G'day All from a very tired Captain felix,
The Yot has just arrived bak in Townsville after a weekend trip out to Rattlesnake island.
B4 I update you on this weekend I'll show you how blind I got this week.
Once again the sewing machine has been put through itz paces. This week Spotlight had a 50% off sale on their outdoor patio blinds. This allowed me to pick up enuf blinds for the rear deck area for just under $200. A real bargain considering I priced them just last week from Bunnings at $375. They did however all need 2B modified to fit the Yot. So once again I did battle with my current tutor (the sewing machine) We are actually beginning 2 work well together, even if I have no idea just how it all works. By the end of the week I'd modified all the roller blindz so they fitted between the support poles for the roof. Now I just need to secure the drops to the floor when they're extended and that'll be anutha task complete.
The temperature difference with the blinds down is amazing as the morning sun no longer heats the rear deck and cabin area.
Mum asked for a photo of Galleycat with the sailz up so here it is!
However this will change in the next week as WFT no1 is about to be retired in favour of my new much bigger WFT no1 which will arrive this week and hopefully after a few small modifications (wkoa) will be fitted B4 I leave for the Whitsunday's. I've also been given a new Mainsail (the big one) this too needs mods B4 it'll fit, but the price was rite so in one week I've got new blinds and a complete set of sails.
Thatz a good week by any ones standards.
But it getz betta yet!
I placed an add last week looking for someone to share the trip south with me after the Christmas party. Well Lydern answered the ad, a young bloke from Malta. Really cool kind of guy very easy going. He also knew a German girl that would like to travel as well, enter Patricia. So after they introduced themselves on Thursday night we decided on a short trial trip over the Weekend to see if we can all get on with each other B4 commiting 2 a much longer trip.
So early Friday morning they showed up with their backpacks, just in thyme to help with the regular Friday lunch. This week it was ham steaks with fresh poached pineapple and asparagus with emmental cheese and a honey mustard glaze. with 18 people for lunch this turned into a full production line event as we cooked the ham steaks and made a fresh garden salad, potato salad and also a Greek salad. All of which was ready rite on thyme and hungrily demolished by all those present.
With many many compliments!
Once this was done we had just 2 short hours to get the dishes done and prepare Galleycat for sea on the high tide float at 3pm.
So it was chaos and mayhem but we were ready and cast off just after 3.20 with a vague idea of heading to Magnetic Island or Cape Clevland depending on the winds we encountered outside the harbour.
As it turned out there was a stiff easterly blowing which saw us alter course Northwards towards the very top end of Magnetic island at West point.
A very plesent trip up with Lydern very keen to learn how the Yot works and what the WFT's did.
Arrival conicided with dusk so it was fishing lines out straight away with both Lydern and Patricia catching their first fish in Australia.
Some "unstoppable's" had us rigging up heavier gear very quickly. Plenty of Grunter around the 30 cm mark came aboard. We only kept one as I already had plenty of fish in the freezer from my reef trip last week. Around 1 am we retired for the evening after a feed of yellowfin tuna sashimi. Followed by a sensational Asian style chicken soup.
Early next morning it was up anchor and set the WFT's for a nice sail across the gap to Herald and Rattlesnake Islands. While the trip was nice it was a little slow and we arrived around 11am in thyme for a well earned swim.
Lunch was fresh rolled sushi with a few ciders and bourbons then more swimming, kayaking, snorkeling and floating around on the bean bag.
Not an unpleasant experience !
It was then thyme to retire to the rear deck and mix the spirits for the Christmas party. This done we began Dinner- fresh pan fried grunter fillets served with lemon, capers and butter plus minted baby potatoes, corn carrot and asparagus medley. All this was washed down with a few more bourbons for me and ciders for my out of town friends.
Night soon fell and once again it was thyme to fish and hopefully squid. alas neither were cooperating so when the going getz tuff, the tuff get cooking! Dessert was on the agenda with a hot butterscotch sauce mixed with fresh poached pineapple, bananas and apples served with home-made frozen yoghurt which we made last night while at West point.
Around midnight it was definitely thyme for bed.
The trip home was another sail which was a gr8 success and we got bak to town around 11am.
The whole thing was a roaring success and once the Yot was safely secured and cleaned up we settled down to a fantastic creole grilled chicken and salad lunch before Lydern and Patricia bid a temporary farewell as they set off to the backpackers hostel just down the road.
Only thyme will tell, but the general consensus was we all enjoyed the trip and we'll gather again around Friday's Christmas party to plan the big trip south.
For now though this little black duck needs some serious shut eye! So itz farewell from The Yot!
Hope you all had as good a week as I did.
Stay tuned for more ....
Captain Felix
