The Great Aussie Road Trip

Riverfire then the roadtrip

   Okay—so as epic journeys go 2000 km (round trip) isn’t that epic. And we didn’t even get that far off the beaten path. Though when we told a few Aussies that we were headed toward the outback they seemed more than a little surprised. It seems most people go to the beach, or a city or the mountains for holidays. But Ev’s mum Gail was with us and she was keen for an adventure. So we set off with the goal of seeing (and doing) a bit of everything.

Not all 80-year-olds would have embraced the adventure (and discomfort) the way Ev's mum did)

Our first stop was the NSW surf town of Ballina (which turns out is pronounced Bal-lin-na not Bah-leen-ah, or even Bah-een-ah.) I guess the Spanish/French influence is a bit diminished here… Every time we do something new in Australia it seems like it comes with a whole new vocabulary. And as we passed turnoffs for towns like Mummelgum, Dingadee and Dirranbandi we decided on a new rule: if we couldn’t (sort of) pronounce a name without assistance, we weren’t going there.

Giraween

After a dip in the ocean we continued on, mispronouncing our way across the Great Dividing Range to Girraween National Park. Happily Girraween is easy to say because the huge granite outcroppings and lovely wineries would have been unfortunate to miss! Then it was on to Moree (go ahead, give it a go) where we soaked off the bumpy miles in the bore baths, aka hot springs.

a town along the way

I think we’ve mentioned that Australia is expensive and our disposable income is already spoken for. So our road trip wasn’t luxurious. In fact, I may have rented us the cheapest campervan in the country. And with a few hundred thousand kilometers on Big Red, a door that alternatively fell off or got stuck while open (or closed), and a sad lack of shock absorbers it was a pretty uncomfortable excuse for transportation.

But after the second long soak we crammed Gail and Maia into the way back and continued toward our goal: the opal mining town of Lighting Ridge. Honestly? I’m not sure why this was the goal. Maia wanted to go to Coober Pedy, Ev wanted to see the outback, Gail wanted to see a bit of the country and I like shiny things. So Lightning Ridge seemed the logical choice.

 

baby emus!

There are a lot of dead kangaroos between Brisbane and Lightning Ridge. Recently there was a local headline, “Kangaroo Kills Girl”. The tragic story went on to describe a kangaroo bounding across the road, through the front windscreen and then out the back window; as though it was intentional. The truth is the bitumen (fancy Aussie word for road) holds heat at night which attracts animals and if you drive at night: bamm! Big Red wasn’t insured to be on the road after dusk, and considering the slaughter (we went through sections where there were dead kangaroos, emus and foxes every few meters) this was a good thing.

Despite containing our driving to daylight hours, we eventually made it to the Ridge and secured a campsite at the Crocodile (that’s local speak). From there we headed out to explore. With thousands of miners each inhabiting 50 meter square plots, the Ridge looks a bit like a moonscape. The really fascinating bit is when you take a tour underground. We chose to visit the Walk-in Mine (there was a particularly touristy mine that had been turned into an art gallery—but it seemed a bit too weird for us…) Down in the mine the tunnel was larger than I expected, at least for an opal mine I was told was dug by hand and once entered through a drainage tube. When I brushed my fingers along the seam, where the chunky red rocks might hide gems, I joked about accidentally knocking free an opal and pocketing it. The comment brought a dirty look and a lecture from Maia, “That would make you a ratter.”  Ratter is the name of a person who steals from another miner.

After seeing the mine and learning how to identify opal we had a go at fossicking (see what I mean? It’s a whole new language…).  Noodling through the scrap heap  we kept an eye out for potch: a grey form of opal that indicates some of the colourful stuff might be near.

in the mine

fossicking for opals

Maia did a great job of searching and found a few pretty pieces and then she and Gail befriended an opal cutter who gave Maia a big bag of rough opal to polish up herself. It turns out my only opal skills occurred in the shops—where I discovered how to trade money for them.

Aussies camp differently than us. Our tent is on the right. We thought it was pretty big until we saw a proper family-sized tent. Gail slept in the van.

A miner's castle in the Ridge

After a couple of days broken up by cool interactions with locals and a wonderful night time soak in a bore bath (nothing like looking up at the stars from a hot spring while kangaroos nibble the grass around its edges) it was back into Big Red and back on the road for the return voyage.

A Cruiser's Guide to Brisbane

Minor Updates April 2014
 
We arrived here in November 2011, to live and work and go to school.  This is what we know.

Mooring / Marinas / Docks / Anchoring

The city of Brisbane is about 12 nautical miles upstream from the mouth of the Brisbane River. The channel is well marked and easy to enter at night if you have to. The current is quite significant, running about 3 knots either direction at times.  So go with the tidal flow. The current seems to lag slack tide by about 1 hour. (Notes to which bank of the river something is located on will always assume you are facing upstream)

As you head upstream you will pass the container terminal and coal docks.  We’ve anchored at the side of the channel just upstream of the coal docks (across from the tugboat docks) when the current is not right to get upstream. It’s a bit noisy from the coal loading operation but better than fighting a current. It has also been a useful staging area to stop when heading out during shorter winter days when the tide hasn’t been right for an early departure

Marinas:

www.rivergate.com.au Rivergate Marina is just downstream of the Gateway Bridge. It has a customs dock if you are arriving directly from overseas.  Not well serviced by any public transit.  It’s a long way from the city proper but could be useful if you’re storing your boat and going for a visit overseas or inland.

http://www.docksidemarina.com.au Dockside Marina is located on Kangaroo Point, left side of the river just before the Story Bridge. It has space for transients but limits liveaboards.  Friends paid ~$1000/month for a 47’ mono with liveaboard fees in 2012.

Manly: A ~1 hr. train ride away from Brisbane is the big marina in Manly.  Popular with folks passing through or looking to sell their boats.  There is also a small marina in Redcliff, about a ¾ hr drive from Brisbane to the North.

Anchorages:

Just upstream of the Gateway Bridge is an anchorage on the right hand side of the river. Usually 4 – 6 boats there.  There is a nearby Citycat terminal adjacent to Northshore Riverside Park with a beach but as it is the last terminal in the system it does not get as regular service to the city.  Good option if you don’t want to be in the heart of the city.  There is Colmslie Recreation Reserve park on the left bank with a dinghy dock.

People do seem to anchor in many places, outside of the main channel as you head further upstream, but you’re sort of in the suburbs and there is less point to doing so.

The CBD (Central Business District): You can anchor upstream or downstream of the pile moorings on the right hand side of the river. You can also anchor on the left hand side of the river opposite the CBD. Some rental moorings are located there but we don’t know who owns them. Most seem to be occupied with long term boats.  Don’t anchor in the channel as you will get told to move by the Police or ferries will come quite close to “encourage” you move closer to shore.  There is a large shoal upstream of the pile moorings, close to the Captain Cook Bridge. Holding is ‘adequate’ because the bottom is soupy mud. I would not say it’s great and would definitely try to be on the boat if strong summer thunderstorms are forecast. I would not plan to leave the boat for an extended trip away from Brisbane anchored here.   

Avoid power cable crossing just downstream of pile moorings. Signs on shore are partly obscured

Garden Point Pile Moorings: these are operated by Brisbane City Council. 4 parallel rows of about 60 moorings are available for short or long term stay. Minimum stay is 1 week. A mooring is free if no boat is between the piles.  A rope tied between 2 adjacent piles indicates that spot is taken; just the boat occupying it is away for awhile. People do leave the moorings for short sailing cruises and then return.  Dinghy dock, showers, and coin laundry ashore. You’ll need a $20 key fob purchased from a city employee mid – day Wednesdays to get access to shower and laundry. Otherwise just get other residents to let you in until you get a key fob. $70/week; $280/month.  These are popular and tend to fill up as transient cruisers start arriving in October; though spaces do open up mid summer as people come and go.  Lots of permanent residents.  Right in the CBD so a great location!  Ferry wakes used to be worse but now the City Cats reduce speed to 12 knots as they pass.  And they stop running just after 11:30 pm.

Important: pick a time of slack water to enter the moorings and secure yourself.  High slack is easier than low slack because the mooring rings will be more easily reached.  Have a dinghy handy to help act as a tugboat if there is any wind. 

Slack tide current in the CBD is usually about ½ hr – 1 hr after “Brisbane Port Office” high tide (except if there is an active flood of course) 

http://tides.willyweather.com.au/qld/brisbane/brisbane-river--port-office-edward-st-ferry.html

City Orientation

The winding bends of the river can make it slightly confusing to know which way you’re going until you’ve explored the city a bit.  The CBD is on a narrow triangular peninsula that is only about 6 blocks wide at some spots.  The Botanic Garden forms the S end of the Peninsula.  Numerous bridges link the city to the surrounding suburbs on the south side of the river.

One bridge (the Go Between) is a toll bridge and the others are all free.  There a few toll tunnels around and under the city but you don’t save much time using them except at the busiest rush hour times – so most people avoid them. 

The Story Bridge is the old steel truss bridge you will pass under as you enter the CBD.  The Captain Cook Bridge is next, linking the Botanic gardens with the Gabba – and it’s too low for most sailboat masts. The pedestrian bridge immediately upstream is even lower at 11.4m.

Suburbs – are small, confusingly named and numerous.  There are something like 190 mini suburbs that make up greater Brisbane, all managed by the Brisbane Council.  So someone may say they’re from Yeronga but not know where Hemmant is, about 10 km away. 

Fuel / Propane / Kerosene:

Rivergate Marina has the only fuel dock on the river (reasonable petrol / gasoline, but expensive diesel when compared to land based petrol stations).  There are 2 petrol stations in Fortitude Valley (Shell/Matilda) that are about a 10 minute bus/bike ride from the CBD or 20 minute walk.  

update:  Just downstream of Dockside Marina is Mobray park.  It has small dock which has a 5 minute time limit.  Walk through the park and across the street to the BP station. Easiest place to get fuel by dinghy.

There is also a petrol station on the right hand side of the river near the West End Market (see Food) You tie your dinghy up to the abandoned restaurant dock, walk under the underpass or over the busy 6 lane road and get fuel from the station there.  All petrol stations seem to sell diesel.

Fuel Discounts: Grocery stores offer discount fuel savings on your receipt with your purchases ($0.04/litre for $30 purchase up to sometimes $0.30/litre for $200 purchases). But only at selected Shell/Coles or Caltex/Safeway Woolworth branded petrol stations. Useful if you’re buying lots of fuel i.e. a car rental. Not all Shell or Caltex stations honour supermarket coupons and this will be marked on the pumps.

Propane can be obtained at Bunnings (see Hardware) but only on a bottle exchange basis. OK if you use steel cylinders, not so useful if you use aluminium or composite. About $20 for a 20 lb / 9 kg exchange. 

Bottles can be filled at Barbeques Galore in the Woolangaba (“the Gabba”) neighbourhood. Australia uses North American connectors, however they use the bleed screw on the side of the bottle to slowly fill a tank from a larger tank without actively pumping it into a cylinder.  So it will take longer than you expect.   

They have a frequent filler card – after 5 fills you get 1 free.  However price for a 20 lb bottle fill is about $30 – so it made more sense for us to get 1 cheap steel cylinder and keep exchanging it while we are here. 

update: BBQ Galore lowered prices for a fill to about $20 but no frequent filler discount.

Kerosene can be purchased from Bunnings for those still in the dark ages of marine cooking and lighting.

Getting Around:

Bus/Train/Ferry

http://translink.com.au

Translink is the Brisbane area integrated bus/train/ferry system.  It extends out quite far – easily 1+ hour train journey north / south.  Get a $10 (refundable) plastic “GoCard” from 7-11 stores.  Get a “concession” card if you’re a kid or “senior” card if you’re old. Kids under 5 are free. Top up the card with cash  at 7-11’s, main train stations, or online with a credit card automatically.  Using cash on buses is about 30% more expensive so it makes sense to get a card. If you register your card, you can transfer the balance to a new card should you lose your old card. So register your card online.

Fares are based on time of day and distance travelled.  Unfortunately Brisbane has the distinction of having one of the most expensive transit systems anywhere.  A single zone (basically within the CBD and nearby outskirts) peak hour fare is $3.28 / off peak $2.63.  $3.53 / $2.83.  This is a short bus journey.

Transfers are automatic with your GoCard. Just remember to swipe on and OFF each bus or train or ferry.  If you forget to swipe off the system will charge you a much larger amount.  You can call them and plead your case if your card is registered.  They seem pretty good about refunds if you spot an error.

If you do a round trip within a 1 hour limit you will only be charged one fare.

Other fare rules:

• You can transfer up to 3 times across all zones.
• You have 6 hours to complete your journey.
• The final trip of the journey must start within 3.5 hours of when you started the first trip.
• There is a 1 hour time limit between transfers.
• Make 9 trips in a 1 week period (M-Sun) and further trips are free. Useful for commuters. Dept of Unintended Consequences: Smart commuters that have long distance expensive fares to get into the city will hop a cheap fare city bus for 1 stop on M/T/W lunch break and so have free rides on Th/F J

Ferries are all part of the system.  The smaller slower monohull ferries operate close to the CBD and a few cross river routes.  Some of these monohulls are painted red and are known as CityHoppers – and they are free!  Useful for crossing the river from the CBD to Kangaroo Point or getting to various parks.  They run every ½ hour.  The Citycats are much faster and go further up and down the river.  A nice river tour for yourself or visitors is to take a Citycat downstream and return to the same CBD dock – you only are charged for a 1 zone fare.  There are sometimes pamphlets on the ferries which give a history of Brisbane’s river sights.

Local Trains

Can be useful to get further away – Manly, Redcliffe, the Brisbane Entertainment Center

Rental Cars

Rental cars are found in the CBD, Airport and Fortitude Valley. Fortitude Valley have a few ‘no name’ outfits that are cheaper than the big Avis/Thrifty/Europcar.  We’ve found the best deals with either http://www.eastcoastcarrentals.com.au/ East Coast Car Rentals or www.alphacarhire.com.au Alpha. Book online in advance for better rates.  Book well in advance if you are planning to rent a 7 passenger mini van around school holidays. They sell out as we found when we wanted to share a van with cruising friends

Parking is very expensive in the CBD except after 10pm evenings when it’s free or weekend rates in the parking garages. Smart and thrifty cruisers park in Kangaroo Point where it is free after 5 pm and on weekends and take their dinghy or free ferry to the Thorton St ferry dock to get the rental car.

Recently we rented a 4 pax camper van to explore the outback.  It was not new and the engine was tired but for $63/day it was a good deal.  Burned about 11 L/100 km of fuel. www.awesomecampers.com.  

Taxis

Are expensive if you’re used to 3^rd world taxis!  A CBD – Airport fare is around $45. It costs more to go from Airport – to CBD because drivers add their $3 airport toll to your fare.  Before 7 am and after 7 pm taxi fares increase further. If you phone for a cab there is yet another extra charge. There are many taxi stands around the CBD, probably because the fares are high enough to justify taxi drivers spending a lot of time waiting around for fares!

UPDATE:  We found out that a taxi from nearby Fortitude Valley with 2 adults and 2 kids was cheaper than bus fare for all of us.  About $7-8 before 7 pm.

Airport

The Airtrain runs from the CBD and other stations to the airport and takes 20-25 minutes. Relatively convenient but it doesn’t run after 10 pm. It’s also more expensive than the regular train, about $16 each way but drops you right to the terminals (International and Domestic – they are different stops)

Brisbane airport only has 1 runway so it’s common to have delays in mid-late afternoon flights when it gets busy.

Flights to Sydney are often around $100 one way if booked well enough in advance. About 1-1/2 hours.

Long Distance Trains

If you have a large family it may be cheaper to take a train to Sydney than fly because sometimes children are just $1 each.  Adults are ~$90. Duration is about 14 hours however.

 .

Food & Drink

Food is expensive in Australia – especially things that North Americans would expect to be cheap.  Blame it on the high cost of farm labour as almost all produce is grown in the country.

Supermarkets: Right in the CBD are the 2 giants of Ozzie groceries - Woolworths (Edward and Queen Street) “Woolies” and Coles (Queen Street Pedestrian Mall).  This particular Woolies is a bit bigger but they are fierce competitors. If you’re going to stay in Australia awhile check out their rewards program to get airline miles.  

Aldi is a cut price grocery store chain with limited selections and off brand canned/dry goods.  Not found in the CBD but you’ll save a bunch of money if you’re provisioning to head offshore again.  One is found in the nearby suburb of Newstead on Anne St.

Costco is supposed to be building near Brisbane sometime in mid-2014.

Farmers Markets:  Wed in the Square beside the Library (George and Queen St) there is a farmers market.  Produce is cheaper than the grocery stores ESPECIALLY if you show up around 5 pm when the market is shutting down and they want to sell it rather than pack it up.  Suddenly everything is $2/kg or $2/bunch...

The other big market that is relatively easy to get to is the bigger West End Market.  Food, clothing, crafts, food, music and alternative lifestyle people and stuff.  It’s more funky and more fun.  Further upstream from the CBD (about 10-15 minutes by planing dinghy) or a 10 minute bike/bus ride away.  Held in Davies Park every Saturday.  Closes down starting around 1:00 pm.  We park our dinghy at the left bank rowing club docks and nobody seems to mind; get there early and you won’t have to climb around the locked gates to get to the dock.  Across from these docks is the abandoned restaurant where you are near a petrol station (see Fuel)

Specialty food stores – Fortitude Valley has Indian/Mexican/mini Chinatown, the CBD has some Chinese/Korean stores, etc.  You’ll have to explore!

Alcohol

BWS (Beer Wine Spirits) is one of the bigger chains with several outlets in the CBD including one beside right beside Woolies.  Better deals can be found slightly further away at Dan Murphy’s.  The closest one is in Woolangaba (the Gabba) over the Captain Cook Bridge.

Restaurants

Cheapest are all the streetside sushi places where you can get 2 big sushi rolls about $4-4.50. Scattered through the CBD

Next cheapest are fast food joints like MacDonalds (“Maccas”) and Hungry Jacks (aka Burger King but an Aussie company had already trademarked the name here so they had to change the name).  Maccas on Albert St and Hungry Jack on Queen St. Mall.

Pizzas – Eagle Boys in Fortitude Valley will deliver for about an $8 fee. Cheap Tuesdays are the day to save money on your pizza cravings.  Gluten free crusts available.

Regular restaurants – sigh. We don’t frequent these too often because they are so pricey, and frankly Australia service is somewhere between indifferent and incompetent. We sometimes get a Groupon coupon to save some money.  Fortitude Valley has more interesting ethnic food choices, but the CBD does have some cheaper Asian restaurants and a surprising number of Korean BBQ joints.

Other Shopping

Mitre 10 Hardware – 165 Elizabeth Street in the CBD.  Small but packed.  Expensive but convenient if you run out of something and don’t fancy a visit to Bunnings

Big W – department store like Kmart, upstairs in Macarthur Center at Edward and Queen St.

Meyer Center – big shopping mall in Queen St. pedestrian mall.  Lots of stores including a big fabric store and the odd Japanese store where everything is $2.80 (like a US dollar store but of course with slightly inflated prices because it’s Australia)

Bunnings – Hudson St in Albion.  Pretty close to Albion train station and a few bus lines.  Bunnings are similar to Home Depot or other large US hardware stores.

Electronics – JB HiFi, Dick Smith, and Harvey Norman all compete.  Officeworks also sometimes has better deals than these guys too.

Amazon – if you need a 120V power tool, it’s often fast and cheap to order from Amazon.  Most of their affiliates won’t ship to Australia but Amazon themselves will for many goods.

Online shopping – due to the high cost of Australian goods (software, cameras, shoes, books, marine hardware) it is often cheaper to buy mail order from the US or Hong Kong.  If you keep the value of the order < $1000 Aus, you won’t be charged any GST.  We were not charged any duties / brokerage fee from Amazon purchases and shipping was cheap.  If the online company does not have a direct path to Australia shipping will be costly

Op Shops – Salvos or Vinnies (we would call them the Salvation Army or St Vincent de Paul) thrift stores in Fortitude Valley have good selections of used clothing. 

IKEA – our favourite Swedish retailer of meatballs and housewares is found in Logan, a good ½ hour or so to the south by car, but reachable by train and 1 km walk.

Marine Chandlery

Whitworths – is the biggest fish in a small pond of online and retail store marine chandleries in Australia.  They’re the closest to Brisbane CBD on Sandgate Road near the Bunnings store. Bus is easiest but you can take your fast dinghy down the river and up Breakfast Creek and tie on the right bank at higher tides.  It’s about a ½ hr ride away.

Bias Boating – another online and retail chain we’ve used.  None of these chandlers dominate the market or have as big a selection as West or Defender.  Marine gear in Australia is often 2x the price of North American goods with the exception of some safety equipment like EPIRBs and inflatable lifejackets which can be good deals

Bitter experience lesson:  If you buy a replacement Australian EPIRB make sure it can be coded to your country.

http://sv-totem.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/a-tale-of-three-epirbs.html

Sailmakers / Riggers – are mostly found some ways from town.  Haven’t had need to use them so no further comment.

updates:
Scuba Compressors - Divetek.  Service, compressor oil, parts.  www.divetekoz.com

Oil Filters - cheapest I found were through these guys.  http://www.ausfilters.com.au/
I bought a case of 12 in anticipation of lots of motoring in SE Asia.

Phone/Internet/Library

Phone:

If you have an unlocked GSM phone just buy a SIM card from the many providers.  Cheap unlocked phones at lots of electronic stores. 

Telstra truly does have the best national network and they know it so their rates are considerably higher.  If you’re sticking to the settled parts of the country you can think about skipping them and choose somebody else. 

We use Amaysim for pay as you go ($0.15 min / talk $0.12 / text) phone service. Optus, Virgin, and Vodafone are the other big 3 – all have stores in the Queen St. Mall.  Some have free calling to 1 or more other phones so this might be useful if you mostly call another family member. Get recharge vouchers at 7-11 or Woolies or phone stores.

Internet:

Free Wifi– available in Brisbane State Library (a 20 min walk from CBD), in a hot spot in the Botanic Gardens, at a few Maccas, and the CBD Public Library (but you’ll need a library card – see below).  Also Judith Wright arts center in Fortitude Valley.

3G data – all the phone companies sell 3G dongles with pay as you go plans.  We are heavy internet users (Diane is often on the computer many hours a day working on Facebook) and up until recently we on a $79 Telstra “casual plan” with 12 GB of data / month.  This is a lot of data IF you are not streaming movies, doing big downloads etc.

We recently switched to a different system – it uses “WiMax” technology.  Its coverage supposedly includes the river beside the CBD but it varies a lot between spots in the moorings.  The high river bank might block some of the signal. We get great speed and a boat 2 spaces away gets good but not great speed.  The advantage is that is much cheaper - $79 for UNLIMITED data each month (we have watched a lot of videos and haven’t hit any caps yet).  $39 / 10 GB for those not so greedy as us.

http://www.vividwireless.com.au/plans

The other drawback is that is only available in some portions of major cities – so if you’re travelling around a lot it won’t work; you might think of going with a pay as you go with one of the other 3G phone companies.

Library

Brisbane State Library is a reference library not a borrowing library so not much fun for borrowing books but a nice place to get internet or spend a rainy afternoon.

Brisbane City Library (on George St) is pretty easy going about giving out library cards – if you have an address.  They accepted a marina receipt from Dockside Marina as proof of residence. 

Medical

Australians have government Medicare and also usually have 3^rd party health insurance to help cover more than the basics.  We are required to have medical insurance for our 457 working visa but we pay up front and get reimbursed. Our family rate is about $260/month. So was our friends on Totem with 3 kids but they paid more for a higher coverage type of plan.  Ours covers hospital visits, Drs visits, but no prescriptions unless associated with hospital stays.  This is typical of what we have been paying for some basic services:

Dr. Visit - $65-70 for short consultation (15 mins).  Insurance remimburses us $36
Dermatologist very thorough skin cancer check - $135

Blood tests - $100 - $140.  Insurance came up with $120 reimbursement

Chest X ray - $70. Insurance reimbursement was $65 or so.

It’s super easy and fast to get appointments as well. Doctors are pretty good about keeping some space in their schedules for same day urgent appointments we have found. We go to Tenerife Family Doctors (#60 City Glider bus route, 76 Skyring Terrace in Gasworks complex)

Dentists – are expensive.  The only cheap option we have found is the Queensland School of Dentistry near the CBD.  For uncomplicated cleaning and exams these are much cheaper than the full doctors – and they are supervised pretty carefully.  We’d recommend them after several visits.

update:
Eye doctor - http://www.johnmountfordoptometrist.com.au/home.html

They're expert in contact lenses and took tons of time with me.  I have really odd eyes due to lots of myopia and PRK laser treatment when young.  Got me 20/20 corrected vision for the first time in 25 years.  Highly recommended.

Eyeglasses - we order online from China :) Quite cheap, 3 week delivery, frames tend to fit a bit small but the price can't be beat.  www.zenioptical.com

Contacts - we order online from the US because prices are about 2/3 of cheapest Oz online stores.  Here's one but shop around, things change:  http://www.bestpricecontacts.com/

Attractions / Things to Do

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary – well worth the 45 minute bus ride and the admission fee. Plan to spend a ½ day or so there.  See lots of Australian fauna. Watch Tazzie Devils eat dead baby chicks if you’re luck.  Hand feed kangaroos and cuddle koalas.  Lots of fun.

GOMA (Gallery of Modern Art) – Southbank, free

Brisbane City Museum – small but free

Brisbane City Hall – take the manual elevator tour to the clock tower high above Brisbane

Southbank – free sand bottom pool, cheap movies nearby.  5 minute planning dinghy ride to the dinghy dock there (3 hr limit).

Fortitude Valley swimming pool – $5 but heated in winter

Theme parks near Gold Coast: Dreamworld, Movieworld, Seaworld, Monkeyworld (ok I made up that last one)– if you’ve been to Disneyland these might seem overpriced and underwhelming, but if you go mid week when it’s not school holidays they won’t be busy.  Check for deals and coupons

Misc.

Security – bikes and dinghies go missing from the dinghy dock area with depressing regularity. If you get a bike, use a decent U lock. My beater bike disappeared with a cheap cable lock. Just about anything lockable seems to deter dinghy thieves.

Sailing into Spring

I checked the blog the other morning (after a few ‘where are you?’ emails landed in my inbox) and realized it had been a while. I guess that’s what happens when life is just ordinary (in its own extraordinary way). The blooming jacarandas are reminding us we’ve been here almost two years. The crews crossing the Pacific this season are for the most part strangers to us. And the crews we crossed with? Well, their lives have moved on too.

 

Jacarandas-a sure sign of spring

New and old friends squeezed aboard as Maia turns 12

 September started off at full speed. After arriving back from a three week trip home I was greeted by our friends from Piko and Britannia. Both boats are up for sale and both of the crews are planning to expand their crews and rebuild their kitties stateside then set off on bigger boats again someday.

 

Buddy boat reunion was sweet as

watching them sail away for the last time was not

Saying goodbye to the friends we meet is the toughest part of cruising. In an ideal world we’d gather up all our favourites, synchronize our budgets and life schedules, and sail the world in company. But we can’t. So we take heart in the fact goodbyes will be followed by reunions.

 

Cake with schoolmates

Skating with her besties for her b-day

Maia also turned 12 this month, and surrounded by love, I’m reassured that this life is a good one for her. Looking back over her four + years aboard I’m able to let go of some of the fears I had. She’s made friends, she’s found a place for herself, she’s strong and capable and she’s happy…

September is spring for us—a time of beginning and renewal. A time to plan for what’s next.

New camera lens

We got a new camera lens for my birthday in April and I've been remiss in not posting a few photos using it.  It's a Canon EF-S 10-22mm F3.5-4.5.  For non camera geeks that's a ultra wide angle lens for APS-C (smaller than full 35mm size sensor).  In 35mm terms it has the same focal length as a 16-35mm lens.

I can now see why photojournalists would often keep a very wide angle zoom on one body all the time. It can capture a huge scene but is also useful in crowded environments in getting close to a subject and showing their surroundings to give context. Its challenging to use because of perspective distortion at the edges of the frame. But it can give spectacular results. 

This isn't the sharpest example because light levels were falling and I was shooting at 1/15 sec. 

Still pretty decent

Brisbane's New City hall opening

 Woo Hoo.  Capture from deck to masthead without tilting the lens up! 

For those keeping score we're now up to 6 lenses...
http://maiaaboard.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/cameras-for-cruising-technical-boring.html

Miracle Glue

It was time to change our bimini awning.  We had it sewn in Mexico but the fellow in La Cruz had used plated steel grommets.  The perimeter was a rusty mess, the fabric was a bit sun rotted and was totally porous.  Rain would pour through it. Green mold livened up the underside.

We changed from Sunbrella to PVC coated polyester.  That's the heavy duty fabric you might see as tarps on the sides of delivery trucks.  It's quite sturdy and we used it as a sun awning on our last boat for many years.  It's totally waterproof which works well if you want to use it to catch rain.

At the Sanctuary Cove boat show there were the usual 'miracle' products available. Then there was the couple flogging this PVC/vinyl glue.  They had nice samples glued together for you to try to tear.  The PVC would go before the glue would release.  We also found it on Sailrite's website and we think they're good folks who wouldn't sell junk so be bought a tin to try.  Apparently it's also useful for hypalon dinghy semi short term repairs (like up to 1 year).

We decided to glue our awning together.  Seams and all.  We laid it out, cut the pieces on a nearby dock which was big enough.  Took about 1 hour to glue the seams joining the panels and the overlaps on the perimeter which form the method to attach awning to frame.  If we had sewn it, it would have taken many more hours and there would have been much strong language (as there always is with our big sewing projects).

Results:

It's been a few months and no issues at all.  We had one downpour where huge amounts of water were pooling in the awning and bowing the fabric downward.  No problem - and because the seams are glued not sewn, no water leaks through.

Simple lapped seam

 I was so happy with the end result that I glued together a dinghy gas can cover in about 10 minutes. 

Here's the perimeter seam with an internal PVC pipe.  We cut scallops every 6" or so for lashing string to tension to the bimini frame. Much cheaper than 100 grommets and no chafe on the string.

We're pretty impressed with it.  A few hints:  

• it acts like contact cement.  Coat both surfaces, wait 5 minutes and join.  You get only 1 chance to position a seam right.  
• Directions ask you to roll the seams with a hard roller. I hit it hard instead.  
• For designing joints/seams try to keep the joint in shear
• A simple overlap is plenty strong enough.  
• Avoid joints where the fabric is in "peel".  In other words where the force acts first on a tiny portion of the joint peeling apart the joint.  See example below

•  
  
  

Growing Up Afloat

I’m not sure how most parents mark the passing of their kid’s years but for us, alongside the height marks on the wall, and the outgrown shoes, we’ve noticed Maia’s developing maturity by changes in our anchoring routine.

 

Maia at three

There was a time when she was very wee that when the moment came to anchor I’d strap her into her car seat and try to chant to myself, ‘it’s for the good of the boat’ while Maia protested very vocally and Evan tried to get my attention with hand signals before dropping the hook. Then came the stage where we would talk to her in advance, explaining she needed to play quietly and not interupt us with questions until the anchor was down and the engine was turned off. Sometimes if it was going to be complicated anchoring or docking we’d even pull out special toys. 

“Is the engine off yet? No? Then please wait to talk to us.”

By the time she was seven she knew the drill and would tuck herself away with a book until the boat was silent and settled, and then we could look out at the new neighbourhood together.

 

off on her own exploring

 

Then came the latest change, “I’d like to learn to anchor the boat.”

Our parenting style falls somewhere between ‘high expectations’ and ‘childhood is short and the magic should be protected’. What this means is when Maia brought home a recent report card we barely looked at it but asked if she’s having fun learning and is getting everything out of school she hoped. On the boat it means we expect her to help with every chore but if her imaginary mermaid friend wants to help too, we’ll get both of them a scrub brush.

 

school holidays are even better with a friend along

 

So through the years Maia has ‘helped’ but it was more about teaching her how to do things, and how to be part of a crew, than actually getting things done. Recently though this has changed. Along with bigger feet, and a height mark on the wall I no longer have to bend down to make, the way Maia helps us indicates she’s growing up. When we were hauled out to paint the bottom the quantity and quality of her contribution caught us both off guard. But it wasn’t until we went out sailing afterward that we really saw that our little girl had grown into a sailor.

And as she set the anchor and helped stow away gear, and made her friend feel at home and taught her how to use everything on the boat, we discovered we're sailing with a very different person than we arrived in Australia with. And I couldn’t help but feel proud and amazed.

“I’m not sure a boat will be my dream when I’m an adult,” Maia told me one evening as we watched the sun set beyond our anchorage, “but it’s a good way to grow up.”

scenes from our latest trip out

 

Haul out costs

Just a follow up about hauling out costs for a 40' catamaran at Brisbane Marine Industry Park

Lift in and Out. Blocking.   $400

Pressure wash (till it was clean, not by the hour).    $168 (2 guys for about 2 hours)

Each night on the hard. $71

Ladder rental $5/day

Optional:
Had to buy a 16A DC 240V battery charger to run my 120 V sander via the inverter. $120
About 60 sanding discs.  - already on the boat but probably cost $20 when purchased some time ago
10 L Jotun Seaguardian anti fouling $275 ( wholesale pricing because my company buys $1000s of paint from them ).  Retail is about $450 locally.  10 L gave us 2 very good coats.

 - Evan

The Hard Life-Australia

Hauling out is difficult, time consuming and expensive (and occasionally dramatic). So we tend to put it off. In fact, the last time we hauled the boat up onto dry land to paint the bottom was May 2010 (we had such a terrible paint job done at Abaroa’s we ended up careening the boat in September 2010 and adding another coat of paint). This time we were hoping to eek every last bit of use out of our paint, which we did, plus a year or so. About a month ago when scraped a barnacle farm off the boat we knew it was past time.

 

we just fit

Anyone with a cat can tell you finding a place to haul takes a bit of research. Because of our width we tend to need travel lifts designed for really big boats—which leads to a really big price. Our strategy is to hunt out smaller-extra wide lifts in industrial boat-yards, which means we end up in interesting places. But the price tends to be slightly more manageable.

 

barnacles, weed and river goo

This time we ended up in Brisbane Marine Industry Park on the little lift—which Ev had carefully measured and saw we *just* fit on. Though it was a narrow slot, and the current was on our beam, getting into the lift was drama free (yay!). Once the boat was out (Maia: “Oh, I love the smell of a boatyard!”) and we looked over the hull (Evan to yard worker: “It’s not so bad, is it?” Yard worker with bemused look: “It’s filthy.”) we were moved to our spot and the work started. And so did the rain.

looking at the bend in the rudder--this one is slated for replacement shortly

Winter in Brisbane is dry season. You can ask locals and many will tell you about years that went by without measurable rain in June or July. This year though: record breaking. It’s been raining so much it seems to have thrown the weather forecasters off their game. The weekend, which was supposed to include an occasional shower, turned into one big rain fest. We ended up draping the boat with everything tarp-like we own (including the tent) in an effort to keep the hulls dry enough to paint.

Then we ran into another problem. North American power tools don’t run on the Aussie 240 outlets and when it rains non-stop there isn’t much sun available to charge solar panels. A quick trip (with a borrowed car) to the hardware store for a battery charger (and more tarps) solved the problem though.

Once we were set up it was time to start sanding. Problem #3 was the discovery that 18 months in brackish water had lead to the development of some osmotic blistering. We had the same thing happen on little Ceilydh after her time in the Rio Dulce—not sure of the science behind it but the blisters were pencil eraser to dime sized and none went into the glass. We treated them by popping them open, rinsing them well, and then any that need filler after sanding were filled.

a few of the little blisters we found after they were opened and dried...

Next came a couple of coats of paint, a few minor repairs and after four days it was back into the water on a bright sunny winter day and out on the bay for a short sailing holiday.

The paint is supposed to be 30 month paint—which I’m sure we can stretch….