Sunday, August 28, 2011

tropical infections!

The skipper has had a bit of a run in with the Aussie medical system.....a scratch on the elbow from working on the engine developed into an infection that saw it swell up till it looked like Popeye's arm.....heavy duty i/v antibiotics as well as oral antibiotics were not stopping it so they cut it open and drained it....that did the trick!  Well, till my body exploded in a reaction, likely to the antibiotics....oy vey.....anyway I'm off everything but anti-inflammatories and steroids for the rash and seem to be improving....very interesting country....if it doesn't kill you, it definitely makes you stronger....

.......moral of the infection story is...no matter how small the scratch in the tropics....disinfect it 'immediately'...sterilize it constantly and treat it like your life might depend on it....last time I had one of these we were at sea half way to the marquesas and I cut it open, drained it and went on antibiotics while linda handled the boat as I could not put weight on my foot....scary stuff.....but all in a days work for us cruisers  :)

expect to lift Toketie this week and fly back soon to the 'other'..... 'real' world  !!!!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Townsville Cultural Fest!

The first night of the Cultural Festival was interesting. Local aborigines and groups from Pacific Islands performed traditional dances and songs. The Nuie group was particularly energetic. It is said that Captain Cook attempted to land on Nuie four times but was repelled each time by the natives....he left, naming it the Savage Island! They lived up to their reputation on stage. The Papua New Guinea 'Home Decorators' entertained us with songs from the mountains and songs from the seacoast. Tokelau also had a huge group on stage and put on a good show.

We did not make it back last night for the 'Bollywood' show as neighbors in the yacht club came by for sundowners. The Lake MacQuarie boat 'Ingeberg of Capri' brought us a mudcrab they caught in the creek. It was delicious!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

a walk along the strand....

Townsville is very friendly....we are living in the heart of it at the old Motor Boat Club, now called the Townsville Yacht Club.  A short walk crossing a bridge over Ross Creek and we find a promenade along the seafront called 'The Strand'!  Nice to see local people out running, walking, bar b qing or playing with their kids.  It is warming up now with daytime temps reaching 28, fortunately still cooling off enough at night to be comfortable.  Just our luck, a jazz festival this weekend and next week five days of multi-cultural festival.  Looks like we have a space to store Toketie at the old Slipway in the center of town.

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Townsville!

Had some great sailing and lots of motor-sailing.....but made 75nm to crawl up the Ross Creek in Townsville, dodging the dredger working on the big ships channel!  Seems like a funky little town!

Sunrise!

First light leaving Cape Upstart....long leg to Townsville!

Monday, August 08, 2011

Cape Upstart!

Toketie underway from Airlie Beach and headed for Townsville!  First night, tucked behind Gloucester Island, was flat calm and so quiet you could hear a welcome silence after the party boat next to us in Airlie the night before!

A mere 45nm today, motor-sailing with very little wind.  But Linda counted 9 humpback whales through the day putting on a display of breaching and sounding and spouting!  Dolphins appeared and played as well!

We have tucked behind Cape Upstart and the wind has died down to a breeze.  The swell seems to have followed us in, however, and Toketie hobby-horses over them as a bright red sun sinks into the sea.

Thursday, August 04, 2011

and they are off...

....like a herd of turtles....

sitting out 25-30 knots of wind in Airlie Beach....heavy rain now....should start to clear tomorrow.....decisions decisions....not sure whether we are coming or going....have decided to park Toketie for cyclone season and return to Canada....so now the question is where to park her!  Not many options on the '100 Magic Miles' coast here.....prospect of smashing our way back to Bundaberg against strong tradewinds is becoming less appealing as the sands run out on our visas and the weather does not give us a break.....looking ahead to Townsville and think we might sail up that way, about 130 nm N, and hope one of two tentative options there work out.....