They say that once you cross the Thomson River you’ll keep coming back. I think they may be right. Last week I flew from Bundaberg to Brisbane to Barcaldine to Longreach then drove to Winton for the Outback Writers Festival. I watched the landscape change from blue and vivid green to tan and rich ochre. Continue reading
Tag: Half Moon Bay
The downside of the great adventure…
It’s been a strange old week. The forecast winds haven’t dropped below 25 knots (50 kms/hr) and the gusts have been considerably stronger. We’ve stayed anchored in Double Bay along with another couple of boats, all cocooned in our own little worlds. Roobinesque’s been tugging at her anchor while Wilbur the Wind generator continues to Continue reading
Friends, sailing and strong wind warnings.
We’ve had a smorgasbord of delights over the last week. 7 days ago we were hauled out at Shute Harbour and Roobinesque had her propellor seals changed. 6 days ago our friends arrived from Cairns and we set sail with a near perfect forecast. It’s always great to catch up with friends and being able Continue reading
Mooching around
So there we were, just about to set off from Macona Inlet to head to Stonehaven, and Capt G checked the oils in the engines. There are two dipsticks per engine – one for the main motor and the other for the sail drive which runs the propellor. Sadly, when we pulled the sail drive Continue reading
Rugged diversity of Shaw Island.
My words will never do it justice so here’s Shaw Island and its magnificent diversity captured in photos.
Shaw Island and company with pedigree
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
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