Wednesday 7th September
We were up early, had breakfast and hauled anchor. Cruised down the river and pulled into the fuel dock at Rivergate. That was expensive. We then moved to the next pier were we waited for customs to clear us. It took three of them to check our passports and give us two pieces of paper that said we can go (one of them was in training).
We are now departing Brisbane for the last time for a while. It’s taken most of the day to get out of the shipping channel and into open water. With light fading we have reefed the main for safety although the winds are light.
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Tuesday 7th September 
Its been a busy two days. Sue has been pre making meals for the trip. We have done the shopping for some fresh fruit and veggies. We have to be careful that we don’t get too much as we can’t take fresh food into NZ. 
We sent off four pre entry forms to NZ yesterday. We received an email this morning requesting we fill in another form asking the same again. Each department wants the same info in different orders.
Anyway we are off tomorrow. Tony arrived this evening and we are all set. For anyone interested, the map on the right side of the website updates every hour our position so you can track our progress.

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Sunday 4th September
On Friday we had a visit from cousin Greg. He has just finished MCing a couple of seminars in Brisbane and had some spare time. It was good to catch up as we hadn’t seen each other in almost four years.
In the afternoon we are heading up to Caloundra to see Amie, Ben and the grandkids. It will be the last time we will see them for a while, as we will be setting sail for New Zealand this week.
Today we returned to Imagine to find a couple of scratches on the bow and Imagine was further into the river than we left her. It looks like while we were enjoying time with the kids, someone has hit us and dragged the anchor.
Don’t be silly! No they didn’t leave a note. They just did a runner.

Thursday 1st September
There is a weather window opening mid next week, giving us good weather for a run to NZ. Unfortunately last night we heard back from one of the crew who were joining us has decided not to come. Rebecca has got on a boat up north and doesn’t want to head to cold NZ. We don’t blame her we are not looking forward to the cold. We would rather be sailing north as well.
So it’s back to looking for another crew member and another weather window.

Friday 26th August
We haven’t done a lot in the last 9 days. It’s mainly been laundry, organising and boat maintenance. We have organised two crew to join us sailing to New Zealand, Rebecca and Tony (not a couple). They are both on standby, ready to go when the weather is right.
We just have to do all the paperwork and wait for the weather. Next week there is a storm coming up the Tasman Sea bringing waves averaging 6.8m. So we will see what comes after that.
It’s a 10 to 14 day trip so we have to get the weather right.

Wednesday 17th August
The wind started to get up this morning, blowing straight into the bay, so we hauled anchor and headed across the bay to Brisbane.
As we cruised up the Brisbane River we noticed there was still not as many boats as before the flood. The ferries were not stopping at all the terminals due to damage. The council is hoping they can get all terminals repaired by December.
Once again our parking spot was waiting for us. We now have to get used to the ferries and party boats passing by. Some of the ferry skippers have tooted and waved to say welcome back.
Over the next few weeks we will do some more maintenance, stock the boat, take the bedding and towels to the laundromat and see the grandkids.

Tuesday 16th August
As night fell the winds increased turned easterly (in our favour). Which pushed us along at 7.5kts as we navigated through the small recreational boats out fishing at night. Being small they often didn’t show on the radar till they were very close.
Once past the fishermen (fisherpersons) along the sunshine coast, there was the cargo boats queued up to enter the Brisbane shipping channel. We reached the entrance to the channel and there seemed to be a gap in the queue, so we went in.
Two hours into the channel and no cargo boats followed us. That’s when we discovered two things. One our AIS works and Two the reason there were no boats behind us was there was a tugboat towing another boat coming our way.
That’s when it was confirmed that our AIS was transmitting. We had seen the tugboat on AIS and no problem we could both fit in the channel and we would meet at the intersection of a bypass channel. We couldn’t see on AIS that he was towing a boat and needed all the channel to maneuver.
We got a call on the radio from the tugboat “Imagine, Imagine this is tugboat we are towing a vessal in the main channel. What are your intentions?”. For a second, I thought he was proposing. Then I realised he wanted to make sure we were going to take the bypass, which we had already started to turn into.
We arrived at Tangalooma on Moreton Island (just out of Brisbane) at 5.30am cold and tired (overnight temperature was 4°). We dropped anchor and went to bed under 4 layers of blankets.
By lunchtime Andrew had got out the dive gear and headed over the side to unblock a saltwater inlet and check the hull was still clear enough for the NZ biosecurity. At a cool 15.5° water temperature he wasn’t in too long. The water is normally fairly clear but currently it isn’t and lots of rubbish floating in the water. The helicopter base is just along from where we are anchored so we have a lot of sightseers having a gander at Imagine as they take off and land.

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Monday 15th August
Last night after dark the wind increased and turned in our favour, so out came the sails. By the time we reached the point at the top of Fraser Island we were doing 8.50kts. But that wasn’t going to last. As we rounded the top of Fraser the wind began to die. By 1am the wind had dropped to 2.5knts and we were back using the motor. The only thing in our favour now was the tide was running south.
The sea at the top half of Fraser Island is always choppy with a big swell. This is caused by the sea coming up from 4000m to 50m in the space of a few nautical miles.
As we came down the coast of the island we came across several whales and dolphins. The whales were flapping their tails in the air then slapping the water with their tails. A few minutes later they were calmly swimming on the surface. We have seen this behaviour before just before giving birth then swimming along side their calf.
Andrew was photographing the dolphins that were bow riding and jumping out of the water. Suddenly there was a loud deep groan (that drowned out Sue’s “Oh shit”), as a whale surfaced about 10m off the side of Imagine heading the opposite direction to us.
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Sunday 14th August
This morning there was no wind. We have to get back to Brisbane and find crew to join us sailing back to NZ. We have had to motor all the way across to Fraser Island. A few hours after setting off we were greeted by a pod of dolphins which stayed with us for about half an hour. Then they all flicked their tails as if to say goodbye as they left to do some fishing.
It’s now after dark and Fraser is still a way off.
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Saturday 13th August
Thursday was a bit windy and choppy in the bay so we stayed onboard Imagine and lazed around.
Friday brought light winds from the east so we decided to make a run for it. The light winds stayed with us most of the way south to Rodd’s Harbour, arriving 3am. On the way we had to navigate the cargo boats going into Gladstone. As usual, as we got in amongst them some decided to move just as a rain squall came up behind us.
Today after Andrew doing some boat maintenance we just chilled out and caught up on sleep as there was no wind at all.
We are up 7 mile creek, no swimming here, one because water temperature is still 16.9° and also because there are crocs and sharks here.
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