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.