Some of you have been asking what happens now that our Tasmanian Voyage is over. Plenty is the answer! And yes we intend to keep posting and sharing with you the wondrous seascapes we are lucky enough to discover. So where to next?
First: Maintenance in the Gippsland Lakes
We have chosen to return to our old home port of Paynesville in the Gippsland Lakes to carry out some maintenance on Take It Easy. James and Tim at Frecheville Heaney Shipwrights have looked after TIE ever since we have owned her, and Medina before that, so it made sense to have them attend to the window reset and the rubbing strip at the bow that got damaged in Kettering. And Frank and Chris of Paynesville Marine Electronics, looked after the wind instrument replacement and additional battery monitoring. Both businesses fitted us in despite being flat out with other work commitments, so we are very grateful. We are here until next week while the adhesive on the window cures and we wait for favourable weather to leave.
Tim and James get the ‘goop’ ready, while Wade looks on
Window on deck, ready to be put back on
While in Paynesville we caught up with friends and the many people we got to know over the 15 years we moored here. So although we will have ended up staying in the Lakes for over two weeks, it has been really nice. As usual things always take longer than you’d hope, but we will leave with the next weather window, after the current Antarctic blast goes past, probably sometime next week.
Peaceful dawn at the Cruiser Club
Second: Passage North to Queensland
And now it is high time to head north to Queensland, to escape our southern winter. It may well take us one or two months to cover the 1200 to 1500 nm along the east coast of Australia. The plan is to sail with the cool and swift southerlies, prevalent at this time of year, and enjoy rests when the warm northerlies blow. We have dear friends we will catch up with in Bermagui, Sydney and Port Macquarie. And Wade has family in Brisbane… So there will be stops along the way! But we will keep a fairly steady pace to progress northward as quickly as possible, without doing overnighters or exhausting ourselves. As you can see on the chart below, there is a fair distance to cover!
And then: Winter at the Reef
Our next rivetting expedition is to the Great Barrier Reef. We have been to the Southern Reef before, but did not spend enough time there, so we are keen to explore its many cays and lagoons. Then there is the less frequented Swain Reefs, about 100 miles offshore northeast of Yepoon, which we have never been to before. Spending winter cruising in these tropical waters will be a very special treat. This Google Earth image shows the two areas.
Our plans are really exciting because we will be doing what we have dreamt of for many years. There is so much to discover! We also want to see the Reef before it is too late, as it is under extreme threat, with parts of it highly damaged by coral bleaching.
It goes without saying that we will have plenty to write about and photograph. If you enjoy our posts, stay on board with us as our virtual crew. You are in for another interesting adventure!
Sv-Anui 
It was great catching up with you last weekend, and I am sure you will be underway very shortly. Keep warm this weekend. It is so cold here, I can only imagine how cold it is there. I love it that I know exactly where you are moored right now.
It was really special to have you on board. Next time it will be somewhere warm! Yes it is very cold … 9 degrees as we dragged ourselves out of bed and put the thermals on! It looks like we will move to Lakes Entrance on Monday and leave the Lakes on Tuesday.
Can’t wait to read your posts and see all your pics!
Thanks Viki – We can’t wait either, it feels like winter has arrived already!
We can’t wait to see our dear sailing friends and cat on a cat of course.
It’s so beautiful here in Port Macquarie at the moment!
The view of the Hastings river always seems kind of incomplete without Take It Easy anchored out front.
The kettle is on.
xx
Hi you two! We are coming!!! It’s taking forever to get going… we have so much to tell you about!
Please sign me up as a VC (Virtual Crew). I’m pretty sure that the next adventure will be long and very interesting. I’ve noticed the workers and TIE are matching colors (First photo). How cool is that! 🙂
Yes HJ – regulation orange! You are signed up!
Hooray, you are nearly on the way. This cold blast it is like a farewell message – it’s well and truely time to head north. Happy sailing and don’t forget the coleslaw.
Hiya Annie! Yes it is so cold here all of a sudden! Coleslaw already made – thanks for that😋
Sign me on as another “virtual crew” please !
You are already signed up as a virtual crew, Doug, but you are welcome to be a physical crew any time you want! Just let us know!
Thanks, guys, I’d love to sometime; kind of you, so will bear in mind !
Have a wonderful trip. I would love to be sailing up there. Maybe next year. I returned a month or so ago from a 11 day sail around Flinders Island. Perfect warm sailing weather. Followed notes from your trip. Thanks.
Hi Rob – a gorgeous spot, still our favourite area. Glad our posts and articles helped! We might see you up north later.
Great plans enjoy
We sure will, thanks Mick!
PS the weather at the moment is enough to drive your north lol
Exactly – we were hoping to avoid the frigid weather of last year’s trip but we think we might be in for a repeat! The good thing is we’ll see whales again!
Safe sailing – and I wish you warm thoughts. It is starting to get cold here as well in upper west SA so we may be heading in the same direction sooner than we thought – once we do a bit of maintenance…. winch is fixed – now the tinnie is playing up….
Thank you Trish. There is always something, isn’t there! It is freezing in the Lakes but it looks like we are heading off on Tuesday! It will be a while before we get to warmer climes though…
Off you go on your next exciting adventure. I hope all the winds and waves will carry you safely on your journey. Bon Voyage. Hope to see you in Sydney town
Thank you Susie, we will definitely stop in Sydney to visit. Can’t wait to see you! 🐳🐬😻
Safe travels, enjoy… we will look forward to seeing your photos and posts as you travel north and if time allows and if you are passing by we would love to catch up with you for a cuppa, chat & kitty cat catchup in Pittwater or along the Hawkesbury.
Hi Phil and Lindy – we are sure to let you know once we get close! Still in the Lakes but getting ready to go!