Year 2 – 28 February 2025 -Brisbane

If anyone reading this and is free in all or some of April to mid July 2025 to come to Australia then do contact me as I am short of crew during this period at present.

We woke to two of us left and another scorching hot day. This will be a short blog. We had a fruit breakfast and we were waiting for the steel fabrication man to come to look at how to strengthen the davits and prevent them sagging. In the meantime, we looked at the weather and the models are undecided whether Cyclone Alfred is going to hit the coast or not. Even if not, we expect quite strong winds and rain.

We have decided to hire a car for a few days whilst we wait as we think we are safer in the marina than elsewhere so I have booked a car for tomorrow for a few days. The storm is not expected to hit us until Monday/Tuesday next week. The steel man came at about 12.30 and made some suggestions and will provide a quote and if the weather is ok will come and measure up on Monday. This, would mean taking down the dinghy and engine etc. Trevor and I therefore dropped the dinghy and got the engine up on the crane. We then lifted the dinghy round on the pontoon to the bow and hoisted the dinghy up on the halyard and we put the dinghy on the deck between Puffin ( the pram sailing dinghy) and the windlass on the deck. We then tidied up and then moved Stormbird a little forward and then retied all the lines. This was hot work and took some time. However, once done she is now hopefully well secured.

We needed some lunch so walked to Brewdog and had some delicious tacos and a local beer. It was very hot and very little sign of what is to come. We returned to Stormbird and had an email from the marina saying they are not sure how severe it will be but we need to prepare our boats in a number of ways and made several suggestions, which we have already done or plan to do. There is little sign anywhere in the marina of others doing the same.

We had a relaxed afternoon and then I made a goat’s cheese salad followed by strawberries and raspberries with mascarpone. Delicious even if I say so myself.

We plan tomorrow to head to the Australia Zoo which used to be run by Steve Irwin before he tragically died from a Stingray barb. The picture of the day is the concrete bridges just near us. It is funny how it can appear quite attractive in different lights!!  Tomorrow we are off to explore.

Need/Opportunity Year Two

I am in need of more crew from late April to Mid-July so if of interest do email me at  hine.nick9@gmail.com  

In year two I will be going from New Zealand to Sydney and hen up the Eastern Australian Coast, Indonesia and then through Bali, Singapore and on to Thailand to end year two about the end of November 2025.

The blog will continue as we continue the journey. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com