"Up on the roof"...my version

I've always loved that song "Up on the roof" as sung by James Taylor.  As I was climbing into the cockpit this morning to enjoy the breeze (yes, the wind has arrived again) somehow that song popped into my head. 

We are anchored up the river in Mooloolaba.  Sort of waiting on the weather to decide what it is going to do (there are some low pressures off of Cape York that could turn into cyclones) and sort of waiting on (thank you Capt Wayne) the possibility of diving here.


We left Manly on Sunday with no wind!  As we motored out of the channel the local races were going on. 

 They were moving... albeit VERY slowly!

 Capt Wayne put out all the sail on Dances with Dragons, including the mule!  It had to be a pretty sight as we saw others draw close to take pictures!

 The wind picked up for us and we had a lovely sail with only a couple of tacks right to the gap for motoring into Tangalooma by 4 o'clock pm.  It was a rolly night!  We all were up early and at first light went back out the gap and began sailing! 

It was a slow sail at first being in the lee of Moreton Island, but the wind did pick up and with smooth water we were to 8 knots at times!  Once out of the lee... we got the Pacific swells and to rolling we went again... of course this time while sailing!  The wind had decreased enough that it could not keep the wind in the sails as we rolled.  With a "pop" every now and again on the sails we kept up 4 knots on this heavy olé girl!

I went below to grab my camera to get a picture of the mainland hill formations and low and behold a dolphin came up to say hi! 

Well, didn't surface but did give me a swim by! 

 I waited with my macro lens for the dolphin to return when I saw this snake in the water!  Capt Paul looked it up and we believe it to be a Coral Bay snake.  A water snake that is venomous and extremely dangerous!  Another reason to look up when surfacing from diving so as not to tangle with one of these!  I didn't ask if they go under the water... maybe I don't want to know!!!

 And then came the "mark"... where we roll the sails up and turned into the entry into Mooloolaba.  Capt Wayne rolled up all but a bit of the Jenny... Capt Paul started the engine... and we made the turn.  Then, Capt Wayne noticed no water from the engine exhaust!  "Turn the engine off Paul"!!!!! Capt Wayne went below cleaned the strainer and then tried the engine again.  No water.  Impeller or pump.  While Capt Wayne got tools and looked for a new impeller, Capt Paul navigated DWD back out to deeper waters.  The little bit of Jenny was just enough to keep the boat sailing slowly without the helplessness of being idle in the water and tossing around with the Pacific rolls.  A longer...a bit worrisome story (Capt Wayne was not sure he had a spare pump)... made shorter... impelled replaced... and big spit - little spit!  Whoooohoooo!  Rolled up the rest of the Jenny and made our way back to the entrance to Mooloolaba.  Capt Paul and I heard Capt Wayne continue to rattle around down below as we followed the "path" to the mouth of the river.  When Capt Wayne finished, we had a "crew" meeting... Capt Wayne informed us of the POSITIVE of the impeller having failed when it did!  He had found a pin hole leak in the diesel fuel line. 

 Up this river we motored...

 To an anchorage that reminds me of the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area!  Once the anchor was down, Capt Wayne immediately found an extra piece of fuel line, replaced it and all was once again well with the boat... and us.

So this morning, we are going ashore to check out the dive shop and look around.  We aren't sure how long we will be up this river... but with the winds "blowing snot" on the outside it will for sure be a day or two! 

"Up on the roof it's as peaceful as can be, and there the world don't bother me".... So replace the word "roof" with "cockpit" add one caveat... knowing that the boat is secured with a Rocna anchor... and that's where you'll find me this morning.