With all the boat maintenance and medical dramas over, we have officially left Queensland not to return for a while! We have started our trek south. Final destination by the end of the year: Melbourne, Victoria.
First stop: Yamba
The weather has been fickle, switching back and forth between southerlies and northerlies in quick succession. We exited the Gold Coast Seaway as soon as the breeze was favourable last Saturday night for a 100nm overnight passage to Yamba. Unfortunately, it was a motor all the way in rather choppy seas but sitting at Yamba for a few days beats being trapped on the Gold Coast, especially with the wild storms which descended on the region!
The Humpback whales were travelling too, and we saw a couple breaching early in the morning.
After a 15-hour passage, we crossed the Clarence River Bar and anchored for a few days at Whiting Beach, a favourite anchorage of ours.
Click on the individual images to display in full screen.
As we have previously mentioned, Yamba with its small coastal holiday town feel may well be where we eventually settle. We introduced ourselves at the local marina where Anui has been on the waiting list for a pen. They know the boat since this is where she was built over 25 years ago, and if they’d like a good-looking vessel in one of their berths, she is resplendent! The marina is small so it could take a while. If and when we move here, there is always the option of a mooring, unless we buy a house on the canals with a pontoon.
Our two previous catamarans are berthed in Yamba… Medina and Take It Easy… an omen!
Record breaking October heat (38oC in Yamba) gave way to rain for two days, which was a good test of the seals on the windows and hatches! Thanks Geoff of Millenium Marine Australia for doing a great job of resealing them all after the repaint. We did get one dribble, but it was from a deck fitting he forgot to reseal… easily fixed. Despite the weather, we still managed to get the drone out for some moody shots.
After the highly stressful months, it was nice to relax, dream a little, take Bengie for a beach walk, and plan for what happens next. We are both really tired, so floating around for a few days catching up on some sleep and letting our brains slow down a bit, was just what we needed.
And we were delighted to catch up with Mick & Lyn, the owners of Medina who were over from Mackay busily working on her maintenance. We had lunch with them and exchanged a few stories of boat fixes!
Organising things in Victoria
While floating in Yamba, we have been busy organizing things for our return to Victoria. Chris’s place in Brunswick has been rejuvenated, ready for new owners. It is now officially for sale. First open day this weekend! As we said to the Estate Agent, it is all becoming quite real suddenly! Three weeks of campaign, then auction on November 22nd! Better be somewhere with internet and phone coverage on that day! Here is a link to the listing.
https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-brunswick-149466336
As for the Jan Juc house, it will be vacant at the end of November. Wade has organized tradespeople to get the floorboards sanded and recarpeting done in December before we move back in. Painting will have to wait till March unfortunately, but this will give us an opportunity to take a little jaunt on Anui while it gets done! Whether we end up moving north or staying at Jan Juc, the work needs to be done to tidy the place up for us or for sale!
It has been good to focus on our transition back to land life while waiting for the weather. By Thursday the breeze had switched back from south to north and we headed off again.
Second stop: Coffs Harbour
Our next stop was at Coffs Harbour, a short 55 nm hop further south. The coast on either side of Coffs is another possibility for a land base, and Anui is on the wait list for a berth there too, so you guess it, we made ourselves known at the marina. They have just added a new floating jetty to their facilities with big berths, perfect for us. Coffs has a vastly different feel to Yamba; it is a busy place, but the Northern or Southern Beaches outside of the main township are appealing, as is the hinterland, and with decent hospital facilities and an airport, it is quite convenient.
With the breeze still favourable for a while, we are continuing southward.
Join us next Friday on our hops to Port Macquarie, Broughton Islands and Barrenjoey!
Sv-Anui 
Now that the really stressful stuff is out of the way…. look forward to seeing you ‘down South.’
See you on land after Christmas!
Wow, such beautiful photos, guys! Anui looks so shiny and beautiful, I can really see the difference. I like that house, it’s attractive and has lovely colors. I just got home from the hospital this afternoon, the surgery went well on my carotid artery. No longer 80% blocked! Be well, guys, it’s good to see your new post! 🇦🇺❤️☺️
Wow, John, such a quick operation. Hope your recovery goes well. Yes, it is good to be finally underway. Glad you enjoyed the pictures.
I sure did! The surgery was about two hours, the recovery will be fast, I just can’t drive for a few days and not lift more than 5 or 10 pounds for a couple of weeks. The scar is about 5 inches long! Have a great weekend, guys. ❤️
It’s amazing what the medicos can do with minimally intrusive interventions. Be well, John!
Yes indeed, and thank you so much! ☺️❤️
Your 3 drone photos around Whiting beach look like there might have been a wave at Turners beach (if I’m interpreting google maps correctly). Did Wade have a surf?
No Murray, it was onshore! Nobody there in the water and Wade does not like going by himself. It’d be ok in different conditions at Turner’s.
Thanks. 12 Downs street is looking pretty!
Yes, they did a good job to freshen it up. It looks a bit stark for our liking with the monotone furnishings and painting but we were told it will appeal to the younger generation!
I was going to write that I thought it looked better with your furnishings, but wanted to be positive. Hopefully the agents are correct and you have a great result
I guess the whole aim is to dress it up simply and to let people imagine living there.
Eha’s perchance odd choices of favourite photos this week : that of Bengie lying on the timber shelf (what a gorgeous pose and look!) and those new berths at Coffs! Hmm, way back when, remember talking to you about Yamba over Coffs for you in my book . . . but these look away from the clamour of the now tourist city and needed facilities are closer, so . . . ? Barrenjoey by next Friday . . . yoicks, I better plan on getting to the lookout above the Gong soonest 🙂 !
Hiya Eha, the end game for a land base is very much up in the air. Wade and I were just talking about doing a road trip if we decide we are leaving Victoria to see a few spots along the NSW coast and cast the net a bit wider! Might visit you on the way next year! There are lots of nice spots in the hinterland away from Coffs central. But if Wade still wants beach access to surf, these won’t work! Ah the waiting to see how we both feel…
Dunno ? I know you are ‘Melbourne folk’ and enjoy your trips around Tasmania . . . I just somehow feel that on a permanent land basis you would be happier in warmer climes and so would the Anui . . . am ‘mind-travelling’ up and down the Coast which I know well from Victoria up to the Gold Coast . . . hmm ??? But ‘looking’ could bring surprises . . . good luck and enjoy . . .
Visiting and getting a feel will do the trick.
Being a frustrated architect-who-wanted-to-be > just looked at the plans for your house going on sale. I must be ‘young’ as I have always liked and do love the monotones (you should see me here 🙂 !) and I do like your floor plan and that beautiful big yard at the back! Good luck > you should get the price !!!
It presents well. We enjoyed living there when still working… it was our week days place, being so close to the city. Jan Juc and the boat were our weekenders!
So good to hear you making progress south now & at your own speed. Sounds like everything is starting to fall in to place with your land transition. We hope to catch up with you back home! What a coincidence that is, seeing your previous two boats in Yamba. Lots of memories there.
Yes the ducks are lining up for our return. It would be great to see you in a different environment… looking forward to it. It was fun to see our previous boats, and clearly see the progression, but it was also tinged with sadness as neither are in the condition we sold them in. So many years of boating!
It was great catching up with you guys in Yamba look forward to seeing you again.
Like the shine on Anui. Medina will be shining as well soon. Coffs Harbour looks like it is getting the infrastructure in place.
We believe your house will sell easily.
Cheers Mick & Lyn
You’ll have to send us photos when the work on Medina is finished! Yes, Coffs is getting organised. Big berths with super fenders, so really handy.
Fingers crossed for the house auction!
Hi Chris & Wade
Love the photos as always. We had a nice stay in Coffs marina on way back to Pittwater. The new arms look a little stark but I’m sure with time they will blend in to the pretty background there. Safe travels south & we will keep an eye out for shiney Anui over WE. Love to say hi if time allows. Good luck with the houses.
Hi Lindy,
The new arm at Coffs was empty so it looked odd, but very well set up with super fenders! We really want to catch up too so will give you a ring when we are on our way to Barrenjoey. At Port Macquarie till Monday, then a hop to Fingal Bay or Broughton and one more to Coasters Retreat…