Tuesday, 24 September 2013

20th and 21st Sep Nara Inlet to Airlie Beach Marina 18nm


We had a good sleep in and a lazy breakfast before heading to Airlie Beach Marina to reprovision. On the way in we passed Wimaway another yacht in the Coral Coast cruise and at the marina we caught up with another yacht Bogart.
As we approached the marina I received a phone call from an old PNG friend Ian Smith. He had bad news to deliver about Steve Allatt off Boomeroo our cruising companions in June. He arrived back in Mooloolaba after completing their cruise to the Whitsundays and back to Mooloolaba. Steve has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.
Our hearts are with you “master mariner!!”  we wish you will be cruising with us again soon. It was terrible news and I spoke with Maureen soon after to pass on our thoughts and wishes to Steve. She said Steve was being positive and was responding to treatment and was determined to get back on the yacht.
After completing the formalities on arrival we headed off to the supermarket in the “shaggy” mobile provided courtesy of the SICYC. It is an ex taxi commodore wagon with 570,000kms on the clock. It still goes well. We get to use it for a donation to the Prostrate Cancer Foundation.
With the car loaded up with supplies we arrived back to the yacht and unpacked in time to join Alan and Sue Pick off Supertramp for 5 o’clock drinks. For dinner we had the remaining Stripey Perch and the Coral Trout. I watched the AFL final and it was a cracker game between Geelong and Hawthorn with the Hawks getting up in the last quarter.
Next morning we got up early and headed to the Airlie Markets. The fresh produce there is very good and we managed to get some good herbs, fruit and vegetables.
It was a very hot day with very little wind in the marina. I put the covers on the yacht which helped to keep it cooler inside than the outside hot air. I met our next door neighbours Peter and Marie Hansen. Peter had the brokerage at Mackay Marina before selling it to his employee 5 years ago and retiring. He gave me lots of tips about anchorages in Morton Bay as well as his prediction we are likely to have an early cyclone season because of the hotter than normal winter. It will be interesting to hindsight his prediction.
Leon and Nirvana flew back in from Sydney to collect their yacht after being back in Sydney for 5 weeks and continue with the cruise. We caught up with them and Ian Pritchard off Bogart for dinner at the Whitsunday Yacht Club followed by the traditional stop at the ice cream shop for the walk back to the marina.
The air had cooled and the boat was cool enough to get a good sleep while I lamented the Swans loss to the Freo Dockers. I must admit is good to see the Freo Dockers into their first grand final. I will look forward to seeing the grand final next Saturday.

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