Helene Young's Blog, page 9

It’s been a strange old week. The forecast winds haven’t dropped below 25 knots (50 kms/hr) and the gusts have been considerably stronger. We’ve stayed anchored in Double Bay along with another couple of boats, all cocooned in our own little worlds. Roobinesque’s been tugging at her anchor while Wilbur the Wind generator continues to [...]

We’ve had a smorgasbord of delights over the last week. 7 days ago we were hauled out at Shute Harbour and Roobinesque had her propellor seals changed. 6 days ago our friends arrived from Cairns and we set sail with a near perfect forecast. It’s always great to catch up with friends and being able [...]

So there we were, just about to set off from Macona Inlet to head to Stonehaven, and Capt G checked the oils in the engines. There are two dipsticks per engine – one for the main motor and the other for the sail drive which runs the propellor. Sadly, when we pulled the sail drive [...]

My words will never do it justice so here’s Shaw Island and its magnificent diversity captured in photos.

We were up with the sun this morning at Thomas Island as the promised wind shift arrived early. (I know weather forecasting is not an exacting science, and I appreciate they work very hard, and I don’t wish to sound ungrateful, but in the last two weeks the weather’s been leading the forecast by 12 [...]

One of my Face Book friends, Evelyne, asked me about the naming of the islands that we’re visiting and her question sent me off on a mission. While Capt G sailed us from Goldsmith Island to Thomas Island I delved back into the history of the area. I knew Captain Cook had named the Whitsunday [...]

We’re back on-line again after a busy four days alternating between being battered by the wind or becalmed! Such is this sailing life. As we entered the Telstra black-hole around Shoalwater Bay (which some of you will know is a Military Training Area so it’s understandable why Defence may not want their troops having access [...]

Anyone else remember that advertising campaign from the 1980′s when the Queensland Resort Islands were at their peak? It’s been 26 years since our first visit to Great Keppel when I flew north as a brand new private pilot with Graham and some of my fellow trainees. Eight years later my first job with QantasLink [...]

Guten Abend, meine Freunde, My name is Wilhelm and I am the Silent Wind generator aboard Roobinesque. (I have no idea why but the lady of the vessel insists on calling me Wilbur, as though I’m a slow moving cart-horse. Clearly I am a hardworking powerhouse, made with German precision, so I thought I should [...]

The weather gods smiled on us today. It all started with our early departure from Bundaberg and a sublime sunrise. They don’t get much better than this in my humble opinion. Then the wind started to blow from the south-west and Roobinesque kicked up her heels and headed north with the spray flying from her [...]