Gone Cruising

We shouted ourselves breakfast in Maclean while we read the newspaper. Paul then drove Angela and Robert's car to their boat on the otherside of the river (they had given it to us to use over the weekend with Sam being here, which was lovely of them). I then picked Paul up in the dingy. We topped up with water and headed back down river under the Harwood bridge and anchored at Illuka.

29 April
Indali woke us up leaving to go around the corner to complete their makeover, tsounding the fog horn near our window.

During the day Paul ran the cable for the internet up the mizzen and we have increased the signal strength significantly. We then took the yacht around the corner and had a cuppa and glass of wine with Indali, Sue and Gary.

We take Sam to the Grafton train station at 2am so she gets back to Brisbane before work at 6.30am. The train actually arrived one and half hours late so she arrived late anyway.

We also rang and organised the bridge opening for 3pm tomorrow.

28 April
Went ashore and walked the town of Maclean with Sam. Then drove the car to Yamba for morning tea showing Sam the ocean. Returning we had Robert and Angela over for a cuppa.

27 April
Sam coming from Brisbane, we are picking her up from the train at Grafton, Angela and Robert have kindly given us their car to pick her up. We left at 1pm, picked up some eyelets, cables and other bits and pieces before seeing a movie.

We picked Sam up at 8.25pm and headed back to the boat with a takeaway pizza.

25 April
Anzac Day
Hearing bagpipes we went ashore and saw the Anzac march, lead by a pipe band.

24 April
Brushgrove to Maclean
Waiting for the fog to lift we motored down stream. We wanted to tie up at the jetty but the tidal current was so strong we anchored to wait for the tide to slacken.

23 April
Brushgrove to the Cane Derrick
We waited for the heavy fog to lift before motoring down river. The bearing for anchoring is a cane derrick on the bank. Nearing it we saw Indali and anchored near them, going on board for a cuppa.

It is lovely and quiet, lots of birdlife and we decided to stay overnight and then return to Maclean tomorrow.

22 April
Col took us to the Palmer Island airfield. The plane was taken out of the hanger. While Col visited a sick friend we took Col's car and explored the Yamba Community markets for one hour. Returning we took off and were astounded by the size of the Clarence River, we also viewed the coastline and the bar entrance.

We saw Col's ultralight but it did not fly today.

Returning we had an avo rest before having a lovely dinner with Col and Jan (a huge fish) and had a lovely night watching the storm clouds and lightening in the background-keeping a close eye on Cockatoo II on the mooring.

21 April
Grafton to Brushgrove
Motored on high tide and took the mooring in the river. We went for a cuppa at Col and Jan's.

20 April
Ulmarra to Grafton
Motored and passed under powerlines which are 21 metres above HWS. We have anchored just before the Grafton Bridge. Prawn Trawlers pass up and down the river each day (weekends excepted).

19 April
Brushwood to Ulmarra
Motored to Ulmarra and explored this lovely town, old buildings, craft and art shops finishing off with lunch at the pub.

17 April
Maclean to Brushwood
Motored to Brushwood passing Esoteric on the way. We picked up a mooring. We wandered the little townsite of Brushwood and Cowper. Had a drink and read the paper at the pub. On the way back we were called over by a couple for a cuppa in thier home. Col and Jan had lived on a boat for five years and settled in Brushwood. Paul did some auto electrical work for them and Col will take Paul for a flight in a plane. We had a sundowner aboard.

16 April
Angela and Robert lent us thier car and we checked to see if our mail had arrived at Harwood, which it had not. We then drove to Yamba (to collect 20 liters of oil and Illuka to exchange books and explored the region a bit. We had a lovely day out.

15 April - Ashby
Picked Peter and Mary from Tahaa up and headed to Ashby for the community Markets. This is a lovely townsite (no shops) lovely and green, quiet and peaceful and I felt like I was in a time warp. The markets had a variety of fresh vegetables, jams and secondhand goods situated in a lovely public gardened site. We purchased breakfast,some chutneys and jam, second hand books before returning back to the boat where we had a cuppa with Angela and Robert before having lunch and a quiet afternoon. Tomorrow we will take the dingy down to Harwood near the bridge and pick up our mail-if it has arrived.

14 April
Spending the morning exploring Maclean we returned with the newspaper and had lunch aboard and retired having a avo nap. We moved the boat across to the other side of the river and anchored. Later that evening we joined Tahaa for a sundowner and a game of 500's.

13 April
We borrowed Robert and Angela's car, filled to the brim with gas bottle and jerry cans and with Col and Di took off to Grafton to fill the jerry cans with diesel. We had a time looking around Grafton and a lovely drive back returning on the Lawrence side of the river and crossing the river by a (free) car ferry. It took us ages to put the fuel in the boat. Meanwhile Tahaa arrived and took the jetty where Esoteric had been (they went further up the river) and we went to a pub for a meal that evening finishing the evening off with a game of 500's.

12 April-Mclean
Getting up early we joined Indali in a trip further up the river where they removed the mast, an interesting procedure with a huge crane. After the mast was lifted Indali anchored just of Maclean and we returned back to our boat to find Esoteric moored in front of us.

That evening Robert and Angela, and Di and Col (Esoteric) came over for drinks with Robert and Angela staying for dinner.

11 April-Yamba to Maclean
When it was high tide we took off up the river negotiating the Hole in the Wall behind a ferry. We raised the A-symetric with a nice breeze before turning the bend up the Clarence and anchored just infront of the Harwood Bridge opposite the Sugar Mill. The bridge rang to tell us that they would be 30 minutes late.

The opening of the bridge was interesting as it took two people and they open the bridge to the high required to get us under waving us through. Just past the bridge we took the free jetty at Maclean "The scottish town in Australia". The jetty has power and water available. We are allowed to stay three days before having to move. Indali was also on the jetty so we called in for a cuppa.

10 April-Yamba
Went into the township of Yamba and met up with Angela and Robert (Indali) whom took us for a car ride around and lunch at the Tourist info centre on the river. Dropping us back in Yamba at our dingy. I wanted then to see the Gary Winter (Marine Artist) shop at the marina so we dingied up to the marina and Sherbro had just arrived so after checking the art out we had a sundowner on board Sherbro with Ron and Delores.

Paul booked the Harwood Bridge opening (24 hours required) for 3pm tomorrow.

9 April
North Solitary Island to Illuka Yamba-35 nm
The wind reducing we rose early at 6.00 putting the main up before dropping the mooring rope. The wind was still strong and again we sailed comfortably at an average of 6-7 knots with just the main up. The vang broke during our trip but we could still sail okay without it.

Coco is not impressed with the lumpy seas and tries to fit into the smallest spaces, under the washing machine, in our jackets. The minute we stop she is full of beans. At least she does not get sick. When we went to lunch she demolished a full toilet roll-paper everywhere (she got us back!!)

Crossing the bar was okay, the charts show the bar as shallow in parts but Paul negotiated it well and followed the leads in, we were so glad to be in the channel where it was calm and protected from the wind. We motored down the river and tied up at the Yamba Shores Tavern where we had a shower before having a huge burger and a couple of well deserved beers.

Moving on after lunch we took a mooring near the townsite of Yamba. We will sleep well tonight and then head off to explore the town tomorrow.

8 April
Coffs Harbour to North Solitary Island-27 nm
With the sun out we decided to head off from Coffs Harbour at 9.30am making our way to North Solitary Island which is half way to Illuka Yamba. The wind was Southerly 15-25 knots gusting to 30 Knots. The swell was 2-3 metres. It was a reasonable comfortable trip with the swell behind us. With such a good wiind we had our main up and sailed at an average of 5-6 knots. Arriving at 2.30 we picked up a mooring off the north side in Inner Bay on North Solitary Island. The anchorage was very rolly and we went to bed early not sleep very well due to the conditions. Paul getting up during the evening to check that the mooring rope was not chaffing through.