Hi All
Despite my best intentions, I never got round to sending an update of our preparations for departure - too hectic, and now we have completed the first leg of the journey and are in Carnarvon. We left Fremantle on 23 April, and headed up along the coast crossing over to the Abrolhos for 5-6 days . Fascinating place, and very weird... beautiful coral atoll very flat and then these fisherman's huts like a mirage over the horizon!!! The image of a 4-5 metre swell breaking off the reef fringe whilst we sat in perfect calm waters behind the reef often without the 1-2 metres of land is permanently stored in our memories.
From Turtle Bay in the northern group in the Abrolhos we headed towards Shark Bay.... Wow!!! What an experience... We spent another 5-6 days cruising around various anchorages, and the most poignant memory is the sealife..... turtles, dolphin pods galore, tuna and mackerel jumping out - probably being chased by bigger predators, water teeming with fish all around us - one regret: all this beautiful water and we dared not swim, not after all the tales that everyone likes telling about the tiger sharks which also seem to be everywhere!!!
We are now in Carnarvon, for some R&R, boat and laundry cleaning, and revictualising in preparation for our next leg up the coast to Coral Bay and Ningaloo Reef and a possible change in plans - but before I get to that in this upside down email, let me just say a few words about our preparations prior to departure.
With packing up house, auctioning off most of our worldly possessions, and organising our affairs whilst overseas, we also had to fit in ensuring the boat was ready for the voyage, and more importantly, ensuring we were up to the trip ahead.
There's so much to be done, getting equipment and all boating gear checked and ready to go, including life raft, power generation etc, ensuring the weather forecasts came in on HF as expected via fax, in depth passage planning and chasing cruising permits, visas etc - we were literally run off our feet as those of you at the Club undoubtedly noticed! I should take this opportunity to apologise to those of you I did not have time to catch up with - but still thought of nonetheless.
And then as D-Day drew close, the emotions come into play: elation, excitement, jubilation, - panic, anxiety, scribbled lists and mad rushes to add some extra just in case item - sadness at leaving our daughter Annika, her partner Jesper and Chika that beautiful half human dog of hers - and leaving some terrific friends behind. You end up with this long list of things still to do and if you don't get going you'll be stuck around for another 12 months. So like many before us, we knew we had the basics right (hopefully) and off we went!
It's funny how we would go out sailing in practically all weather and never worry about anything when based in Fremantle. Then suddenly we were leaving on this big cruise and the nerves kicked in! One of our wisest decisions was having Admiral Julie on board for the first couple of weeks, sitting quietly in the background enjoying the sail, exuding calm..... very wise decision!!!!
One of the greatest pleasures has been catching up with other cruising friends along the way. In the Abrolhos we caught up with the Fremantle Sailing Club cruisers and dear friends with whom we have enjoyed numerous cruises - Lynne & Ralph on Yandanooka and their guests, Jackimac - thanks guys for the farewell salute in Turtle Bay and others. We finally caught up with Leighton and Julie on Downshifting - we were moored opposite eachother on B jetty and yet it took this trip to really get to know two lovely people, as we have cruised in company from the Abrolhos to Carnarvon. Here we caught up with Westward II, Eloise, Sailaway Too and others. Then there are the cruisers who turn up from nowhere headed to some of the destinations on our way. I still haven't managed to 'dry' myself out with all the sundowners!!!
We're now here, settling down to cruising life (and what a life!) and enjoying time out in Carnarvon - for you guys in Perth, where the weather has been so awful this past week or so, let me say we're enjoying the climate change that Carnarvon provides.
We sadly said goodbye to Julie and Margaret on Wednesday morning. Thanks for the chokies and the lovely thought. Bjorn and I will miss you both.
We have attached a rough plan for the next 12 months. We just received our cruising permit for Indonesia, and it seems we should first call into Bali to avoid the unpleasant import and tax charges, so instead of heading up to Darwin and across to Kupang, it seems that we may have to amend this part of the sailing plan... still confirming with Indonesia, so we'll spend a few extra days in Carnarvon sorting this one out.
The good part about the change of plans is that we may have more time to cruise gently to Dampier/ Broome (destination still to be confirmed) and can really pick the right time to do Ningaloo reef and the Montebello islands. We will get going once we receive a few bits and bobs from Perth and sort out our alternator problem (the young guy in Carnarvon seems to really know what he's on about - very encouraging)!
That's it from us for now. Attached is a photo and our original sail plan which may have to now read Dampier - Bali.
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