tophatyachts.com

Hi all, I've had some trouble with the new site and password protocols, I think I've been using he changed one and it may run out, anyway I'm on now and I've updated my password and hope all stays well.

Phillip rang me and gave me a serve for not posting on the site for so long and my excuse was I use Facebook and all my friends and family follow me there, so I've been neglecting my TopHatYachts.org friends.

Anyway over summer I was privileged to sail in a couple of couta boat races in port phillip with a old Australian champion for skipper, it was a blast. I also pulled a gig as navigator on a delivery of a cavalier 32 from Tasmania to Westernport, this to was a great trip where I learnt a bucket on sail trimming.

So I've now made Sundowner ready at Bundaberg where she spent the summer alone on the hard, (well Ted was aboard) and have sailed her up to Townsville where I am provisioning for another push north. Magnetic Island for a bit then the Palm islands etc etc, I hope to get to Lizard island and then head south for westernport if all goes well.

cheers
Rob

Keep the blogs coming Rob,

All us stay-at-homes are fully inspired by what you are doing.

Fair winds Rob, hope you have a great sail. I haven't forgotten that coffee we agreed to share!
Cheers,
Kevin
Wayward Lady, a Mk 111,
Williamstown, Vic

bloody hell I hate blogging while I'm sailing , just lost 50 words.
leaving Hinchinbrook Chanel headed for Dunk today. big croc visited he anchorage last night. easy sailing nth in trades, most days headsail only making 5kts. Mate on Cynecia just landed a mackerel so fish for dinner tonight. Sundowner is doing fine, same as her crew. I do not miss working !!!!! yeah coffee sounds good Kev

Sundowner made Cairns this arvo, had a fast sail up from Moutrilyan Harbour in 25kt SE left at 0600 and dropped the rock in the river here at 1600. I'm over sandflies and mozzies I can tell you, I've been eaten alive and am as itchy as. Not much choice of spots to anchor and I think I'll be moving in the morning as I'm swinging pretty close to a cat on the outflow. Bugger eh. Don't know how far north I'll go, the wind up here is always pretty fresh and has been from SE for weeks so I'm going to be beating south by the looks of things and there's not much sea room for tacking as the reef is getting closer to the mainland the further north I get. Also Lizard Island copped it in the cyclone and I'm told there is nothing there anymore, so it doesn't sound like a good place to be without weather forecasts available. We'll see when I get closer. for now I'll check out the city of cairns.
cheers
Rob

Hey Rob Cook Town is not to bad a spot via the Low Isles interesting bunch of guys at the laundromat then maybe across to lizard either way November before you can head south unless you love the motor

ordered Bellingham 2/3 size charts today for top end, west coast, and across the bottom of Australia all packs cost about $600 opposed to the $3500 I've spent on Australian hydrographic charts for the east coast alone. So if all goes well I'll circumnavigate the coast all the way rather than go back down where I've been. By the time I get back home I should know how to sail pretty good I hope.

That's great Rob,

But you have to keep us up to date on what you are doing.

Will you be planning to over winter/summer anywhere on the circumnavigation as you did this year?

Lots of questions but I'm sure you will answer them over time.

I'm traveling with Cynecia Phil you remember Luke you took him up the hill with me at Camden, well he reckons that you don't say where you're going because if you don't get there people think you've failed. Me I don't really care, I'd like to be in Tasmania for the wooden boat festival next year whenever that is I don't want to leave Sundowner again and go off to work as it was too hard being away from her last time. We'll leave Cairns at weeks end wind permitting and head north, Port Douglas, Cooktown, Lizard Is etc. then over the gulf. I'm not sure how much internet I'll get but I'll try to keep posting. There is another top hat in the river here a few boats up and I think there is someone on board. And also I was talking to a guy today who said he remembers another top hat sailind over the top with two people and two dogs on board.

I checked out a MK3 named Wildfire in Cairns last year, which was for sale, and was being used as backpacker accomodation. She was on a marina berth, under the Shangri-La hotel, southernmost finger. Spent a night on board, and it took me two showers to get rid of the smell of the air freshener and stale socks from that boat! There are a lot of liveaboard characters in Far North Queensland!