Our departure has been delayed due to a slow storm coming down the coast. 60knots of wind with 6m swell is not inviting. So we spent the morning in town and the afternoon playing cards (the competition is fierce!).
Maybe we can set off on Saturday. We still have to get fresh fruit and veggies, but waiting till the last minute so they last longer.

Our new crew have arrived today. It was an early start picking up Liz. By the time Liz was settled onboard it was time to pick up Toni and Jack. A quick cup of tea and we were off to the dive shop to get everyone’s snorkel equipment while Sue started to shop for our trip.
Back onboard Imagine the new crew got familiarised with Imagine then rest time. After sundowners it was a dinner of fresh prawns. YUM!
The weather isn’t playing the game at the moment so we as getting ready to go as soon as the weather window opens. At this stage we are heading up the coast to the Whitsundays for some sun, swimming, snorkeling, diving, fishing and hiking.

We have had complaints that we haven’t updated the blog recently, so here it is.
Since we got back into the water we had a visit from Lydia who is back from the Seychelles. With her help we removed 4 stays from the main mast and took them to get replaced. Stays are the stainless steel ropes that hold up the mast. Lydia then headed off again, this time to NSW.
We have got the stays back and have fitted them. The painting of the deck hasn’t happened as it has rained most days. Not heavy just those annoying light showers.
We have done a bit of babysitting the grandkids and have started to stock the boat (apart from higher costs there is still a shortage on some items). About two weeks till we set off again. We will head back up the east coast with the new crew untill September, then see whose borders are open. Some borders are opening but for some it is just the air arrivals, not the maritime borders. Vanuatu is still closed as are most of the others except Fiji and New Cal.

We are back in the water! The rain started last night and is still going, but it didn’t stop us getting back in the water. The river is still full of debris, so it was a slow trip back to our anchorage.
Trees and large logs are rubbing up against our new paint job as they go past. Luckily the current flow is back to normal so they don’t hit us as hard, so hopefully they don’t damage the paint (although they are talking about releasing more water from the dam so the water flow would be stronger).
We still have to check the anchor regularly for debris around the anchor chain.

Saturday 26 March.
We couldn’t quite complete the work to go back in on Friday. The last few days have been more of the same, Andrew working on the transducers for the sonar, grinding out a few patches on the keel and we’ve now finished antifouling. The anodes have been attached, the propspeed put on and steering fixed. Late Friday afternoon the Rivergate team put us in the slings on the crane ready for an early morning launch on Monday. Sue was a bit concerned when a thunderstorm came with high winds and heavy rainfall and we stayed swaying slightly in the slings.
So as we haven’t got much new to tell you we thought we’d share a few facts about the recent Brisbane river floods that have been reported on (some of them surprised us):
Local records for rainfall, flood levels and flood rescues were broken.
The “rain bomb” that broke over Brisbane on Friday, 25 Feb deposited 80% of the region’s ANNUAL rainfall within 3 days.
The downpour was greater than the 2010-2011 floods: about 50% more water poured into Brisbane River’s Wivenhoe Dam in half the time. The Brisbane river below Wivenhoe received 1,450 billion litres of water (equivalent to 3 x Sydney harbours).
The Brisbane “rain bomb” dropped more water on the city than typically falls in London over an entire year.
Two weeks after the river flooded, up to about 1100 tonnes of material was cleared from the river surface but they were also finding a lot on the bottom. 160 unknown objects from Hamilton Reach down t the port (about 18km). Sixty navigational aids, buoys and beacons were damaged and are currently being repaired and replaced.
Today we’ve been advised Brisbane river has been reopened to recreational boating during daylight hours only, everyone on board must wear a lifejacket as they continue to monitor unusual currents and debris. Crews last week had managed to clear 2000 tonnes of debris from the river. At one stage more than 150 objects needed to be dragged from the bottom of the river that were impeding shipping channels.

Another layer of fibreglass on the transducer mount and more painting.

Nothing new, just more of the same, painting and sanding.

Another early start. Andrew finished painting above waterline while Sue prime coated the keel. We did some more fibreglassing on the sonar mounts.
Doesn’t sound much but our legs and arms are killing us. Having to climb the stairs every time we need something or stop for a drink.

Another 6am start. There was only two other boats being worked on today. With only a few people around Health and Safety and Boatyard rules dont apply. There was hull sanding without a vacuum attachment (dust going everywhere). Spraying on Antifoul out in the yard amongst other boats (not in the shed where overspray is contained). And some silly bugger climbing on the scaffolding rails so he can paint higher on the boat.
Sue finished off removing all the barnacles, while Andrew painted the above waterline white. Well, the first coat, second coat tomorrow.