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| SV Olivia |
At the end of our 2016 sailing season Peter and I discovered our future beautiful yacht was berthed in the Yacht Club Marina in Townsville. Our friend Ric pointed out the ad in the yacht brokers window at the Breakwater Marina and just over a week later she was ours. She is big, strong, beautifully fitted out, has all the equipment we wanted and is very pleasing to the eye when moored in the bay. She is a 1996 Cavalier 43, GRP Sloop/Cutter with a Yanmah 50 motor. To date we have been very happy with our decision to buy her. Of course there is always something in a second hand purchase that is not as you would like. Our bugbear is the refrigeration and as I don't yet fully understand how this wonderful looking fridge/freezer works best I will leave discussion of this system to a later date when experience will enable me to discuss it more knowledgably.
Rene has been purchased by a local guy who has her moored on the other side of the Breakwater Marina and I avert my eyes as we pass in Olivia. Why do we assign human qualities to objects? I don't know, but still I feel slightly guilty as we steam past her. Goodbye Rene and Good Luck
Peter arrived in Townsville in late March to carry out maintenance, learn how all Olivia's systems worked (she is much more complex than Rene), purchase equipment we wanted on board, practise manoeuvring her in and out of the pen and anchoring in the bay and many other minor jobs that included merely admiring and patting her.
One of the first, and to me the most important purchase, was a new 25kg Rocna anchor. The previous one was only 20kg and I really like the idea of being securely tethered to Mother Earth. I received a Fender Step for Christmas and it is an essential item which enables me to climb on board as Olivia is too tall for me to step up onto from the dinghy. Peter has had to study and learn how the plotter, HF radio, radar and refrigeration work. He has cleaned the propeller and waterline and removed dust and dirt from 5 months of absence. A new dinghy motor hoist has been installed as there is no way I will be able to lift it as I did on Rene. He has looked through all the 'stuff' on board and sorted out and brought some order to various paperwork that came with the boat. It was all well filed but he needed to arrange it as he wanted. Parts, spares and ropes were sorted and storage places rearranged. The anchor winch has been serviced and many other jobs accomplished.
This brings me to the refrigeration. The fridge is run by a 2Kva Kabota genset on 240 power. The previous owner assured us it needed only 1 hours running a day to keep it working at an acceptable level. There has been problems with the genset and we are beginning to think that a conversion to another power source may be necessary. This will obviously be expensive. We will soon see how it operates as we are off to Magnetic Island for a week or so with Greg, Leisha and the little girls.
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| The view from The Strand - beautiful one day perfect the next |
LIZ - THE ACCIDENT
Peter left home 4 weeks before me to sort out Olivia for our sailing season. I had plenty to do at home. Ten days before my departure date I was enjoying an early morning fitness bicycle ride when a car pulled out in front of me on the bike/pedestrian path. To be fair, neither of us was able to see each other. It was just a very dangerous driveway exit from the Middleton Beach Caravan Park. I applied the brakes hard and the bike stopped, but I kept going, catapulting over the handlebars and crashing into the pavement and front tyre of the car. Consequently I suffered a couple of broken fingers, a cracked scapula (shoulder blade) numerous abrasions and bruising to the shoulder, hands, knees and nose and face. After a trip to the local hospital in the ambulance I was patched up and sent home to recover. My right hand and forearm were in plaster and my left little finger in a splint which left four left hand fingers capable of usefulness.
Mum and Dad helped me during the first few days, coming over to assist with breakfast and dinner. Thanks so much Ma and Pa. You are both gems. Other members of my family helped out. Linda, Geoffrey and Darlene all lent a hand. Thanks everyone. My dear friends from Geraldton, Judy and John, offered to drive down from Perth to help me out for the rest of my time at home. They then drove me to Perth so that I didn't have to face a long, uncomfortable bus trip. What wonderful friends they are. Thank you Judy and John.
I am now in Townsville enjoying a few days with Peter's dad, Andrew. He and Peter are taking care of this broken old croc. Thank you. You two are wonderful. It is obviously going to take some time to get full use of arm, shoulder and fingers back, but each day brings me closer to that goal.
GREG, LEISHA, JESSICA AND ANNA ARRIVE IN TOWNSVILLE
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| Four Generations of Scotts. Andrew, Peter, Greg, Anna and Jessica |
Last night Greg, Leisha, little Jess and Anna arrived in Townsville for a fortnights holiday with us on Olivia. We will spend a couple of days in town before sailing over to Horseshoe Bay on Magnetic Island. We may stay there for most of the time, or if the weather permits, we may take a trip to the Palm Islands. Today they thoroughly enjoyed themselves splashing about at the Water Park on The Strand.
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| It all gets a bit much for Jess |
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