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
Tag: Safe Harbour
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
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