work was too busy at the moment. Jamie and I had had a great time getting Lilly’s cabin ready for her – the way grandparents do – and all was set. Arriving at the airport we found a good vantage spot to watch passengers disembark from the plane – I was in a good spot to watch Jamie’s face as Phil came through the door - we had kept that secret well!!

With the weather not expected to be so good for the next few days, by midday we were headed out into the bay, spotting a few pods of whales on our way to where we had figured would be an ideal place to sit out some windy days. We entered Lagoon Anchorage – or Wathumba Creek, an interesting place with an even more interesting entrance – zigzagging through some very shallow water just before the high tide and easing our way up the creek (me nervously eyeing the depth sounder as the water beneath our hulls got less and less) to a spot where at the low tide the creek dries out and SOL would be left sitting on a sandbank, we’d never beached her before, and although we knew that with her style of hulls she should just sit flat and comfortable on the soft sandy bottom it was a huge relief to find that that is exactly what she did!!

Although it was cool for Hervey Bay (it was way warmer than Adelaide right now) – what’s the first thing an excited 4yr old want to do when we are anchored?? Swim of course!! So, it was on with the togs and over the back (with a rope tied to her life jacket so she didn’t float away) – this was her idea of the perfect holiday. Also on her agenda was a dinghy ride.

We spent the next three nights in the lagoon - with Lilly paddling in the shallows around SOL as the tide went out. We walked along the sandbanks and marvelled at the millions of blue soldier crabs that appeared as the water receded, and how they dug their holes by turning around in circles churning up those perfectly round little balls of sand which they left on the surface in amazing patterns as they disappeared to safety below.

A pelican, a map of Australia and a seahorse made in the sand by the little crabs

Crossing the ridge separating us from the main part of the bay and walking along the beach with the wind flicking the sand up with such force it stung your arms and legs we were very happy we had found the calm of the lagoon where it was comfortable enough to take Lil out for rides in the dinghy – out there it sure wasn’t!!

Some hours were spent setting up the Delorme InReach – a satellite tracking system which tracks us and sends a message with our position. The children had put in and gotten one of these rather expensive little technological beauties for Jamie and my birthdays. Now they could know where we were no matter where we were, it would be especially useful when we crossed the Tasman and went further afield.

Dolly in her "hammock"

We spent many hours casting lines off the back of the boat – with not a lot of success, but much fun and laughter, Dolly caught a stingray and we hooked some small fish, (and the anchor more than once) most of which we put back, keeping the biggest for dinner one night – nothing beats fresh fish.

Captain Lilly takes the helm

Monday morning the wind had dropped and we eased our way out of the lagoon into the bay for some serious whale watching before having to go back to the Great Sandy Straits Marina for the night as Phil, Dolly and Lilly had to leave for Adelaide again.

Time flies when you’re having fun – and the sadly last few days sure flew by.