"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.

Boats...

Sailboats have a lure and lore that brings many a man and woman to boating and to the sea!  My dad and mom loved boating, too... not sailboats... but motor yachts and fishing.  I do believe it was from my dad that I first heard that boats were a huge hole where one pours money! And, yet so many still own and love them!

Capt Wayne discovered an issue with a gear box while we were in the Deanbila anchorage.  While the wind blew and rain fell... Capt Paul and I relaxed in the boat with Capt Wayne working on the issue.  Then came a test drive... around the corner to Horseshoe island for the night. 

In the evenings the birds would all congregate on the boat for their respite too!  The following day we had a wonderful sail back to the Manly Marina.  The intent was to accomplish a few other boat chores not able to be done in the windy conditions.  Capt Paul took advantage of being back in the Marina to provision!  He shopped online at a local chain store and had it delivered to the marina.  We both went up to the local IGA and butcher shop and topped off more supplies!  Capt Paul loves to cook and eat well!  We met up with some friends of Capt Wayne's and had a delightful evening of (true) around the world sailing stories!  We could enjoy their stories for a lot longer... but the evening grew short and they were headed home the next day.  So, the main sail got back up... the dingy got fixed... and the food delivery came.  Then, I went to the butcher shop to pick up the frozen meat, finish up last minute items at the IGA and found BB's!  Now I know I'm spoiling the surprise... but I'm bringing some BB's home to you mom!  And, for my kids!  They are made in Australia and are soooo good!  I even bought a few extra packages for Capt Paul and Capt Wayne for Valentine's Day and they love them too!  But, I digress...So this morning a few last minute items and we are out of the marina and heading out to Tangalooma, Moreton Island for the night and then on to Mooloolaba.

                  

This boating perspective of Australia that we are so very blessed to be a part of right now (thank you again Capt Wayne), is some of the lure.   The friends met along the way contribute the lore.  Yes, a boat may be a hole through which a lot of money gets poured...

but how very blessed are we that there is the sea and that there are boats!

Back underwater with a steep learning curve ahead...lemons and lemonade!

When anchored out with the wind blowing 20, gusts to 25, and the "car" not working (more on that later) a lot gets done on a boat.  Capt Wayne and Capt Paul are getting a handle on the battery situation... and I have been able to work on pictures and video from my two tank dive yesterday!

It was an early morning yesterday as I needed to meet a van driver from the dive shop at the bus stop at 6:20am!  Capt Wayne lowered the dink and carefully helped me get all my gear, which included my new camera gear, into it.  I climbed in and off we went!  No dingy docks here... all shore landings.  The good news is Capt Wayne dropped me off right at the bus stop, even insisting on carrying my heavy gear (getting a bit spoiled here... ha ha ha)! The van driver was also the Divemaster that would be my exclusive leader.  I had arranged this so I wouldn't hold up other divers on my first day with my new camera equipment just in case there were issues.  The boat was a hard bottom dingy type (RIB) probably 25 feet in length.  Six other divers and I all loaded into it while it was on the trailer towed by a tractor... and off to the beach we went! 

The RIB was backed into the surf and we all were dutifully christened with water!  It was a pretty heavy surf!  First dive was Manta Rock!

With my new equipment I did learn ALOT!  Now I know I have a lot MORE to learn also!  The positive was, I was expecting not to be as comfortable with it as I was.  The biggest issue I had was using the 45 degree view finder!  It actually was a huge issue as I had outfitted with the macro lens!

A Spotted Eagle Ray came to visit right off... using the Gopro for some video was fun... but I also have a lot to learn about shooting stills and video at the same time! 

The octopus was a delight!

Was changing colors!  

And then there were two... with a Soap fish seemingly upsetting the octopus.

While I have a lot more coordination I need to do with the video and so much more with the photo's, I thought I'd at least share the beginning... and then hopefully I will improve and can continue sharing!!  

Finding the little critters... like the Nudibranches was especially difficult with the 45 degree view finder!  One heck of a learning curve this will be!

But, fun as I get to practice... practice... practice... translated into dive... dive... dive!!  Near to the end of the dive I saw one Manta... not enough for a photo and when I pointed it out to the Divemaster (my only dive buddy) he decided to chase it!  I got a little extra exercise trying to keep up with a 20 some year old!  I guess it was a big deal as there were others on the boat that had been diving for three days and had not seen a one!

Two people on the boat got seasick as we had our surface interval... one gal felt so bad that the boat went back to the launch site and dropped her off (yes, she had to swim in).  The other guy toughed it out and went on the second dive at Turtle Cave. 

No turtles....

And only limited coral...

Bottom line of course...I was getting to be underwater and I felt comfortable with the camera!  The results can ALWAYS be improved upon!

So while I shared the good news about getting things done earlier in the blog with 20 knot winds and higher gusts, there is the bad news... that the diving would be more difficult with less vis with the high winds!  So I did not arrange any more dives this week. 

I mentioned in the beginning of this blog that the "car" was not working! When I refer to the car...I of course am referring to the dingy (named "leaps with lizards" by the way). 

I was delivered back to the bus stop by the dive shop in the early afternoon... Capt Wayne met me there... we loaded up... he started the engine and off we went back to the boat.  Did I mention that the wind had started up by then and white caps?  Into the wind (really, INTO the wind... you just can't make this stuff up?) we motored... until the little engine stopped.  We were only about a 1/3 of the way back to DWD when Capt Wayne took to the little bitty oars (thank heaven he HAD oars), into the ever increasing wind and waves!  And, what did we do?  Well, for those of y'all that know Capt Wayne... then you know... as he rowed, he started singing!  Any of the songs that I knew the words to like... Jesus Loves Me... I joined in! Apparently we made enough racket that Capt Paul even heard us from a far off!  Lemons and Lemonade!  I do enjoy lemonade!

The beginning....

Hmmm... how soon one forgets (see Capt Paul's blog below)!  I wished (before I left for two dives off Stradbroke Island @ 6:00 am) Capt Paul a Happy Birthday!!  Wayne immediately followed with his well wishes!

On to the GOOD stuff!  First order of business was to provision.  Provisioning for Capt Paul is almost as fun as the sailing sometimes I think!  Wayne and I chased him around a couple of stores with the wine store not to be forgot!  Once complete (took about three hours I think) Capt Wayne and Capt Paul took their full carts down to the marina.  These carts did not include the meat which we were having the butcher shop freeze for us before we picked it up!
After Capt Wayne picked up the meat the following morning, we were out of the Manly Marina and had a wonderful sail up to some friends of his house (Allen and Ronnie). 

We rafted up to their beautiful boat, and chatted about everything (including politics... Australian politics) while we waited for the fuel boat to be ready to get fuel aboard Dances With Dragons (DWD). 

We motored out to a mooring buoy and waited.  The fuel boat (a wonderful steel trawler) rafted up with DWD and we took on quite a bit of fuel!  By that time the wind had shifted and we ended up motoring the rest of the way to Stradbroke Island anchoring for the night  in the Deanbila anchorage on the east side of the island. 

Next morning we "dinked" in to the beach for a walk to the bus stop.  The bus took us to the west side of the island, a great walking pathway called Lookout Point!  Beautiful day , beautiful views, and a wonderful path system.

  

 

 

 

 Capt Wayne and Capt Paul decided to wait for me while I was walking down on the rocks taking pictures.  Found them on this bench since the path was closed for repair.

I wandered along the path a little further for some additional pictures! 

 
We hopped back on the bus with a stop on the way back at the Manta Dive Shop that we had seen/passed on the way to Lookout Point. Wooohoooo!  Got all set up for a two tank dive the next day (Monday).   While we waited for the bus again we walked to the beach access and saw the cutest Koala Bear up in the tree.  He/she was eating the tree (not sure of the type) even though it was not the usual Eucalyptus tree that they eat. Back to bus... dink...DWD and some delicious leftovers!  One last point... and, I know I am speaking for Capt Paul too... how blessed are we to be having these wonderful times with a wonderful friend... translating into memories... thank you Capt Wayne!
 

"Another day older and deeper in debt"

 Almost got through yesterday before someone discovered it was my birthday....just another day in paradise. Day 5 down here in Australia with Wayne on Dances with Dragons. Getting used to the time change, but they need daylight savings. Bright sunshine at 5:30 am. Now 7 am and its like noon.  We provisioned Friday at a small strip center with an IGA supermarket and a real butcher shop next door. Wow....their lamb was to die for. $150 bucks later and we had all the meat needed for a few weeks. Lamb for Joyce and I and beef for Wayne. We did these awesome cut to order  thick lamb chops last night....worth waiting my 68 yrs for. Many more lamb dinners to come over the next 3 months.
     Sunday was spent on a bus trip to Lookout Point, with looooots of walking. Afraid I looked like the proverbial tourist. Big floppy hat, sunburned  arms and legs reading the bus schedule. Joyce will do the pictures. We did see our first Koala bear up in the wrong kind of tree. Stopped at a dive center to get dive info for Joyce.  Lunch in a beach type bar. I had their "House Burger"  ..  hamburger, lettuce, tomato, fried onions, caramelized slice of pineapple, slice of a beet and a special sauce. Eat your heart out McDonalds. Will let Joyce do the pics...thats all for now.