More Shag Islet Cruising and New Bimini at Yamba 3rd - 9th May

Brushgrove, Clarence River

Brushgrove Pub

After our slow, careful motor up river to Brushgrove we anchored with the other cruisers on the south side of the river. A picturesque place, so we didn't take long to go ashore to have a look around. The only community places we found were a lovely park and the old Brushgrove Pub where the Shaggers were meeting for dinner and entertainment. What a great night. Delicious food, bush poetry and a good blues style band. Bill Kearns, bush poet, is a clever man who kept the whole company laughing well into the night. He even had a wonderfully funny poem about the Shaggers. Bill's poem about the Stack of Plastic Chairs is famous and he recited that one for us. I haven't laughed so much for ages.



A misty moisty morning at Brushgrove

 

Grafton

Next morning the river was swathed in mist and only the nearest boats could be seen outlined against the grey morning light. Once the mist cleared we began the last part of our journey to Grafton. Once there the Grafton Bridge stops any masted boats progressing further, so we anchored near the bridge and spent the afternoon walking around South Grafton, (lots of historic buildings) and on the north side of the river to Grafton. Towards evening we motored down the river a short distance, to a park opposite Elizabeth Island. While we were anchoring, Peter noticed that the winch felt wobbly and strange and after inspection found that the bolts that anchored it to the deck had fallen out or sheared off. Oops!! We did not join the others in the park for a BBQ as Peter was trying to work out what had happened.

Historic South Grafton

Olivia reaches fresh water

Ulmarra

 In the morning four of the other blokes showed up to help pull in the anchor, survey the damage and offer some advice. After the anchor was up they all dinghied off to their boats and we slowly motored down river to Ulmarra. Here we rafted up next to Arkaydes on the wharf so that we didn't need to use the anchor. This is a touristy little town with a delightful pub overlooking the river (Great meals) and several art galleries, antique and collectable shops that are well worth perusing.

 

Olivia rafted up with Arkaydes at the Ulmarra jetty

Lawrence & Harwood

 

Lawrence was the next anchorage and again dinner was organised at the local pub along with a quiz night. All good fun. Peter won the pub's meat tray raffle and we scored some very nice rump steak, lamb chops and sausages. We decided to anchor by ourselves instead of rafting up to Arkaydes again because we didn't want to cause problems if the wind came up in the night. It meant Peter had a job pulling up the anchor in the morning, but managed, as I motored slowly forward and then when the chain was straight up and down drove over the anchor and pulled it out of the ground. It worked. We did the same thing at Harwood the following evening. Luckily it only had to be done twice as we booked into the Yamba Marina in order to get our bimini etc made by Scooter of Scooter Sails.

At Harwood the Lake Macquarie contingent, sixteen of us, had a 'pot luck' night aboard Moor R & R. Hosts Kathy and Paul's Lagoon 45 (cat) is like an apartment and we enjoyed great company and good food provided by us all. Thanks Kathy and Paul for your hospitality. It was a wonderful evening. The Harwood Bridge opened for us the next day at 10.30am and from there everyone dispersed to various locations, some to Iluka Bay, others to Yamba Marina with us, some north to Byron Bay and the Gold Coast Seaway and others back to various homes on the Clarence River. The Inaugural Shag Islet Clarence River Cruise was a resounding success thanks to the very hard work of Rick and Glad Smith and helpers who organised it. Peter and I loved being a part of such a successful trip. 

Lining up to go under the Harwood Bridge

Back in Yamba Marina. New Bimini, Dodger and Lee Cloth

Peter managed to get some new bolts to attach the winch to the underside of the deck and after much hoisting, muttering, and hard work the whole thing came together well. We have spent four days here doing maintenance and having our new bimini, dodger and lee cloth (roof) made. It looks fabulous and will be wonderful providing shade and weather proofing over the cockpit. Yippee.

 

Scooter and Peter work on the bimini

It looks fabulous and will be great in the sun and the rain

Tomorrow we are going to take the opportunity to head north to the Gold Coast Seaway and start thinking about our Boat Works lift out to antifoul the Olivia's bottom, replace the propeller shaft bearing and a few other less expensive maintenance issues (hopefully!!) It'll be an early night for us tonight.

How about this toadstool semicircle we found on the way to Yamba shops