Year 2 -2 July 2025 – Finally Departure from Breakwater Marina- Townsville

We now had our crew on board and I woke early and eventually by 7.30am – 8.00am everyone was up. I cooked Banana Pancakes for breakfast which I think they enjoyed. Luckily Ethan, the technician, arrived with the pipe and inlets to be refitted. The problem was that whilst he did refit it, he  could not stop the leak from where the pipe attached to the skin fitting and we will have to resolve this in Cairns. It is annoying and I will have to watch the slow leak as we continue up to Cairns. I was glad the pipe was back despite the slow leak as otherwise we could not leave.  

There was quite a bit to do. Darrel and Mark went off to do the final fresh shopping. I had contacted a refrigeration expert in Cairns who said they could help and asked me to send pictures. I therefore had to unpack the lockers again to take some more pictures of the compressor etc. We then had to put it all back again. We put out the preventer lines so that we were ready to use them.

Darrel volunteered to get out the grab bags and check them and to charge the VHF radio. I needed to put in the speed log which meant taking out the centre corridor locker with all the dive cylinders, dive compressor etc. You have to take everything out so that you can take up the floor before you can remove the blank through the hull and put the log in. The log is a little wheel which spins when the water flows past providing our speed and is on the end of a tube. You have to take the blank tube out and put the log tube in. The issue is that even with a tiny hole the pressure of 45 tons is so great that I get a face full of water as I do it. You have to be fast and efficient and even if you do this a lot of water comes in before you seal it by screwing down the log.

We then went through the inside of the boat which took a little time and we then had some lunch. Darrel prepared the spaghetti bolognaise supper whilst we did the final jobs by putting the solar panels down, retrieving the mains leads, and preparing the lines to leave the berth. William kindly took up our last rubbish.

By 3.30pm we were ready to leave and we did our final checks and slipped our lines and motored off the mooring. We then realised as we were leaving that we had forgotten to give back the key fobs. We therefore had to stop at G berth so that we could return them. Due to the wind off situation it took us a little time to berth.

Once we had dropped them off we motored out of the marina and headed out of the channel. We were about high water and we only have 0.5-1.00m under our keel going out of the channel. We did not hit the bottom and after a while we began to get into deeper water.

We put up the genoa only as the wind was well behind us. Once we had settled we were making 4 kts or so and heading for the end of Magnetic Island. This was a lovely gentle sail and good for teaching the crew about the boat a bit. However, after a while I realised that we were not going to make Harbour Bay on Magnetic Island in time for dark if we did not motor. We therefore put away the genoa and motored round Magnetic Island. We got to the bay as the sun went down. We found an anchoring spot and anchored in about 7m of water. It was the first time the crew understood my anchoring technique and it went well.

Once anchored we had a quick drink and then Darrel finished off supper which we enjoyed in the cockpit as our first meal being his version of spaghetti bolognaise. It was good in that we had left the marina and were on our way again. The weather was good and calm and it was good to feel the motion of the sea again.

The picture of the day is the new crew enjoying their supper.  

Unfortunately, David Phillips who was due to join me in Cairns and then go onto Indonesia for the rally has a health issue which may mean he cannot come. I am therefore looking again for a crew member from Australia to Indonesia and they would be able to stay for a bit when we get there. If interested send me an email set out below.    

Need/Opportunity Year Three

In year three I will be going from Thailand to Sri Lanka, India, Maldives and then on to Chagos, Mauritius, Reunion, Cape Town, St Helena, Azores and back to the UK.  I am looking for crew from Mauritius/ Reunion Island to Cape Town and from Cape Town to the UK. If of any interest do email me.

The blog will continue as we continue the journey. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com