Year 2 – 3 April 2025 – Gladstone
If anyone reading this and is free from late June to mid July 2025 to come to Australia then do contact me as I am short of crew during this period at present.
It rained in the night and was drizzling when we woke but after about an hour it stopped and remained dry for the rest of the day. We had breakfast and did some washing etc and sorted ourselves out. We had to dry all our waterproofs, cockpit cushions etc which were soaked from the rain. We then went ashore to check in with the marina office who were very helpful and to the chandlery to have a look around. The marina facilities were good and clean and the gardens, landscaping etc in good order and it looked reasonably smart. David saw a sign saying snakes in this area. We therefore kept to the paths and had a good look around as we walked.
We found a fishing shop and got some more advice about lines and fishing strength etc. and got some more lures to replace what we had lost. We returned to Stormbird and then decided to head off to explore. We walked through a park area which was well kept with pathways and neat edges and it was clearly looked after. We then walked over the lifting bridge of Auckland Creek and then saw the Gladstone Yacht Club – which has won awards for the best eatery between Brisbane and Gladstone. We walked on and came to another park with fountains which kids were cooling off in and a café on the front which overlooked the industrial harbour and we could see a number of cargo/oil tankers moored. We saw more easily the route we had followed the night before. There was a maritime museum which unfortunately was closed.
There was a naval ship called HMAS Gladstone on the hard– which was part of the naval task force which dealt with the Japanese in 1941-1942 and Gladstone had been a major port for naval ships to gather and refuel and provision before they went off the tackle the Japanese aggression. We wondered further on and round and there were free barbecue areas for the public to use and seating areas, some of which were covered with electric plug outlets. Some were using them to work and they do this so well in Oz and NZ. In the Uk the barbecues would have been stolen and the area vandalised!!
It was time for lunch so we went back to the Gladstone Yacht Club and had a good lunch. The odd thing here is that drink is separated from food. You have to order and pay for your food and then go and order and pay for your drink in a different area. Why they cannot be combined I do not know. We chatted and chilled and then walked back to Stormbird. We hosed her down and filled the water tanks and rested. We decided to have a light supper and just as we started in the cockpit the heavens opened and we had to retreat inside. I suppose we were lucky it did not rain in the day. We therefore finished supper and had a film night watching one of my favourite Clint Eastwood films Thunderbolt & Lightfoot.
We will leave tomorrow to explore the area a little before returning to pick up Paul who joins us on the 8th. The picture of the day is the park opposite us which is lit up when dark. A nice touch.
Gladstone was named after William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British statesman, starting as Conservative MP for Newark and later becoming the leader of the Liberal Party. In a career lasting over 60 years, he was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for 12 years, spread over four non-consecutive terms beginning in 1868 and ending in 1894.
Need/Opportunity Year Two
I am in need of more crew from late June 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