Thursday 21st July
Safia & Bram joined us yesterday as our new crew. Originally from the Netherlands, they flew in from Bali to Brisbane then up here to Airlie.
Today Andrew took Bram & Safia into Airlie to get a few things before we set off.
Back on Imagine we lifted the dinghy onto the deck and tied everything down ready to set off in the morning.
Sent from Iridium Mail & Web.

Tuesday 19th July
Sandra has been onboard for a week now and we are still anchored in Airlie Beach. We have all had the flu to some degree, but that hasn’t stopped us going out sailing, it’s been the bad weather.
Despite all that we have been ashore most days getting the boat stocked ready to go as soon as the other crew arrive on Wednesday.

Wednesday 13th July
It started out at the reef. Toni got crook then Jack. Sue was next and now Andrew got the runny nose and blocked sinuses.
Yesterday Sandra joined us as our new crew member, going to sail with us back to Brisbane. We also had a quick visit from Lydia, who was on her way from Sydney to Cairns. It was good to have a full boat for lunch. Everyone was swapping contacts, what to do and where to go.
This morning it was haera ra toToni and Jack as they left us for the second time. They were heading north to Townsville, then to Cairns where they will stop a few days before flying to Indonesia.
Not long after Sue and Sandra headed ashore, but the wind and waves had got up making it interesting. As they set off through the waves Sandra heard some people yelling and looked over to see people on a yacht that was just tying up to a mooring, waving to come to them. They shouted and pointed to something floating in the water not far from their yacht. The guy had dropped his wallet overboard while hooking the mooring. Sue drove the dinghy up to the object and Sandra scooped it out of the water.
It was a wallet. After checking to see how much cash was in the wallet, the girls were off to the shops.
Ah NO!
Sue then maneuvered the dinghy alongside the yacht and Sandra threw the wallet into their dinghy much to the delight of its grateful owner. With their good deed done for the day they headed into town, returning with new footware, some groceries and a part for the boat.
After lunch it was the customary laze around all afternoon.

Friday 8th July
Yesterday we awoke to a beautiful day. A light breeze and clear water (10m visibility). After breakfast Toni and Jack were in the water exploring the bommies scattered around Imagine. One was packed with fish the next beautiful coral and the next even better.
After lunch we all took the dinghy to the inner edge of the reef. This time Jack took the speargun, but didn’t get anything. The tide was coming in and the waves were crashing over the reef stirring up the water which dropped the visibility down to 2m.
That evening we had to put up with another stunning sunset.
This morning the wind had got up making the water choppy with only 5m visibility. Sue and Andrew ventured into the water to check out some more bommies close to Imagine. With the wind getting up and going to be higher tomorrow, we decided to leave the reef after lunch.
With the main reefed we had a nice sail back to Butterfly Bay averaging 6knts all the way. We will stay here tonight and go back to Airlie in the morning.
Sent from Iridium Mail & Web.

Wednesday 6th July
Yesterday we left Airlie in the rain. It was still persisting down and cold when we got to Maureen’s Cove, so the diesel heater went on while we watched movies. It’s not often that you can see waterfalls in the Whitsundays, but waterfalls were teaming down the rock faces.
This morning we set off at daybreak. The rain had stopped the wind had died and the sea was calm. Not a good day to sail anywhere, so we motored out to the Great Barrier Reef. We did a few zigzags as we passed about 20 whales on the way. The Dophins that joined us were great but not as impressive as a Humpback Whale breaching.
Inside Hook Reef the half meter swell subsided and we made our way deep inside. Jack took to the mast to lookout for bombies. Soon after anchoring Toni and Jack were amazed to be able to see from the deck, the sea grass dotted amongst the sand in10m of water.
After lunch with a light breeze and warm sun we just chilled out after our early start and so that we are fresh and ready for tomorrow.
Sent from Iridium Mail & Web.

Monday 4th July
It has been almost a week and we are still at Airlie Beach sitting out the weather. It’s been high winds, raining and cold. We managed to get a few maintenance jobs done while waiting for the good weather to arrive. It’s predicted to get better from tomorrow.
With the promise of good weather Toni and Jack come back onboard tonight. We are going to make the most of the break in the weather and head out to the Barrier Reef for a few days. Hook Reef should be sheltered enough from the remaining swell to allow great snorkelling and maybe spear some fish for dinner.
Sent from Iridium Mail & Web.

Tuesday 28 June
The weather turned on a doozey for taking Toni, Jack and Liz ashore. Andrew was the first in the dinghy riding the waves as he poured petrol into the outboard and got the dinghy ready for departure. Then came Toni and Jack with their “body bag” and backpacks duly covered with a tarp (We all knew it was going to be a wet ride!). They rode the messy seas holding on as the waves crashed over them with the faint echoes of Yee Haaaaa following them from Sue standing on the bow of Imagine. Once dropped off at the boat ramp they made their way to the bus terminal, normally a pleasant short walk but would have seemed like miles with their bags.
Due to currently unfavorable weather conditions Toni and Jack are travelling north to continue their adventures, first to Townsville where they will catch up with Jesse and Emma on “All the Stars” who we met on our trip up.
Andrew returned to Imagine totally drenched ready for his next thrilling daredevil ride to shore, this time with Liz who is travelling to Melbourne to spend time with family. Another exciting ride to shore followed. After dropping off Liz and her bags Andrew returned and quickly dried off and changed into some warm clothes.
Early afternoon it was our turn as we had booked the outboard in for its service. By this time the wind and waves had much eased, our issue was to make it to shore whilst there was still enough tide to get ashore (there are some particularly low tides at the moment so timing our shore visits around these is important). Andrew caught a cab to Cannonvale with the outboard whilst Sue went shopping. Once he dropped this off he caught the bus back to Airlie Beach. The tide was too low for about another 1.5 hours so we decided to have a cuppa and some hot chips down at the beach. Finally, enough water to get the dinghy out and back to Imagine. Tomorrow we reverse the process when we go to pick up the outboard.

We’ve come to the end of our run here on Imagine, but what a run it has been! It’s crazy to think how much we’ve fit into just 7 weeks, despite the weather trying to derail our plans. We will miss not just boat life, but this boat life – onboard Imagine with Andrew and Sue. We have learnt so much about sailing (with no query being too silly), which has made us question the sanity of these two letting us behind the wheel initially! We have gotten to see and experience amazing places, guided by Andrew and Sue’s knowledge meaning the weather never seemed too big an issue as there was always a bay paradise to escape into. We’ve refined our poker faces (and probably gained some trust issues) over some intense games of Monopoly Deal. And we’ve eaten incredibly well, with the apparent never ending supply of Whittaker’s and Tim Tam’s being a real comfort for us kiwis.
So a huge thank you to Andrew and Sue for the adventure and for making us feel so at home on Imagine!
Cheers, Jack, Liz & Toni

Saturday 25th June Another morning in Butterfly Bay and Liz, Jack & Toni jumped back in the water to check out another part of the reef in the bay. The visibility was good and they saw some beautiful coral formations and colourful fish. We had lunch on their return then ventured out into the high wind. A 15knt wind and easterly swell took us around the point heading back to Airlie.
As we passed through the Narrows again, the wind dropped below 10knts and the swell became westerly. As we past Stonehaven the swell turned southerly to match the southerly wind that steadily increased to 25knts. The 25knt wind gusting 30knts on the beam made for a good sail, reaching speeds up to 8.5knts.
It only took two and a half hours to reach the shelter of our anchorage at Airlie Beach.
Sunday and Sue & Andrew ventured ashore in the dinghy to get a few groceries. For the others it has been a day of reading and playing cards as the wind whistled through the rigging and watching the white caps out past the point.

Thursday, 23 June
At Stonehaven we were waiting for the sun to shine. Just after 11am we got a hint of blue sky so Andrew took Liz, Toni and Jack across in the dinghy to the reef area for some snorkeling.
After seeing some colorful coral and a few different fish they came back to the boat. The “easterly” swell was coming in from the Southwest and had increased in size so it was decided we would try around the top of Hook Island. It was all hands on deck to get the boat ready for the short trip through ‘The Narrows around the point past Butterfly Bay to Maureen’s Cove where we are on a mooring for the night, scoffing down lunch on the way.
There are still some wind gusts but only a small swell at the moment. It didn’t take long before Liz and Toni were in the water for a short snorkel.
Friday 24 June
We had a lovely night at Maureen’s Cove. This morning we snorkeled around some more of the reef in this bay before heading over to Butterfly Bay West. We all jumped in for a snorkel before lunch then again after lunch. There was colourful coral and colourful fish and the water temperature was pretty good when you weren’t in the cool breeze.
Toni and Jack carried on to shore, finding it strange to be walking on land again as it’s the first time since leaving Airlie Beach that their feet have been on terra firma!
Liz, Andrew and Sue returned to Imagine and found it interesting to watch the fights for moorings. One boat came over and grabbed a mooring that was undersized for their craft, soon to be told off by one of the charter boats so he moved to a larger mooring. Another put his foot down to grab the mooring first, nearly taking another boat out that had been headed that way first (the biggest motor won). Another, after nearly clipping the reef, then took at least 20 minutes to manoeuvre onto a mooring and he had stern and bow thrusters and twin engines but still had difficulties.