P.S.

Photos to go with latest post-
Our new home address -Pioneer Bay.
Maud's Bay,Mag.Is.
Bodi admiring batfish
Town centre,T.ville
Marina, Townsville

Just a little further north this year

    Yes,it's about time we updated and a lot has happened.We're now officially canetoads with Qld licences and boat rego to prove it.Our new legal residential address is-S.V.Two XS ,Pioneer Bay Airlie Bch .Qld.and we even have a post office box.
     We were lucky to get a lift back to Port to pick up our car-thanks again Jono-and found that Tigger has completely disowned us! 5.5 days with 4 spent on the road,a fleeting visit to Port,torrential downpour near Rockhampton on the way back-but it's great to have wheels at Airlie. Lucky Bodi now has doting fosterparents who minded him on their cat while we were away.
     Since then we have made the voyage to Townsville,where we met Ben&Bianca on their way to Mataranka,NT. where Bianca will spend the next 3 months as R.A.N (just like the TV series,Flying Doctor?)and Ben hopes to find some work also.
     Townsville is a friendly little city,very north Qld,full of historic buildings,beautiful bayside parks and gardens,and plenty of outdoor cafes and pubs.
     Tuesday afternoon we were about to set sail for Magnetic Is.across the bay,but a strong wind blew up,so Bill ended up helping rescue other boats which broke their mooring out in the "duckpond" anchorage around us and were washed onto the breakwall nearby.Wednesday we sailed to Mag. discovering Maud's Bay,accessible only by boat on the NW coast,a spectacular and magical spot to spend the moonlit night,lined with huge boulders,fringed with a sandy beach and clear blue water.
     Next was Horseshoe Bay,more civilised with beachside pub and shops,but the bay full of turtles,and the Red Baron biplane doing joyflights. Radical and Balding Bays are gorgeous-more huge boulders and sparkling tropical sea.Staying overnight in Florence Bay we were mobbed by a squad of huge grey and yellow batfish,who fascinated Bodi with their antics.Picnic Bay, the oldest port,is a lovely spot with quaint holiday houses and history /craft centre in the old schoolhouse.On our island bus trip with Friendly Fred we toured every back street of shady Nelly Bay,and even picked up an entire wedding party needing transport to Peppers Resort for the reception after a bayside ceremony.
     On the way back to Tville we anchored in the bay to watch the Offshore Powerboat Race,exciting in the windy swell.As we were heading back to the duckpond we spotted Catamaran Imagine, which took us on our first cat voyage in 2004 from Mackay to Southport and confirmed our present lifestyle choice.Of course a reunion and catchup followed with our Melbourne friends,Glenda&Warren.
    Wind is wrong today,S/SE,but tomorrow looks like a better chance to head back to Airlie-about 4-5 days sailing.We intend to see more of Bowen and spend more time at places we bypassed on the way back. T.ville is as far north as we will go this season.
    An update on Marika&Khan-they have settled in Vancouver for 2 months,after 6 months in Japan, a month in Thailand, bicycle touring in Cambodia,and another brief visit to Europe.They will work the snow season again and are deciding on which resort area to spend the next 6 months.