Lady Musgrave to Pancake Creek 18thJune 40nm

Today is our grandson Ollie's birthday. He is two years old and was born in Sydney while we were anchored in Pancake Creek two years ago. Time flies and he is growing so fast. I miss him and will look forward to spending some time with him when I return in July. Mainly playing trains and cars. Funny that. The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys!!!

 

Ollie enjoying his second birthday!!

 

We had intended to stay at Lady Musgrave another day but the wind strength was higher than the forecast of 15 knots. It was gusting to 20knots so the decision was made early in the morning to leave. That was disappointing as I know the wind would die in the afternoon and increase again in the evening. This time the forecast was for 20 knots tomorrow morning so if it was higher than that it would be a miserable night. We could have had another great day but we would have had a very bad night.

Decision made, we raised the anchor and departed the lagoon at 9.30am.

It was a good sail in a south wind into Pancake Creek. The closer to the coast we went the more the wind died and we eventually had to motor in. Sadly there were no fish caught on the way in. Not that it mattered we still had the reef fish for dinner.

Pancake Creek is a very calm anchorage in most conditions and tonight was no exception.

5 o’clock drinks were on Billabong and it was another early night.

19^th June

We had an amazing sleep in. We woke at 8.30am which is the latest I have slept for the entire trip. We must have been tired and the fact that Pancake Creek is such a wonderful anchorage. The sun was shining and not a ripple on the water. Billabong was completely still and silent.

After breakfast Graham and I went fishing. There is a good reef along the entrance to Panacake Creek and we caught 3 good reef fish. That’s dinner sorted.

At 12.30 I took the portable BBQ to the beach and Boomooroo and Whimaway joined us for a sausage sizzle lunch.

 Crew of Billabong, Whimaway and Boomeroo at the sausage sizzle

At 2pm the crew of Bogart came to the beach and we all set off to climb the hill to Bustard Head lighthouse.

 View of Aircraft Beach - Bustard Head Bay

It is 2.6km to the lighthouse so we got a good workout.

The crew of Billabong Whimaway and Bogart at Bustard Head Lighthouse

We were back onboard by 5pm for a shower and pre dinner drinks. Maureen and Steve off Boomeroo joined us for dinner. It was not a late night as we are setting off at 6am for Great Keppel Island.