Year 2 -25 June 2025 – Breakwater Marina- Townsville- Back Again

My last blog was 16th May 2025 and I arrived in the UK on the 17th my birthday which lasted 33 hours due to time changes etc.  I am now back and was lucky that I was flying with Emirates whose base is Dubai. The majority of the air space on the date in question in the Middle East was closed due to the bombing by Israel and Iran. I arrived at Heathrow on the evening of the 23 June and there was doubt as to whether Emirates was flying. They would not take bags but within an hour they said they were going and did go. The flight was longer as they had to divert South through Saudi Arabia but we did get to Dubai. I had only an hour to transit to the Brisbane flight which left more or less on time. I was concerned about my luggage but I arrived in Brisbane at 6.30am Brisbane time on the 25 June 2025. I then had a flight to Townsville which was 2 hours late. However, the main this was that I arrived with luggage and got to Stormbird who was sitting at her mooring waiting for me.

Mark Spittle had been on board since 20 June 2025 and who will be part of the crew to Cairns. He had found his way around and had kept an eye on her. She was looking a bit dirty outside, bearing in mind she had been in a busy yard out of the water. Inside she was clean and Peter and Paul had left her nice and tidy and had even made Mark’s bed in preparation. Thank you guys.

The first part of my trip home was to go to Oundle for the Cremation and Memorial service for my brother Andrew. He had organised these services with the same precision and detail as he did everything in his life. Whilst the services were very sad and emotional, we as a family felt that he had been given a good send off!!. My mother described them as “Dignified” which was an apt description. The Memorial he had designed himself to thank various people and groups in his life and he did this through eight different pieces of music which was fun, thought provoking and reflective. The finale was two Eurofighters paying their respects as they flew over Oundle School chapel just after the service when we were on the grass outside. May he rest in peace.

Once the services were over it was a bit of a relief to be honest as it had been very emotional. Jules and I went to the Isle of Wight to stay with my brother Jeremy who was fantastic and who had looked after Andrew in the last months of his life. We were then able to celebrate his engagement to Miranda and J has asked me to be his best man for his wedding in September 2025, for which I feel honoured and life needs to go on and Andrew would have wanted that.  

We then went to Torquay, Falmouth, Herefordshire, Christchurch over a few weeks. We also went to Milan where my youngest daughter Rosanna is studying a Masters in Sustainability. It is a lovely city and Italy is such a wonderful country. I have also caught up with many relatives and friends and have had a wonderful time. However, I was also keen to return to Stormbird to check on her and to continue my circumnavigation.

Stormbird had been lifted out of the water on about 4 June 2025 and the bow thruster was repaired. It appeared something must have entered the bow thruster tunnel and jammed and broke it. I tried it out and it seems to be working well and as normal. Unfortunately, whilst putting her back in the water they bent a stantion, which holds the guard rails so I have had to order some more whilst in the UK and have brought them out to Oz.

I had arrived back to Stormbird feeling quite tired as I did not really sleep at all. Mark made me a cup of tea and I had a shave and a shower and began to feel more human. I tidied up a bit and then we had a beer in the cockpit and then went out to the Spirited Goat and had a good meal. It went dark by 6.00pm in contrast to about 9.30pm-10.00pm in the UK. I returned and collapsed into bed being thankful that I had arrived safe and sound. There will be plenty to do over the next 5 days before further crew arrive.

The picture of the day is Stormbird back at her berth-B39.

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