Sunset over
two of the
three marinas
in the harbour
at Manly
Jo went back to
Melbourne last Tuesday for a couple of weeks to catch up with her family and keep her hand in professionally.
As I had decided not to go back with her this time, I’ve been left on my own on the boat for a bit…
Hmm.. what does one do in a marina for an extended period of time? Well, let me see… I get up, go and have a shower, stroll into the town for a newspaper and then come back to the boat for a coffee and a read of the national and international news. Then it’s boat stuff - cleaning, repairing and adjusting – all the stuff that one does on any boat (such as trying various ways to hand the dinghy off the back of the boat without having to have davits made).
After that it’s a stroll back to the shops for food and stuff, and then back to the boat to make lunch and watch the other boaties wandering up and down the walkways, watching still other boaties.
Then it’s time to sort out what I’m going to cook for an evening meal, and to make a few phone calls to Jo. More fixing stuff follows and then it’s time to settle down with a drink and a watch of the passing boaties while the sun sets. Once it’s dark it’s meal preparation time and the opportunity for another drink before turning on the TV and settling down for the regular task of surfing the airways for something decent to watch.
Then it’s time for bed.
Sounds boring – but the days rush by and I’m not at all bored the gentle rhythm of my life here.
Today was a day of excitement. I had visitors! Clare, the daughter of my brother-in-law Michael O’Sullivan, and her partner Anthony came for a sail, and so I that was what we did. Getting out of the pen was less of a drama than the last time we did it, despite a 15 knot cross-wind and an audience of anxious boat owners who leapt to the sterns of their boats as we passed, ready to fend us off if we look like crashing into them. In fact we crashed into nobody, and Anthony didn’t fall into the water when he gave the vital push to the boat that sent it into the middle of the narrow freeway between the pontoons.
We had a very nice sail across to Peel Island, in the middle of Moreton Bay, where we dropped anchor and had lunch. Coming back was quite interesting, however, as we had winds up to 27 knots and banks of low threatening clouds gathering above us. Luckily I had already reefed the main and foresail in anticipation of the strong winds, so the boat and my passengers took the conditions in their stride.
Clare at the wheel
on the way out
Note the dinghy
behind her
Anyway, we came back into the marina without incident (apart from a brief pirouette in the bay while the sails were being taken down, in the course of which I lost yet another hat...). In fact we got back into the pen with remarkable ease. I was quite proud of myself!
Clare and Antony
safely back on
terra firma!
So, I'm having a good time here as a solo sailor, but I'm looking forward to having Jo back again!
