EXMOUTH NEW YEAR !!!!

G'day All,
                 Galleycat iz currently 20 miles South of Exmouth but on the outside of the peninsula. We are doing the best we can with windy weather limiting our thyme spent outside the reef.
Big Ash, Cory, Lucas and Tom arrived from Perth and we loaded the yot with supplies b4 a last minute trip to the supermarket then it was back to the yot for afternoon drinks and sort thyme for all the luggage.
With a weather forecast for strong winds after Wednesday we've headed South After a first night parked near the top end of the Cape sheltering near the beach as the wind finally dropped just B4 dawn. Day two had us moving further round the Cape until the wind dropped and we set up the trolling lines for a run down the outside of the Ningaloo Reef. NO hook ups but we set up camp just behind the reef at Tantabiddi, early to bed for everyone but our two French guests who managed to catch there first shark.Here we managed a Galleycat first !, we broke a reef anchor in half trying to get a grip in the loose coral. Thyme 2 fit a new bigger one!
Tonight iz New Yearz so we are setting up camp inside South Passage near the Yardie creek end of the Highway.
Much drinks and merriment but I didn't make midnight. Old timers disease !
2 more days of ruff weather and a possible looming Cyclone had us heading back to Exmouth early.
Alas our new years trip was kind of over B4 it really began. Still we caught fish and the diving was good apparently.
Still having photo download issues with the new camera and the computer not talking to each other.This two could be old timers kicking in again.
Itz now thyme to prepare the Yot to receive 2 groups of visitors. the first being Mr Mick and hiz son Daniel followed 2 weex later by mum and dad making the journey Northwards

SURREAL DUMPING !!!

G'day All,
                   After refuel and supply I've left Exmouth behind heading for the Muiran Islands 20 miles North of Exmouth, fantastic fishing and lotz of shelter from the strong NW winds we've been getting.
After 4 days of off the hook fishing I decided to try out Serrurier Island anutha 20 miles North East from the Murions.
Perfect conditions had me launching the tinny 2 take Honey ashore.
BIG MISTAKE!
As I arrived at the beach Honey jumped off the front of the dinghy while I stopped the motor and prepared the dinghy for anchoring, however the topography of the beach cre8ed a huge wave that swamped the now beached dinghy full of water and sand. Absolutely impossible to recover from.
I waz able to rescue all the safety equipment and water from the dinghy which waz now sideways in the waves. It took a while but I realised the only way to get back to the yot was 2 swim (fuck that).
So I waited 4 hours 4 the tide to drop leaving the now beached dinghy full of sand and water,
My options for rescue were not good with heaps of flares and life jackets aboard doing no good as therez no-one to see the flares and swimming out to the yot a last ditch alternative.
Itz now been decided to include an epirb and a hand held vhf radio in the dinghy emergency bag.
So after a 4 hour wait I was able to bail the water then scrape the sand out of the tinny then restart the motor. Now all I had 2 do waz drag the dinghy down 2 the water line.
Finally I made it back 2 the Yot  very sore and wiser for the experience.
The fishing here waz very "not good" with nothing taking either my floating or bottom baitz.
Still itz a fantastic anchorage.
Itz now thyme 2 set Exmouth as my base for the next year with some of the best fishing and dive spotz in Australia.
In all honesty this iz where I intended to spend the next major portion of my life. The goal waz always Exmouth and Coral Bay. Townsville seems very far away. But if I go back through the blog entries I've always been aiming for this remote part of Australia.
I do however miss the Islands and reef of The Whitsundays. I can only hope that after a few months of working this portion of the coast line that I'll learn to love the Ningaloo Reef as much as The gr8 Barrier Reef.
I've now purchased anutha digital camera so soon I'll be able to add fotoz and video to these blog entries.

THYME 2 HEAD SOUTH ...

Update Thyme,
                          Galleycat is finally back in the water and ready to head South to Port Hedland. After a very trying period of 3 months on the hard stand. Many hours work and lotz of $$$$ later the yot iz now stronger and better equipped  to handle rough conditions.
Once Zorba delivered 400 litres of fuel I've lifted the anchor and set off on a 3 day journey to Port Hedland.
Days 1 and 2 were both fairly rough with strong winds and waves alas the wind direction didn't allow for sailing so I resigned myself to motoring in a South Westerly direction.
After a 1 day lay over to get some shopping done it was once again thyme to head South towards Port Samson a short hop of 150 nm. (like 14 hours).
First thing Monday I headed into Port Samson to refuel and water. Big Problem no fuel without a fuel card. What 2 do?
Luckily the Port of Dampier is less than a day away and I can buy fuel there so after filling up with water I've once again set off this thyme aiming for Dampier.
I don't believe it but no fuel available in Dampier without a Baileys fuel card and a 2 hour saftey induction. Decision thyme its 140 miles to Exmouth and I still have enuf fuel to make it , just!
2 days of flat calm have me safely anchored out front of  Exmouth with 140 litres of fuel left on board.
The trip down was a roaring suxcess with more fish than I could count, so much so that I eventually gave up fishing as I needed to release all fish alive except the first spanish mackerel. The big surprise waz 6 cobia a fairly rare catch on its own but to get 6 over 2 days iz really unusual.
Itz only taken 9 years to get here but I'm finally at the portion of the WA coast that I love. The fishing and diving opportunities here are simply amazing with the Ningaloo reef stretching 150 km between here and Coral Bay to the South. I've never been to Coral Bay B4 but have fished the Ningaloo many thymes as I grew up.
Windirabandi is another very special spot thatz about half way between Exmouth and Coral Bay. Big Ash and my m8 Mick have both booked fishing trips in the coming weeks. Can't wait!!

STILL BROKEN IN BROOME....

G'day All,
                As the title suggests the yot is still on the hardstand and requires more work B4 it can be put back in2 the water.
Our current problem is the line up and adjustment of the Stb motor and prop shaft. It turns out after a week of work that we actually have a broken engine mount which explains the weird readings Jim has been getting with his feeler gauges. As usual it'll take at least a week B4 the new mounts arrive.
The swim deck/ fishing platform iz now fitted to the rear of the yot along with the massive support beams that now hold up the roof and the dinghy lifting crane.
It iz now clear that I must head south B4 the cyclone season iz in full swing.
Itz now a week later and the changes are huge!
The yot iz ready to refloat and both motors have been checked and started in preparation (wkoa) to the yot being lifted back in2 the water.
Several problems still await but the general vibe is that I'm ready to head South 2wards Exmouth and Coral Bay.
This is an end game or final move as the whole purpose of this journey iz 2 get the Yot 2 Exxy.
Already I've heard from both Ash and Mr Mick that they'll be visiting the yot once I reach Exmouth but between there and here is nearly 800 nm and lotz and lotz of water.
The up-coming cyclone season iz now the driving force as 2 my up coming destinations. With Port Hedland just a mere 400 of those 800 nm's from here.

HARD GRAFT !!!

G'Day All,
                   Itz been awhile since the last update and the yot now haz 2 propellorz again! they are attached to five days of hard graft aligning and repairing bearings, bushes, seals and boltz Lotz of 2 pack epoxy glue and much swearing and cursing meanz itz now thyme to fitt the rudderz and make sure there are no water leaks around the rudder shaft which iz currently bent!  Just 2 make life interesting!
With day thyme temps around 33 to 35, itz a race to get all the underwater worx done B4 the next full moon spring tidez. When a very big crane will arrive to lift Galleycat bak in2 the water.
There'z lotz 2 do with basic maintenance taking up much thyme as Jim findz more items needing repairz or just some basic love.The survey of the yot showed up many itemz of basic safety that need attention or at least some improvement.
WA definately leadz they weigh with rulez and reg'z that must B obeyed  so much so that I'm actually looking Northwards of Broome rather than a massive sea journey, with Exmouth as the primary port of call. This iz where the yot will sit out the cyclone season with a full marina for cyclone safety.
I fully intend to make Exmouth my home base for the immediate future but itz a long way from the safety of Robuck Bay Broome.

3 WEEX THYME!!!

As the title suggests itz 3 or 4 weeks since the last update!
I'm still in Perth but that iz short lived with me flying bak 2 Broome on Tuesday arvo. Hopefully the transit this thyme will be free from the complications (wkoa) I had leaving Broome with the dog as excess baggage. Qantas must B the hardest company in Australia to deal with over the phone.
Wait thymez of 4 or 5 hours just to speak 2 an operator that barely speekz english. Then when they do finally ring U bak the automated system won't accept any keys as a correct response so the system thymez out and you must start all over again. Clearly no one from Qantas haz ever tried to book a flight with a pet.
 The journey haz not been wasted as I've spent many dayz and nights at Ash's place with only one suxcessful fishing trip during this period. But what a trip!
Lotz of fresh squid, herrings and cod kept us busy for the afternoon and being as the rest of the world waz busy at work makes the dai even more special.
Itz now thyme 2 return to Broome and re-fitt the drive shaftz, rudderz and proppellorz 2 the yot.
Bad news came in the form of Jim's assessment that the bearings on the port side were installed incorrectly by the guy in Darwin who used silicone in place of 2 pack epoxy to install the bushes or bearingz that the shaft must run through. It'll now be a fight with Club Marine to get this problem repaired by the insurance company as clearly the work done at "Spot On Marine" Darwin waz not up to scratch.
Bak on board the yot and itz thyme to get things moving. All the pallets of boat partz have arrived in Broome and now so have I. Itz amazing to set about sending 2 pallets by road bak 2 Broome
Itz now a methodical (big word) process of tackling the basics first, make it go forward, make it stop, make it turn and most of all make sure it floats!
Lotz 2 do but if I want to get moving towardz Exmouth I need 2 get this thing bak in the water. And thatz a tall order at the moment. I know I have many dayz of hard graft ahead.

THYME 2 LEAVE BROOME BEHIND!!

G'day All,
                 Update thyme... The Yot repairs are well underway with the Insurance Company picking up the $35 k bill! Damn...
All the components must now travel 2 Perth 4 repairs, so I'm going to follow them down. Only I'll take the plane, they'll be in Perth for 3 weexs so I'll use this thyme to manufacture the fishing platform and pergola support polez.
Itz also Birthday month with Big Ash planning a huge bonfire night on the weekend of our combined birthdayz.
What iz blatantly obvious is the simple fact that all repairs undertaken in Darwin have failed, regardless of my efforts as the skipper.
Our effortz to repair the damage have revealed the simple fact, that the design of the shaftz and couplings were faulty and doomed 2 fail as soon as the yot waz put back in2 the water in Darwin. What is now important iz 2 make the yot suitable for beaching in order to maintain the hulls free from weed and barnacles.

BROKEN IN BROOME !!!

G'day All,
                 Still no photo's but itz a thyme of much turmoil  aboard the Yot.
After 2 weex on Cable Beach I'm now on the slipway, with the yot being lifted by a 200 tonne crane onto the gravel.
First shock, the yot weighs in at a massive 12.2 tonnes against the 7 tonnes previously thought.
Jim the engineer has spent many hourz removing the port side propellor, shaft, coupling and seal plus the bearings. All these need complete overhaul or replacement.
                Itz now a bun fight with the insurance company to get the repairs and liftout covered by Club Marine this iz needed as just the crane costs $5500 and the repairs need the shaft to go to Perth which won't be cheep! All these items were repaired or replaced in Darwin and now need attention again. Frustrating!
               Being on the slipway generates a $120 per day bill but at least the yot'z not trying to sink anymore, we found the leak with the PSS Seal being split and totally Fkkked. This means the seal on the opposite side of the yot needz 2B replaced also, as things happen in pairs when your on a catamaran.
SHAKEN NOT STIRRED!!!
Just 2 make life more interesting the yot haz just survived her first "Earthquake", coming in at 6.6 on the richter scale. the force of the quake shook the yot so violently that standing waz difficult and I was sure the yot would fall off the concrete blocks that support the hulls.
The shaking lasted for more than 1 minute with large quantities of goods falling off the benches and shelving. Finally the world stopped moving and I was able to climb down from the boat, no damage!
Lots of after shocks have followed, with one big one on Saturday morning reaching 4.1 on the scale, these keep you wondering if a bigger one is still coming.
           We have now removed both sides of the drive train with the Stb rudder, prop and shaft coming out on Monday morning. The seal on this side will be replaced and the motor and shaft needing re-alignment.
PEA SOUP!!!
Broome continues to throw up unique situations (wkoa) with me waking on Saturday morning to find the yot blanketed in a thick fog,so thick I couldn't see the bow (front) of the yot. Fog like this is not uncommon but the real surprise waz the fog returned thicker than ever at about 3pm.This turned 2 night as the yot once again disappeared around me. The temperature dropped 15 degrees in just a few minutes and the world around the yot faded into the mist. According to Willy weather this happens 22 dayz each year on average but itz still unnerving.

3 Days of Pleasure followed by 3 dayzs of pain...

G'day All,
                 We are back from our epic journey out wide to the famous Rowley Shoals.
The trip there was surreal with flat calm seas and epic sunsetz as with all trips Galleycat the journey began after much drinking and merriment the night B4.
My long lost friend Evette drove down from Derby to catch up with both Ash and Myself. A 2 hour trip after a hard week at work, she made it safely aboard after a slight delay while we waited for the tide 2 return. We were kept company by a couple of turtles that mis judged the tides also. Even so we made it aboard and settled in to catching up on 25 yearz of stories and saga's.
We had SO much to catch up on but the sharks were out in force so we set about catching 1 or 2 without using hooks. Sharks would play a big part of our journey out wide.
Ash arrived the following day so we had yet another night of playing "ketchup", much merriment followed with a sensational dinner to top off a gr8 day.
It waz thyme to meet Jemma and head off to the shops for a massive re supply run.
Jemma waz joining Ash and Myself out to the reefy area's she wanted 2 photograph.
We spent most of the days bringing stores aboard B4 Evette had to leave for Derby.
Then it waz thyme to point the yot West for a few dayz until we reached paradise. We stopped along the way at a mountain Ash found on hiz navionics app. This lump came up from 200 meters to 45 so we figured a brief spot of bottom bouncing was the order of the day. We had steamed through the night finally finding ourselves just 8 miles from the "lump". Baits on and down we sent the hoox. Bingo!!!
Big fish straight up. Emporer, Rankin Cod, Coral trout and Nannygai had the freezer full of fillets in no thyme at all.
Everyone had a crack and it waz smiles all round as these quality fillets made there way into the frying pan for lunch as we continued West towards Clerke Reef in the Rowleys.

The journey seemed to take 4 eva but eventually we arrived outside the coral atoll with a rising tide and slight winds, perfect!
We had made it..
Then with much trepidation (wkoa) we ventured into the lagoon made up of pristine coral gardens. We arrived at the first mooring then settled in for a morning of diving b4 some much needed rest thyme.
Here's where the sharks make a re appearance with Ash and Jemma both leaving the water as the bull sharks came to circle the Yot
 (no more diving today). It was decided to move the yot into much shallower water at a mooring known as "The Aquarium" this waz much betta with a huge coral bommie just behind the yot. Jemma spent the rest of the day underwater until dusk when our friends arrived again.
A big feed and early to bed for sum much needed decent sleep. Itz amazing how much betta you feel after a meal, hot shower then 11 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
The weather was fantastic with crystal kleer water (WYUNA) down to 7 meters with amazing corals just waiting 2B photographed, that was until the underwater camera decided to die with a water leak so no more fotoz.
A daily visit by the customs and border force plane kept us up to date with some bad weather that waz closing in.
Still we continued to tour the lagoon and dive as often as the rising winds allowed.
Then it waz crunch thyme the weather wasn't going 2 get any better and we had a really long journey in front of us. It waz decided after chatting with the plane that we would begin our journey back to Broome straight into 25 knots of Easterly winds.
What follow was nearly 3 days of the roughest weather I've ever sailed in and believe me when I say I've seen lotz of ruff weather in my trip so far.
Night thyme waz a relief as you couldn't see the rolling waves crashing over the bow of the Yot.
No chance of eating or standing for that matter had us reverting to an endurance lesson with the ocean teaching us about itz destructive power. The first to go waz the fishing platform at the rear with the huge waves basically tearing the platform apart until nothing remained. Then it waz thyme for the lifting crane to collapse with the wait of the dinghy basically overstressing the crane several broken shackles and clips had both Ash and I out the back with lifejackets and safety ropes as we removed the 25 HP motor from the back of the dinghy this waz the only thing that saved the crane and dinghy as we were now able to tie the dinghy up solidly using the sail winches and the crane electric winches. Still we had to endure a further 24 hours until we got within 35 miles of Broome when the wind finally abated.
The Yot survived, we survived but thatz about the extent of it, the swells had totally destroyed the rear of yot so much so that it waz decided to put the yot on the beach to check on the structural integrity and resupply with fuel and water.
It waz here that thingz went from bad 2 worse.
The hull had many compression dings in the sides and bow area. I also fitted the new zinc anodes.
As I refloated the yot it was obvious that there was no drive from the left propellor this meant the yot was now sideways in the surf.
 Not Good !!
A quick visual inspection showed the gearbox spinning but the shaft wasn't spinning. Thyme 2 call 4 help!
 2 radio calls and no response so I let off a couple of smoke flares. This got some attention with 2 boats arriving. The first boat hooked up a tow line to the rear of the yot while I was busy loading the other boat with 90 meters of anchor chain. This boat then took the anchor and chain straight out 2C.
This meant as the tide rose we were able to wind in the chain and pull the nose of the yot into the oncoming waves. During this effort the other boat haz disconnected the tow line and itz now jammed around my 1 good propellor.
So the yot waz towed onto an emergency mooring.. The Yot waz now safe!
As it stands I now have a very broken boat and a massive repair task in front of me.

THYME 2 LEAVE BROOME BEHIND!!!

G'day All,
                 After a few weex of maintenance we are finally ready to head out wide to the famous Rowley Shoals just a small hop of 170 nm with ocean depths as deep as 5 kilometers but the fishing and diving iz supposed to be the best in the Australian waters. It'll take a pretty special place to beat the ribbon reefs on the gr8 barrier but only thyme will tell.
Big Ash iz due this arvo for a 2 week trip to these legendary coral atoll's we will be joined by Jemma a backpacker who iz in Broome to paint a huge mural for the local camp school. Jemma has been trying to get to the Rowleys for a few years but the charter boats up here charge more than $1000 per day which for most of us iz cost prohibitive.
I know both Ash and myself are really looking forward to tackling some of the monster fish which inhabit these pristine coral reefs. Especially the dog tooth tuna which neither of us have caught B4.
The yot has been filled with fuel,food and water in preparation (wkoa) for this very special trip hopefully this will be the first of many trips out wide. Ash haz worked on a dive charter boat called the Willie which ran charters out to these remote areas, so he knows the best dive locations and roughly where to go to catch some of the massive fish we've been told inhabit the area.
As usual in WA there are lotz of rules and regz regarding the area, we have the guide pamphlets and rules aboard so with any sort of luck we won't fall foul of the Park and Wildlife officers. We are the first boat of the season to visit the atolls and the officers want us to visit all their moorings and give them an update as to the status of the moorings.

KIMBERLY REGION WOW FACTOR OVERLOAD

 G'day All from sunny Broome,
                                                   Many weex and many miles later we have re-emerged from the technology black spot that makes up The Kimberly Region. Even our sat phone struggled at thymes to get enuf reception for a call in or out.
Other than our communication issues the trip waz relatively trouble free... Almost!
We did manage to park the yot on top a reef in the middle of the night. Oddly the name of the reef waz Stewart Reef. We escaped undamaged but our trust levels on our electronic charts haz been radically changed.
After leaving Darwin behind us we had 3 days of ruff progress to get to the King George River and itz famous waterfalls. After sleeping inside the river mouth for a night we pushed up between the massive rock walls that line most of the river. Eventually arriving in what can only be called paradise. A perfect anchorage with stunning scenery.

The Twin Falls that mark the end of the canyons with there thunder, waz a spectacular backdrop for an eveningz meal and sunset drinks.
We are definatly not in Kansas anymore! I'm sure there aren't 2 many places as remote as where we were. The waterfalls while spectacular are also really dangerous for small boats that venture too close and get sucked in then drowned by the mass of falling water, so we kept a healthy distance despite the desire to get under the falls themselves.
Soon enuf it waz thyme to leave the falls behind us and begin to cover a few of the many miles in front of us.
We were expecting to see some spectacular scenery on this voyage but WOW!
The 10 miles through endless gorges haz 2B seen and the fotoz don't do these massive features justice.
I was really surprised by the extra deep water in these canyons many thymes I saw 100 meters+. No chance of putting an anchor down there.
We spent the next few dayz clicking off the many miles steaming both day and night passing literally hundreds of islands, reef systems and coves.
So many so that the first weex passed without issue until we were steaming along in 22 meters of water then crunch! We had no water under us just lotz of reef.  At 2 in the morning itz just a little unnerving, we had no idea which direction was safe water but we did have a rising tide so we spent the next hour bouncing on top of the reef until we finally dfifted clear into 8 meters of water. No idea of damage so we anchored up until dawn. It wasn't until we checked the gps and Navionics app that we found the reef if we scrolled the screen down to a 1 mile instead of the 15 miles I was using.
A check of the hull in the morning revealed no damage and we had escaped by more good luck than good seamanship. Brad took advantage and set off to troll a lure round our patch of reef.
What followed was 2 hours of catch and release mayhem with macks and giant trevors with every cast of the lure. This waz the kind of fishing we were hoping to find in these remote reef systems.
We kept 1 mack for dinner Why not? they don't get any fresher or tastier than fresh macks.
The Islands and reef systems we journey'd past became so prevelent that we decided to go out wide around what iz literally hundreds of islandz . Each worth a visit if we had thyme.
However we were heading for our second major stop in Talbot Bay home of the Horizontal Waterfalls. The tourism base iz serviced by seaplanes  and the occasional visit from live aboard charters such as Kimberly Quest or the even more upmarket the True North operation.
Our goal waz to visit these falls and hopefully catch a fish or 2 in areas no one haz fished B4.
My plan to pass the Yot through these falls was quickly abandoned as the whirlpools and rushing water made even a passage with the dinghy out of the question. There iz however 2 places here that the falls emerge so we headed for the second narrow gap at the bottom of the tide. Even with minimal tidal flow trying to steer the yot through the very narrow gap proved difficult but we managed it safely and found ourselves in a full mangrove system.
We both thought mudcrabs and barra would be everywhere. This was not 2B either no crabs were found but Brad did manage to get heaps of mangrove jacks and a few barra.

While our journey to Broome iz over the whole Kimberly Region will take many years to explore and we really only skimmed a few of the possible anchorages. Brad haz returned to Perth and Galleycat is in a nice safe anchorage called Roebuck Bay. Broome is not such a yot friendly town with the massive tides making any journey to shore a logistical nightmare. With 10 meter + tides and shallow bottom the yot iz nearly 5km offshore and that only leaves a meter under me at low tide I miss the tame 5 meter tides from Darwin.
Itz now thyme to get to know Broome and prepare the yot for itz next Big adventure with a trip out wide to the Rowley Shoals 2 days sailing straight out West of here. There are 3 legendary coral atols with sum of the worlds best diving. The Powerdive unit iz back aboard and ready to give us underwater access to the shoals. Many people have booked places aboard for these journeys with Big Ash next to arrive for a few days R+R.

CYCLONE WATCH...

CHALK

CHEESE!

G'day All,
 After 3 dayz of hard graft we are nearly ready 2 go and Cyclone Trevor haz us watching the 4 hourly tracking updates.
Long story short our window iz now open and we can leave Darwin heading for the King George River which is 3 dayz sailing from Darwin.
We had 2 put the yot ashore to complete a hull survey for insurance, this meant parking the yot on the beach at Fannie Bay. We spent the day scraping barnacles and acid washing the propz, rudders and shaftz. The hulls themselves now have zero barnacles.
It wasn't until the refloat that thingz got interesting!
The yot refloated no problems until the dinghy waz dumped by 3 big waves that basically sunk it.
OH SHIT!!!
The dinghy iz now upside down in the surf as the yot backs away from the shore. It took 2 hours with the cranes to secure the  now right way up dinghy to the back of the yot 4 the journey to Cullen Bay Marina to refuel, re water and now refloat the sunk dinghy.
It took Brad most of Friday to get the motor running again (monumental effort) but we lost a few essentials like anchors and flooring in the dinghy. That'll be taken care of when we go to Bunnings B4 we leave.
Troy haz finished hiz final distill so itz thyme 2 move the still and all itz equipment back aboard the yot. We are leaving Darwin with 40 litres of bourbon (DAMN!!) plus 10 litres of spirit 2 make Bradz cherry ripe bourbon and a few litres of Baileys.
As you can C the new stickers have arrived, and are now fitted to the recently painted transom (back bit) of the yot. They look fkkkn awesum! Itz only taken 2 years to get to this stage with the new yot.
 Worth the wait!
Anutha huge effort haz gone into getting the fridges up to speck with the evakool freezer to expensive 2 repair we set about rebuilding Dadz 110 litre Weaco unit. This freezer will be used to make 25 ice bottles that will be rotated through the now repaired 45 litre evakool icebox. This icebox survived the sinking of the last yot but lost itz lid, luckily I waz able 2 get a new one made by Evakool in Qld.
One more day of running around and we are out of here! just the sat phone and few more materials 2 collect.
Itz Thyme 2 Go!!
6pm on Saturday we pulled the anchor  said our final farewellz and set off, leaving Darwin behind us "finally".
Itz taken alot longer and heapz of dollars but the yot iz ready to tackle this really difficult stretch of spectacular coastline.
So until we have service again this iz Galleycat out of range for who knows how long.
After a 24 hour false start for bad weather we are finally under way leaving Charles Point behind us for 3 days of open water until we reach The King George River.
Ciao

HERE WE GO !!!!!

LETZ BEGIN

 Brads 50th haz begun, we spent hiz first night up til 4 am drinkin and getting acquainted.
Itz now thyme to point the yot Northwards towards the Mary river and itz legiondary Shady Camp Barra fishing.We won't be able to leave  until the tide rises and we refloat.
Our second night we spent at the pub watching a tittie show then back to clarkiez place or the Nudle Bar 4 drinks and stories of gettin old.
This tendz to happen when everyone iz ova 40 in the group.
Our night waz interrupted by anutha Tropical Storm this put the yot adrift again, panic stationz! We had to drive from The Nudle Bar to the boat ramp while not being able 2C through the rain it waz down to 30k's an hour while the yot bashed up against anutha but just a gentle kiss B4 the anchor chainz tangled. The yot did a full circle b4 itz collision and ended up behind the 40ft steel yot.
I failed to tie the tender 2 the yot in my rush to start the engines and save the yot from banging into the other so the dinghy iz now adrift in the middle  of the storm (holly shit). Day one of the trip and we've lost the tender, 2 hours of searching and Ann and Troy found it nearly 3/4 of a mile out 2C.
Back to Clarkies place,
Day 3 wake up B4 noon and set the yot up for the Mary.
2 tripz to troyz place then anutha trip 2 the fuel station then a trip 2 the yot club 4 more ice now the water haz returned.
Dodging sum of the best tropical storms we've seen yet, we set off 4 the Vernon Island group 20 nm from Darwin. Plan iz 2 spend the night anchored off these 3 islandz. but that'll depend on the tides and currents when we arrive in 3 to 4 hours..
Itz a week later and we R finally back in harbour many drunken nights and lotz of hard graft, finishing jobs like painting the stern of the yot in prep 4 the new stickers which are on their way via post. Thanx to Brother Mark.
Itz thyme to take stocks of our supplies and readiness to head  towardz The Kimberly region.
The outboard motor needs some love and attention so we are getting a replacement impellor and plugs. Then it'll be thyme 2 put the yot on the beach at fanny bay to scrape the hull and get the hulls surveyed 4 insurance.
This will probably be the last chance we get 2 clean the hulls between here and Broome. I'm expecting just a few crocs on this leg of the journey.
Our week away iz now behind us and we achieved our goal of catching Brad his meter plus barramundi it came in at 1 meter 05 cm job well done!
Brad joined the multitude of boatz fishing the river mouth at one stage we counted 25 small boats working the same stretch of water.
Hiz barra capture went viral up the river with many boats coming over with messages of congrats.
Mind you, with that many boats we didn't do any good fishing from the yot! not through lack of trying.
The remoteness of this area haz me amazed considering we were 35 kms from the boat ramp on the main highway 200 km's from town and it took 2 dayz travelling in the yot. 2C so many trailer boats it waz obvious we were on a special patch of water. Many of the boats had fished the mouth for years and never broken the magic meter. We  got the job  done in just 3 dayz.
The only live bait we could muster up were the scores of poddy mullet and a few prawns. Heaps of catfish took their toll on our  livebaits.
So it waz thyme to put the yot on the beach and start our selves a bonfire out of the tonnes of driftwood on the shore.
We found many lures amongst the drift wood, sum brand new. The lure Brad got his Barra on was a tiny thing about 8cm long and bright green who'd of thunk it, everyone had a perfect barra lure but Brad nails the Big One on a tiny green deep diver.
Our plan to scrub the hulls failed with the neap tides not allowing us access to the props and rudders, the main hulls show only minimal growth but the props and rudders should of been antifouled while I was at Fannie Bay.
Unfortunately Honey pulled a hip muscle while running up and down the beach. Lots of yelping and she had 2B carried up the ladder for sum much needed TLC.
The list of jobz that need 2B done is slowly reducing in size, still lotz to do though.
A huge care package haz arrived in Darwin from Dad,mum and Brad. This pallet of stuff includes the repaired powerdive unit plus spare motors for the evakool freezer. We need this freezer to create our ice bottles which are SO important up here.
There iz also the materials needed to finish the curtains on the kitchen side of the main cabin. This should make the air con unit more efficient.
We are no longer waiting for a package from evakool with the new lid for the icebox and digital thermostatz for both the evakool units. However it loox like the evakool freezer iz totally ffffkd.
So itz thyme to repair Dad's 110 litre Weaco unit as we found 2 holes in the old evaporator and I managed to drill a perfect 3.5 mm hole through the evap pipework.
2 dayz of hard graft and we are nearly ready 2 go!
So just 2 make life interesting nature decides 2 send not 1 but 2 cyclones...
Here we go we are ready and we may need to park the yot in a marina for the first week of the trip. Itz not til you realize that when we leave Darwin we have 3 days of open water cruising with no cyclone anchorages available, that  you can appreciate our current dilemma.

BONKERS!

G'day all, Is it just me or haz the world gone completely Bonkers!
Everyone I speak to is struggling with life issues so much so that I feel for them as my life seems to B on track for a change. The yot is well underway with preparations (wkoa) for our journey to the Kimberly's. The massive task of painting the rear deck area of the yot haz begun and I'm slowly getting on top of the maintenance with just the air x wind generator and 12 volt freezer waiting for repair.
I've finally managed to contact my good mate Kenny in Townsville with the record floodz they had he lost both his cars and all his work tools plus most of his machinery under the house.Sorry M8!
At the same thyme everyone I know is dealing with marriage or relationship bust ups. Many nights have been spent talking to friends on the phone and learning just how much everyone is struggling to make ends meet.
At last the big "wait" iz nearly over with Brad arriving on Thursday to celebrate hiz 50th Birthday with a trip to the Mary river and itz  legionary Shady Camp Barramundi fishing. While the yot itself will only be moved to the mouth of The Mary several smaller boats will be fishing the 35 km stretch between the mouth itself and Shady Camp. Finga's crossed Brad gets his big barra and we can then concentrate our efforts on offshore fishing which I prefer over chasing barra in the muddy river systems. Crabs will also be on the menu with a massive push to catch a few big buck crabs.
Once our Mary trip is finished (not swedish) it'll be back to Darwin for a major re-fuel and supply run enabling us to leave Darwin behind and head towards the WA border and the famous Kimberly region(Evette). There iz still lotz of work 2B done on the yot B4 we leave as we need to complete a hull survey so our insurance can be renewed. While the yot is parked  on Fannie bay beach  Brad and I will take the opportunity to clean the props, rudders and hullz of barnicles and oysters which have grown of the hulls during my wait for the end of the cyclone season.
Itz 3am all aboard are asleep after weex of planning Bradz 50th trip iz underway!

AUSTRALIA DAY

MR PERCIVAL

G'day All and a happy new year,
                                                    I've finally got around to updating the blog. The biggest newz is the troublesum generator iz now repaired and functioning as it should. It only took a year and $7000 to get the unit to the stage I can rely on power when I hit the switch. I can now get on with several jobz that have been waiting on the genset 2B repaired. It'll be nice to have air conditioning again.
The tropical stormz still abound with the yot ending up in the mangroves several thymes with 4 more yotz piled in behind me it took the water police about 3 hours to remove the other boats so I could start my motors and drive back out into the river again. The storm had an unexpected casualty with the outboard motor being torn off the back of the dinghy and being lost in the mangroves.
It took 10 days for the tides 2B right to have any attempt to recover the motor luckily I was able to recover the outboard and begin the task of fixing the now tide soaked motor. Amazingly no water in the pistons or carby. The motor haz now gone to boatland to see if it can be salvaged. Finga's crossed!

The task of preparing the yot for a huge leg of my journey West iz under way. In just 5 or 6 weex I will be joined by fridgy Brad for a month long trip leaving Darwin for Broome in WA. This journey takes in the Kimberly region and some of the most spectacular and remote areas of our coastline.Hopefully the fishing is as good as we've been led 2 believe.
The tropical storms that abound at the moment have the ability to destroy boats with 5 of my neighbours no longer having boats that can be used including a 40 ft crayboat which sank during one of the more violent stormz. Personally I'll be very glad when the cyclone season iz over and I can leave this anchorage for a safer place, being awaken at 2am with the yot drifting iz no fun at all. I have repaired the anchor chain meaning I can deploy 2 anchors and 90 meters of chain even with this the yot still drifts during the storms.
Alas the bad news is in, the outboard motor is destroyed! so the search begins now to find a replacement.
As you can see work on replacing the air con haz begun, we've removed the old unit and the new one haz arrived and will be installed on Wednesday.
A quick trip out fishing this week had us catching blue nosed salmon and a couple of big buck mudcrabs yummy!

New dinhy