Preparing to Leave Southport

Thursday  15^th October 2015

The first task this morning is refueling in anticipation of leaving tomorrow. We first took Bob Wollacott’s Maritimo 50 around to the fuel wharf, and couldn’t get the pump to work. After much fiddling around by the marina staff, eventually it responded, and Galene absorbed 2000 litres of diesel. Next was Wilparina, with our 2 jerry cans on board. It was not the windfall for the marina that the previous trip delivered, with Wilparina taking 76 litres and both of us filled to 20 litre jerry cans.

Rod Mellor arrived during the day to help Steve take Wilparina down to Coffs, and Bob Woolacott is also crewing on Wilparina, and then immediately catching a plane back to Southport to bring Galene down to Coffs on Sunday, with the help of one of his mates from Sydney.

Rod arriving to crew on Wilparina

There is a large "ship", registered in the Marshall Islands that arrived at the end of our marina finger called "Asteria", it has a large crew and obviously some very wealthy guests. I looked it up on the internet and it is available for private charter and is 49 m long, and described as an expedition vessel. It looks pretty strong and seaworthy. They have hired two golf buggies to ferry people and provisions from the marina carpark to the boat. One of the vessels tenders seems pretty much occupied most of the time doing the same thing.

Asteria

A last walk up to Tedder avenue to get fresh bread and a BBQ chicken completed preparations. We had dinner at the yacht club and agreed we would get away at 8 am in the morning. Mike Wesslink arrived at a little after 8 pm, joined us for a late dinner and we then headed back to Mica to get him settled and for a good nights sleep.