We were at the Mackay Marina waiting for our Starlink antenna to arrive for over two weeks so have no exciting adventure to tell you about. But we have been living on board for six years now and have written a story about that!
This story was first compiled as a yachting article, and was accepted by Australian Multihull World for publication, but the editor made the decision to cease producing the printed magazine as of July 2023. Since the hard work was done we are now bringing the write-up to you as a cruise story instead.
To read or download « Reflections on six years afloat » click on the image below or go to our Cruise Stories Page, Sailing Anui section.
Sv-Anui 
That was a good read, congratulations on six years of adventures! 😎🇦🇺
Thanks John – nice to get your feedback.
You guys are welcome, it’s a pleasure to follow your adventures!
A delightfully honest disclosure of the cruising life. Even as half-time cruisers we experience similar highs and lows and in-betweens. One thing for sure is that time at home doing house and garden maintenance just makes me long for our next adventure.
Chris & Suzanne
Discovery II
Thanks guys. Always longing for something, no matter where you are!
How exciting to find this in my box just now . . . what a great read for the end of the day! Want to know where you have been, and are likely to go next 😉 ! Thank you for sharing a lifestyle I find fascinating but cannot imagine! Best of luck for making the next chapter come true . . . !
Hi Eha – always nice to get your comments and questions. We have hiding from strong wind and waiting for StarLink to arrive, so ended up staying at Mackay! Now sailing back to the reef for a few days of calmer weather!
Great thoughts on liveaboard sailing (and Life)! Thanks for sharing. It was certainly WAY too good to leave “unpublished” after putting in the effort to create.
Thanks so much for the kind words, Graham!
Very good to see you are underway again. Great article about the 6 years of life on board, the good, the bad and the ugly. Keep enjoying the warmth and salty air.
Hi Ann, yes it took longer than expected in Mackay but we are at the reef again exploring new spots.
Six years have gone quickly!
I enjoyed reading your article. Life for you has more plusses then minuses, which is great. Continue to enjoy your adventures
Hi Sue, yes on balance it is positive which is why we keep going!
Loved your internal insights and that with all the ups and downs you reveal you both manage to be content with all things (one of my favourite tenets). Great picture of you two, sitting contentedly at the stern! Here’s a toast to your health, that your bodies will continue to stand
up to the rigours of cruising sailing for many years to come!
So nice to get your comment, Elgar. We know you understand the cruising life firsthand. Thanks for the toast… cheers to you and Claire
Although I’m unable to spend as much time online as I used to, I actually think of you often, even though we never met and you simply appeared in my virtual life to inspire me! And this story along with incredible photographs, did just that, once again. Namaste!
Lovely to get your feedback, Janis. All the best.
Regret the closing of Australian Multihulls. I was writing for the sister magazine Australiasian Amateur Boatbuilder & Kitboats for about 5 years. Enjoyed it immensly & even got a little money for doing so. Sadly it has closed too. Like you I have a ouple of articles ready for printing but no magazine to take them. I’ve been posting previous articles on the Jarcat FB Group 3 months after the relevant edition of the magazine comes out.
(On a sneaky sideline I’ve managed to sneak a reference to Jarcats into each article 🙂
Hi Don, nice to hear from you. Sadly the Australian market is too small for magazines. People are also not prepared to pay for printed media and expect everything to be online and free! Having our own website helps and special interest groups are handy too as a way of sharing stories.
Hi to both of you. I’ve followed your articles with interest (& more than a little envy). The magazine articles brought in a little extra pocket money & I loved writing them (plus I managed to sneak in a free plug for Jarcats in each one). I’m helping Alan Turner sell the plans but only 2 to 4 sets a year as everyone these days wants the boat now rather than do the work to actually build it.
Working at getting a Jarboree up mid October in the Whitsundays this year but a lot of the old owners from Jarborees past have gone. Probably about 5 boats attending at this stage.
I’m still working occasionally & Lorraine has gone back to work as a part time relieving village manager with stints in Qld & WA & now back in Vic. (looks more like full time as the company dont have enough managers)
Would love to catch up with you both if we are ever in the same part of the Australia at any time.
Lovely to get an update of what you are up to, Don. A catch up in person would be nice if the stars align!
You have made an excellent description of how you two roll. Rock on!
Thanks Murray – an honest summary of the ups and downs.
Congrats on all the fantastic adventures you have had I think it was 15 years ago we met on the coast of Tassie and voyaging was a dream.
Thanks Mick. I think we met even further back as we had Bengie as a kitten and she is turning 17!