We ain’t going anywhere!
We’re staying another month. We talked about it last night and the outstanding repairs can’t really be done at anchor. It’s not like they’re optional works either; the boat needs to get this stuff done to be safe to sail, so we don’t really have a choice.
We spoke to the marina and our berth was booked out to someone else from Tuesday, eek! plus the marina is super-full at the moment, with Airlie Race Week on now and Hamilton Island Race Week next week, and this beautiful winter weather … anyway, the wonderful Amy kindly rejigged things and we can stay in our current berth until the middle of September. We were feeling a bit gloomy about it; it is the most awesome sailing weather at the moment and just want to GET GOING.
But needs must. We are telling ourselves that we are so fabulously lucky to be spending a month in the Whitsundays! On holiday, not working, and we get to go kayaking and exploring in the tender and we can walk into town. The lagoon will reopen soon and there are lots of opportunities for family fun.
We’re thinking about getting another kayak as this one is brilliant and the kids have taken to it like … well, the proverbial ducks. I personally love it for mental health opportunities, it’s so easy to pull it into the water, put on some quick-dry shorts and paddle around the marina. It’s very peaceful and you get to have a proper sticky beak and everything going on in the ‘hood!
We’ve also been using the tender to go for a family joy rides. The kids love it (well, we all do, it’s exhilarating when we get Wee Willy up on the plane!). They make me think of dogs hanging out of car windows.
Sasha has been getting very tired of the morning struggles with hairbrushing, and declared yesterday that she wanted it all cut off. Not wanting to miss the moment, we took her along to the hairdresser and she now has a gorgeous bob. Very fetching.
When we were at the hairdressers, we met the coolest family – who had their pet bird with them! Tilly of course was intrigued.
We were also lucky enough to spend some time with another kidboat over the last few days (you can find their blog here). The kids have loved building cubbies and playing lego, and the grownups have loved adult conversation and swapping boat ideas and life stories. I’ve found that other people doing this liveaboard life often have really similar attitudes and values, and it’s easy to find common ground. I love it.
