My new tomorrow begins today…
Thursday 11th June 2015 – Farewell to Flo
It seems this story is to be bookended by sadness; we lost my father a week after I decided that my dreamed-of future would be real and now we’ve lost Richard’s Mum, Flo, just as we were due to leave. The courage, humour and goodness of this woman were truly inspirational; she had touched so many lives in the communities in Bay of Islands, NZ. Flo took particular interest in helping those who needed it most and there are countless stories of people who are grateful for her encouragement. In her final days, she continued to laugh and sing, reminding us many times of the motto by which she lived her life; ‘Be kind to each other’. Be at peace now Flo; we will miss you.
Saturday 13th June 2015 – We’re off!
A late night arrival from Auckland yesterday made even later by a flat battery on arrival at the Tullamarine long term crt park. A 
funny feeling of being in limbo, staying the night in an empty unit that we’d already moved out of 10 days ago. Finally on the boat this morning; after some stowing and tidying and farewells, the lines are cast off and we’re underway at last. Ian and crew have left Brighton ahead of us on Kingurra, accompanying us down to Queenscliff for a farewell dinner.
The BOM forecast says we should be out early, so alarms are set for 4:30am amidst moans and groans but no mutiny. The idea of a pitch black departure makes me slightly uneasy but it will be nearly dawn by the time we get to the Heads. It’s showing a 15-20knot headwind on Tuesday so we decide to change the itinerary and pull into Refuge Cove to sit it out for a day and wait for the wind to swing behind us for the run up the coast to Eden. David makes a last minute decision to join us and arranges to walk out of Refuge Cove then be picked up for a lift back to Melbourne. Tomorrow the adventure begins!
Sunday 14th June 2015 – An ignoble beginning 🙁
My sense of direction is legendary for all the wrong reasons. Coming out of the cut at Queenscliff I prove the reputation justified once again by mistaking the port channel marker for the starboard one and promptly running us aground. In my defence, they’re not green and red pylons at the entrance; just little cones that are unlit and hard to see. With some vigorous rocking we manage to dislodge ourselves and Richard takes the helm so I can navigate. Lonsdale VTS clears us to proceed and we cross the bar at 6:30am. There’s a gentle swell and we all enjoy our first Bass Strait sunrise as we glide eastwards on a comfortable beam reach, doing 7-8 knots under sail. Alternating between motor sailing and sailing when the breeze is up enough, aiming to time the arrival at Refuge Cove for daybreak tomorrow morning. Autohelm working beautifully – hopefully the initial glitch was the first and last (touch wood!).
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