April 2017
Who let the Cats Out.
With Easy Tiger back in the water for a week now, we have quickly got used to floating, anchoring and even more used to 5 o'clock drinks and socialising.
The main event during the week was the Down Under Go East and previous Go West Rally get together. This was held at the Southport Yacht club's Dux anchorage annexe which is just north of Tipplers resort, in Tipplers passage. It's a pretty busy channel that runs off the Broadwater that runs north from Southport at the Gold Coast.
We arrived (with hundreds of other boats) on Good Friday. We anchored in between Richard and Dawn's "Por Dos" and a few hundred metres from Songlines which is John and Leanne Hembrow, the rally organisers. Within a few minutes of our arrival and dropping anchor, we had our first invite for 5 o'clock drinks.
At drinks aboard Por Dos, we met Jo and Heidi from the monohull "Huck". These two have sailed from N'Orleans in the USA. John and Leanne Hebrew have sailed through Mexico and South America as well, so some of their tales were fascinating. Leanne and I were inspired. We keep thinking that in our general circle of friends, family and acquaintances that we have done things outside the box, but meeting and chatting with people like Heidi and Jo and John and Leanne makes us think that we haven't really got to the edge of the box let alone outside it.
As with all good 5 o'clocker sessions, we got back to our boat about midnight. No dinner required we went straight to bed for our first night on anchor in more than a year.
Next morning we declined the offers of breakfast at Tipplers resort, in favour of a bit of a sleep in. That didn't happen though as the adrenalin and excitement of being out here "doing it" was still with us and we were up bright and early to check our anchor, our battery levels and generally get into the groove.
Mid morning we went over to John Hembrow's boat for him to download the New Caledonia and Vanuatu "Rocket" cruising guides. I have to say, these are far and away the best cruising and sailing information guides I have used. Sad to say that the rest of the day after I downloaded the "Rocket Guides" was a write off as I was transfixed with viewing images and looking at routes and tracks that we will be taking over the next 6 months. In fact I probably don't really need to go now as I have seen so much over a couple of days is spent glued to the rocket guides.
Sunday we had a bonfire and barbecue at the Yacht club's shed. Another late night, then Monday was John Hembrow's birthday. A big night was had singing and dancing at the Southport Yacht club's shed.
Tuesday night was the barbecue for past and future rally participants. There is something nice about meeting people that share your apprehension, nervousness, anticipation, excitement and sense of adventure. It didn't take long for the party to crank up and yet another enjoyable but late night even did the Hokie Pokie at one stage. (It was that sort if night!)
We had to be up at the yacht club shed for Leanne Hembrow's Yoga for yachties sessions. Leanne's yoga sessions were a really good way to stretch out the unused muscles. There's nothing like throwing a few downward dog, slinking cat, striking cobra and (my favourite) happy baby poses, to work out the late night cobwebs. Really great way to start the day but as a few Cat owners comment. feeling calm and relaxed doesn't help bring on the motivation to get jobs done on board. Each night at Dux had been a late night. I was one cat owner who was starting to feel like a cat, up all night and sleeping during the day.
Today we have retreated to Wave Break Island, near the Gold Coast Seaway. Most of the rally crowd have dispersed to all points of the compass. We are enjoying the calm before more gatherings of the Cat's and monhulls start in earnest early May.
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