The Story so far ……
June 20th 2006 started very early for the Murphys, flying out of Auckland airport destined for Port Douglas, sunnier climes and life with a bit of style…so we thought anyway! After arriving to check in at 4.30am, the plane being delayed, shopping in Cairns for the necessities like sheets, towels etc we finally arrived at Marina Mirage to board Sunburn at 5pm (aussie time). To say we were a little tired and very hyped would be the understatement of the year! However, here we were, ready to start our dream … who would have believed it, years of planning and searching had finally come to fruition. WE ARE HERE, WE ARE GOING SAILING!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, as straightforward as that sounds its never quite that easy, firstly the boat needed a “little” maintenance, she had been sitting in a marina for nearly 3 years and we knew she needed some work, just didn’t quite realise how much work…as we are still constantly discovering! Our first sail was an interesting one, the word sail is definitely the wrong description, anything that could have gone wrong did, culminating in an engine that got V E R Y hot once we had given up on the sailing lark and were heading back to shore. Lesson number 1 – never ever believe someone when they say “that’s never happened before”.
June 20th 2006 started very early for the Murphys, flying out of Auckland airport destined for Port Douglas, sunnier climes and life with a bit of style…so we thought anyway! After arriving to check in at 4.30am, the plane being delayed, shopping in Cairns for the necessities like sheets, towels etc we finally arrived at Marina Mirage to board Sunburn at 5pm (aussie time). To say we were a little tired and very hyped would be the understatement of the year! However, here we were, ready to start our dream … who would have believed it, years of planning and searching had finally come to fruition. WE ARE HERE, WE ARE GOING SAILING!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, as straightforward as that sounds its never quite that easy, firstly the boat needed a “little” maintenance, she had been sitting in a marina for nearly 3 years and we knew she needed some work, just didn’t quite realise how much work…as we are still constantly discovering! Our first sail was an interesting one, the word sail is definitely the wrong description, anything that could have gone wrong did, culminating in an engine that got V E R Y hot once we had given up on the sailing lark and were heading back to shore. Lesson number 1 – never ever believe someone when they say “that’s never happened before”.
Several weeks later with lots of heated words rising from the bowels of the engine room (room is not really an accurate description either), a mechanic came and we parted with lots of paper stuff for him to fix it all. Lesson number 2, never ever believe anyone when they say its sorted!!!! Anyway, things were progressing along very nicely, we had a wonderful overnight trip out to the Low Isles with our marina neighbours, Pete and Drew – it was magic, although no wind one way, and on the nose going back to Port D. so murphys law was striking on a fairly regular basis by now.
Then ... one morning panic set in…there was water where there shouldn’t be … INSIDE the boat. Spoke to the yard, yes they could squeeze us in but not til next week, so DON’T go poking anything until we say so were their words of wisdom! Sitting around for a couple of days thinking the worst isn’t good for ones mental state of health. Anyway – word came through … start poking, Brendan pulled the saloon apart (and I mean totally apart) to find the hot water cylinder had sprung a leak … whew… thank you thank you thank you – we aren’t going to sink!!
The Murphys' rendition of "Dancing Queen"!
We then had a wonderful visit from the Fothergills, Renalls and Ngaire and Steve for Suzi’s birthday – had a fabulous time. Went out for a day sail to the Low Isles with them – the best sail so far, no disasters and we saw Whales, turtles, bat fish, remora fish and then on the way home Scott said – it would really top the day off if we saw dolphins. Ask and ye shall receive Scott, good old Sunburn conjured up dolphins for us. It was magic!
By this stage it was the end of August and the Murphys were getting antsy..we are here to sail, not sit in a marina. But we hadnt figured on THE WINDS…the south easterlies are meant to turn into northerlies in August/September, we were counting the days and finally said…lets go so late September we left and sailed out to the Low Isles and stayed the night there. Left early the next morning and bashed our way down to Cairns in 30knot winds on the nose were we stayed for just short of a month. Two weeks was spent trying to sort out the engine which still wasn’t happy about life or work for that matter! Our neighbours in the marina in Cairns were another Kiwi couple, Shane and Heather off Enzwell, and then we meet Kate, Phil, Maya and Bronnie off Silhouette, from Wellington. Yehaa, finally cruising kids to play with Soph and Finn. You have no idea how fantastic this was...the kids were all absolutely estactic! (and so were the parents!!)
1 comment:
We are very jealouse you are having so much fun. We are freezing in Europe. Keep us posted ! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Lots of love to you all..
Gaz & Yaz
xxxx
Post a Comment