Bound for Rockhampton

No need for an early start so we had an 11.00am beer and discussed our plan.  We offered Keith a case of beer for his efforts on Kidnapped the previous day but he was adamant that what “goes around, comes around” and he may need help in the near future.  He didn’t want to screw with the karma fairies.

 

At around lunch time our little convoy of 2 left Great Keppel for Rockhampton.  It will be a 2 day trip.  The first to the mouth of the Fitzroy River and the second would be the trip up the river. 

 

Great day for sailing.  We hoisted the sails and were travelling along at 7 knots.  Love not using the motor… less things go wrong.  Keith and Pauline on Tan T’ien were motoring and it wasn’t long before we’d lost sight of them.  We were watching the water go from clear blue, to opaque green to muddy brown… paradise was behind us. 

 

At about 4pm my mobile rang (cause I suck at turning the VHF on), it was Keith.  They’d lost their gears.  They were hoisting their sails and would be stopping at Sea Hill and would see us some time in the future.  I assured him we’d meet him at Sea Hill.  We anchored at about 4.45pm and waited for Tan T’ien to arrive.  I don’t think Keith expected his “gone around” to come back as quickly as it did.

About 1 hour 30 mins later, Tan T’ien anchored nearby and Michael jumped in the dinghy to go and see them.  It was their damper plate.  Been there, done that and my bank account bares the scars to prove it!  Nothing could be done before Rockhampton.  Parts needed to be ordered, delivered, fitted.    

The next morning both boats hoisted sails and headed for the mouth of the Fitzroy River.  Tan T’ien weighs 30 tonnes and with the little amount of wind was not going anywhere in a hurry.  We rafted up to them and the boys secured the boats side by side.  Our motor was to propel us all the way to Rockhampton, but the steering was to be done from Tan T’ien.

Tan T'ien under sail

It was fun.  It was like having an extension.  We spent most of the time on their boat as it is bigger and has a lot of outdoor area under cover.  Pauline made sausage sandwiches for lunch and it was a very social event.  With the stop at Sea Hill our 2 day trip had turned into 3 days.  At about 3.30pm we stopped at Botony Point, about 10nm inside the Fitzroy River, and had to wait for the right tide the next day to get further up the river to our moorings.

 

Rafted up

 

 

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Pauline & Keith - our new terrace style neighbours

Everyone retired to their own quarters and Michael was not to be outdone by Pauline’s lunch efforts and he made up a huge batch of pikelets for the trip into Rocky the next day.

It’s now 20 September and at 9.20am it is the best time for the tides to get to the Fitzroy Motor Boat Club a further 20nm away.  Again hopping from boat to boat, eating pikelets with jam and sharing stories of sailing woe, we made it to our moorings at about 3.10pm.

 

Bugger me with a pitchfork… Rockhampton is hot! From the river, one block up to the pub, the temperature rises 10 degrees.  A couple of cool ales and Keith and Pauline made their way back to their boat whilst we made our way to Macca’s for a disgusting fast food fix.