Great Barrier Reef

Testing out the Snorkel Gear

After a year of hiking.....not diving, we decided it was time to get back in the water.

Lion Friend Sue Takes Us on a Rainforest Hike

We've been wanting to do some diving out at the Great Barrier Reef, but didn't want to hassle taking Worrall Wind out of her slip. Anchoring in this area can be tricky because of the bombes (coral heads).  Russ and I signed up for a three day dive trip on the Anaconda III, a large sloop.  As it turned out, even the Anaconda had some difficulty and lost its main anchor.

We boarded the Anaconda on a Friday night and sailed out to Blue Pearl Bay on the backside of Hayman Island. We were probably the oldest guests on board, but it didn't matter.  We met some wonderful people from around the world on this ship.  The captain and crew were delightful and made our trip fun and relaxed.  Photos below are of the Skipper and his crew.

In the morning, we had our first dive.  Saw some great fish, including a giant wrassse that was very curious about us.  Russ and I were side by side, and the wrasse was right under Russ.  If he dropped his legs down he would have been riding the guy.  Since it was our first dive, I didn't have the new camera out yet.  I wanted to spend my time re-familiarizing myself with my dive gear first.

After our dive, we headed out to the Great Barrier Reef.

We snorkeled at Hardy Reef.  The reef extends for miles.  Dropped off at the top of the reef, the current carried us back to the mother ship.  Snorkeling turned out to be a better option than diving.  The water clarity on top was better than the diving clarity below.  Here are some photos.

We opted out of the next two dives, the night dive and the dawn dive, but did do a mid morning dive at Bait Reef.  We swam through some lovely coral head canyons and saw some fish, but nothing as lovely as the day before.

This is where the anchor got stuck, and we had to leave it behind.  The skipper and crew were quite disappointed.  That's a big investment of chain and anchor sitting on the ocean floor.

On  Sunday we sailed back to the Whitsunday Islands where we dove again later in the afternoon at Luncheon Bay and then found a mooring at Stonehaven Bay.

Due to our lack of anchor ability, our plans to spend the night at Whitehaven beach had changed.  The following morning we motor sailed to Tongue Bay where we could pick up another mooring.  Cruisers hiked over the rise to get the spectacular view of Hill Inlet and then enjoyed a day walking in the beautiful white silica sand.  We sadly then headed back to the mainland, enjoying a great sail.

Russ enjoying someone else raising the sails.

We returned to Airlie Beach on Monday afternoon, had a fabulous curry dinner prepared by Lion friends, Harry and Faye, and their friends Suzette and Adrian.

On Tuesday, we prepared Worrall Wind for departure, rinsing and stowing the dive gear, provisioning, bar-b-quing meats for passage salads, laundry, stowing, folding up the port note, putting on Hydie's wind vane rudder, putting up the jack lines, finding our life vests, gloves, harnesses, checking the weather, and working on the this blog to get it posted before we no longer had cell reception.  We had dinner on Tuesday evening with Russ's sailing buddies.  I will post these photos at a later date.


Wednesday, September 19.  We are going to the fuel dock within the next hour to top off our tanks then starting our voyage south to Brisbane.  There will be spotty cell reception along the coastal islands.  You can follow our progress by watching SPOT.  We hope to make it back south in a couple of weeks.  The winds are not favorable in this direction, so we we may be motoring if there are no winds or hanging out in sheltered bays if the wind and waves are too much on our bow.  It's all about the journey.  Good Bye Airlie Beach and Whitsundays.  Cheers!

All is Well with the 2 Sail R's on SV Worrall Wind

2 Sail R's Together Again

The 2 Sail R's are together once again on one continent....Australia.

I arrived back in Australia on Friday September 7.  Russ greeted me at the Prosperine Airport with a big grin and a bouquet of Australian flowers.   Worrall Wind was decked out with her flags, and her brightwork shone in the setting sun.  Lots of spit and polish had been going on while I had been away.

I thought the natural sheen was green.

It was great to come back "home".

During the last week, I have been meeting some of the Aussies that Russ became friends with while I was away.  He has been active in the Whitsunday Lions club.  This club is very active and sponsors the Saturday morning market in Airlie Beach.  They are, as one would expect of Lions, a great group of folks who enjoy helping others and having a good time doing so.

Helping Out in the Food Booth

He has also been racing with the Wednesday night sailors.

Forward:  Colin,  Dave, Alison; Helm: Glen, Di

Paralympics and Journalism

Sailing is inherently challenging.  Try sailing, cycling, running, or swimming with missing limbs or no vision.

While the Qualifying American Cup Races were Happening in San Francisco, the Paralympic co-ed Sailing Races Were Going on in London.  Australia athletes came home with 85 medals.

Spectacular Closing Ceremony of Paralympics 

Russ installed a new flat screen television in the lower saloon during the Olympics.  He enjoyed watching the Olympics, and then turned his attention to the Paralympics which received in depth coverage and reporting here in Australia.  In phone conversations while I was still in the states, Russ kept asking if we were watching this amazing event.  We were not, and not for the lack of trying.  It simply wasn't on the television as far as I could see, although I hope there must have been some coverage somewhere.

Upon returning to Australia,  I was soon introduced to the Paralympics. The Aussies had full coverage of this fabulous event which for me eclipsed the regular Olympics.  There were over 4,000 athletes from 150 countries participating.  

Sadly in the USA, even though we had 216 participating American athletes, most Americans didn't even know this event was going on.  Held in the same London venue as the Olympics, with over 2.7 million tickets sold, the Paralympic games were one of the most uplifting and inspiring events we have ever witnessed.  It is sad that Americans were deprived of watching this event.  Many of our war vets who lost limbs participated in the events.  We should have been supporting our athletes better.   These are indeed super-humans!  Here are some images that I snagged off the Internet:

So what's with our news coverage in America or Lack of News Coverage?

The lack of coverage of the Paralympics is symptomatic of American news in general.  Even on the cable channels it was impossible to find coverage of significant world news.

As an American and trained journalist/educator, I am disturbed with what is happening in America in terms of news coverage?  Having just been in the states during the Olympics and two political conventions, the news appears to be slanted right, left, trivialized, ignored, or omitted.   We are fed sound bites of "news" that lack depth and twist the integrity of the full and factual story.    I had a chance to see quite a bit of "news" while at home and was shocked by the out-of-context bites and opinions that were espoused as news.

This type of reporting or editing of the news is reaping the rewards of an increasing polarization and dumbing down of the public.  Where is the center?  What are the facts without the spin?  How do these facts fit together to give us a real and complex picture of what is going on with appropriate information from which to make decisions, to come up with solutions, or celebrate human diversity?

Americans are becoming increasingly insular and ignorant of world events.  It has been said that knowledge is power...enough said!

Speaking of Croc!

Even though Russ looks close, he is safely on the boat.

Since we are in Croc country, we decided it was time to visit the reptiles in their natural habitat on a Croc Safari.   We had a great day on the banks and on the water of the Proserpine River, home to an abundance of wild life.

Russ and I were picked up by the Safari bus at 8:30 and driven to the base camp where we learned of the flora, fauna, and non-croc creatures on the banks of the Proserpine.  After tea and campfire bread, we headed down the river in a very sturdy barge.

We got a kick out of the safety talk where we were instructed in maritime safety procedures, i.e. how to put on our personal flotation devices so we wouldn't drown if the boat sank.    We could then float around in these bright orange vests as targets for the Crocs!  We learned that Crocs can see in color.  Crikey!  This boat better not sink.

Three Little Babies - Less than a Foot Long

But they Grow Up !  And Look For Orange Life Vests!

That's it for now.  We are packing for a three day trip out to the Great Barrier Reef to do some diving this coming weekend.  More later.

All is Well with the 2 Sail R's on SV Worrall Wind

Celebration of Life Memorial for Sail R Roz's Mom

My mom, LaVerne Monico, passed peacefully on August 3, 2012.  A Celebration of Her Life Memorial will be held on August 19, 2012 in Elk Grove California.  If you knew her and would like more information about the memorial, click HERE.  Thank you family and friends for your support and condolences. ~ Roz

2 Sail R's on 2 Continents

Temporarily the 2 Sail R's are on 2 continents.  Russ is with Worrall Wind in Australia, and I am living in Elk Grove, California taking care of my folks in their apartment.  My brother lives only a couple of miles away, and I am happy to be here to lift some of the burden from his shoulders and to provide the 24/7 care that Mom needs, and support that Dad needs.

My mom, LaVerne, has late stage lung cancer and is currently bedridden in her Elk Grove apartment.

As she was when she was healthy, she is always most gracious as she approaches the end of life.  She is a devout Christian and looks forward to being released from this body and being with God in Heaven.  For those of you who know my mom and would like to know her status, you can go to http://www.supportcircle.com.  Key her name LaVerne Monico.  From this site you can receive a daily update, read messages that others have sent her, and if you are so inclined, send her one of your own.  She looks forward to these messages every day.

Russ has stayed with Worrall Wind as we do not know how long we will be separated.  Worrall Wind will need to be sailed south back to Brisbane before the hurricane season.  We are seriously considering listing WW and seeing if we get any bites.  This wasn't a part of the master plan, but given our options of going around South Africa or through Pirate Alley to the Med, we are thinking this might be a viable option while the boat is still in prime cruising condition.  Shipping the boat to the Med is still an option from Thailand if we continue our cruising and our pocket book can afford the expense ($65,000).  We got a quote of $85,000 to ship the boat back to the US, ouch.   While this is tempting, it also tempting to sell the boat in OZ and buy another boat (or not) wherever our next destination.

In the meantime Russ is getting the boat sale-ready.  He and WW are still in Airlie Beach inside the Great Barrier Reef waiting for my return if it is before October.  If not before October, he will be looking for crew to help sail the boat south.  He would very much like to take the boat out and do more sailing around the Whitsunday Islands, but has promised not to solo sail.



If any of you vicarious or real salty sailors want to visit Russ and Worrall Wind for some cruising in the Whitsundays or are interested in crewing with Russ back to Brisbane, or are interested in buying Worrall Wind prior to being officially listed, please contact us.  Check the Worrall Wind - Nauticat 44 Spec Page (left hand column of the blog) for specifications and additional photos when they are available.

Will You Still Love Me, Will You Still Feed Me, When I’m Sixty-Four?

When the Beatles sang this song, who could even imagine turning 64?!
I never did.  And today, I am!  Ouch!  


Granted this is written from the young male perspective when 64 year olds must have seemed very old and sedentary, nevertheless this is my birthday poem for this year.  I am happy to say, the answer is YES!  

When I’m Sixty-four

When I get older losing my hair, (Still have lots left, along with my own teeth, yeah!)
Many years from now, (That's today!  How did I get so old?)
Will you still be sending me a valentine (My sweetie does.)
Birthday greetings bottle of wine? (ecards and Chardonnay, Shiraz, Merlot)

If I’d been out till quarter to three (Or on watch, throughout the night)
Would you lock the door, (Hatch maybe closed to keep the water out of the boat, but never you)
Will you still need me, will you still feed me, (I hope so!)
When I’m sixty-four? (Yipes! Still can't figure out how that happened.)


You’ll be older too, (ah ah ah ah ah) (Sadly, that's the way it works.)
And if you say the word, (43 years worth of yes from my sweetheart)
I could stay with you. (Yes and sail the world)
I could be handy mending a fuse (And everything else that goes haywire on a boat)
When your lights have gone. (Literally or figuratively?)
You can knit a sweater by the fireside (Ha! Steer the boat through stormy seas, more likely)
Sunday mornings go for a ride. (In our patchwork dinghy)
Doing the garden, digging the weeds, (Not a chance! Maybe diving on a coral garden.)
Who could ask for more? (We certainly can't)
Will you still need me, will you still feed me, (yes, yes)
When I’m sixty-four? (Yikes!!, how about 104?)

Every summer we can rent a cottage (How about a mooring buoy in South Pacific?)
In the Isle of Wight, if it’s not too dear (Whitsunday Islands are pretty dear)
We shall scrimp and save (That's why we live and travel on a boat)
Grandchildren on your knee (Not yet, we're surrogates for lots of cruisers children and grand pets)
Vera, Chuck, and Dave (More like Misty (dog), Balou (cat), and Noodles (dog))

Send me a postcard, drop me a line, (Email or FaceBook)


Will you still need me, will you still feed me, (not on a feeding tube yet)
When I’m sixty-four? (The answer is YES!  Yeah! Yeah!)
Whoo! (Hoo! - It's been grand!)

All is well with the 2 Sail R's on S/V Worrall Wind

Uh?! Where's the Boat?

Thursday, June 21, 2012, Airlie Beach Anchorage

After dropping Garyn and Jess off at Hamilton Island for their flight home on Saturday, Russ and I spent one night at Hamilton Marina and  two nights in Cid Harbor.  We were finally able to catch up with our friends, Derek and Bele on SV Pandana whom we had met in Vanuatu.  


We enjoyed a nice meet up with them on Sunday evening for dinner,  and were all planning on a geocache hunt on Monday morning.  There is a small island off of Cid where there is a geocache.  When we awoke on Monday, the wind was howling and a one mile dinghy ride in the wind and waves looked unappealing.  So we decided to give that activity a pass.  Next time!


Bele and Derek left Monday afternoon for Airlie Beach, and after completing a few boat projects, we left Cid on Tuesday morning, June 19, arriving at Airlie Beach by lunch.  We had a strong wind and tidal current moving us along at 7 knots with a double reef.  The trip which usually takes three hours, only took us two.  That's a record for us!


Airlie Beach is a large shallow bay that extends from shore outward for a mile or more.  We dropped our anchor in 14 feet of water about a half mile off shore. We would have liked to have been closer but were afraid we would be sitting on the bottom when the tide went out.  The anchor (our new one that we bought in Mackay) didn't set the first time in the muddy bottom.  So we pulled it back up and dropped it again.  This time it seemed to set. 

Because the anchorage is a mix of mooring balls and boats at anchor, we did not lay down as much chain as we usually do because we were afraid that if we did our swing diameter would be too great and we would run into the moored boats.  We stayed on the boat and set the anchor alarm.  The wind was strong and we could hear the anchor pull, but we didn't move.

Looking out on Anchorage

Lovely, Free, Saltwater Swimming Lagoon at Airlie Beach

By the following day, Wednesday, June 20, we felt confident enough to get off the boat for a short walk around Airlie Beach.  We had lunch ashore and returned to our boat, stopping to see Bele and Derek on Pandana.  Unfortunately,  Derek had an infected tooth and was running a fever.  They were hanging close to their boat until Derek could be seen by a dentist.  We returned to the boat.  Worrall Wind was right where we left her.


Gina and Paul Ray on SV Solace, whom we had met at Whitehaven Beach just a few days before, were anchored in front of us.  We invited them over to play dominoes.  Gina won the game.  Instead of a grudge match, we made arrangements to meet up again the following evening on SV Solace to learn a new dice game called Zilch.  


Thursday, June 21, we decided to explore a little further.  Gina and Paul had already left their boat for some land exploration, by the time we left WW at 10:00 a.m. in the morning.  Once again the wind was blowing like crazy, but we had not strayed from our anchor perimeter circle, so we felt confident enough to leave the boat.   We dinghied ashore and took a bus inland a few kilometers to a shopping mall.


We stopped at a sport store and bought a full length wet suit for me and at a pharmacy for some over the counter meds, contact lens solution, etc.  Then we had a nice lunch in a little restaurant and headed back to the bus stop.  


We had purchased an all day ticket, and were planning to stop at a large super market on the way back to the boat and do some provisioning.  While we were waiting for the bus (1:50) which was due in about 10 minutes,  Russ checked the cell phone. We had received a voice message from Gina.  She wanted to know if we were still planning to come over to their boat that evening as it looked like we had left.  Our boat was no longer behind them.  WHAT?!


Russ immediately returned Gina's call.  They had returned to Solace and were busy watching another boat in front of them dragging anchor as the winds were gusting to 30 knots.  It had hit another boat.  She thought that while they were away, we had sought out a more protected spot out of the wind to re-anchor, as our boat was no longer anchored behind them.

UH?  WHERE'S THE BOAT?!  Uh? NO!  We had not re-anchored.  Oh S#@%!  Where was Worrall Wind?

Gina and Paul got out their binoculars and scanned the horizon.  They thought they spotted Worrall Wind about a half mile away as the wind blows, and here we were sitting at a frigging bus stop, miles from the beach while our boat was sailing away!  


Fortunately, our new and now best friend Paul said he would go out to the boat in his dinghy and see if he could stop Worrall Wind's escape to the sea.  Within minutes our nice leisurely day was turning into an unwelcome drama.


Russ and I looked around to no avail for a taxi.  We jumped on the bus for the agonizingly slow ride back to the dinghy dock at the Whitsunday Sailing Club.  Would Paul be able to stop Worrall Wind? Did the new anchor fail?  Did she hit and damage any other boats or people in the anchorage?  Was she damaged?  How much insurance do we carry? And for goodness sake, lady, just pay the bus driver and take your seat!


We arrived at the dinghy dock about 45 minutes after the phone call with Gina.  We hopped in the dinghy and headed for Solace.  Sure enough there was a big open space behind Solace where we had left Worrall Wind.   


We saw a ketch in the distance and headed in that direction.  As we got closer, we could see Paul on the bow and his dinghy tied to WW's side.  It is hard to believe that WW drug anchor as far as she did, through an anchorage of several other boats....and didn't hit one of them!  

Anchor Drag....half mile and no hits!  Amazing!

Fortunately, the anchor finally caught hold in the shallow bay and had stopped on her own accord.  Paul assured us that she hadn't moved since he had boarded.  He inspected the boat and there wasn't any evidence of a scratch that she had hit anything on her way out to sea.  Luck, lucky, lucky!


If the bay had not been so shallow so far out, we could have lost the boat because the anchor would have just dangled in the water as she blew north.  Geez!  We are so fortunate to have met Gina and Paul only a few days before and they were able to contact us and watch over WW.  When we boarded Worrall Wind, we pulled up the anchor.  The anchor shaft and chain shackle had a weird twist in them that Russ had to fix before we re-anchored.  We motored back to the mooring field and set the anchor in a different position, farther out from the rest of the boats.  If we broke loose again, we would have fewer worries with no or less boats behind us.


In a phone conversation later in the afternoon with other cruising friends, Dana and Mark, on Northfork, I joked that they were lucky Worrall Wind didn't smash into them as they were entering the Marina.  Dana said they had seen Worrall Wind way out in the Bay as they were coming into the Marina and wondered why we had anchored out so far?  I guess WW has a mind of her own.


Gina and Paul came over to our boat again this evening as we were reluctant to leave.  We broke out a vintage bottle of wine as a thank you, and enjoyed a nice evening playing Zilch.  Just as we think life is getting a little ordinary, we are reminded that life is never ordinary when you live on a boat, and cruising friends really look out for one another.  We are so thankful!


We had some plans for more exploring tomorrow, but I think we'll stay put until the wind dies down.  If were feeling really brave, we may venture into the Whitsunday Sailing Club for dinner tomorrow night.


Even though we are a little shaken,


All is Well With the 2 Sail R's on SV Worrall Wind

Good Bye - We Miss you Already!

Hill Inlet off Whitehaven Beach

Saturday, June 16, 2012 - Hamilton Island Marina

We've had so much fun with Garyn and Jessica onboard, it was really hard to say goodbye today.  We left them at the airport early this afternoon for their flight to Sydney and then back to America.  This morning we arose early and motored from Whitehaven Bay to Hamilton Island.  We arrived about 10:00 a.m. in the morning.  The kids had enough time to fish packing, take hot showers, and stop at the bakery before we walked them to the airport.  So let's back track a few days......

Tuesday, June 12, 2012 - Stonehaven Bay

We spend the night in Stonehaven Bay and head to Butterfly Bay the following morning.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012 - Butterfly Bay - Happy Birthday Abby

Today is cake day because it is Abby's birthday, but we also celebrate everyone's birthday since we are together. We have pancakes, eggs, and bacon for breakfast.  It is so cool and windy  when we arrive at Butterfly, that we are not too interested in venturing far from the boat. . Garyn and Jess do take the dinghy out to explore some of the beaches while I bake a chocolate cake.  So happy birthday to Abby, Neal,  Garyn, Roz, Jessica, and Russ for 2012. We spend the evening on the  same mooring, we had the week previous, playing Fiji Rummy, drinking Margaritas, and eating pizza and chocolate cake.  What a life!

Thursday, June 14, 2012 - Butterfly to Tongue Bay

It is an absolutely still this morning.

Oh what a beautiful morning!

There is no wind and the water is as smooth as glass in Butterfly Bay.  Since there is no wind, we motor to Tongue Bay.  We are foturnate to snag a buoy for the afternoon and evening.  This is a lovely bay and it is flat and calm.

We enjoy watching giant sea turtles and dugongs swim about.  At first, we are not sure what we are seeing when the dugongs surface and do a slow role and dive with a flaked tail down off the surface of the water. Is it a turtle? a dolphin? nope...must be a dugong.

Before the tide drops too low, we take the dinghy ashore and hike over the peninsula to Hill Inlet overlooking Whitehaven Bay.

Hill Inlet, Whitehaven Bay

Whoa!  What a spectacular view of  aqua blue waters layered over white silica sand.  It is truly one of the most picturesque  places we have seen.

Friday, June 15, 2012- Tongue Bay to Whitehaven Bay
We must vacate the buoy we are on by 9:00 a.m. in the morning.  It does not take us long to cast off the lines and be on our way.  All of us are in agreement, that Tongue Bay so far has been our favorite, warm weather, calm seas, dugongs, sea turtles, and spectacular views.  For what more could we ask?

By 11:00 a.m. we are dropping anchor in picturesque Whitehaven Beach.  This is a beautiful white silica sand arching beach with aqua, blue, green waters.  Once the anchor is set, we take a 6 km hike over the peninsula to Chance Bay and back.  We are fortunate enough to see a large lizard and butterflies along the way.

This is a mellow hike.  Russ and I head back to the boat while Garyn and Jess take a long hike down the white beach toward Hill Inlet.    While we are at the boat our neighbors, Gina and Paul from Solace come over to talk with us.  We have all seen one another on the sea, but have yet to be introduced.  Turns out, they are from New Zealand, but worked in Folsom as nurses before cruising.  They too are hanging out in the Whitsundays this season.  I am sure we will be seeing more of them this season.

Garyn and Jess return to the boat about 2:00 in the afternoon.  Garyn musters up the courage to jump in the water for a quick swim, the kids pack up, and we spend a final evening together playing Fiji Rummy.  So far we have played four hands and Garyn beats the pants off of us on the final night.  Jess doesn't really enjoy playing cards, but she has been a good sport and has done a great job learning how to play the game.

It's Been Fun!

Saturday, June 16, 2012 - Last Day
As we pulled into a slip at Hamilton Island, a gentleman came over and introduced himself.  His name is Cliff, and his wife is Lou.  They are staying in the condominiums with their daughter and grandchildren.  He and his wife sailed around the world 20 years ago from South Africa.  We spent the afternoon tidying up the the boat, doing some shopping and  laundry, and worked on some boat projects after Garyn and Jess flew off to Sydney.  Cliff and Lou came over late in the afternoon and we shared some appetizers and wine together recalling our adventures.  We hope to visit our new friends when we visit Perth next spring (October-November 2012).

Tomorrow is Sunday, June 17, 2012.  We will head back to Cid harbor and then to the mainland and Airlie beach early next week.

All is Well with the 2 Sail R's on SV Worrall Wind