Rockingham preparations

This week it is all preparation for the sail to Rockingham with the club. We plan on leaving Friday morning and Dan and Katrina will be doing the same in Camelot. It is the March long weekend here, so will not be returning until Monday which gives us a nice four day break. Bob has put his hand up to come along with us and also Ross from sea rescue, so it looks like I will be galley girl again feeding the men. Not too worried about that as it is good to know we have some experienced sailors on board, so if the sea conditions aren't the best I can go below and hide under a pillow.
The following weekend looks like being a rottnest trip as Lyndon, Cherie and the kids want to do a weekend over there again.
The weather in Perth has been horrible, real Pt Hedland weather, steamy and hot, so have spent most of it indoors or in the pool. It has been too hot to do any maintenance on the boat. We will probably have to leave any of that and most of the preparation to late in the evening when it is cooler.

The return trip

Well here we are, back home after a very mixed week. The blow lasted three days, the first night was paranoia, the second night was....this is just xyz uncomfortable, the third night I was so exhausted I fell into my bunk and didn't hear a thing, woke at 6.30am to hear the wind still howling. At this stage I was rather over being thrown around and rocked up and down so it was into the tender and to shore.
We had some rather hairy rides in the tender tooing and froing between the boat and shore, but became quite proficient at getting in and out of it in very ordinary conditions. On Saturday night we went over to the clubhouse for dinner and were interviewed by the local paper, so we had our photo in the South west times. We are hoping someone will send us a copy of it as a keepsake of our week down South.
The other yachts came back from there Busselton trip and it was good to catch up again.
It was a rather social week with the yachties, family and friends so it all went too fast.
Once the weather fined up we used the zodiac to do our shopping at Coles and to go across to Dome to meet up with our sister in law Ruth for lunch. Ed and Barb, friends of ours met us there as well. Dolphins are always in the bay and it was lovely to have them escort us across to Dome.
We had a chinese meal with Ed and Barb one night and to our great amusement Ed emptied his crock shoe of a pile of rice that had landed in it onto the table. Barbs comment was that she can't take him anywhere.
We joined the other cruising people there on another night to enjoy a banquet dinner with them all.
When the weather fined up  it was bliss to be able to swim off the back of the boat and relax after the beating we got, and as is always the way, just starting to relax and enjoy and it was time to weigh anchor and head back.
The first day we sailed to the Cut in Mandurah and moored there for the night. As we neared the cut we reached 8knots which put a huge smile on Als face. After the many times I have been anxious about sailing, I sat on the back seat and just marvelled at how M2 was in her element in these conditions and could only have the greatest admiration for a beautiful old girl who was doing what she loved best. It was very hot when we arrived, so persuaded hubby to take the tender off the back so I could have a swim. Alan, who was helping us sail back also jumped in too cool off. Not the best place to swim no doubt, but when you are hot, who cares. It was delicious in the cool water.
We also had another friend on board, Ed Stuart who has never sailed but wanted to come with us and experience it.
Frank cooked us a lovely steak for dinner, I heated up mushrooms, made deb potato and opened tins of peas and corn. All washed down with a 10 year old bottle of red donated by Ed. Desert followed and then all fell into bed after a fantastic sail and dinner.
Up and about at 5am to untie and head off for home. What can I say about that sail, flat sea, perfect wind, so breezing along at around 6knots. The only time we put the motor on was past Garden Island to get us to the shipping lane. Then it was back to blissful silence again for the rest of the trip.
We were priveleged to pass close by the Queen Mary 2 as it was arriving at Fremantle. What a beautiful ship! So lovely to see her being escorted in by the pilot boats, what luxury that would be on board her.
Our arrival at Mindarie was estimated to be between 4 & 5pm, but with the wind conditions near to perfect we were there earlier. I took the helm for the last bit and then the dolphins arrived and escorted us the last bit of the way. As Alan said, do we really have to go in here, maybe we could miss the entrance and keep going and I really had to agree, it was such a fantastic trip.
We are hoping for a repeat of this in about 4 weeks, so can only hope it will be as enjoyable as this trip was.

Bunbury stay

Frank & Bob sailed to Bunbury on their own, I drove down with Bob's wife Laura and spent the three days waiting for them to arrive in their caravan at Koombana RV Park.
The weather was pretty awful and it took them three days to get here, They moored on a Fremantle mooring at Woodman Point to wait out a blow. Thankfully Bob is still a member of the Fremantle sailing club so they were able to do this.
They arrived Tuesday afternoon and anchored outside of the Koombana sailing club. There were quite a few boats already anchored here as the Fremantle, Hillary's and South Perth clubs were doing a run to Geographe Bay.
That night we went and had a catch up with them all at the club and then back to enjoy Lauras dinner which she had prepared earlier in the slow cooker. Then it was in the tender and fight our way back to the boat. A very bumpy wet trip and was a little concerned for my cases as the water was coming over the front, but we made it back without them getting too wet.
A good nights sleep and then we headed over for showers and to meet Bob & Laura to go back for Lauras brothers funeral. That was a huge funeral and a wake after with a large number of people.
Thursday was shopping day, we checked out the spud shed which was pretty good but unfortunately didn't sell meat, so after we got back, Frank and I went in the tender to Coles to pick up meat and a few other bits and pieces that we would be needing.
My neice contacted me and as they were out fishing came back to the boat and we enjoyed a catch up with her and her husband.
Then what a night, the wind hit and we spent a very uncomfortable night on the boat with over 30knot winds howling and the boat pitching and rolling. Woke at 3am and couldn't get back to sleep, so lay hoping that the anchor was well and truly bedded down. I moved into the saloon and spent the rest of the night there which was better as I couldn't hear all the banging and rattling like I did in our aft cabin. Finally dropped off and woke again at 8.30 with the wind still howling and the boat still pitching. It looks like it won't be abating for some time so will have to grit our teeth and ride it out. We have given up on the idea of showers at the club as it would be too difficult to get into the tender and battle the wind.
Thank heavens for a very substantial anchor which held and kept us in the same spot all night. Luckily I had a new prescription of stemetil on board so that helped with the nausea.