Returning to Abell Point Marina is always a pleasure - the staff are great and nothing is ever too much trouble. We borrowed the courtesy car and did the obligatory shopping. We now have it down to a fine art and can get food (Cath), fuel, alcohol and boat bits (Tony) all within the hour and a half that we have the car.
This time we were berthed at the North end amongst the other visiting cruisers. While I was initially lamenting the solitude we had down the other end we soon got into the social swing of things even meeting two couples from LMYC sharing a boat slowly wandering northwards.
Sunday evening saw us dragging on our SICYC polos and joining the other Shaggers for drinks at Sorrentos. It was quite an eclectic group of sailors and we even ran into a retired school; teacher who had spent quite a few years working at the RAAF School on Penang. He and his wife love the place and go back almost every year to catch up with friends and top up on the food.
I had been invited down to Melbourne to do a hand-over with the new Chair for the VVCS National Advisory Committee (NAC) which became an interesting travel experience as the only flights that I could get that got me to Melbourne early enough for a pre-meeting get together left from Hamilton Island International Airport(!). This involved me taking a taxi to Port of Airlie, the ferry to Hamo and then flights to Melbourne via Sydney. I think I was just a tad over dressed for the ferry trip!
The meeting went really well and I had very mixed feelings meeting with my colleagues for the last time. It has been an outstanding six years with the NAC but it was time for a fresh set of eyes and a new set of priorities. I feel very comfortable that the new Chair will do a great job.
The trip back to the boat was uneventful and it was nice to get back to some warm weather as Melbourne had been cold, if not frigid!
While I was away Cath met the owners of another SW1000. Michael and Kelly had their boat in charter in Darwin for several years and I had even gone out for an evening cruise with Michael several years ago after he offered to led me a T-shirt and shorts so I could get out of my suit. It is a long story.... They are very much in cruise mode and I am sure that our paths will continue to cross.
As Cath's birthday was imminent and Hog's Breath Cafe were offering her a free meal (they are major sponsors of the SICYC) we elected to eat out for our last night at Airlie before heading north. The food was great but they just cannot get the billing right which was a bit of a downer.
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