Since my last update, it’s been a bit of a roller coaster ride, but the main reason I am posting is to say that the circumnavigation has finished for now. Pete and I have decided to stop, focus on building his business, and bring Wine-Dark Sea back to Sydney. I am also resuming my job, although with a different focus, sometime in January, which will help pay the bills! We have found a great place to rent, back in Freshie and moved in on 23 December, with our bed, sofa, coffee machine and a case of wine. Whilst we are used to living simply, we will be sourcing the other necessities for living on land, once the festive season madness is out of the way!
We also have a mooring for WDS ready for when she gets home, though we are yet to work out the best way to bring her back. We are looking at various options including by road, as this may mean we get her home sooner. If she is to sail home, we would prefer to do this ourselves, rather than get a delivery skipper, but this will need to wait until after Cyclone season. If this is the case, then we may well time our delivery to take in the northern regatta season, to make the most of being in the area already.
In the meantime, I popped up to Darwin while Pete competed in the inaugural Newport to Coffs Harbour, race on About Time, a beautiful Cookson 50. Of course they took line honours, but only after a fierce battle for the last eighty or so miles. Needless to say the trip home, was much faster than the race up, completed in under twenty four hours as compared to a race time of forty hours!
My trip was also two contrasts, travelling Jetstar up, with empty suitcases, no food or entertainment, and returning Qantas Business Class with all the luxuries and two very full suitcases! As all our worldly possessions are on board WDS, we needed to bring a heap of “can’t live without it” stuff back, plus it was a chance to see that she is holding up in the hot weather. The dehumidifier is doing its job, and she is currently dry with no sign of mould anywhere, however, the monsoon is yet to break in Darwin, so it will be interesting to see what happens when it is raining more.
With all this change happening in our lives it’s been a busy and tiring festive season for us, but so wonderful to see friends and family again, and spend plenty of time on video calls to family and friends around the world. We were lucky enough to get out on boats, spending the Big Boat Challenge with our dear friends on Pilgrim on Sydney Harbour, and with Pete racing from Pittwater, I was able to sail with Will on Cygnet, his beautifully designed twenty foot gaffer. We also spent time with Sylvie and some of her Clipper crew mates, this time showing them proudly round our beautiful city, before they headed off with the Sydney to Hobart fleet on Boxing Day. All these experiences helped firm up our resolve to be back home, and be able to make the most of the area we live in, until we are ready to head off again.
Thats all for now, and here are a few photos from the last few weeks.
winedarkseablog 