Russ&Suzie

Trip Log
2002-10-05 05:21:56 (UTC)

sailing from Fraser Island to Brisbane

SEveral people have hoped that we rest a bit. Well, that
was helped by the above wonderful sail from Fraser Island
known for its dingos (we didn't see any) to Brisbane.

We anchored off the famous island (a World Heritage Site)
awaiting a tailwind. Ivor Jones (our host) and crew on the
sailboat had to face it going north when they "punched
into" the then headwind but then it turned so that
generally we had head winds too, but gentler ones taht
didn't spray over the front nor put water into the foreward
cabin (in which we slept at night). But in fact there were
enough from the side that we got a wonderful sense of the
quiet but powerfulexperience that sailing without a motor
provides. The weather was sunny with fluffy clouds for the
most part. When anchored we visited the sandy shore and its
mangrove and gum trees (and of course the on shore loos and
showers that after several days afloat we felt most
grateful for).

At the end last night, we experienced some high adventure
in the form of bravura sailing because the motor went out
and Ivor with a great commanding presence (he is generally
a completely relaxed low key leader) took the helm with a
strong wind behind us and threaded his way in the marina
with the east wind's impetus giving out only at the very
end of the experience. It was fantastic demonstration of
sailing. But whole experience felt great, with wonderful
weather except for the prevailing wind direction. Ivor is a
wonderful host and his crew, John Cornelius from Cairns,
was the perfect example of how that should be best done. We
appreciated his presence as my (our) knowledge of
sailing had been miniscule. We know a little bit more
now (but not much still). But I did lots of reflection
and felt benefitted. Suzie was the picture of a
beautiful captain when she took the wheel and caught
"the groove."

The motor giving out meant that the trip was over for Ivor
too so he came to his flat in Brisbane with us and we just
had lunch together at a very large shopping mall just down
his street. He plans to give John Cornelius a call to see
how the snake story came out: John's wife called this
morning with the new that snake -- perhaps a python,
perhaps a poisonous one -- had gotten into their cattery
(they have several cats) on their mountainside forested
property. He does the snake handling for the family and
seemed eager to be on his way to handle this crisis. He had
many years of experience sailing, once traversing the
Atlantic, although this came out almost by accident. He
works as a biology researcher for the government ordinarily.

We heard from Del and Jeannette Smith who spent a splendid
time in Ireland (including a 70 mile hike for Del) and from
Lisa who got home safely with no resultant jet lag (at
least yet!). Lucky person. Allison and Kerby were in
England and Ann and Roger in Bainbridge Island. What a lot
of travel all of us are doing.

And am reading too; have tentatively concluded from my
readibng that the didgeridoo is in fact an Indiginous word.
Ivor had a classic book by A.K. Elkins on their cultures.
Have more to examine (especially by Berndt and Berndt).

Signing off, Russ




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