Tomorrow is D-day for our 2015-16 Summer Cruise and we can’t wait! Just think: eight weeks on board Take It Easy, bringing her back from Yeppoon in Queensland, to Port Albert near Wilson’s Promontory in Victoria. Although to most land-lubbers the thought of being cooped up on a boat for that long is hard to fathom, to us it is just bliss.
We have had a year of thrilling highs, generally linked to planning and experiencing wonderful sailing trips with friends and family. But we have also had distressing lows: an unsettled workplace marred with countless restructures, the debilitating blow of my Mum’s death and its aftermath, and then dealing with difficult aged care issues for Wade’s Mum. All we can say is thank god we have dreams, good friends and exciting projects to keep us going.
So on the 4th December, the two of us and our pussycat are flying north to Rockhampton. We will be provisioning the boat that day, then will cast the mooring lines for the start of a precious adventure southward of some 1200 nautical miles.
For those interested, you can track the boat’s location on http://www.marinetraffic.com If you have not done this before, you have to set up an account (which is free and just means providing your email). You can then set up your ‘fleet’ so you only track the boats you want and enter our vessel’s name in upper case – you guessed it: TAKE IT EASY!
We are hoping to post updates a couple of times a week to share our odyssey, depending on internet service availability. The fortnightly Bird Photography posts and weekly One Four Challenge will most likely pause for two months.
We love to hear from you too, so while we are at sea, don’t be strangers; if you enjoy our stories and photos or have questions, leave a few words on the website. We are gluttons for comments and likes!
Sv-Anui 
Bon voyage mes amis
Merci – see you at the Prom in 2 months!
Welcome to hot, sunny Queensland! We very much look forward to catching up with you on your journey south (as well as a long overdue mush from Bengie). Trish sv Sengo
See you soon guys!😍
Bon voyage, I hope your troubles stay ashore and you have a wonderful relaxing journey bringing the boat home.
Thanks Leanne. Only one more sleep and we can get back into sailing and photography… I haven’t touched my camera in ages, so this time away from it all will be fantastic in some many ways.
I hope you enjoy your trip. 🙂 I look forward to reading about your adventures!
Hi Louise, yes a bit of escapism will do us wonders.
Safe travels, can’t wait to hear about your adventures. You deserve a nice holiday 🙂
That’s what we reckon too, Viki! Enjoy your own sailing adventures and have fun.
enjoy every minute Chris and Wade. I know that you will. I hope that well catch up with you on your way down. Mwah
Time for fun at last! We will see you in the river for sure – may be you can join us before or after Port for a few days? Will email or call to chat. Bisous to you both!
Best wishes for a safe and fun voyage. I guess I qualify as a confirmed landlubber, because it’s hard to imagine two months on a boat. Will your cat be with you?
Hi Mike, yes Bengie is coming too! Air flight fir the pussycat too😸
One of the highlights of your voyages for me is seeing shots of Bengie. Of course you and Wade are cool too, but I have a special soft spot for animals.
Well I’ll make a point if including a few in the posts🐾
Have a wonderful time!
We will😊
Bon Voyage!
Merci Pam!
Very sorry to hear about your mum’s death – 2015 hasn’t been an easy year for us either with my dad’s death and various uncertainty about work so we can understand what you’re going through. Great that you’ll get to escape to the boat for a while! Enjoy and fair winds!
-Ellen
Hi Ellen – yes more than any other year this two months’ break is very much needed. We have had our first night aboard, now we need to unwind! Sorry to hear you too lost a parent. It is life, but it is hard.
bon voyage!!
Merci😊
Just signed into Marine watch and you haven’t signed in yet. such sadness. Have a great trip. Wish I was there
We are last registered as underway to Great Keppel. Just click on your ship’s list and TIE at last recorded position. We are currently anchored with the AIS turned off. Will be around GK for a few days while the wind is blowing in the wrong direction!
HI FOLKS, all good things must come to an end and your photo”s and stories were terrific. Myself & lots of people have learnt so much from your island sails & great bird stories. Will be with you all the way home, Do hope you have good weather for the trip, cheers TERRY.
Hello Terry! Nice to know you enjoy our stories. Two months of sailing fun ahead of us. Although we are waiting for a few days before heading for the reef, we are enjoying the Keppels.
Great job of actively following your dreams!
Thanks Eliza – it helps to share the same passion as partners!