With the damage of last week needing repair and the upcoming paint job on the Yot I've enlisted the help of a couple of backpackers.
Chris and Thomas both hail from Chile' and have taken to life on the Cat rather well.
The initial nite was my well loved ritual of drinking, cooking, drinking and more cooking.
Which resulted in much merriment and the initial breaking of the ice as far as getting the conversation (wkoa) flowing.
With repairz now complete and Galleycat back to a functioning Yot again, it was thyme for an impromptu trial run.
So a little B4 midnight we cast off the lines and headed 2wards Horseshoe Bay on Magnetic Island.
The trip was near perfect with a good breeze filling the sails and both motors running properly, for a change.
We'd removed the carby from the port motor during the week and found the internal galleries full of gum and build up.With the late arrival, around 2.30 am. We had a very lazy start to the day with breakfast around 11 am.
Then it was thyme to hoist the sails and set the fishing lines as we headed out for a trip around the Island.
No fish caught but a couple of hits and 1 lost lure. We rounded West Point and headed towards Bay Rock.
The tide wouldn't be up enuf to return 2 the yard until 10 pm so we dropped anchor behind Bay Rock so the guy's could go for a dive using the power dive unit.
They had their own gear so the lack of equipment on board didn't prove 2B an issue.
After and hour of diving it was thyme for lunch, then a short swim ashore (no dinghy) to collect a feed of rock oysters.
Lotz and lotz of cut fingers later we had around 6 dozen good sized oysters in the bag.
Then the return swim with a heavy bag proved "interesting".
The lack of dinghy and Dive equipment should be a thing of the past with Club Marine finally OKing the cheque to purchase a new motor for the tinny.The quotes for safety and fishing equipment should be finalised this week giving me enuf funds to rebuild the dinghy, replace the missing safety equipment and reinstate my fishing gear to itz former levels.
This week will see us stripping the old dinghy of all itz damage and refitting her for the up coming visits from the West.
Mum is due in just 2 short weex so I need to focus my attention on having a viable tender ready.
I'm hoping to head to the Palm Island's while Mum is here.
Chris found the art of oyster opening a little difficult and came up with a true Galleycat version!
Oysters Kilpatrick followed along with much bourbon.
The final sail has left Sydney and should arrive here this week giving me a full set for the upcoming cruising season.
Mum and Dad are due in mid September for a 2 week cruise around the Whitsundays, so I'll be leaving Townsville behind again and heading South by the end of this month.
As with any task aboard the hardest part is simply starting.
Brother Andrew has been catching sum MONSTER cod, just bigger than his sons' effort while Miss Mermaid had settled into a year of upgrading her nursing qualific8ionz.
Big Ash seems to have the life of a federal politician with trips to Asia and a skiing holiday during the last few weex.
My fishing haz taken a turn for the worst with supa strong windz slamming into Townsville for the current week.We still run a line or 2 but most of the livebaitz end up ashore with the tide.
As mentioned earlier the mammoth task of sanding the Yot haz now begun!
So far we've counted around 14 different layers of paint!
If we sand them all back, the Yot should be a few hundred kilo's lighter, so for the foreseeable future our lives will revolve around 2 or 3 hours of sanding each day to prepare Galleycat for her new shiny coat.While Galleycat is based around food the 1 major item missing haz been a Dining Table!
So with the strong windz and extra labour available we have also begun to install this necessary piece of equipment.
I've decided on a removable pole to support the table with a 50 mm stainless pole being the final choice.
We have manufactured a bracket that will mount under the rear deck that will allow me 2 remove the table support pole when itz not kneaded.
One major advantage of this wind has been the re-instatemint of the 2 wind generatorz giving almost unlimited power availability.
With this new found power I've purchased a rebuilt computa to run the video editing program so I can finally give you all a real thyme video version of life aboard and under the YOT!I've also organised for the teck who sold me the unit to come 4 a sail and learn me how 2 use the damn pu'ta.
However with this wind it'll be at least next week B4 we set off for the Palm Islands on another shakedown trip.
The final new sail haz now arrived and iz fitted to the mast.
With a Chillian Birthday for 1 of my guests itz thyme to cook a mega feed of grilled Cajun chicken, stuffed zucchini and fresh spinach from the garden.
We'll also be dining on fresh home-made yoghurt, poached apple and pear with icecream!
if all goes 2 plan.
Remember life iz 4 living not wishing!
Captain Felix
