It’s hard to believe that 2016 has been relegated to the history books and 2017 is already rocketing along. When we left Cooktown last year, heading north to the Flinders Islands in Bathurst Bay, I had every intention of keeping the blog updated. Of course, I should have known that the Telstra map showing coverage in that area was perhaps a little optimistic. For almost four weeks we were without phone, internet or contact with the outside world. I have to say it was blissfully peaceful.

Once we returned to sporadic coverage I found it difficult to give up precious writing and exploring time to fight the internet to post a blog. Face Book and Instagram – for reasons I don’t understand – still worked with limited coverage where a browser on my computer froze…

So a short run down from my last post? We’ve been to Flinders Island, Lizard Island, sailed down the exquisite Ribbon Reefs, played at Agincourt Reef, Orpheus Island, Magnetic Island and moored Roobinesque in Townsville for almost three months. With Roobi safe we spent a month in the UK celebrating Christmas with family and friends. When a family illness took Graham back to the UK I spent five weeks redrafting my latest novel, almost from scratch, loving the cool quiet of the Townsville library. Fingers crossed I’ll have a release date soon, but these things are never certain and the book is a  departure from my romantic suspense stories. Meanwhile I’ve started another story, one to follow on from Northern Heat.

Today Graham and I are anchored in the Burnett River, with plans to sail to Hervey Bay on Saturday. Whilst there’s still outstanding family business to finalise we’re planning to sail to New Caledonia this year. I can’t imagine how widespread internet coverage will there so I make no promises about the blog in 2017. Although I do promise to drop in as often as I can. The year ahead will be full of adrenalin charged adventure and challenges that will take us out of comfort zone! I hope you’ll join us on that journey on FB, Instagram and here on the blog.

I’ll leave you with a few of my favourite photos from the end of 2016