99% SUCCESS!!!

Farewell Airlie

G'day All,
First things first!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

How do you measure success?

Tis the question I've been pondering 4 a few dayz now.
Galleycat is now safely back in Townsville.
 Our journey complete!
 (well this portion anyway)

Bona Bay

While I regard the whole thing as an unprecedented success, I still find myself chewing over the negatives! Not that there's lotz of nega's. But it'z in my nature to look at these and set about fixing them, so next thyme there SHOULD be less!
Only thyme will tell........

BACK TO THE WHITSUNDAY'S
Airlie Beach for New Years was a Gr8 idea! Not for the fireworx but for the weather.

Contemplation (wkoa)

There was just 2 people present for the midnite fireworx display, the poor guy who had to light them and the security guard who had to guard him.
With horizontal rain and winds reaching 50 knots, everyone else (us included) was sheltering wherever they could. Still the show must go on! And it did.
 New Years Day saw the weather break, so we lifted the anchor and bid Airlie a temporary farewell. (I'll be back...)

No title needed!

We sailed all morning, arriving at Bona Bay on the inside of Glouster Island around 2pm. All was calm here, until 4 more boats arrived.
So we lifted the anchor and travelled a little further north to Squally Bay for a peaceful dive, glorious sunset and a fitting end to our Whitsunday adventure.

Itz pasta thyme!

There are very few places I've visited that I'd happily return to, The magnificent Whitsunday's is definitely one of those such places. I'd recommend them to anyone, and I know without a doubt that "I shall return", to what can only be described as "Paradise on Earth" (No exaggeration)
 Galleycat has fulfilled itz goals and purpose beautifully with our safe return to Townsville and a good thyme, No fantastic thyme, had by all!
But food is and always was, the focal point of this concept!
You only have to read between the lines of the Blog entries to realize this fact.
New Years eve saw the rear kitchen turned into Pasta-ville! with an innocent comment by Lydern spurring a culinary afternoon taking flour and eggs and turning out fresh tortellini for our supper.
Roasted butternut pumpkin, cashew nuts, feta and fresh thyme were all combined to fill these little parcels, which we served with the lightest herb cream sauce.
A fitting final meal for the year that was.....2012.
We met some Gr8 people while we were in "Paradise" and I'm richer for the experience, not in a monetary sense but in life itself...

I made this! Maltese Style...

I'm now focused on my list! Preparing the Yot for my next "BIG" adventure, which will see Galleycat grace the shores of Cairns and the Islands and reef that surround her.
I'll be doing lots of smaller trips between now a February with anutha visit to "The Reef" already in the worx plus I'm off today or tomorrow to Magnetic Island for a social sail and meet up with Torsten, who has his family out here visiting from Germany.
My return to "The Yard" was greeted by just 2 questions
How was your trip? and What'z for lunch on Friday?
Itz good to know I'm missed!
Friday lunch turned out 2B a traditional classic with 2 huge platters of chicken caesar salad demolished in record thyme. Many comments and much merriment was my true return greeting. It is good 2B back!
Galleycat has come through this journey not totally unscathed but definitely showing a few battle scars!
Our return trip was not the most pleasant evening's sail I've ever had, with 3.5 meter seas and 25 knot winds pushing us Northwards. The dinghy struck the rear of the Yot twice during the nite with damage to the rear fishing platform and railing being the end result.

"The Vessel with the Pestal"

This must be repaired, along with a few other minor items that made "the list" during our journey of the last 3 weeks. My list of tasks number 17 individual jobs that must be done. Some large some small!
 However not one of these would stop me returning to sea...
So I return to my original statement regarding "success!"
 I now realize that every trip will result in such a list! That is the nature of sailing and my new life, itz up to me to keep on top of these tasks and minimize further tasks with caution being the best option when setting to sea.
Rough weather is both unpleasant and damaging to both man and machine and will now be avoided as much as possible. If I need to wait an extra week for the weather to clear then So be it!
As I said "richer for the experience"!
My new LIFE is as far removed from my previous EXISTENCE as anyone could hope to achieve.
I use these 2 words not lightly, for what I  had before was "NOT " life but mere existence.  I'll ask your indulgence in opening the link below!

What if Money Was No Object - Alan Watts

 (copy and paste following link for video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khOaAHK7efc

This video personifies my vision for not only my future but everyone around me and I can only hope the message gets through, even if I have to shout it from the top of the mast like a crazy man!
So many of my friends and family have yet to realise this, with life changing events come "life changing events"
Brother Andrew recently had his Big scare and is now a changed person He's doing more fishing than I am!( congrats Andrew) But this is something I intend to rectify this coming year. My good "Freinds" Brad and Dee are two such people that I hope will embrace this coming year and "Live Life" rather than exist.  But thatz Enuf New Year resolution.
On a culinary note I realized at the end of last year (seems like just last week) that I didn't own the ultimate culinary tool "A Motar and Pestal" this minor oversight has now been rectified and it was immediately put to good use producing a fresh thai curry paste for chilli mudcrabs for last nights dinner. Very very yummy indeed!
Itz now thyme to once again prep Galleycat for sea as both Lydern and I are keen to leave this joint and head to Magnetic island on the high tide around 1pm today. So I'll bid you adue, and will update again next week.
A temporary farewell  from Galleycat
Captain Felix