Whales and Hornets

Look up at the FA18's and you miss the Whales, look for the Whales and you miss the Hornets! It's all a bit head spinning.

Left Port Stephens at about 2.00pm Tuesday 11 and enjoyed a cracking sail until about 9.00pm when the wind dropped out and caused us to motor the rest of the way to Port Macquarie. Instruments still not 100% with AWS displaying when it feels like it and Rev Counter giving up the ghost altogether. No amount of wise peering at its innards will coax it into action. Not a big deal but will need to be replaced when we get to Mooloolabah.

Spent a weekend in the Hunter boozing up and replenishing the cellar. Top spot the Hunter but I reckon their reds are a bit light on. Maybe they're "elegant"; wasted on me. Nevertheless we found enough to keep us lubricated for the next few months. Some chick called Bradman was playing at one of the wineries but women's cricket has never been my go so we gave that a miss. (If we had known she was performing we would have booked). 

We had bent a staunchion in Sydney so a few days in Port Stephens offered the opportunity to replace it but "overnight" delivery turns out to be 3 days plus in these parts and the staunchion is (hopefully) following us to Yamba which is our next stop. We're now in Port Macquarie which is bigger than expected and a nice enough place. Marina is small but we managed to snaffle a berth and we're tied up and sitting out the rain! We crossed the bar on the ebb about two hours after high with no problems although the sector light is hard to see with sun behind you. No drama though and the bloke who runs the marina is very helpful. 

We hear that Coffs Harbour is still out of action after the big East Coast low blow earlier in the year so with the weather we see we will make a 24 hour run to Yamba and the Clarence river starting tomorrow morning. The plan is to spend 3 or 4 days in the river and then head to Surfers for an overnight stop. Then up the seaway to Manly and on to Mooloolabah. Should be up there in about 2-3 weeks and we'll tidy up the boat for a few days, arrange for a haul out and anti foul, re pitch the prop (need to go faster) and a couple of other bits and pieces before heading back to Melbourne for a few months. There are whiting to kill.