approach to Brisbane. During this time, we had a range of weather from flat
calm and clear to a front that poured rain and produced 35 knots of wind.
Overall it was a good trip The front passed quickly and we really only had a
day and a half of rotten weather. Other than our equator crossing to Samoa,
this has been the only other time that I have seen the ocean so calm that
every star is reflected perfectly in an absolutely calm sea.

      We arrived at the northeast passage to Morton bay at four in the morning
on the 17th and stood off until ten to cross the bar at low tide. We found
that the entrance buoy had been moved over a half a mile from its charted
position, so it was good that we had clear weather and could see it. Even
then it appeared that we were sailing right into the breakers. Once in the
passage, with the tide running strong, we were swept along at nearly 11
knots right up to Scaroborough. The quarantine officer caught our lines at
three in the afternoon and we were officially in the land of Oz.

  Although Scarborough is the official port of entry for Brisbane, we found
that most yachts transiting from points east check in at Bundaberg and then
sail down the coast. Apparently the bar at Morton is considered dangerous
for yachts unless conditions are perfect. It seemed OK to us and the locals
do it often enough, so we did just fine.

    We were headed to Mooloolaba for Christmas and we only had a week in
Scarborough. During this time, our birthdays happen. We rode the bus into
Brisbane and explored the city a bit before riding out to Lone Pine Kauala
sanctuary. We had a wonderful time -- fed the kangaroos, played with the
kualas and the parrots.

     On the 23rd we sailed up to Mooloolaba where we met up with yachts that
we had encountered all over the Pacific. This is a good place to pass the storm
season and make repairs. Parts are readily available, shopping is close and
the prices are reasonable.

     At present we are just completing major repairs on Nael. Her decks have
been stripped, all rusty areas cut out and replaced with new steel. We have given
her all the neccessary coatings to prevent (hopefully) having to do this for another
ten years or so. This has been a really big job as it involves removing interior,
woodwork and insulation every place that repairs are made.

     We have not had a lot of time for fun, but here and there a friend manages
to drag us off for a day of adventure. A fellow that I took fishing in
Vanuatu actually sent a limo for us and we spent four days touring around
the Gold Coast. During this adventure, we spent an entire day at Currumbin
Sanctuary playing with the birds and animals.

     Recently the fellow who did our welding took us indoor rock climbing.
Other than that it has been work, work, work...

ENROUTE TO FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND

     Nael and her happy crew have been cruising again. We are currently in the Townsville area anchored in Horseshoe Bay on Magnetic Island.

     We finally escaped from Mooloolaba on May 4th and had a very rough sail during a full gale. On the 8th we sailed up the Burnett river to Bundaberg and thoroughly enjoyed a flat anchorage and about twelve hours sleep. The high winds persisted, but had dropped to the 25-35 knot range so we headed back out and sailed to Gladstone on the 9th.

     In Gladstone we met up with our good friends Fred and Jaquie on Blue Searcher. It was also good to get to know Joe and Kay on Navi-Gator whom we had briefly met in Samoa. We stayed in Gladstone for two weeks having a great time with our cruising friends, but it was too cold with winter setting in. We began our current quest for warm weather and headed north out of Gladstone on May 27th.

     The locals we have met tell us that it is unusually cold and windy for this time of year. Temperatures have been between 8 and 19 degrees (40 to 60 F) and winds have been consistently 20 to 35 knots for weeks. On the way here we stopped at Scawfell Island in the Great Barrier Reef and Shaw and Whitsunday in the Whitsunday group. From Whitsunday we sailed to Airlie beach where we enjoyed a flat anchorage and a bit of warmth for a couple of days. The sail up to Bowen was nice, our first with warm air and light winds (15-20 k) in quite some time.

     Bowen to Magnetic Island was also a nice overnighter with 20-25 knot winds and a fairly nice sea inside the Great Barrier Reef. After yet another miserable but short trip, we are now in Townsville. While going through a pass in the Whitsundays we apparently hit something. The rudder on the wind steering shattered and the main rudder broke the lower bushing. We hauled out here in Townsville and replaced the wind steering rudder and the bushing on the main rudder and Nael is in good shape to head on north. We are currently at position 19,15 degrees south and 146,40 east.

CAIRNS TO DARWIN

     Nael and her crew are well and good in Darwin. This is our last port in Australia and we have been working quite hard getting Nael in top shape before heading back into the Third World.

     Nael has in the last week received a new electrical panel, masthead light, deck lighting, and most of the interior wiring has been replaced. We repainted the overhead and replaced the carpeting. A new dodger and sailing awning has just reached completion and is installed. We also completed a major overhaul of our big wind generator. We careened at the Darwin Sailing club and put on a fresh coat of bottom paint. All in all Nael is in great shape to head out to sea.

     I have to admit that we have been doing a bit of partying with the other sailors here. It seems that over half of the cruisers we met in the Pacific are heading the way we are, but who knows when we will see the South Africa bound yachts again?

     We finally got out of Cairns on the fourth of July. It was a clear sunny day with 17 to 18 knots of wind out of the southeast. The entire trip to Gove was beautiful sailing. Not at all the kind of weather we have seen up until this point. In fact, all the way to Darwin has been good. With the exception of one day, it did not rain or blow more than 25 knots. While transiting the Clarence Strait, the day before arriving in Darwin, we had a short reminder that rain-drenched gales do exist. Compared to our track record, six weeks of great cruising weather was awfully good. I apologize to all you Aussies for bad mouthing your weather. For the first six months that we were in Australia I was not convinced this was all that great of a sailing destination. The last six weeks have been absolutely stunning. The next time we come around we definitely plan to circumnavigate your beautiful country.

     We did an overnight sail to Lizard Island. There really are lizards there -- BIG lizards!. This was the first place where we actually could see our anchor set on the bottom. Clear water and clear skies prevailed for the three days we were there. We did the required climb to the top of the mountain and it was well worth it. Although not a climb for the feeble, this is the very same mountain that Captain James Cook climbed and spotted three channels out of the Great Barrier Reef and went on to escape from this labyrinth on HMS Endeavor. Even with modern navigation tools like GPS and radar, sailing through the Great Barrier Reef can be stressful at times, especially at night.

     From Lizard Island we sailed the seven hundred and twelve miles to Gove non-stop. All the way to Cape York, and then through the Endeavor Strait one must navigate around and through reefs. For the most part these are well lit with beacons and buoys, but there are times that the reef is only a hundred meters or so away. When it is dark, you're just never really sure. Once clear of the obstacle course, the sail across the Gulf of Carpentaria was a nice passage where we only once had to alter course to avoid a ship.

     We anchored in Gove Harbor on the morning of the 14th. Gove is a company owned town located in the middle of the aborigine lands of the wild Northern Territory. Not many tourists get there, as you have to have a permit to cross these lands. Nobelco is a bauxite-mining corporation that owns and operates the mines, the harbor and everything in town. Although dry ,dusty, hot and expensive with crocodiles and other dangerous creatures about, Gove has a certain charm. It has one of the best natural harbors in Australia and a cruiser friendly yacht club.

     On the 22nd we began our last cruise in Australia and headed to Darwin. The sail was basically uneventful until the last couple of days where close navigation around Cape Don and through the Clarence and Bowen Straits was required.

     Australia has been a very interesting experience. The people and the wildlife in this country are amazing, diversity and beauty are stunning, and the sailing, well, it improved with time. We have sailed five seas: the Southern Pacific, Coral Sea, Torres sea, Arafura Sea, and the Timor Sea and logged over three thousand miles. At that we have only seen about one sixth of this country's incredible coastline. We have taken on an Aussie crew member for the trip to Malaysia. Cef took us on a three day 4-wheel-drive camping trip inland. It was a fantastic adventure that will soon be narrated on this website along with photos.

INDONESIA