2017 Sailing Season Comes to an End 4th October

Things have a habit of sneaking up on you, like the end of our 2017 sailing season. We have been in the lake for about 3 weeks and the highlight has been our propensity to spend money on this boat.

• $660 for a marine surveyor to check out Olivia's 'bum' for our insurance company to agree to renew our insurance. As I bemoaned the fact that everything was costing a fortune he had the cheek to say 'you only live once.' Well he appears to be living quite well!!!!
•  $475 for a quick lift at the Marmong Point Marina. They were very nice and helpful.
•  $600 for two solar panels.
•  $1300ish for a bloke to make a stainless steel frame for the panels to sit on above the bimini.
•  $??? electrician to connect the above.
• $1595 for half deposit for Scooter Sails at Yamba for our new headsail. Other half due on completion, November.
• $1800 for comprehensive boat insurance.
• $??? for miscellaneous maintenance that Peter has done.

I'd better get home and do some work.
Oh! That's right I forgot, "You only live once!"

This is me living once!!

Now that I have got that off my chest, we have spent a few days motoring around the northern end of the lake familiarising ourselves with places we visited four years ago. The Lake is a beautiful waterway to sail with it's pretty bays and scenic bush walks. We have visited Murray's Beach for coffee in the tree tops, listened to the Bell Birds on the courtesy mooring south of Green Point and walked Wolstoncroft Point, Myuna Bay and the lake front around here. We have caught up with friends Ellen and Geof from Blu Glass and Bob and Libby from Synergy. We anchored in Eraring Bay where Geof and Ellen live, as they had asked us to join them and Bob and Libby, for dinner. Thanks Geof and Ellen. We had a wonderful evening.

Peter at Murray's Beach

Tomorrow I am leaving Toronto to fly back home for the summer. Peter will stay on to finish off boat jobs before flying to Townsville to catch up with his family before coming home. I am looking forward to the train trip to Sydney. It is an interesting, scenic trip of about 2 hours.

We have expressed an interest in the Sail East Rally that departs from Brisbane for New Caledonia on about 18th May 2018. Information has been forwarded to us, but I think we will have a closer look at it when we get home to see if we like this idea for 2018 sailing season. I will do updates of this blog as we prepare for this rally if we decide to go ahead.

Goodbye Olivia. Keep safe on your Toronto mooring and see you in 2018.