We were up with the sun this morning at Thomas Island as the promised wind shift arrived early. (I know weather forecasting is not an exacting science, and I appreciate they work very hard, and I don’t wish to sound ungrateful, but in the last two weeks the weather’s been leading the forecast by 12 Continue reading
Author: Helene
I live by a beach just north of Cairns – my own tiny slice of paradise in North Queensland. When I'm not writing, you'll find me flying Dash 8 aircraft for QantasLink around regional Australia.
I write romantic suspense with feisty, confident heroines who (not surprisingly) work in the aviation industry. My stories are set in the top end of Australia – a wild and wonderful, larger-than-life environment just begging to be showcased in anticipation-filled novels.
Who Named the Beautiful Whitsunday Islands?
One of my Face Book friends, Evelyne, asked me about the naming of the islands that we’re visiting and her question sent me off on a mission. While Capt G sailed us from Goldsmith Island to Thomas Island I delved back into the history of the area. I knew Captain Cook had named the Whitsunday Continue reading
Just blowin’ in the wind
We’re back on-line again after a busy four days alternating between being battered by the wind or becalmed! Such is this sailing life. As we entered the Telstra black-hole around Shoalwater Bay (which some of you will know is a Military Training Area so it’s understandable why Defence may not want their troops having access Continue reading
Ich Bin Wilhelm
Guten Abend, meine Freunde, My name is Wilhelm and I am the Silent Wind generator aboard Roobinesque. (I have no idea why but the lady of the vessel insists on calling me Wilbur, as though I’m a slow moving cart-horse. Clearly I am a hardworking powerhouse, made with German precision, so I thought I should Continue reading
Get Wrecked on Great Keppel!
Anyone else remember that advertising campaign from the 1980’s when the Queensland Resort Islands were at their peak? It’s been 26 years since our first visit to Great Keppel when I flew north as a brand new private pilot with Graham and some of my fellow trainees. Eight years later my first job with QantasLink Continue reading
A glorious day for a sail
The weather gods smiled on us today. It all started with our early departure from Bundaberg and a sublime sunrise. They don’t get much better than this in my humble opinion. Then the wind started to blow from the south-west and Roobinesque kicked up her heels and headed north with the spray flying from her Continue reading
Where’s the Bundy rum when you need it…
We slipped out of The Great Sandy Strait marina before the sun had done more than warm the horizon. By the time we’d hoisted the sails the first kisses of sunlight glinted on Roobi’s rigging. It’s a time of day that always makes me smile. With the wind forecast to be northerly we knew we’d Continue reading
Well, really…
I know that I’m a glass half full kind of person, ever the optimist, but I’m grateful that a good friend, Liz, posted a comment on Face Book last week about remembering that it doesn’t really matter what state the glass is in because it can always be refilled. Today started with a sublime sunrise Continue reading
A ‘tail’ of perseverance…
Tucked in the top of Platypus Bay on the western shores of Fraser Island we found the humpback kindergarten today and the lessons seemed to be tail based. Whale calves the size of dolphins, closely chaperoned by their giant mothers and aunts, were learning the art of tail slamming, tail stands and graceful re-entries. Some Continue reading
Hurry up and wait…
Life doesn’t always play by the rules. We’re still in Hervey Bay, despite having the perfect weather pattern to sail north, because we’re waiting for new rope that should have arrived on Friday (at the latest), but according to Australia Post’s tracking system is currently in Sydney! Bit of shame as it was trying to Continue reading