Report Number 20

Trip Report #20
Things went more or less as planned, weather was ordinary on Tuesday, so we
had a rest day and set off again at 5 am on Wednesday. Seas were a bit high
for the first few hours, but then calmed down a lot, so the speed went up
along with the comfort level. We passed about 30 freighters standing off the
coast around Newcastle and couldn't help wondering why, and who was paying.
Seas became choppy again as we were passing Terrigal, but then we cruised
into Broken Bay and picked up a mooring at Little Patonga at a bit after
5pm. And so our journey of 137 days and 11 hours finished where it began -
on the same mooring in Little Patonga. Thursday dawned absolutely picture
perfect and just this once, Karen didn't wake up Grumpy but let him sleep
for a while. Then we made our way slowly back to home - Berowra Waters at
1.30, where we were not allowed to sneak in quietly, but were welcomed back
with horn fanfare by four Club members who happened to be on their boats
preparing for another long weekend, and one who rang from work.
Epilogue
Looking back over a fabulous four and a half months, we really must
acknowledge the contributions of a number of people:
Firstly, Jess, who behaved beautifully all the way. She was helped
enormously in this by David Robinson(get well soon!)of Bayview Slipway who
repaired the front quarter of the hull, and provided a long lasting
anti-foul. Also associated with performance was John Harden of Hardtec who
worked feverishly on the electrics, and all those who have heard the stories
about the electrics since we bought Jess will understand how vital John's
contribution was. Graham Rowell did a wonderful job installing the new stove
and Karen gave it a thorough workout. Our communications were via a laptop
which came from Sam at Lifetime Computers along with major support. Then
there was Greg Dalkeith of Absolute Boat Covers who fitted the new bimini
which only fell down twice! And finally, Ben and Sam (Karen's son and
family) who provided transport on land whenever we needed it, which was at
various times from home to and from Berowra Waters, Mascot airport, and
anywhere else we wanted, as well as collecting all our mail (which they
claim was excessive in this electronic age!).
On the emotional support side, we must mention Jo and David first because it
was they who gave us the idea and then phoned frequently with sound advice
and suggestions, then Leonie and Denis who, along with Rob, kept us in touch
with our roots with a stream of short (thanks!) emails, and finally all the
other folk who sent us messages of support and friendship along the way.
When you are a long way away, and everything is new, it is really comforting
to open the emails and find some familiar names.
Along the way we met many people whose names we would have liked to list
here, but there just isn't room, but they have all been mentioned in reports
as we went along.
There will, of course, be a book, which will be followed by a set of CD's
with the photos. After that will come the spoken travelogue on a CD set, and
finally the movie on DVD!
Thank you all very much and we look forward to meeting up with you soon.
Love, Karen and Warwick