Thursday 6th Mackay
7.30 am start to meet with the plumber and shipwright at the yards….bang goes another sleep in…I’m now looking about 75 and yearn for lazing around. Ended up making a box to support the new Wacko compresser and then worming into the engine area to drill it onto the wall..very glad it’s not 100 degrees as there is not a lot of space in there and its hot.

Spent a pleasant couple of days hacking out the old system with hacksaw and bolt cutters and then running around town getting the bits and pieces to install the new 12 volt system. Then building an insulated, ducted box in the engine room for the compressor, getting the plate bent to shape and fitted in the fridge and running the pipes and controls. Now need chiropractor.

Wednesday 5th Mackay
Rhymes with clucking bell. Davo, the eutectic man, came and had a look. Probably a slipping belt he said. Now I take a personal interest in matters of refrigeration so when he left I thought I’d run it for an hour or so. This is where Schadenfreude cuts in for others with boats. First a burning smell Then smoke. Pulled off the access hatch to the engine room and leapt for the fire extinguisher. Sat there watching it smoke with (the safety off on the extinguisher) for 30 minutes or so. All-Bran effect again. The interesting thing is how you’d get out of this boat if we did have a fire in the engine room. So we’re now doing fire drills as well as man overboard drills.
So now involved in major refit of the refrigeration system
.
Nick has taken to playing his piano, with earphones on, I think in times of stress this is
an escape. We now buy 2ltre casks so it is easier to dispose of the rest of it, but I think it is because you can drink more and it doesn’t show. Thank god this happened in port as it is still very hard to get to the right people to help with the problem.


Tuesday 4th Percys to Mackay
What a miserable bloody day. Motor sailed from 4am to 5pm and, as the French say, ..”eet was raining lark a peesing cow”. I was only wet, tired and hungry but then a large bulk carrier (otherwise referred to as a yachtfucker) loomed out of the mist. Then I was frightened. An aid to the digestive system now termed the all-bran effect. It turned out it was anchored which accounts for these words being read by you. Finally arrived at Mackay but had strange sounds coming from the eutectic compressor. (Fridge)

She speaking………
Left middle Percy at 4am this morning, always a good time to get up I say…… the relaxing yachting holiday…does not exist (did go ashore and see the A frame hut with all the yacht paraphernalia…very in interesting, worth a visit.) It is all pre dawn starts, listening to weather, eyes glued to the depth sounder and sometimes you smile. It is pissing down rain here and blowing up a storm, but luckily after 12 hours of basically motoring we arrived drenched and tired and cold to Mackay. They are not the most friendly lot and you need your hiking shoes on to get to the office, then they sit there looking like miss perfect, chewing gum in her smart uniform and you’re forming a puddle on the floor, your hair is plastered all over your face and your nose is glowing, while trying to fill out forms, and answer questions that not even the passport office ask you. PHEW, got that one off my chest

Monday 3rd Pearl Bay to North Percy Island


Hey Jansens we made it and know where you named your boat from now.


Sunday 2nd September Port Clinton to Pearl Bay
Lazy morning sleep in, then watching sea eagles diving into the water and catching fish.At least they still can!!. Took off about 10.15 to Pearl Bay and heading across
the bay to go inside the Entrance Island but got half way across we nearly took a wave into the cockpit, so trusty captain decided it was safer to head out and over the bar again. Stress levels rise as the waves get larger and start crashing over the boat and even the dodger. Not having a lot of fun but are committed now and at least another boat is heading in the same direction so we must be okay, we think. Its not until we actually cross the bar and head out that one can relax and then the swell is so lumpy .
Pearl Bay is a very pretty place, went ashore for a walk and met another couple who we followed in. Very rock and rolly anchorage but that’s sailing.
Very disconcerting when leaving and following the Lucas way out and going over ground that should be 3.7 meters and then your reading 2 and down to 1.9 and not knowing which direction to go……gets the adrenalin pumping I must say. However Nick is Mr Cool. Clearly doesn’t understand how serious the situation is. Bum still clenched tightly. One should have the most toned bums with all the clenching that is done on this journey….or something

Saturday 1st September Yepoon to Port Clinton

Another great sail with South easters blowing 15 to 20 but very lumpy seas.
Entering Port Clinton was interesting. It is actually a large river system and one uses a rock to line up the south headland as an entry point.
With the tide rushing out and swell coming in there were a few anxious moments as we crossed the bar and waves threatened to break over the back of us. I was “not happy pam” and looked to my trusty captain.He was the very essence of cool, and said, we were in the correct spot and he was okay with this, but then I couldn’t see his bum clenched so tight that he had the cool look for another reason, and why did he have his life jacket on?........ I have never stopped bobbing between the computer and Gps to confirm where we were so often. At one point all I could see was breaking waves in front and behind us. The bar we had to go over was 2.2 meters so the sea really stood up and the stress levels also rose considerably.
What a relief when we were through and then all we had to negotiate was a submerged rock a little further down on our Port side.
Bring on the rum and coke!!!!!!!!!!