After a rude 41/2 months’ interruption to our cruising life, we have left the marina with a mix of excitement and apprehension!
Our friend Trevor joined us on Sunday from Melbourne. He will be on board for a couple of weeks. We all need a gentle, relaxed period during which we are not pushing too hard too quickly. We are slowly getting used again to life afloat and continuing to heal. Trevor is a bit worried about getting seasick, so it is a good excuse to mill around the reasonably protected waters along Stradbroke and Moreton Islands rather than venturing further north while he is with us.
It was so odd on Monday, turning the engines on, casting the lines off and backing out of our pen… “must not hit anything… straight out, pivot and get out of there”! Our gym mates had been asking ´when are you coming back?’ – ‘we are not’ was the answer with a weird mix of sadness and joy. What a momentous day!
We have not got very far this last week, but we have had a relaxed and social time.
On our first day out, Linda and Peter who we met at the gym, had invited us to their beach shack at Currigee for a sumptuous lunch and copious wine tasting! What a way to celebrate Linda’s birthday and our freedom. Thank you, guys, for your hospitality and burgeoning friendship.
Next was another tiny hop along the back of South Stradbroke Island, to Dux Anchorage where we stayed for two nights. Bengie enjoyed her first small beach walks in several months. Not a lot of trotting, but plenty of rubbing herself in the sand and leaf litter with glee. Despite the strong wind and a few showers, we were able to get out and about ashore: a couple of loop walks, one south with a lunch stop at Tipplers, the other north which ended up being a long 15kms meander along the beach then through the sand dunes in search of an elusive track! We suspect part of the track disappeared under the advancing sand dunes. We were tired and ravenous by the time we got back to Anui.
Chris managed to do a stretch session on deck afterwards on both days. The boys were a bit less active after our big walks: passed out having a snooze in the cockpit!
Our next hop was to the Canaipa Passage, a nice little stop for a dinghy run ashore at Russell Island: coffee and cake, some extra fresh fruit and treats. The rain increased when we returned to Anui and there was nothing much to do but nap… Total relaxation!
Although we have motored everywhere to date, and all the anchorages are familiar to us, it is so good to be back on the move, enjoying a carefree bobbing about in company. And to Trevor, it is all a new and enjoyable experience which is always fun to see.
It is hard to describe how we feel but just imagine an awakening of the senses after a life on hold for months. There is delight at the smells, the gentle movement of the boat, the sounds of the wind, birds, ocean, the water lapping at the hulls, and more than anything there is a sense of gratitude that the hard stuff is all behind us.
Sv-Anui 
Yay!! I’m so glad that you guys are back onboard Anui! Have a great time and get rested. 😎❤️
Hi John, we were always on Anui, just stuck in a marina for the four months of treatment. Much nicer floating around at anchor and able to move again!
Right, I didn’t word my comment well did I, oops! Enjoy that sunshine and fresh air!
All good!😊
Great to hear that you’re back afloat! Enjoy!
Thanks Jan!
Oh I partially know that feeling! (Although my medical issues were nothing compared to yours, and voluntary). Welcome back to cruising! There is definately something in the brain that ‘anticipates and excites in freedom’, and ‘new adventures,’ after a long haitus….
Very well put Trish! Even with so so weather we are enjoying our freedom.
Well done to both of you. It has been a challenging time but as you say the hard work is now behind you. What a fortunate location you had with Marina Mirage, as it served a very important purpose, but I know how much you’ll enjoy returning to your treasured nomadic sea life. Look forward to catching up somewhere on the water!
Hiya Amanda, I am sure we will soon look upon the past months as a blip in our sea wanderers’ life. More healing to do but a lot more fun ahead! See you out there!
Is that like “Elvis has left the building”?
Great news that you are back on the move, and really thought your tips about dealing with cancer were excellent.
Hopefully we might catch up with you further north. We are due in Whitsundays for the whole of July ( well we might actually go further afield). Enjoy easing back into things in Moreton Bay.
Thanks Meredith for the feedback and yes it is like Elvis has left the building 😜. Hope we see you on the water in a couple of months.
Fantastic you are back on the move and finding your sea legs again
Yay! Sailing and 15 km walks…… Things are looking up. Happy cruising mateys!
Thanks Elgar, nice mix of exercise and wind in the sails feels good!
Yoo hoo! glad that life is moving forward again.
15km is a serious walk on sand. Well done.
May you have fair winds …
Nice sail today. 15 km slog in the sand was not planned or at least not that long… lucky the night rain made the dunes quite hard!
Hello sailors
Welcome back to the sea. It was good to read that you are on your way and from what you have said you are enjoying it again. Looks like you are soooo fit with a 15k walk. Your recovery Chris is progressing so well, it has been a journey. Enjoy.
All going well here, it would be good if the rain stopped though. No golf.
Love Sue
Hello Sue, yes it is good to be back to cruising. We have had so-so weather but it does not matter. Trying to stay active as the back is playing up.
Oh no Chris, even after all the work you put in with exercising. I hope you get it under control soon. I hope the boat movement Is not contributing to it or maybe too long a walk. It finally seems to be getting better with the rain here, I hope the same goes for you.
Love S
Too long a walk and dragging the dinghy over sand banks does not help!