Seafood at Lakes

LEFCOL

A very important part of any adventure is food, and the food we most enjoy on the Gippsland Lakes is seafood! Lakes Entrance has a large fishing fleet and we love watching the trawlers head out to sea, knowing that on their return they will be full of all types of fresh, delicious seafood.
The Lakes Entrance Fishing Cooperative Limited (LEFCOL) is where many of the trawlers unload their catch and, as it is located opposite Flagstaff Jetty, where we like to tie up, we can watch as the fisherman disgorge their night's takings. The co-op also has its own shop, which we love to visit when planning a seafood feast, particularly when we are with family and friends. They have a large and varied supply available at all times, although a few days of rough weather can diminish their stocks, but there is always a freezer full to choose from.

Mussels on Flagstaff Jetty

Fresh Mussels - yum!!

Flagstaff Jetty is also a great place to collect mussels and the Captain often fossicks around the jetty piers when the tide is low, collecting enough for a delicious entree of steamed mussels or main course of mussels with pasta. We never take more than we are going to consume, that way there are plenty there for next time!

Karumba Gulf - our favourite trawler

Prawns for lunch

A visit to Lakes Entrance is never complete without prawns, usually purchased off the back of our favourite trawler, Karumba Gulf. When we see it heading out to sea we start planning our next lunch (prawn rolls) or dinner (seafood platter, marinara, risotto or paella) - and as it returns we rush up to get the best available at the cheapest price....the smallest prawns are not only the cheapest but also the sweetest, according to the Italian lady selling from the trawler. We are spoilt for choice in the Gippsland Lakes, particularly at Lakes Entrance, but we never tire of the delicious seafood available to us.

Cruising the Gippsland Lakes: Rivers, Creeks, Straits and Arms

The Gippsland Lakes were formed when many rivers joined and pushed their way towards the sea. Natural "blow holes" opened into the sea during times of flood, before the man-made entrance was built at Lakes. The three "big" lakes are King, Victoria and Wellington. Some narrower arms and straits between lakes are navigable and make traversing the lakes more enjoyable; they also served as transport routes before rail lines and roads were built. It is possible to take a boat all the way from Sale to Lakes Entrance or Bairnsdale and that is what farmers and fishermen did in the 1800s to get their goods to market; tourists also travelled these waters after catching the steam train from Melbourne to Sale.

Image from loveourlakes.com.au

We have spent many days and night enjoying the rivers, creels, straits and arms of the Gippsland Lakes (I have written a whole post about our favourite spot, Bunga Arm); it is easy to find peaceful corners - to shelter when the wind is blowing or to "get away from it all" when we want some quiet time.

The confluence of the Avon and Perry Rivers

The Thompson and Macalister Rivers join the Latrobe River as it runs through Sale into Lake Wellington, which is also filled from the Avon and Perry Rivers. Birdlife abounds in this area and fish are plentiful - you can see and hear them jumping, particularly at night.

Maclelland Straits

Lake Wellington and Lake Victoria are joined by the Maclelland Straits, a deep winding waterway with Plover Point at the western end and Hollands Landing in the east. The annual "Marlay Point" yacht race is run overnight from the western shores of Lake Wellington through the Maclelland Straits to Lake King and finishes in Paynesville. It can be a test of skill, endurance and patience as the fickle winds decide how long it takes.

Mitchell River

The Mitchell River rises in the mountains near Dargo and winds its way past Bairnsdale to Lake King. The Mitchell River silt jetties are a natural phenomenon, stretching kilometres from the end of the Mitchell River at Eagle Point. They are the second longest silt jetties in the world, behind those on the Mississippi River. The Tambo and Nicholson Rivers also run into Lake King near the end of the Mitchell River.

Tied up at Swan Reach, Tambo River

From the first time, when we hired the Mason Bay, we have spent many a night enjoying the Tambo River, stopping at Swan Reach for a drink at the pub then continuing under the Princes Highway bridge to the cliffs carved out by raging floods in the past. The Tambo continues to be a favourite in Manookatoo - the bridge is high enough that we can get under it and upstream to be by ourselves.

Rafted up to friends at Box's Creek

Another favourite "hidey hole", particularly in windy weather, is Box's Creek - almost surrounded by hills, it is a bullet proof destination we always enjoy. During summer it is often full of hire boats and others, as the water is deep almost to the shore, making stopping there very simple. There is a lovely walk up the hill to view Bancroft Bay with Metung in the distance.
We are lucky to have so many rivers, creeks, straits and arms to enjoy in the Gippsland Lakes - there is always somewhere new to explore no matter what the weather.

Bunga Arm - a favourite

We love the Gippsland Lakes - with a range of destinations to visit including towns, lakes, rivers and backwaters, stopping on jetties, picking up swing moorings, driving up onto the sand or dropping an anchor, it is hard to choose where to go. But a perennial favourite of the Captain's and mine is Bunga Arm. Situated between the Boole Poole Peninsula and the 90 mile beach, this waterway stretches along for 9 nautical miles, running parallel to popular towns from one side of Paynesville to the other side of Nungurner. You can hear boats travelling along the Reeve Channel between Metung and Lakes Entrance, but often you see nobody all day. It is the perfect getaway!

Second Blowhole isn't shown on the map - it's right of the first blowhole ⏫

In cooler weather or when it is windy we tie up to a jetty at Ocean Grange or Steamer Landing. When summer holidays are over and the boat traffic diminishes, we make our way up to one of the campsites, like Egret or Cormorant or Pelican camping grounds. But our very favourite is the little visited, faraway Second Blowhole, so called because before the man made opening was cut at Lakes Entrance over 120 years ago, the Lakes were fresh water and cut off from the sea and occasionally when rainfall caused the lake levels to rise a flush of water would break through the dunes at one of the two blowholes. It is so far up the Bunga Arm that it is not even shown on the map above.

Panoramic view - Bunga Arm and Ninety Mile Beach

   We love the wildlife of the area - the swans and pelicans, the eagles and fish, the kangaroos and echidnas - we don't see many of the animals very often, but we see their tracks in the sand so we know they are around. We love go cruising further up Bunga Arm in our dinghy, exploring the tracks inland or across to Ninety Mile Beach.

Exploring in the dinghy

The sunsets in Bunga Arm are spectacular too, as it runs east-west there are views right down the waterway and colours spectacular to see.

Sunset at Egret camp

When we want to "get away from it all" and enjoy nature at its finest, there is nowhere better.....

Written at the Second Blowhole on a lazy Thursday

Summer cruising 2017

Sydney

Leaving "home"

December was a busy month, with the usual parties, dinners and catch-ups plus packing up our apartment, organising our storage and installing new tenants in our house before leaving Melbourne city life "for good". We said goodbye to Lorimer Street on Friday morning and drove up the Hume Highway for Christmas with the first mate's family, then headed south again......from Sydney to the boat via Canberra and Cooma. 

Canberra

Cooma

We moved the boat to where car was parked and had fish and chips for dinner before a well earned rest - our first night's sleep in our new "home".

Cruising diary: week one

Prawns for our first meal

28/12/16 We unpacked the car, shopped, drove to Gary and Julie's (where we left the car), then cruised to Harper's Bight. We packed everything away before enjoying fresh prawns from the trawler for lunch, followed by prawn pasta for dinner.



29/12/16 We cruised to Paynesville cruising club then took the dinghy to shops, seeing Rick and Corinne on the way back. Then we cruised to Duck Arm and did some "rearranging" of our belongings to make our home work better for us. We headed out in the dinghy for drinks with Rick and Corinne on "Gently", then returned to Manookatoo for chicken skewers and fried rice for dinner.

Our first guests

30/12/16 We returned to Paynesville and drove our car to the shops to stock up ready for our first guests. We met Glenda and Peter at the boat, then cruised to Harper's Bight for lunch of chicken and ham salad. Later on we cruised to Flagstaff Jetty then took the dinghy to the fishing co-op. Glenda and Sue walked to the shops, Martin and Peter picked them up in the dinghy and we returned to the boat. We enjoyed barbecued Rib eye steaks for dinner with a couple of lovely bottles of red. 

31/12/16 a lazy day at Flagstaff Jetty (the boat moved two spots along), walking along the 90 Mile Beach, with a cruise on the dinghy to Rigby Island and the North Arm. We enoyed a two course Seafood Platter for dinner with fireworks for New Year.

1/1/17 we cruised back to Paynesville to farewell Glenda and Peter then across to Picnic Arm for a lazy afternoon floating around on a mooring, with barbecued lamb chops for dinner and an early night.

Box's Creek 

2/1/17 an early morning departure with breakfast on the way. A quick shopping and water stop in Paynesville then off to Metung to pick up Yvonne and Martin. Around to Box's Creek before lunch and a lazy afternoon. Barbecued eye fillet and mushroom sauce for dinner - another couple of bottles of red enjoyed as well.

Cruising diary: week two

3/1/17 In the morning, we cruised to Lakes Entrance, stopping at the fishing co-op on the way. In lieu of Boxing Day, Sue and Yvonne had a shopping day, the Martins watched the cricket! A delicious Seafood platter for dinner, enjoyed with some sparkling wine.

4/1/17 we dropped Martin and Yvonne back in Metung, bought a couple of supplies and returned to Box's Creek for a lazy afternoon. We used up the rest of a barbecued chicken with a chicken, mushroom and asparagus casserole for dinner.

5/1/17 as the first mate relaxed in bed, we cruised across to Paynesville and parked at the yacht club. Then we filled up the water tanks, shopped and waited for the O'Connell clan to arrive. We cruised over to Duck Arm for a ham and smoked salmon salad lunch and an afternoon in the water. Returning to Paynesville the families checked in to their motel then we joined them for a barbecue dinner. 

6/1/17 we headed over to Metung for the "traditional O'Connell family" lunch at the pub, then cruised back past Raymond Island into Duck Arm for an afternoon swim. Returning to Paynesville we had a few drinks at their apartment and barbecued steaks for dinner.

7/1/17 the girls drove to Lakes Entrance to shop and enjoy morning tea at the Ferry Cafe while the boys minded the children, then we had prawns and smoked salmon for lunch before an afternoon cruise and swim at Newlands Arm. Fish and chips for dinner.

The little O'Connell sailors

8/1/17 Benjamin stayed the night on the boat, so next morning he had stories and games in bed with Grandma then he helped Papa wash the boat and went to fill the dinghy with fuel. The others arrived soon after so we said our farewells then went shopping. We cruised across to Bunga Arm for a few quiet days in the wilderness at the Second Blowhole, enjoying oysters, roast turkey, sparkling red and chocolate pudding for dinner.

Swan family - 8 cygnets!!

9/1/17 a quiet day with a walk along 90 Mile beach, some boat cleaning and maintenance and a cruise to the end of Bunga Arm in the dinghy then another beach walk. Home made pizza - including the dough - finished off the Christmas ham. 

Cruising diary: week three

Bunga Arm - a favourite location - lake on one side, Bass Strait on the other

Anchor locker maintenance....messy work!!

10/1/17 another quiet day at Bunga, a morning walk along the beach, some anchor maintenance and a cleansing swim, then the rest of the day spent lazing around relaxing. 
Afternoon drinks on 90 Mile Beach cut short by a stiff breeze. BBQ chops and sausage for dinner.

11/1/17 after breakfast we cruised back to Paynesville, refilling the water tanks before driving up to Bairnsdale to buy some supplies from Aldi and Bunnings. Drinks with Gary on the flybridge before a Thai dinner with Corinne and Rick at the Cruising Club.

Box's Creek with Shaunagh & Mark

12/1/17 while the first mate relaxed in bed the captain cast off and we headed across Lake King to Metung where we enjoyed a walk and swim while waiting to pick up our next guests, Shaunagh and Mark. We cruised across to Box's Creek for a prawn and chicken lunch then off to Flagstaff Jetty for the night. BBQ steaks for dinner. 


13/1/17 with strong winds forecast we left Mark and Shaunagh to walk to the surf club and across the bridge while we cruised across to Lakes Entrance. Once they arrived we walked to the fishing co-op then back to town for lunch. The girls went shopping for the afternoon while the boys collected mussels from the jetty and enjoyed a refreshing ale or two at the pub. A seafood feast was the order of the evening.

Rafted together in Box's Creek

14/1/17 the wind blew all night and the tide was high in the morning, making the fenders work hard to try and protect the boat. We cast off and headed through bumpy water to Metung, where we wandered the markets before farewelling our guests. 

Happy Birthday Corinne!

Then off to Box's Creek again for a night tied up to Gently, with Rick, Corinne, Peter and Chris, celebrating Corinne's birthday and enjoying bubbles and nibbles on our flybridge then cold meat and salad for dinner in their saloon, washed down with lots of great wine! 

 15/1/17 a slower start today, back into Metung where we met Gary, Julie, Peter and Sally for lunch at the pub and a social afternoon.

Afternoon drinks at Metung Pub

Home made pizza for dinner, with strawberries and mango for dessert.16/1/17 an early morning cruise back to Paynesville where we filled the water tanks and restocked the pantry, then left again bound for Bunga Arm! We tied up at Pelican Camp before lunch, then walked across to 90 Mile beach in the afternoon, returning for a refreshing swim in the lake. Roast Pork for dinner.

Springtime on the bay

Cruising out to the bay, leaving the Yarra behind

We're back to Yarra's Edge Marina for some springtime fun! We're hoping a few of our friends and family join us for a cruise or two! We also plan to have a few week nights on the water - when the weather and our calendar allows us!
There is nothing lovelier than leaving work, catching the 109 tram to Port Melbourne, and being picked up by Manookatoo. It is an instant relaxant, changing my mood from work-think to rest-think!!

Not leaving the Marina!!

Of course, not every day lends itself to cruising. Springtime means windy weather and changing conditions. A planned weekend at Sandringham was not quite curtailed by gale force winds, but we certainly stayed well inside the Marina! Walking around the local markets and shops, with a restaurant dinner one night and drinks at the Yacht Club the other helped sweeten the weekend.

HMAS Canberra III

September was also a travelling month, with a weekend in Sydney spent on and near the water. We caught the ferry to Manly, passing Matt's big ship on the way, checking out likely coves for overnight stays next year.

A likely cove for 2017

Two weeks in South Australia didn't involve a lot of cruising, but we did manage a boat trip along the Murray to visit the Overland Corner Hotel!

Cruising along the Murray

Visits from a local paddle steamer also kept us interested.

Now, as the weather starts to settle and warm up, we look forward to visits from family and friends, before Manookatoo takes off again for the lakes!

Two junior captains on Papa's boat

Summer's End and beyond

Even as life returns to the city and the days get shorter, we try to make the most of times on Manookatoo. The Captain is always keen to spend as much time as he can on the boat but the first mate, with work commitments to balance, finds a trip to Lakes a fortnight quite enough!
We continued to enjoy a social time in February, with friends Ian and Joanne joining us on our first weekend; we enjoyed dinner on the Friday night at the Motor Cruising Club in Paynesville but cruised to the solitude of Bunga Arm for our second night, at Egret campsite.

Our next weekend on the water together was the Paynesville Music Festival so it was a great chance to catch up with friends, listening to "The Wizard" at the Wine Bar on the Friday night and enjoying a beachside three course dinner - complete with candelabra - outside the Yacht Club on the Saturday night. We certainly know how to enjoy ourselves!
 The Captain was keen to see the Classic Boat Festival on the following weekend - he particularly enjoyed seeing the boats cruise past while he was on the Raymond Island ferry.
The following weekend was Labour day so we made the most of three days on the lakes, with the first night relaxing at the jetty on Raymond Island, then a leisurely cruise to Bunga Arm for a night, a trip to Metung Pub to listen to "The Uncles" and catch up with (many different) friends, followed by a night at Boxes Creek, before returning to Paynesville then home.
Easter is early this year so we planned our return to Melbourne on Manookatoo for the end of March. The Captain stocked the boat with supplies and moved to Lakes Entrance in preparation and we travelled to Lakes by train and bus on Good Friday. We had a couple of lazy days in the lakes before the wind and weather was right for travel, so we relaxed on Flagstaff Jetty for a day - the first mate even made some hot cross buns, then we cruised around from Flagstaff to Bancroft Bay for a drink at the Metung Pub and a night at Boxes Creek, finishing with lunch in Lakes and an early night at Flagstaff with a 5am start on the Monday. We followed a fishing trawler out through the bar - it was certainly easy to see where to go!! Then we headed right, following the coast for the day and reaching Refuge Cove at Wilsons Promontory just after 5:30pm.
We cooked ourselves a delicious roast chicken and enjoyed the solitude as the waves rocked us to sleep. The next morning we left a little later - 6am - rounding the Prom just before sunrise and enjoying the trip along the coast with the southerly breeze. We entered Cleveland Bight, the eastern entrance to Westernport Bay, just after 3:00. passing under the San Remo bridge on the running tide and tying up at the jetty at Rhyll for the night.
Our plan was to head to Port Phillip Bay so we left Rhyll at 8:30 the next morning, however after rounding the island and passing Cowes, the outgoing tide met the incoming swell to create lumpy, unpleasant conditions, so we turned Manookatoo around and headed up the bay instead, deciding that Hastings was a much nicer alternative! The wind picked up as the day continued and we were very pleased with our decision, enjoying a nice dinner at the local tavern with Julie and Gary Plumley that night.
Not wishing our holiday on Manookatoo to end prematurely, we cruised the next day up the bay, enjoying lunch on the water and dropping anchor behind French Island, in Chicory Lane, for a final night on our own. The weather was perfect and we toasted our good fortune as the sun set - and another beautiful time on the water drew to a close.

Manookatoo Summer daze

Sunday 27/12 
Captain Martin travelled to Bairnsdale on the train then on the bus to Lakes Entrance where he boarded Manookatoo, cruising across and staying at Flagstaff Jetty - enjoying mussels and seafood for dinner
Monday 28/12 
Captain Martin took Gary, Julie and family to Metung pub for lunch then spent another night at Flagstaff Jetty, with BBQ steak for dinner 
Tuesday  29/12 

The First Mate arrived at Paynesville, where Manookatoo and Captain Martin were waiting - we took off as soon as we were ready, straight to Bunga Arm - second blowhole, with prawns for lunch, mussels then turkey for dinner, washed down with a bootle of sparkling red - what a way to start a holiday!! 

Wednesday 30/12 
The water level at second blowhole had dropped a little, so we moved 100m to anchor on the west side of the blowhole, enjoying turkey for lunch and a lamb mixed grill BBQ that night.
Thursday 31/12 
We cruised back to the Paynesville cruising club where we provisioned up ready for the Lynches visit - after lunch we all cruised to Duck Arm for an afternoon swim then back to Paynesville where we tied up at a mooring in the channel to watch the fireworks and celebrate the New Year, enjoying a seafood platter and lots of champagne!!
Friday 1/1 
We cruised across Lake King and into the Tambo River, stopping for lunch at the Swan Reach Hotel then we continued under the bridge and along the river to tie up under the cliffs for the night, swimming and lazing the afternoon away. We BBQed a steak BBQ and enjoyed a relatively early night.
Saturday 2/1 
We cruised back along the river, stopping for breakfast at Johnsonville then back to Paynesville for supplies, then we anchored in Newlands Arm for a sausage sizzle lunch. Back to the main jetty at Paynesville for the night with dinner at Alma's Restaurant
 
Sunday 3/1 
We said farewell to the Lynches, then headed off to Metung to meet Kirsty and Chris, with lunch at the pub then an afternoon cruise to Lakes then returning to park at Box's Creek for the evening to enjoy mixed seafood for dinner. The weather was inclement but the company was good!
Monday 4/1 
We dropped Kirsty and Chris back in Metung, then went for a walk, bought some food then returned to Box's Creek for some time on our own - baked beans for lunch and a lamb roast dinner

Tuesday 5/1 
We cruised back to Paynesville to await the arrival of the O'Connell kids, who all arrived mid morning. We spent the afternoon in Paynesville, with lunch on the boat and a barbecue dinner at their motel
Wednesday 6/1 
Today we cruised up to Lakes Entrance for a prawn and oyster lunch, with a stop at Flagstaff Jetty for a walk to the Entrance and so that the Captain could collect some mussels for entree before fish and chips for dinner.
Thursday 7/1 
The weather was lovely so we spent a beautiful day cruising and relaxing at Steamer Landing including swims and walks to the beach, then back to Paynesville for another BBQ dinner
Friday 8/1 - Sunday 10/1
Early this morning the families departed, so we restocked and headed back to Bunga Arm, second blowhole for a few days RnR, cooking bread, walking to the beach, zipping in the Brig, walking the Boole Poole Peninsula from Bunga to Mosquito Point and swimming in the lake. We enjoyed seafood pasta on the first night, a lamb mixed grill the second and home made pizza on the third.
Monday 11/1 
We returned to Paynesville to re-stock and meet Shaunagh and Mark, our guests for the night. We cruised over to Duck Arm in the sunshine to enjoy swimming before chicken and prawns for lunch, then headed south to Steamer Landing for a walk along 90 mile beach before BBQ steaks for dinner. A post-sunset beach walk followed before bed.
Tuesday 12/1 
We ventured further up Bunga Arm to Egret campsite for lunch before returning Shaunagh and Mark to Paynesville for their departure. After our farewells we cast off and cruised to Metung where we bought some supplies then continued to Boxers Creek for  the night. We found a nice sunny spot to plant Percy the Poinsettia, Martin tried his hand a fishing with no luck, so he cooked chicken satay for dinner.
Wednesday 13/1 
Continuing east, we cruised up to Flagstaff Jetty where we found a nice spot on the jetty and caught up with a few of the "locals". We zipped across to Lakes Entrance and got some prawns for lunch and salmon for dinner before returning  for a relaxing afternoon, interrupted only when we repositioned Manookatoo before a wind change. When it did blow we were well sheltered and able to BBQ the salmon for dinner.
Thursday 14/1 
The morning was grey and drizzly so we rang the Waterwheel Tavern to arrange a pick up for lunch in Lake Tyers, where we enjoyed calamari and fish and chips. Returning to Lakes Entrance we bought a small pork roast for dinner - a lovely choice on a cool evening!
Friday 15/1 
We cruised over to the fuel dock then on to Lakes Entrance to buy still more prawns! We headed west, stopping at Harpers Bight for toasted pork sandwiches for lunch then headed into Boxers Creek to meet up with Rick and Corinne on "Gently"; rafted together on the beach we enjoyed a few drinks, some prawns and a curry for dinner.
Saturday 16/1 
We had arranged to collect Gary and Julie, Luke and Linda plus Jasmine and Nick from the main wharf at Lakes Entrance for a days cruising the lake; we had also arranged to meet Rick and Corinne at Harpers Bight for a birthday lunch for Gary. With prawns and chickens, rolls and salad, we all enjoyed a very social occasion before we returned our friends to Lakes Entrance and ourselves to Flagstaff Jetty for another lovely night with seafood marinara for dinner.
Sunday 17/1 
A short stop at Lakes Entrance for water, food and alcohol then we cruised east for a chicken burger lunch at Harpers Bight. With more wind than predicted we cast off in the afternoon and continued west, into Box's Creek where the water was calmer! We perfected our pizza bases with more cooking time today :-)

Monday 18/1 
After a lovely walk around the creek followed by a swim and breakfast we cruised across to Metung to meet the parents just after midday. We parked on a small spit opposite Nungurnah where we enjoyed chicken and salad for lunch, returning for an afternoon rest and meeting Lynne and David for drinks before dinner at the Metung Pub.
Tuesday 19/1 
We arranged an early departure today, cruising via Barrier Landing and up to Lakes Entrance where we bought some prawns off the trawler, then cruised over to Flagstaff Jetty where we had a swim and enjoyed lunch on the back of the boat. We returned to Metung for an afternoon siesta before BBQ steaks and a nice red for dinner.
Wednesday 20/1 
A slower start today with a short cruise to Box's Creek for lunch, returning for afternoon rests then off to Paynesville for a delicious Thai dinner at the Motor Cruising Club, with a twilight cruise home afterwards.
Thursday 21/1 
We headed west again, up the Tambo River for a sausage sizzle lunch at Johnsonville. Dinner tonight was take away fish and chips and salad.
Friday 22/1 
We farewelled the parents early then after breakfast we headed back to the Tambo River, enjoying lunch at the Swan Reach Hotel then cruising back to Johnsonville as the rain set in, tying up for a lazy afternoon and seafood marinara for dinner.
Saturday 23/1 

After a walk and breakfast we cruised back down the Tambo River and across to Paynesville, where we filled the boat with water and the car with our belongings. We drove into town for supplies for lunch and tonight, then drove back to put these onto the boat before driving the car to the ferry and over to Raymond Island. Returning to the "mainland" we walked back to Manookatoo then cruised over to tie up near the car. We enjoyed a lazy lunch then the first mate went window shopping (very quiet in Paynesville on Saturday afternoon)! Later we cruised across and picked up a mooring in Duck Arm for our final summer night, enjoying oysters, roast chicken and pudding with a lovely bottle of sparkling red for dinner.
Sunday 24/1 
We left our mooring fairly early, cruising back to Raymond Island where we found our jetty spot, had a last breakfast and locked up the boat before heading back to the car for our trip home. The holidays have been wonderful - social, relaxing, rejuvenating and we look forward to a few weekend cruises around the Lakes before Manookatoo returns to Melbourne.