Since we have spent a couple of months in Eden (awaiting the AGM for our unit) we have been doing the Eden Shuffle. This shuffle is necessary depending on the direction and strength of the wind. Our mooring is situated in Snug Cove and is fine in any wind when not living aboard. However for a comfortable (non roly) sleep any wind from the north is fine but when the wind is strong from a southerly quadrant a shuffle across Twofold Bay to either East Boyd Bay or tucked under Torarago Point becomes necessary. The locals say they know when a strong southerly wind is coming because they watch the yachts scuttle across the bay.
I prefer East Boyd Bay as we can usually get the dinghy ashore to walk the lovely hinterland, while the surf on Boyd Town Beach can sometimes be daunting, but then morning coffee at the Seahorse Inn is always delightful. Naturally we meet many other yachties in these anchorages as we are all sheltering from the same weather system. So life can become very social.
Mike and I have delighted in meeting and spending quality time with the Sumbawa crew. Steve and Rebecca have 10 children and live aboard a yacht the size of Yaraandoo II. They are learning to hone thier cruising skills while remaining in an area offering easy access to shops and safe anchorages.
The children are home schooled and amaze us with their knowledge, skills and beautiful manners. We have been showing them some of the region's historic sights by walking to to the Davidson's whaling station and house to the north and to Boyd's Tower to the south. Mike has been teaching the 5 eldest kids Natasha, Blade, Ryan, Nakita and Alec to sail Wee Willy our Saber Sailing dinghy, while I have introduced them to kayaking and boules. Of course rowing Wee Willy when there is no wind is almost as much fun as sailing. The younger children, Hunter, Amlayah, Yahsha, Azanyah and Zeinobiyah are happy to play on the beach with balls, sticks shells and stones and always find things to amuse themselves.
Nakita turned 10 last week so we had a wonderful day on the beach. Swimming, building sand castles, chasing balloons and the frisbee, playing boules but more importantly sharing a feast. We cooked sausages followed by baked bananas stuffed with dark chocolate and wrapped in tin foil and finished off with toasted marshmellows. A great time was had by all.
I think Mike and I would have gone stir crazy spending all this time in the same region with only the paperwork for the AGM to distract/frustrate us. This family have captured our hearts and have made our time in Eden a fantastic experience. So I wanted to share some photos with you of Mr Mike and Mrs Sue having a great time with the Sumbawa crew.
Mother's Day dawned bright and sunny if a little cool. Mike and I joined Trish to go to church where all mother's received a flower beautifully packaged in silver foil and tied with golden bows. I had to ask if God mothers counted and I was assured they do - so I received a flower at the end of a lovely service.
Back to Yaraandoo II to change and pack a picnic. Unfortunately Richard was at SES training so could not join us, but the 3 of us drove out to Haycock Rock just north of Eden. This is part of Ben Boyd National Park and we were able to enjoy our picninc listening to waves craching on the beach accompanied by beautiful bird song.
The sun clouded over but made for ideal walking conditions for our 5k (return) walk from Haycock Rock to Barmouth Beach. That is the bar of the Pambula River. We had never been to this part of the park so it was all exploring for Mike and I.
This trek passes through several changes of scenery while following the coastline. First came the bottle brush forrest, followed by open plains and then through dry eucalypt forest till we reached Barmouth Beach.
We ate museli bars and apples before the return walk. The clifs along the way are quite spectacular because of the iron oxide in the rocks turning them dark shades of red. It was a lovely walk and Mike and I appreciated the opportunity to travel to a walk beyond our normal Eden area range as we do not have car transport.
Once back in Eden we returned to Yaraandoo II to change yet again as we were joining a group of local friends for dinner at the newly refurbished Golden Crown Restaurant. The decor is still non-fancy but the food is delicious and the company was fantastic. Soanother great day in the Eden region.
We departed Eden the morning after the long awaited yet successful AGM for our unit. It was a short fast sail to Bermagui. We spent the night in the marina sorting out details for leaving the boat when we travel overseas later in the year.
The sail from Bermagui to Jervis Bay was a 14 hour rocky roly coaster ride with a strong SW wind. We had 2 opposing swell trains so not too comfortable, but fast - surfing up to 9 knts at times. (I am still amazed that people pay for such rides at fun fares) We had intended to do an overnighter but with such a fast trip we pulled in to Hole in the Wall at Jervis Bay for a peaceful night's sleep.
The next morning we continued north with the strong SW wind so still wing on wing and rocked out way to Port Hacking. Again we had a restful night at anchor off Gibon beach. The conditions had abated the next day so a more comfortable sail - still wing on wing but not so steep swells and lunch time found us entering Port Jackson.
What a jolt to the system. It was a stunning Sunday morning and the harbour was revving. We needed heads on swivals to avoid all the marine traffic which ranged from tankers, ferries, racing yachts, kayaks and pleasure craft zooming around at a great rate of knots. After the quiet waters of Eden it was like being a pedestrian in the middle of Pitt St.
Still we made it to Blackwattle Bay without incident and dropped anchor for a relaxing lunch. We spent the next two days in the company of very dear friends (the parents of our Godsons) Ken and Vickie who had travelled from Canberra to join us to view the Vivid Festival. Vivid is when Sydney landmarks are lit up with amazing light displays and thousands descend on the city to enjoy the spectacle. We lunched at the Fish Markets and walked for hours enjoying a balmy evening in the city, viewing the the opera house, the bridge, circular quay and the botanical gardens before dining in China Town. By then we were all walked out and decided to leave other venues for the next night.
The next day we cruised around the harbour showing Ken and Vickie all the nooks, crannies, bays and inlets that they had not seen from the seaward side. Ken being an avid photographer was in his element. A southerly change with rain was predicted in the afternoon so we meandered our way back to Blackwattle Bay for lunch onboard. Quality time with special friends is fantastic and we enjoyed every minute of our time together.
Two days of wind and rain followed so we stayed snug at anchor before provisioning for the Coastal Cruising Club of Austalia Sail Away to celebrate the Queen's Birthday holiday. So we sailed up to middle harbour, under Spit Bridge and spent the night in Sugarloaf Bay before arriving at Echo Point on the Saturday morning. Several other club boats had braved the wet and windy conditions and it was great to catch up with fellow members. Just as an aside, a very cheeky kookabura stole a whole sausage roll from my hand just as I was about to take a bite. He swooped from the tree over my shoulder, stole the food and in a second he was back sitting in the tree.
We managed to have some good times ashore for coffee, happy hours and BBQ's. While the rain did fall each day and night, it miraculously stopped each time an event was schedulled ashore. It was a little disconcerting dinghying back to the boat in a thick mist on Sunday evening and we thought we might have to use radar to exit the harbour on Monday, but the day dawned with bright sunshine and a stunning blue sky.
Another beautiful sail to Pittwater being entertained by breaching whales along the way. We had intended to head down to Towlers Bay,but a call on the VHF had us diverting to the Basin were we met with our Club Commodore Jim and is wife for happy hour and then dinner aboard Yaraandoo II.
So it was an earlyish start this morning to continue up Pittwater to meet up with Martin the refigeration mechanic. I went off to Mona Vale for laundry and supplies while the guys serviced the system.
All is well with the world and now it is time to catch up with Pittwater cruising and land lubber Friends.
June has been a busy month with lots of boat maintenance and the odd social interaction to keep us sane.
First Mike replaced the engine mounts on the diesel altenator which sounds easy. In fact the alternator is located in a difficult position in the starboard aft cabin, so he was pretty scrunched up during the 2 day chore. Meanwhile yours truely polished the stainless, demoulded the cockpit and polished all the clears. Then we hauled out at Col Beashels in Elvina Bay to replace the saildrive anode and maintain the propellor ready for the stop over in the marina when we won't be on the move. The hull was in really great condition even after 18 months and came up sparkling after the pressure wash. Mike did some antifouling but since it will all be removed in the new year it was just the odd touch up.
We have also caught up with lots of cruising/sailing friends as we have managed to attend a CCCA meeting, a sailaway and and Old Salts gathering. All 3 events were fun, informative and very enjoyable.
Then we arranged a short adventure back down to Eden via dinghy, local bus, ferry, local train, interstate train and coach. All in aid of attending our first strata meeting with our new strata manager for our unit in Eden. We broke the journey in Canberra to visit with our Godsons parents. Then back on the coach which arrives in Eden at 9.15pm.
Our few hours in Canberra were very enjoyable, just not long enough to catch up with everyone unfortunately. Ken and Vickie took us to Tidbinbilla where Ken volunteers. We walked in the sanctuary and saw platpus, potaroos, the jabiru and several koalas. Of course there were lots of kangeroos and wallabies and a couple of emu. Being winter we were really surprised at the number of animals we did see. The eastern robins with their yellow breast feathers were too quick for this photographer. The walk meanders around the platapus ponds and several very innovative scultptures, by local artists, enhance the wooded tracks. It was a lovely walk and we were impressed by the regrowth after the devastating Canberra Bush Fires. The rangers certainly have put in the hard yards to help the natural beauty spring forth.
Once in Eden we had some hours to fill in before the meeting in the evening. Not a difficult task as we had arranged to treat the Sumbawa crew to a visit at the Saphire Coast Activity Center. This tourist attraction is again run by volunteers and we thank them for their efforts. Mike and I had first visited with our grand god children and it is wonderful to see the displays through childrens' eyes, Their thirst for knowledge is contageous and we all had a marvellous time. The centre encourages touching and seeing the crew examining the exhibits by feeling as well as looking was special. The touch pool was a great sucess with strarfish, crabs and other sea creatures explained by Paul (a volunteer). My favourite had to be the octopuss. A very intelligent creature which, although could not be touched, displayed some wonderful antics. Who would have thought an octopuss could be such a show off?
All too soon it was time to leave the activites behind and enjoy some fish and chips together before we had to depart for other appointments. Once again we had a wonderful time with the Sumbawa crew.
Our strata meeting was very successful and contracts were signed and motions adopted. Once the formalities were over a group of us ventured forth to eat at the Drift restaurant on the quay. It was a nice informal gathering with good company and great food - a lovely way to end the evening.
So we were up at the crack of dawn - on the coach by 7.00am and the return journey commenced in the usual way. The coach passengers all had a surprise at the top of Brown Mountain as the plains were dusted with snow. We could see the snow on the main range and understood why the wind was sooo cold in Eden. Alighting from the coach in Nimitabell, where we stopped for coffee, we made fresh footprints in the snow. Our driver said he had never seen snow laying in Nimitabell on his run before.
We arrived in Canberra and changed to the interstate train and settled in for the journey to Sydney Central. The train was 30 mins late due to track work and speed restrictions, but this was no hinderance as we jumped straight on the cicular route train and arrived at Circular Quay just in time for the Manly Ferry. The trip across the harbour was after dusk which made photos difficult. Once at Manly I had enough time to get some basic shopping needs before we hopped on the bus to McCarrs Creek.
The dinghy was as we left it, so it was a quick row back to Yaraandoo II. We were all aboard and luggage down below by 9.15pm - what a day. It seems odd that we could have flown half way around the world in that time, yet in reality we had just come a few miles up the east coast of Australia.
So now we are back in Pittwater waiting for a wx window to sail uo to Newcastle - the furthest north we are travelling by boat this season.
Well after getting the boat sorted out and back ship shape we departed Pittwater and had a wonderful sail up to Newcastle to visit cruising friends on Tui of Opua. Bruce and Thelma are planning to swallow the hook and we wanted to see them before we take off Overseas. Bruce had also promised to help Mike with the installation of new cable and antenna for our AIS system.
We departed at first light and had a fantastic beam reach sail in a westerly wind under clear blue skies on a flat sea doing 7 - 8 knots. The sun was shinning and the whales were breaching (not that I saw them as I was doing the radio sked. Mike said they were too distant to get a good photo). I did see plenty of whales but they were all swimming in a determined fashion - northwards.
Of course we had plenty of targets (44) on the AIS screen as the usual fleet of ships were anchored waiting to enter port to take on fresh cargo. We had the all clear to enter port but to be aware that the dredger was coming in behind us - what marine rescue did not say was that a huge tanker was just between the breakwaters and it was quite a sqash zone for a while. We turned itno the wind to take the sails down and let the shipping go by before motoring up the river to anchor for the night.
On Friday morning we motored to our berth in the Marina and get settled. Thelma and I walked to the supermarket while the boys did the wiring. Then we changed the registration and home port details on John and De's new boat Storm Boy. So all the chores were polished off on Friday which ment Saturday we could play.
It was another stunning day and Bruce suggested we drive to the Hunter Valley. It was a lovely day for an outing. The vineyards and surrounding hills were very scenic in that beautiful winter light. We stopped for morning tea and then visited several wineries for tastings. By lunch time I think Mike and I were pickled and several $$$ down in the wallet, but with lovley bottles of wine to take home to Yaraandoo. We purchased all whites which is unusual for us, as over the years aboard we have become more red wine drinkers.
Saturday afternoon we arrived back at the marina in time for me to put on the roast pork and prepare dinner. Thelma and Bruce joied us and it was a perfect way to end a superb day.
Sunday came all too quickly and once again we were off early to return to Pittwater. Another beautiful sail but it was just forward of the beam sailing, but such calm conditions we did not have water over the deck. We had to motor the last few miles as the wind died, but we picked up a mooring in the Basin between 2 fellow cruising boats. We had missed the CCCA Christmas in July gathering but Aeolus (Roy and Cindy) asked us to join them for happy hour and we caught up with Lagercha (Chris and Sally) on Monday morning. So more socialising to finish off a great weekend.
So once again we were back in Pittwater seeing landbased friends while waiting for some northerlies to jump on and head south. After catching up with Ted, Lee, Jack and Lyn we departed Pittwater for a lazy sail south to Port Jackson. We had 88 targets on the AIS as we entered the Sydney Heads. We have anchored at Cobblers Beach at Middle Head and will stay a day in Manly to carry out a laundry run and be ready for the predicted northerlies on Monday.
We departed Sydney early am and managed to sail to Woollongong before the wind died. The fisherman's Co-op arranged for us to lay alongside a fishing boat, but when we got there the fisherman said no way he was going fishing. So being absolutely calm we anchored in the harbour beyond the moorings. (Not recommended but no other choice). We only stayed a few hours and left the following morning in the dark am. I got a panic fright when several paddlers crossed our bow as the anchor was being hauled. Of course I had to power up to stop hitting the break wall and a straggler came very close to being under our bow. Not one of !the paddlers had any sort of light or reflective clothing - a highly dangerous situation!
We then had a wonderful sail down to Jervis Bay though turning into the bay the wind was on the nose and the choppy conditions did not ease until we had anchored at Vincentia. Here we managed to catch up with two sets of landbased friends and had lovely reunions. Cindy and daughter Ellen came for happy hour aboard and we managed to dine with John and Clare at the Hymes Beach Cafe.
Of course we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of Sumbawa as we were keen to see the crew once again. They anchored nearby and we got togther to walk on the beach and catch up on their adventures.
It was Azanyah's 3rd bithday and as we could not light fires on the National Park beaches we dinghied to Plantation Point Park. There were electric BBQ's for sausages and chocolate filled bananas. There were two sets of apparatus one for children and an adult work out area so the equipment got put to great use. No wonder the Sumbawa crew are good at climbing - they all have monkey like climbing abilities It was good to be in the sun and sheltered from the strong winds. Once again a great time was had by all doing what families do best - enjoying the company of each other. It will be some time before we can get together again - but that is what cruisers do - come and go and cross paths from time to time while developing strong bonds with others. To me that is one of the joys of our cruising lifestyle.
The following morning dawned bright and sunny, but it was disturbing to find surfers riding the huge waves just off our stern. During the night a large swell developed - putting us on a lee shore in untenable conditions rolling gunwhale to gunwhale. We had to move, but where to? with the SE swell anywhere on the north side of the bay was out of the question, and the wind was from the NW making the south side of the bay very choppy (the worst conditions for Jervis Bay). Still we motorsailed across to Hole in the Wall and picked up moorings. At least we were pitching and not rolling. This motion was too much for the mooring rope on the bouy we had chosen and promptly parted. Fortunately the children alerted us to the parted rope and luckily we had not powered down the motor and with the dink in the water we were able to promptly get a new rope on the mooring and settled safely without any mishaps.
It was a short visit with the Sumbawa crew but we were on a time frame and had to make the most of the wx conditions and got away early to have a lovely sail down to Bermagui. That is all except the last 7nms as when we rounded Dromadery Point the wind was back on the nose blowing 25 knts - once again not forecast. So we were glad to get tucked up in Bermagui marina. It was quite a task hosing down to remove the salt build up.
We stayed 3 nights as Canberra friends were driving back from Melbourne and had arranged to meet us. What a lovely time we had. The weather was perfect with little wind just lovely for walking and touring in the hinterland behind Bermagui. Central Tiba is a National Trust Village with most of the buildings being built in the early 1800's. It was timber country then and now dairy farming is prominent. We enjoyed exploring the quaint village and surrounds.
We visited the ABC cheese factory and enjoyed sautering around the craft shops and walking to the lookout above the village. We had morning tea and lunch at the wonderful bakery and caught up with events in each others lives. It was marvellous to share time with special landbased friends. We had a lovely roast pork dinner aboard Yarrandoo II and said our farewells as we were to take off early the following morning so we could beat the Strong SW winds predicted. We made Twofold Bay in perfect time and dropped anchor at Nullica Beach just off Boyd Town as there was a Navy ship in at the wharf so could not enter East Boyd Bay.
Now we are here in Eden doing the regular Eden Shuffle as winds change from the NW to SW. We have been gardening at the Unit complex and preparing the area around where we want to put 2 visitors carparks. We have met the new owners of Units 1 and 6 both couples are owner/occupiers and are willing to help out with gardening and showed interest in the strata committee - so things are looking up on the strata front..
We shall be heading back north to Bermagui mid August to settle Yaraandoo II in the marina ready for our flight in the big silver bird to UK..
Well we have been in Eden a couple of weeks and enjoyed some social times as well as working hard clearing a vine from the garden at the unit complex. Of course we have done a few Eden shuffles between our mooring and Nullica Bay as East Boyd Bay has been pretty busy with Navy, log and wood chip ships. In between the shuffles and gardening we have been doing boat maintenance in preparation for leaving Yaraandoo II as we depart for our big silver bird travels.
On our last visit to East Boyd Bay we discovered the new pathway from the East Boyd Bay shore along the cliff tops to the Davidson Whaling station tri woks and it makes for a much more pleasant walk then following the dirt road. The path is still in the early stages and more clearing needs to be carried out but it will be a great trail when completed.
Today we also went to church but missed the service by about 200 years - It is such a shame the Boyd Town Church is in ruins as the brickwork is wonderful and the colour stunning when the sun shines on the hand made bricks. It must have taken a lot of inginuity to build the church so long ago without all the modern building methods.
Clearing the vine at the unit was essential as the we need to do some major repair works to the carpark slab. It is sinking as the fill beneath the slab was not really compacted and water ingress has erroded the earth beneath the slabs causing them to sink and become unsupported. So another EGM was called and the owners agreed on a way forward to fix the problem. As a result of all the gardening I got a cyst on the joint of my thumb and now have to have an ultrasound and treat it with some heavy drugs as I am allergic to anti inflamatories. Of course the doc said I must not use the thumb - not a good prospect as we have to cart luggage around, but hopefully a few more days rest will improve matters.
We said our farewells to Eden in the pale light of dawn to make our way to Bermagui. It was a fast sail north. A gale was forecast and 30knt winds predicted offshore. So with two reefs in the main and the stay sail we set off. We had a 1.5 knt of current against us but Yaraandoo was still zooming along at 6 - 9 knts. We had plenty of spray over the deck but the sea was flat with the westerly winds so very smooth sailing. We arrived in Bermagui with the wind blowing 38knts, but managed to berth with no problems and are now secured with chafe guards in place. So glad we made the run yeasterday as the wind is still honking as we have just recorded 48 knots in the pen.
So now we are attending to the last minute jobs like defrosting the freezer, emptying the fridge and stowing cockpit instuments below. The to do lists (I have 3 going - one for jobs on Yaraandoo, one for packing, and one for our time in Canberra) keep getting updated and items crossed off, so all in all we are in control - I think!
So 3 days left onboard and then the journey begins.
Hi folks,Well we departed Canberra just in time as there were heavy snow falls while we were travelling. The flight to Sydney was a little propeller job but very smooth. At Sydney we purchased our duty free grog, after shave and perfume. On boarding our flight I lost my watch. The spring holding the new strap must have got caught as when fastening my seatbelt I noticed its absence. All reported to flight crew and the terminal managers but don't expect to hear anything further. So we had a couple of hours in Singapore between flights and I managed to purchase a new one with the same features but not so classy looking. The flight was quite bumpy across the Bay of Bengal and the seat belt sign was on until after we had flown over India.We landed on time and there were Mike and Marj waiting to greet us. It was fabulous weather and and a lovely drive from Manchester to Rolleston on Dove. We have eaten every meal outside in the garden and it is delightful seeing the English birds at the bird feeeders. Hopefully I will get photos in due course.
Yesterday we had a lovely drive to the Peak District and explore Chatsworth House. (Famous as Pride and Prejudice was filmed there). We picnicked in the gardens and walked to explore the grounds designed by Capability Brown. A great day was had by all.
Today we sorted out our SIM cards, got some vitamins from the chemist and after lunch we explored the National Arboretum, a living and growing tribute to so many who died for the service of their country. The sight was reclaimed from a sand and gravel pit and covers over 152 acres with 50,000 maturing trees and over 200 memorials. We took the train around the site to listen to the commentary on the various memorials and we shall have to go back to walk to really explore. So we are recovering from our jet lag and still managing to explore this delightful region in Staffordshire. In another couple of days we shall be able to collect our hire car and then really start to explore in earnest.
We have spent the last 10 days exploring this lovely region of Derbyshire in the very middle of England. Mike and Marj live in a quaint village with a great community spirit. One shop, one post office, a pub, a club and church all within walking distance with the river Dove winding through the village.
We have explored canals with a surprising number of marinas both by walking and cycling. We have driven further to explore the Peak District which is divided into north, south, east and west. Having been 3 times we really only have the north yet to explore. Our first visit was to Chatsworth House where Jane Ayer was filmed. Chatsworth is the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. (www.chatsworth.org). Our next visit was to Ilam Park (built in1821. -26) for Jesse Watts-Russel but it is now a youth hostel - wow). Our visit here was to walk Dove Dale and the famous stepping stones. (The head waters of the river Dove). Our last visit was to Carsington Water which forms the water collection area around the midlands. The lake is used for water sports as well as home to many water birds. The paths are great for walking and cycling. We visited the playgroung with M&M's 3 youngest grandchildren and spent a long time viewing birds from a hide. We were also lucky enough to see a water vole feeding around the bird feeders.
The National Arboretum is a 15 min drive from 'home' and we have visited twice so far. Planting began in 1997 and covers 150 acres with 330 memorials and 30,000 trees making a living memorial to all who have lost their lives serving the country, both military and civilian. It is a very special place. Our first visit we took a 'train' to tour the whole site so now our future visits will be to discover individual memorials.
We collected the car - we had a choice of a 4 door black Peugeot or a sporty 3 door red Vauxhall Corsa SRI so we chose the red one as it would be easier to locate in car parks etc. Mike is loving the manual gear box - I am waiting till we get to roads I know before driving.
So far we have only had one wet day. So our weather has been terrific. We have set a cracking pace and are making the most of each day - it is so wonderful exploring - especially seeing olde worldly buildings once again.
Each day we have been exploring further afield from Mike and Marj's home. They had planned a wonderful itinerary of the local area around Derbyshire. The Peak District is a huge draw card and we have been criss crossing the dales exploring quaint towns, historic homes, places and points of interest while visiting country pubs and village cafes - yumm....We finally went to the north region of the Peak District and visited the Derwent Dam where the Lancasters practiced to drop the bouncing bomb which devastated the dams in Germany and was depicted in the film 633 Squadron. It was very poignant and a beautiful area to walk. Afterwards we drove over Snake Pass. This is listed as the first road to get closed with snow in the winter. The heather was in bloom and the hills just a mass of purple. All the fields are divided by dry stone walls. This ancient art is popular in the north but it is all hedgerows in the south. Of course with autum comes a busy time for farmers as they are bailing hay, cutting hedgerows and gathering feed to last the winter. I can tell you meeting a combine harvester on these narrow roads is a heart in the mouth experience and usually means a long reverse for the car occupant. On the way home we stopped in the Spa town of Buxton which had similar features to Bath. The crescent and pump rooms are currently being restored and is a project costing 46 million. The 80 bed Hotel/Spa is due to open in 2019.
Ŵe spent a day in Lichfield to visit the cathedral started in 669 - 72 by St Chad. He was one of the few pilgrims who ventured south from Northumberland. The cathedral was consecrated on Christmas Day. The west front is spectacular with 113 carved figures and the central spire of the 3 spires is 258 ft high. The stained glass windows survived the blitz as the trio of spires were a useful landmark for the Nazis. The Cathedral boasts one of the rarest collections of medieval glass windows in the world. The windows were originally from a Belgium monastery (the Abby of Herkenrode) which fell into disrepair and a local landowner saved them. (Purchased by the Cathedral for £100, 200 years ago). To say we were amazed and inspired is an understatement and yes I took lots of photos. It made me want to read Pillars of the Earth all over again.
We returned to Ashbourne to explore the antique shops (I am looking for a ring but so far they are all too small for my arthritic fingers). So we carried on to Wirksworth for lunch. Lead was being mined here in Roman times and by the 12th century was one of the most important ore centres in Britain. The impressive houses around town were built in these prosperous years. I think I have mentioned narrow roads - well this quirky town takes the cake. One area is marked on the map as the puzzle gardens - we were going to walk but found it way too steep so Mike drove. The road is two way and yes we met another car - see the photo through the windscreen - I am sure glad I do not have to carry groceries to get to some of these homes.
After lunch we discovered the National Stone Centre. This feature is set within a former limestone quarry and is a 40 acre site of Special Scientific Interest offering fossil trails geo walks and offers dry stone walling and stone carving courses and workshops. This place is worth another visit later in our adventures.
Today we had a family day as it was Georgia's 3rd Birthday. We had a party lunch and watched the present opening before the children went to an indoor play centre as the weather is inclement ie thunderstorms.
Tomorrow we depart Roleston on Dove and head to Stafford for a family reunion.
We left M&M's to drive the short distance to Stafford to meet Mike's sister-in-law Carole. What a warm welcome from Carole and her springer spaniel Maddie we had. There were tears and laughter and years to catch up on before we met the rest of the family. Our first pub night we met Carole's son, daughter, partners and grandson, we laughted so much my ribs hurt. The second pub night we met Mike's nieces, one partner, as Adrian was OS, and great niece, again we talked ourselves late into the night and had a super time catching up.
We did a lot of walking with Maddie exploring Stafford Castle and Cannock Chase. With Carole we visited David Austin's rose garden (he is a world famous rose producer and we saw the new rose for 2017 which is named Dame Judy Dench).
We visited the National Trust property of Shugborough a working estate. The Anson brothers developed this estate and collected all the treasures. The adventuresome brother captured the largest haul of Spanish gold England ever procurred. The apartments of Patrick Lichfield (photographer to the Royal family) were also able to be viewed. His photographs were wonderful.
We departed Stafhford to drive south to Leigh on Mendip to visit Dave and Joan, uni friends who live in a very old cottage backing on to to church grave yard. D&J hosted another wonderful few days with a packed itinerary. Joan had arranged a reunion of Mike's friends - (Royal Corps of Naval Constructors) the guys who were our guard of honour (those forming the arch of swords) at our wedding. It was a very special reunion - two have since passed away and one couldn't attend because of illness, but it was as if the years had rolled away and we had only been apart for a few days - not 50 years.
We enjoyed a very long lunch together and then visited the Memorial Meadow where John now rests and a orchard of English Traditional fruit trees serve as individual memorials. (This is a new concept to us and a beautiful peaceful place it was). It was an emotional time, but so right for us to be with Emy and say our farewells to John.
We explored Bath once again (oh so busy with tourists so we did not queue to visit the famous sights again but instead walked to see the shops, eateries, and landmarks we remembered from our years living in the area. Most were there but under different names and under new management. Bath is a beautiful Georgian city built on Roman foundations so is really historic.
We returned to Bathampton to see the resting place of Govenor Phillip (Australia's fiirst Govener 1734-1814). St Nicholas church contains an Australian Chapel in the east wing and all the kneelers were sewn by Tasmanian women. The floor of the chapel is Australian Wombeyan marble and all the woodwork is Australian black bean. The windows of the chapel are stained glass and depict the federal coat of arms as well as those of the six states. On the Friday nearest to Phillip's birthday (11th Oct) the Australian High Commissioner and other distinguished guests representing Australia are joined by locals with an Australian connection, for a service before a celebration lunch in the Bath Guildhall.
We walked along the Avon Canal to lunch at The George. The narrow boats were not as decorative on this canal as those around the canals near M&M's. I did like the ramps installed for ducks and hedgehogs so they can get out of the steep sided canal walls.
We spent a day at the National Trust property at Stourhead. The house and grounds were magnificent. The house was built in 1721 covering a thousand acres and home of a war hero. His parents developed the property in his memory. The gardens and vistas are neo-classical and fantastic to explore with grottos and follies scattered around the lake.
Another day out we visited the Fleet Air Arm Museum. Another fascinating day learning facts and figures. It was especially interesting as one of Mike's career projects was to develop the design of an aircraft carrier but a change in government put an end to Australia's fleet air arm. (Now we only have ships with helicopters - not capable of launching planes).
So to date we have photos of Lichfield Cathedral, St Mary's Rolleston on Dove Church, St Andrews Mells church, St Giles Leigh on Mendip church, Wells Cathedral, Bath Abby, St Nicholas Bathampton church and the Saxon church at Bradford of Avon. All ancient and awe inspiring buildings with beautiful architecture. The pews in St Giles are from the 14/15 centurys and when Henry VIII broke away from Rome - horses were stabled in the church during the time when all traces of Catholicism were removed and evidence of the horses chewing the pews can still be seen. The equestrian statue in St Andrews at Mells is one of only 2 such statues in British churches. This statue is a memorial to Edward Horner the last direct heir to the Horner Estate. Horner of the Littke Jack Horner nursery rhyme fame. We also listened to an organ recital in Wells Cathedral.
Naturally you will see lots of photos of pubs - we have visited a few and like churches they are often very old. The George at Norton St Phillip was a favourite stamping ground of ours and Chaucer was a frequent visitor when writing the Canterbury Tales.
The return to M&M's was very stressful as the weather was dreadful with high winds and torrential rain, making the road conditions atrocious, but we made it just fine. We are here for one more week before we depart for Northumberland and our home town of Amble.
After a wonderful time with family in Stafford and friends in Leigh on Mendip we returned to the midlands and Rolleston on Dove. Time to regroup and spend a few days to catch up on admin after receiving mail from Aus.
Our first outing was to the National Forest to walk and explore some of the many trails - another informative place and obviously popular for family outings. The next outing we had Georgia (M&M's) 3 year old granddaughter for the day. We played and did puzzles in the morning hoping the rain would abate, but it remained drizzling so we visited the restaurant and outlet shops at the Denby Pottery. I was not tempted but Marj managed to purchase some pieces for her set and they were on specia - how good was that?
Our next outing was an amazing day. We went to Birmingham. Mike and I were not that keen as we thought it was just a big industrial city - how wrong could we be? The city centre is a marvelous mix of old and modern architecture. The Central Rilway Station was a fantastic building with mirrored stainless curving walls and inside has a wonderful shopping centre so it has become a great meeting place. It reminded me of the Singapore Airport terminal concept.
We parked in the Mail Box, the main post office site and walked through the Central Station along to the Bullring, around to the Cathedral passed the Town Hall and visited the Library. What a stunning building that is. 9 stories with secret gardens on the roof. We had great views from the upper stories and we could see so much reconstruction going on right in the heart of the city. From the Library we walked through Brinkley place - all eateries situated on the side of the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. Finally ending up at Miller and Carter a wonderful steak house for lunch. Skirting the city centre to return to the car we walked through several shopping areas and visited the BBC Centre. There we saw the Tardis and a Darlec from Dr Who and several dresses from the show Strictly Dancing. What a day - it was pouring with rain as we drove home and our heads were realing from all the information we had gathered.
Today has been taken up with haircuts, shopping and packing ready for tomorrow's departure. We have programmed the Tom Tom so we are ready to head to Amble (the real north - 55° N) and begin our memory lane adventures.
We arrived in Amble to find No 5 Bay View (Coquet Cottages) spic and span with lots of goodies like a dozen white roses, fresh bread, butter, scones, jam with the usual tea, coffee, fresh milk and biscuits and not forgetting the bottle of wine - all complimentary. The unit is top rate and the views stunning. More photos coming.
The region has changed drastically. The mines both open cast and underground have closed and the surrounds beautifully landscaped with ponds, lakes and trees. Red squirrels have been reintroduced and the birds are thriving. The town of Amble has grown to such an extent that one way traffic systems have been introduced. The harbour is very quiet now with only a few fishing boats and mainly pleasure craft - a far cry from the busy port we knew. However, the new buildings designed for the tourist market are thriving and the choice of restaurants, cafes, and other eateries is quite overwhelming. No empty shops in the main street and so many new housing estates have stretched the town.
The first weekend M&M's family visited and we did outings with the kids. Saturday we visited the Alnwick Gardens. The Duchess of Northumberland has done a fabulous job of creating what has become a world famous garden and even though it is only young compared to say Buchart Gardens on Vancouver Island it is a magical place.
Sunday we returned to Warkworth Castle another Percy residence but now in ruins. The Dukes rooms are now open to the public and while Mike and I took an audio tour of the castle the family played hide and seek in the keep.
Monday was a car tour on the coast route from Amble to Alnmouth then through Alnwick to Craster and Seahouses ending up in Bamburgh. That means we passed 4 castles and a Priory with another Castle and Priory in sight - how lovely to be in the land of ancient architecture. I managed to purchase items from the RNLI that were on Tom and Chris's wish list.
Tuesday we left the coast and ventured into Northumberland's wild country. The vistas around Cheviot (highest point in Northumberland) are stunning. The moors had lost the purple from the heather bloom but the bracken had taken on its golden autumn cloak. To see the dry shone walls, roaming sheep, grouse and unspoiled views across the moors was wonderful. What a day we had! We even managed to drive the length of Coquet Valley with no closed gates and even though there were plenty of red flags on walking trails we drove over the firing range to Otterburn. M&M honeymooned in this remote village. The famous woollen mill is no longer operating but we visited the Mill and saw the old looms and made some purchases in the gift shop.
Yesterday was showery so we visited Morpeth the town where the boys went to grammar school. Again the town has been so developed we struggled to remember some of the layout. The biggest disappointment for the two Mikes was the total rebuild of their old school. The school song states that in 1552 a request was sent to the king to start a school. Now the old buildings have been demolished and replaced with a new structure. The boys suffered a sense of loss and disgust that such heritage had been destroyed. I could relate as my grammar school suffered the same fate, but it was a new building when I was there and quite a change from lessons in Alnwick Castle (being the Duchess of Northumberland Grammar School for girls).
Our emmotions are running high with lots of nostalgia and do you remember when and reliving times passed. All four of us have a shared past and it is so fantastic to be able to re-visit such times and places now 50 years on.
M and M went off for a 2 day surprise trip for Mike's 70th. Marj took him for the Dark Sky tour at the observatory in Keilder Forrest. So we went off to Hapworth Valley outside Wooler and saw more of the Cheviot. We had to double back at one point because we came across a ford with 2ft of water across it - pity we did not have the Pajero instead of a hire car.
After lunch in some quaint tea room in Wooler we visited the wild cattle at Chillingham. Then since we had never toured the castle we decided to explore. The dungeons were very realistic and a ghost tour would be fun especially at Halloween.
We travelled to Whitley Bay to visit Don an old yachting friend. What a time we had going through his photos and papers from our past. Regretfully we got carried away and neglected to take a photo. We did have lunch at Seaton Sluice and how the tide came in while we were dining. 30 ft tides here on the Northumbrian coast.
What a weekend for remaniscing. We have talked and laughed ourselves horse and if we had £ for every time we said "do you remember" we would be millionaires. On Saturday I met many members of my family. Starting with a cousin and her husband whom we just managed to scrape in a visit before they flew out of Newcastle airport. Then on to my brother's home. Mark and Margaret along with Michael and Kaye their middle son and daughter, also Norm Kaye's husband and 3 children. We spent most of the day catching up before going out to dinner with Mark, Magaret and their eldest son Mark and his wife Jane.
That was Saturday - while Sunday was yet another reunion - this time with Mike's school mates - the 3 Mike's and Ian all went to school together and the wives were all friends. Another day of do you remember when's and lots of tales were retold. The brains certainly had a work out and what fun we had.
Monday was a day to unwind and walk the town checking out all the changes and bumping into locals. Joy a primary school friend came for coffee - we hadn't seen each other since we were 10.
Tuesday was a day for more family and friends. My brother Mark and his wife Margaret (another M&M set) together with his best friend from the old days Peter and his wife Ruth and Mike's cousin Peter and his wife Pat. More talking and telling of stories. We lunched locally in the Fish Shack which was our school's motor cruiser (for teaching those who went into the merchant navy) and I was a member of the first all girl crew but that is another story. At the end of it's boating life Sea Quest was cut in half and it became a cafe.
It has been absolutely fantastic meeting up with 'olde' friends from all those years ago. We have all aged and got grey hair but all other characteristics remain the same and it is if we had been together just yesterday.
Our last full day in Northumberland we toured from east to west along Hadrian's Wall. Such wild country to defend. The wall was started around 600AD and still stands today (where the stones have not been plundered for other uses like fortified homes and cathedrals). We visited the army museum and watched an amazing 3D film - all about a day in the life of a Roman soldier.
We drove into Cumbria and then Scotland following a route for Keilder Dam and Forrest. Lots of this was on one lane roads with passing places - a bit hairy when we met log jinkers. What amazing breathtaking scenery across the moors and wilds of our home county. We stacked up lots of memories to take back to Aus.
Now our time in Amble has drawn to a close and we leave for Scotland and destinations north and so another chapter in our journey ends while another is just beginning.
With sadness in our hearts we departed Amble and drove the coast road to Scotland. While Mike and Marj returned to grandparent duties in Rolleston.
We stopped in Alnwick to tour the Castle, home of the Duchess of Northumberland and my old school (not forgetting Hogwarts). The Castle dates from Norman times but on the site of a Saxon fortification. The Castle was very heavily fortified by the 1100's. What wonderful morning we had taking 2 tours - one in the outer and inner Baileys and then a tour of the State Rooms within the castle. Both tour guides were excellent and very informative so we learnt lots more of the local history.
After the Castle, we walked the market town and lunched in Ye Olde Cross public house - locally known as the Dirty Bottles. In the front window of the pub is a collection of dirty bottles (now sealed) which have remained untouched for 200 years because of the curse. The pub dates from the 1600''s and the last publican to move the bottles instantly dropped dead - the bottles have not been moved since even though the pub itself has been renovated several times.
We then journeyed to Eyemouth our first stop in Scotland. Eyemouth is a very active fishing port and our attic room looked over the bay and entrance to the harbour. We walked the quays before breakfast and saw seals, swans and boats unloading fish and lobsters. From Eyemouth we toured St Abbs another fishing village and on to Dunbar for lunch. We visited the Dunbar RNLI station and purchased more gear for our Hawaiian cruising friends living aboard the Waveney Class lifeboat they have converted.
Then we arrived at Haddington to stay with our school friends Mike and Jen. They have a lovely converted cottage and like David and Joan the Aga is the focus of the kitchen making it all very cosy and a wonderful gathering place within the home.
Mike and Jen like all our friends took us to explore their local region - East Lothian, (I might add that all our friends live in fantastic localities within the UK). The weather was perfect and we explored two castles both ruins but fascinating. Haines in the country and Tantallon on the coast with fantastic views of Bass Rock. The famous rock situated in the Firth of Forth near North Berwick which we raced for all those years ago.
Our second day we toured the Royal Yacht Britannia. What a day - the tour was wonderful and a floating palace it really was. We explored all 5 decks, had morning tea in the Royal Deck tea room. Britannia sailed over a million miles on a thousand official visits during 44 years in service and carried a crew of 220 Royal Yachtsmen as the crew were named. It was named as the place where the Queen relaxed the most.
Onwards from that tour we visited a Georgian House on Queen Charlotte Square. It was built in 1796 by John Lamont the 18th chief of the Clan of Lamont who paid £1,800. The National Trust is hoping to open the attic rooms for public view shortly. So far the basement, ground, first and part of the second floors have been restored and are open to the public.
Our next day was spent touring the famous views as far north as Loch Faskally near Pitlochry in Perthshire, the Highlands, the Trossachs and down through Callender to Stirling, and back to Haddington, so all the way from east to west Scotland. What views and interesting places we discovered. The oak tree which inspired Shakespear to write about the witches in Macbeth, the mill where we had lunch - (the mill is still active and the wheel still turned by the brook) and then the Crannog Centre on Loch Tay where we saw artififacts from the Iron Age. Archeologists diving on this site have changed history as they have proved Spelt wheat was in Britain prior to the Roman invasion who were thought to have brought it to Britain. Crannogs are straw and reed huts built in the Iron Age and which have been preserved below the cold waters of the Scottish lochs.
Our penultimate day was spent in Endinburgh visiting the new Parliament House, the castle and we ate in The Bee Hive pub favoured by Prince Charles located in the Grassmarket below the castle. We were in the castle when the one o'clock gun went off and later walked to see the grave of Greyfriars Bobby the famous Skye Terrier who watched over his dead master's grave for 14 years.
Our last full day we returned west towards Loch Lomond beyond Stirling to visit Lady Jennifer Maclellan in
Buchlyvie. We met many years ago in Sydney and she came to stay with us in Canberra when she was visiting relatives and touring Aus and NZ.
All too soon it was time to leave Scotland and return to Rolleston on Dove so we could prepare for our London escape. We spent two days driving back to Rolleston on B roads so we toured through moorlands and high country giving the A roads and motor ways a big miss. The scenery was fantastic even though the driving on one lane roads with pacing places was more taxing for Mike especially as the farm traffic was very active.
So today is laundry and catch up correspondence day before leaving for the train station early tomorrow morning. London here we come.
A down memory lane trip for us to relive uni days and our marriage at the Royal Naval College Chapel. We went by train from Burton to Euston station via Birmingham. An easy surface train trip followed by a tube to Victoria.
We had booked a small hotel in a Georgian style house in Belgrave Road so very central and convenient, close to the tube and surrounded by pubs and cafes for eating out. Not that we saw much of the hotel we were too busy sight seeing and wining and dining in pre theatre venues before being entertained in the West End.
Once we had dropped our bags at the hotel we walked down to the river and along the South Bank until we came across the London Eye. This was a new tourist attraction for us and worth the wait in the queue to ride the large Ferris Wheel. The views were good despite the lack of sun although still warm the grey days were becoming the norm as autumn set in.
After a short rest in our room we walked 5 mins to the theatre to see our first show - Wicked. Mike was a bit lost as he claimed he did not know the background to the story, but the singing and special effects were amazing.
Day 2 we took the tube to London Bridge and did the London Bridge Experience. I thought it was going to be a historical tour through the ages from pre Roman to current time, but in fact it was a theatrical tour - well acted with great props. The underground tunnels were very dark and quite spooky with severed heads, cobwebs and torture implements along the way. We had to remain in our parties, walking crocodile style hanging on to the person in front - the lady behind me was frightened several times and screamed loudly but it was fun and factual.Time for a coffee so we made our way to the Borough Markets and on to Covent Garden. We were astounded at being asked to pay £1 to go to the loo - what a rip off - but in desperation Mike paid 50p. Lots of walking seeing the old sights and architecture before heading back to the Victoria region to eat and have a rest before the evening's theatre performance.
It was too early to get cheaper seats at the theatre so we made our way to Leicester Square and found a deal that suited us with seats in the Grand Circle. Then it was back to the hotel for a rest. Big mistake - as we found ourselves in the crush of London rush hour. Playing sardines in a very hot train is not my idea of fun. Still we squeezed our way around and found a lovely pub for a traditional English meal of steak and ale pie with mash and peas.
Fortified and refreshed we made our way back to Covent Garden to see The Lion King. What a beautiful show and Mike knew the story so followed the lyrics better. The singing, dancing costumes and special effects were spectacular. A thoroughly enjoyable evening.
Day 3 dawned bright and sunny whooo ooo. Back to the river to take a fast cat down to Greenwich. It was a relief not to walk too far. Of course change was evident as the Old Royal Naval College is now Greenwich University and a Music Conservatorium. We dined in the Guards House now converted to a boutique brewery and lunch was very pleasant sitting in the walled garden. The chapel was much the same but the Queen's pew had been moved. We tried to arrange to see the marriage register but it was no longer held at the chapel but by the borough council and not enough time to visit the chambers.The painted hall was being refurbished so was full of scaffolding. We did not want to view the ceiling close up as we had spent many hours counting all the bare boobs, but it would have been a marvellous opportunity for folk who had never been privileged to spend time in this marvellous venue.
From the college we walked beyond the Queen's Palace and visited the Maritime Museum. Mike was thrilled to find the No 2 Enterprise. The dinghy designed by Jack Holt which set the path for our cruising lives. The dinghy Mike owned was 7347 and now there are over 23,000.From the museum we were going to climb the hill to the Greenwich Observatory and Meridian but the queues were daunting. We had arrived in London for half term so there were families everywhere. We now know that living onboard has made us intolerant of noise and crowds, so we opted to return to the center by river once again.
Not wanting to play sardines again we walked back up to Covent Garden to collect our theatre tickets and find a restaurant. Brown's proved to be a great venue with silver service and a quiet atmosphere with a pre theatre menu. We had a superb meal and rested our poor feet. By the time coffee was to be served the place was buzzing and I felt for the poor staff.
We strolled down the streets towards the Strand and as if by magic we found the Whisky Exchange. Wow ...Wow and .... Wow. I thought we had seen shops with lots of Whisky when we were in Scotland but this was two floors packed from floor to ceiling with various whisky bottles. It was like going in to an old library where rolling ladders are used to reach the top shelves. The bottles gleamed and ranged in price enticing all. The most expensive bottle on sale was a 50 year old Glenlivet at a mere £25,500 not quite in my price range, but I did manage to find a bottle of liqueur whisky that Mike Sharp introduced me too and I am now addicted. Of course this caused a problem as I had to hand it in at the cloak room as bottles were not allowed into the theatre.
Our third show was entirely different. Kinky Boots is based on a true story and once again the costumes, dancing and singing were superb. There were lots of special effects in the scene changes and very tight fast paced in the second half. The cast were terrific with lots of laughs and so much fun.
Day 4 and booked out of the hotel, however with our bags stowed with the consierge we walked to Buckingham Palace. We decided to tour the Mews and see the the Royal Coaches and horse stables and training area. Another wonderful morning taking in facts and figures and being astounded at the gold leaf and ornate carvings of the coaches. The Coronation Coach and Jubilee coaches are simply awesome! Just a note - the wheels of the Jubilee coach were made in Australia and lots of Australian wood is included in the interior. The crown on top was carved from a piece of the ship Victory.
After coffee we walked to the Imperial War Museum. Again we found this venue very crowded but enjoyed viewing many of the historic films while resting our overworked feet. The exhibits are so interesting and we would have liked more time to explore but not wanting to get caught in the rush hour we made our way back to Victoria to collect our luggage.
We dined in a wonderful Belgian Pasteria and yes indulged in some yummy desert pastries with ice cream. We made our way to Euston and our reserved train seats back to Burton where Mike Robson was waiting with his new car to whizz us home. We enjoyed a lovely cup of tea and a catch up then I went to soak in the bath - luxury.
Back in Rolleston but still keeping up a cracking pace. Once the London laundry was completed we took ourselves out to make the most of a beautiful sunny day.
We ventured to another National Trust Property as advertised Calke Abbbey: the un-stately home. Calke Abbey is a Baroque house built on the site of a former Priory and was completed in 1704 for Sir John Harper. The family were quite eccentric and fanatical collectors. The house was acquired by the National Trust when death duties and taxes overwhelmed the estate and shows the decline of a great country house during the mid 20's. The National Trust is preserving the house NOT restoring it (which apparently costs more money) and is showing the house as they found it in the 1980's. Hence the rooms are crammed with the collections of the owners. Drawers are displayed just as they were found in various chests of drawers. The major find being the State Bed. It was in crates which seemed not to have been opened since the 1700's and hence preserved as if new. The silks are a wonderful work of art and the bed is now installed in an environmentally controlled chamber.
The family collected many things but Sir Vauncey collected birds and many are stuffed and installed in glass cages as was the style in that era. Neither Mike nor I have seen a better collection even though we have visited many Natural History Museums around the world. (Jake calls these museums zoos for dead animals - just had to share that gem). There was even a beak of a Dodo. There were shell collections, precious stones, pieces from Egypt, books, furniture, paintings and so many other things. All in a hotch poch just as the family left them after lots of the collections had been sold to pay the duties. The house itself was not fitted with electric light until 1960 so oil lamps and candles were used extensively. Charles Harper Crew lived in the house from 1949 till his death in 1981. Many of the rooms had been closed and left to decline before and during his lifetime. Miss Airmyne Harper Crewe was the last of the line and died in 1999.
The Harper Crewe family were eccentric and loathed throwing anything away. They amassed a unique collection and it is estimated the collection is in excess of 10,000 items and cateloguing and preservation is continuing by the National Trust. In fact the Doll's House was being preserved the day we visited. The grounds of the house were huge and as usual there was not enough time to explore but we made the most of our visit before joining Mike and Marg for a pub meal nearer home, lamb shanks yumm.
Now more exploring and seeing countryside we have not explored before - so off to Wales. Our first night we stayed in Betws-y-Coed. We drove in a large circle around the Snowdonia National Park, going west as far as Bangor and north as far as Llandudno. We saw Cowan Castle but did not go inside as we wanted to walk to Swallow Falls before it got too late in the afternoon. The river was in flood so the falls were spectacular. The scenery was very much like the wilds of Northumberland but the rock was slate instead of granite. We were amazed at the slate heaps above the roads seemingly just waiting to slide down the hillsides. It must be even more scarey when it is raining.
Then it was the turn of South Wales and our hotel for the night was Penrhosmawr Penegoes in Machynlleth - try saying that after happy hour! It is a farmhouse on a sheep and cattle property and we had a very peaceful night with a lovely family. The next day we toured more B roads are wended our way to Aberystwyth on the coast. It was Jane's University town and we enjoyed our walk up and down the narrow streets.
All too soon it was time to make our way back to Stafford. We were meeting Mike's sister in law to to take her out to dinner for the anniversary of her wedding to Jeff. Once again we had a fabulous time with family and a great doggy fix with Maddie. We had purchased her a new toy (a springer spaniel) and Maddie thought it was terrific - so we made a big hit and Aussie joined her toy collection.
Now we are back in Rolleston and the car has been returned with no problems arising so we have more cash than we thought, though can't really buy more as we have lots to pack having bought books on all the historic places we have visited, so the bags are going to be overflowing and heavier than when we arrived. The two Mikes are off for a bike ride while I do admin and the laundry, ie have a rest. Tomorrow we are heading back to Buxton a spa town very much like Bath but located in the Peak District, so we will see more great scenery and have more time to explore the architecture. We have booked a meal at a special venue for our last meal with Mike and Marj and then early on Sat morning we will be off to the airport in Manchester, ready for the long haul home.
Well it has been a while since I updated the blog for various reasons but mainly because I have been "proper poorly" with a bronchial infection so have not been up to computing but resting and trying to get well.
Our flight back to Australia was long with a 13 hour stop over in Singapore, which we made the most of taking a free tour of Singapore to fill in a few hours. Of course Singapore Airport is a delight with lots of interesting areas to visit like the orchids and the butterfly house but we did make use of the transit lounge for a rest and shower. The flight from Singapore to Canberra was the worst flight we have ever been on, not beause of weather conditions but the service was appauling and not the usual we have come to expect of Singapore Airlines.
We were met at Canberra Airport in the pouring rain so no change from our departure from Manchester at least we had wonderful friends at both airports. We intended to stay several days in Canberra to catch up with 'family' and friends but learned that an important meeting of our body corporate had been called. So we arrived on the Sunday, celebrated Irene's birthday and Melbourne Cup day with lunch out at the yacht club on Tuesday. Then we spent the day with Ken and Vickie on Wednesday and drove down to Eden for the meeting on Thursday. We attended the meeting and stayed one night in Eden before driving back to Canberra on the Friday. Saturday we drove to Goulburn to catch up with Richard and see the improvements to the garden landscaping. Sunday we visited Alan and Sue and then had dinner with the family in the evening - 10 for dinner was wonderful. Monday we did shopping, and laundry, then visited Keir and Marg and on Tuesday we packed. Wednesday, Ken and Vickie drove us to down the coast to Bermagui and home. What a homecoming! another whirlind time but it was lovely to catch up with so many friends and sad that because of my infection we did not dare visit others.
We spent 3 days getting the systems on the boat back in working order and then sailed to Eden to catch up with friends there. I had a visit to the Doc and started antibiotics and have been on them ever since with two more visits to the docs since we arrived in Victoria. I am relieved to say that after a month I am now begining to feel more like my old self, more interested in my surroundings and generally rejoining the human race. Mike has been doing the radio skeds in the mornings and taking good care of me so I can now catch up on some correspondence and boaty chores. Just as well as the Christmas season is fast approaching and we want to be in Tasmania for Christmas. I knew I was not well enough to handle overnight passages, let alone tackle the Bass Strait.
Currently we are exploring the Gippsland Lakes in Victoria for the first time and have stopped in both Lakes Entrance and Paynesville as well as several anchorages. The sailing is very pleasant like a glorified Lake Macquarie with little creeks and anchorages to explore. We have had easy sailing with just the jib on very calm waters so not taxing at all for me while recouperating.
The weather has been extrodinary for November with temps in the mid thirties with beautiful sunshine and swimming conditions. Now on the first official day of summer we have an east coast low weather event occuring, with severe weather and flood warnings being issued. So once it goes by we will look for a weather window to head to Deal and Flinders Islands on route to mainland Tasmania.
We spent several days in Lakes Entrance before venturing into the lakes proper. We negotiated the Narrows and stayed overnight in Harper's Bight a very peaceful anchorage with a public mooring. The next day was again beautiful weather so using the head sail only we meandered the next 11 nms through Kings Lake to Paynesville and anchored just off the yacht club.
The Paynesville Yacht Cub is very active with racing events on Tuesday evenings and Sunday afternoons and runs a very active junior sailing programme. We were invited to attend the dinner on Tuesday evening but I was still too unwell to attend.
We made the most of exploring while the weather was great as the forecasters had issued some dire warnings for flooding rains. We explored the town istelf and strolled leisurly around finding the post office, super markets, clubs and eateries. Naturally we did some provisioning of fruit and vegetables so we didn't have to leave the boat in a deluge.
Raymond Island lies approximately 300 yards across the McMillan Syrait from Paynesville and a passenger ferry called "Ugly Betty' goes back and forth continuously during the day. The vehicle ferry is out of service as it failed its last marine survey but the locals seem to be coping just fine.
There is a Koala trail on the island which starts from the ferry landing and we have so far walked it twice in different directions. The first day we spotted 12 koalas and today we found 13. There is estimated to be 300 koalas on Raymond Island and they are closely monitored to ensure the habitat is capable of supporting the population. This area is also home to thousands of black swans. We thought there were lots in Cygnet in Tasmania but the lakes have a thriving population.
Feeling somewhat recovered from my long bout of bronchial lergy, we decided that the next wx window we would depart the Gippsland Lakes and make for Deal Island. We have sailed by the Kent Group many times but have usually been in so much of a hurry or making the most of the wx window we have never made Deal a destination.
With one overnighter we arrived in Winter Cove at 3.00am and dropped anchor expecting a rest. However the swell built from the S and made the anchorage very rolly and untenable so we upped anchor at 6.00am and made for West Cove on Erith Island.
It was a safe anchorage out of the swell but battered by katobatic winds swirling Yaraandoo around the anchor like a dervish. We set the anchor alarm and sat anchor watch for quite a while before we snoozed and relaxed after the single overnight sail. It was too windy to launch the dink so played scrabble had an early dinner and crashed into bed.
The following day was beautiful - no wind the swell had calmed so we motored across to East Cove on Deal Island. The water was so clear and inviting but only 15 degrees so we opted out of swimming. Instead we rowed into the beach to walk to the lighthoouse.
Deal Island Lighthouse sits at the highest elevation of any lighthouse in the southern hemisphere. In fact it was built so high it was often in the clouds and not able to be seen by shipping and was replaced by several smaller lighthouses on island around Deal when lights became automated.
We were met on the beach by Murphy the 7 year old son of Justin and Jo - the latest arrivals of the Island volunteers. By the time we had walked up the hill to the residence and museum - Murphy had given us a pretty good run down on the island history and wildlife. The animal population consists of Cape Barron Geese, Bennett's Wallabies and Little Penguins along with many other sea birds. The Kent group is the meeting zone for 3 ocean currents so the sea life is varied and plentiful and protected by 2 Marine Parks.
We exchanged details with Jo and Justin and made our way to the lighthouse. A lovely walk sheltered by the sheoak forest so were protected from the sun. The 6K return walk is not the challenge, but the elevation is. A steady climb to begin with but the last section zig zagging around bends made one think one more bend and we will be there - just a little grueling on my not yet recovered lungs. Still we made it and the view was spectacular.
We could see the Flinders Island and the Furneaux Group to the SE and a majestic view of Erith and Dover Islands across the pass. Unfortunately the lighthouse is closed due to OH&S issues with the internal stairs, but it made a very pleasant picnic and rest stop. Mike decided to explore the WWII crash site on the cliff beyond the lighthouse. I was so glad I did not go as he advised the scramble back up the cliff was very taxing.
The Deal Island museum is housed in the oldest lighthouse keepers residence in Australia. The rooms have various displays and historic facts about the island, the ship wrecks and the folk who managed the island and kept the light in good repair.
There were many other walks to explore but we decided to leave these for another visit and continue to make progress with the forecast wx window. So we departed Deal waving farewell to Murphy on the beach and had a good beam reach to Prime Seal Island. However we were making such great progress we kept going to Goose Island and found a perfect sandy anchorage.
Another wind change and 5.30am departure when the wind changed from the SW to the SE so once again up anchor and made our way to Badger Island and settled in a nice anchorage still with wind as Badger is a low island but protected from the westerly swell. So here we sit waiting for the next cold front to pass by before we tackle the Banks Strait Crossing to mainland Tassie.
Our Christmas was a wonderful day celebrated with cruising and land based friends hosted in Kettering by our friend Erica with assistance from Ann. The food was magnificent and the sharing of tales helped along by glasses of champagne and wine for lubrication. We enjoyed the patio for entree and explored the garden in between courses so lunch was a long and lazy affair much enjoyed and appreicated by all.
In the days following Christmas and before New Year we went sailing aboard Life of Crime to watch the start of the Sydney to Hobart race on telly while lunching in Appllo Bay. Then we were aboard Storm Boy to watch the duel up the Derwent River by Wild Oats and Comanchee. How our adrenalin soared as these maxis fell into windless holes and then picked up puffs of breeze. Both yachts had crew at the top of the masts to jump on the mainsail battons to change tacks as the wind was so light - it was such a battle and great strategy to observe.
We did not stay up to see the New Year in this year - we were both exhausted but did watch the fireworks on the tv. Since arriving in Kettering our social lives have ramped up considerably so burning the candle at both ends does take its toll - we are just not as young as we used to be!
New Year's Day was celebrated with cruising friends aboard Insatiable 2. Jim always cooks Black Eyed Peas accompanied by Ann's corn bread (a southern USA tradition) and boy the pot did not last long with 9 hungry yachties tackling the delicious spead.
I have not, as yet, posted a photo of our new crew members (acquired whilst touring in Northumberlan UK) so an introduction is required. There is Henry the RNLI bear, Percy the Puffin and Sophie the seal so Barnacle has his work cut out keeping the new crew members in order.
We have been very lucky to add a new vehicle to our fleet and this one is bright red and has 4 wheels and very definately landbased. It is a Mitsubishi Mirage so a mini Mitzie and we are enjoying exploring the local area and being able to reprovision with ease. Mini Mitzie will stay in Tasmania and be cared for in a friend's carport when we depart for the mainland once again.
Now we have started the rounds of annual medical checkups so doctors, dentists and pathologists appointments seem to be filling the calandar along with many social events so we are being kept very busy. Life is good and we look forward to more adventures in 2018.
Well what can I say except that life has been way too hectic to sit at the computer keyboard and keep you guys up to date - for which I apologise - but there is only so many hours in a day. I had several doctor's/specialists appointments with trips to nuclear medicine operations for various scans. I was diagnosed with coccyxdemia in otherwords a bruised tailbone. I could only stand or kneel for weeks but now with the help of medication I can sit for short periods using a doughnut ring cushion. All our other annual medical checks worked out just fine - with an A+ from the dentist and all OK with our sun screen checks though we both had biopsies.
Here in Kettering (Tasmania) it is daylight until 9.30ish in the evening so our days are long and fun filled no matter what we are doing. Yaraandoo II has been sitting on a mooring (now in a marina pen) while we have been enjoying sailing other friends yachts. Each Wednesday we sail in the Kettering Yacht Club twilight races aboard Solquest. She is a classic wooden boat built of Huon Pine and Garth has treated her to a new (very fancy Kevlar/Mylar type head sail in fact it is carbon. It is soo much larger than the old heady that we now point about 10 degrees higher and our speed is much improved. So now we are getting placed in nearly every race we sail. We are making the most of it befofre our handycap is adjusted. This weekend we have the Cygnet Regatta coming up so looking forward to battling it out with a larger fleet than the 23 or so boats we get during twilight racing.
Mike and I have been busy helping our friend Erica fire proofing her property boundry. So Mike has been busy with the chain saw and I have been driving the tractor and trailer, stacking the wood pile and making piles of leafy branches that will be burned later in the autumn. We do enjoy working out doors and the gourmet dinners prepared by Erica are fantastic - a very good symbiotic relationship we have.
We have also been helping other yachties with servicing watermakers - sewing cockpit cushions and general maintenance as Yaraandoo's turn comes around on the 19 March. We are hauling out at the Margate facility as the bottom will be grit blasted to remove all the old antifouling and re-faired, epoxied and re-antifouled. (environmently it is no longer possible at the Oyster Cove haul out facility so it will be our first time at Margate. A new marina is being built at the sight and when we were down there last week the piles were being off loaded. By the time we haul out - 2 pile driving barges will be in operation so I am glad I will be staying in our house sit in Manuka Road - sewing a new dinghy cover. The material has just arrived at the sailmakers so I need to collect it and transfer my machine from Yaraandoo to the house. It will be so lovely not having to put the machine away to prepare and eat meals. De has a lovely conservatory with a great table and plenty of room to sew such a bulky item as a dinghy cover.
Our next project after Yaraandoo has been brought up to scratch will be the building of an awning attached to Erica's garage. Mike has been searching the web for specifications etc necessary to meet council regs as the finished product wil be 6 by 6 meters. We have to order the beams, perlons and roof sheeting and posts by special order and have it delivered to the property ready for an April build.
Of course we have had plenty of time to socialise with our Tasmanian and other cruising friends. We have celebrated Jim's 80th Birthday, Bev's 60th birthday, lunched at Prospect House, and attended happy hours in houses and boats. (the waist lines can attest to the fine wines and food we have enjoyed).
Last Friday was Mike's 70th birthday. Ken and Vickie our dear friends flew down from Canberra for the celebrations. We collected them from the airport and drove to Richmond a historic town north of Hobart, Morning tea was enjoyed at the bakers and we explored the convict buildings and famous Richmond Bridge. For lunch we returned to the Coal River Valley and dined at the Frogmore Creek Winery. The setting was great, the staff fantastic and the food was wonderful. After lunch we took the long route back to Kettering and settled into Erica's for a fabulous weekend. Mike's fruit cake was cut and we had a lovely dinner in the conservatory under the stars.
Saturday dawned bright and we all busied ourselves for the 23 folk arriving for the Birthday Bash which Erica and I were co-hosting. Erica was very generous in opening her home to our friends for the celebration and I believe a fine time was had by all.
I made chicken and salmon sushi with spring rolls and dim sims for entree. Erica handled the two roast pork and a lamb roasts with baked potatoes and a lentil salad while Vickie and I made a green salad and for desert I had ordered Mike a profiterole cake (from the Kettering Fed up Food ladies) which was served with icecream or sorbet. The cheese board and coffee were declined by all guests but we did finish off with Lindt chocolates. I can say we consummed a fair supply of alchoholic beveredges ranging from bubbles. red /white wine, beer and I did cater for non alchohol drinkers with a fruit punch, ginger beer, sparkling water and elderflower cordial.
The night was proceeding with folk enjoying the courtyard with the party lights but just prior to serving main course Huey sent down a masive down pour and we had to retreat indoors. Still Erica's house easily accommodated everyone and the party continued. We did manage to return to the courtyard fire pit and watch the full moon rising over Little Oyster Cove - it was really magical. So I believe Mike had a great birthday celebrating with friends.
On Sunday morning the cleanup went without a hitch and we took Ken and Vickie down to the marina and we went sailing in Yaraandoo on the D' Entrecasteaux Channel. We lunched aboard in a lovely small bay not far from Kettering. It was a lovely sail and a relaxing way to spend the day after the hype of the party. We enjoyed 'a last meal together' in Erica's conservatory and talked the night away once again.
Monday saw us farewell Ken and Vickie in Hobart, sad as it was - it had been wonderful catching up. Just as we were leaving Hobart we received a phone call from yachting friends we had not seen for about 10 years. Paddy worked with Mike and so we joined Paddy and Carolyn aboard their yacht for a great catch up before they sail down the channel to explore - hopefully to join us in our neck of the woods.
So now you are up todate with our summer season adventures. It has been recorded as the hottest summer recorded in Tasmania and we are looking forward to the calm fine days of autumn.
Well since I last posted Mike and I have been very busy doing major maitenance on our home.
Every year we haul out and put the boat on the hard to re-antifoul the bottom. I usually call this my one week of purgatory for 51 weeks of heaven. However, every 8 to 10 years (depending on the properties of the antifoul paint) boats should have all the built up antifoul totally removed and the bottom refaired epoxied and a fresh coat of antifoul applied.
This has been our task this haul out. For environmental reasons Yaraandoo II could not be grit blasted at Oyster Cove Marina so we booked into Margate Marina (not yet developed and and an isloated quagmire of a yard). Still Drysdale Engineering could grit blast, sand, re fair, epoxy and antifoul in an estimated 10 days on the hard.
It was the first time Yaraandoo had been hauled on an articulated tractor/trailor and it was a simple and effective method for transfering the boat from her element to the grit blasting area. A lot less stressful than seeing your home suspended in 2 slings.
Of course the the day of the haul out the weather changed and we saw 35 knts motoring up the channel to Margate. The wind continued to build and the rain came down in buckets. It was declared too windy and unsafe to haul out. So we left Yaraandoo II secured in a spider's web of ropes to the falling down jetty (soon to be replaced when the new marina infrastructure is completed).
The next day with an erly start for the tide and before the wiind strengthened Yaraandoo was hauled out and water blasted to remove all the salt and growth on the hull. It was 18 months since we had last hauled so the worst I had ever seen her hull. Once pressure washed she was hauled to the grit blasting area for the big job to commence. I might add that last tme we took the hull back to tors - Mike and I did it by removing the old antifoul with 1 inch chisels and we are too old for such a mamoth task again.
Once the grit blasting was completed the hull was rollered with the first coat of epoxy then a second coat of epoxy was sprayed and a ti coat applied before the first coat of antifoul which was red in colour and the top coat was done in black making her sleek once again.
Meanwhile Mike was varnishing internally, polishiing the stainless and applying prop speed to the propellor as well as servicing the diesel generator.
Yours truely was not going to the boatyard everyday but was just as busy. I remade the dink chaps with weathermax material using gortex thread, edging tape and applying reflective tape to make us easily seen and safer at night. I had enough material to make a new gear bag for the bow and a BBQ cover. Unfortunately we lost the BBQ cover in the 50knt blow (prior to the snap hooks being secured) so now I have to wait for more material to arrive before I can make the new cover for the liferaft and have a second attempt at the BBQ cover.
So it has been all go on the Powell front only seeing each other for breakfast and dinner at night. We are both looking forward to some well earned relaxation after our 16 days or so of none stop efforts.
I have to say we have had so little rain since we arrived in Tassie but Huey had other ideas when we hauled, so perhaps we could hire ourselves out as drought breakers. We have now seen the clocks adjusted back an hour and the autumn colours are flushing the trees. We sailed our last twilight race and now look forward to longer races held on weekends. The Kettering Yacht Club dinner is schedulled for May 5th so we have booked our table. Mike and I will still be here in Tassie this year and this will be our first opportunity to attend the presentation night as we are usually in Eden for ANZAC services. So we will be a little later heading north this year.
Well last time I wrote we were heavily into boat maintenance and since then we have been heavily into landcare on our friend Erica's property in Kettering. We have been felling trees on her boundary fence to allow fire trucks easy access to the paddocks. Mike has progressed from a learner chain saw handler to being very proficcient in the use and maintenance of the chain saws with many sharpening procedures under his belt. Mike was using 2 chain saws and I was collecting branches for the bonfire as well as loading the tractor trailor with logs ready for the wood pile. Over the time we made 5 bonfire piles and Erica decided to get the fire brigade boys to light and attend them rather than us attending them one by one - so for a small fee the bonfires were raised in one day. Fire permits were necessary in the summer and the maximum fire was 1 metre square but the fireies could light the big bonfires and they all said it was great practice.
You may think you have seen some wood piles and truly they can be a status symbol in rural Tasmania. We created several wood piles, some wood split and ready by the back door for the winter needs, some wood piled ready to split and the grandaddy of all wood piles the future storage area. There is an art to making a wood pile so it won't keel over. It is so much easier with split timber but round trees of varying diameters can be tricky so we discovered. Still all looking good at this stage.
Mike has been helping oither yachtie friends in the marina - cleaning engines, pickling water makers and with general maintenance while I have been dealing with admin papers, practising my ukulale and sorting photos etc. Time has really zoomed by.
Again Erica did us proud with her hospitality as last week we had our dear friends Alan and Sue down from Canberra who stayed 3 days before they attended a wedding in Hobart. It was so lovely to catch up with all their news. We went for a day sail to Quaraantine Bay and walked to the ruins of the quarantine station on Bruny Island. The next day we drove to Geeveston and visited the timber museum and purchased a beautiful carved wood item each. Sue purchased a small bowl of Huon Pine and I purchased a ball carved from Sasafras. It was great learning about the beautiful timbers from the wood turner - he was so passionate about his art.
Then we drove on the the Hartz National Park and walked to falls at the top of the mountains - it was only a short walk but through diverse country with snow gums and woods across the alpine bog region and along the river course to the falls. The views were spectacular. On the Friday we spent the time with Alan and Sue exploring Hobart City and the Docks until it was time to depart each others company - all too soon of course, but a great time was had by all.
Saturday evening was the Kettering Yacht Club presentation night at the Gateway Cafe and the staff catered for the 70 attendees in a very profficient manor and the food was delicious. The speeches were short and the prize giving fun, with Garth taking two awards for Solquest.
We have done all the yacht and rig inspections for putting to sea, cleaned the dingy bottom ready to stow on deck in preparation for our up and comming passage across Bass Strait, but as usuall now we are nearly ready to go the weather has turned to custard. The forecast is for gale force winds and high seas so we will sit snug until the conditions improve.
So a few days of wild weather to finish off provisioning, playing scrabble, reading and saying our farewells to Tasmania for another season. Still it will not take long for December to roll around and God willing we will return.
Well, it has been a while since I sat at the keyboard and such a lot has happened in our lives since we said we were ready to depart Tasmania and head north for warmer climes.
We sailed up the east coast of Tassie and got as far as the iconic Wine Glass Bay where we sat and sheltered from yet another storm front. It took us two weeks to get there and that passage would normally have taken 30 hours. The weather was atrocious. In fact, Hobart is still recovering from the 70 million dollar damage bill. Schools were closed, shopping centres flooded and cars were floating down Macquarie St as fallen trees blocked drains and caused mayhem.
We said to each other "what are we doing this for?" - sailing is supposed to be fun and our lives were anything but that - so we made the monumentous decision to turn around, head back to Kettering and winter in Tasmania. Ar we pleased we made that decision.
Our mainland friends thought they would miss our company but we have booked airline tickets to get across the ditch. (Bass Strait). So we depart on the 4th August for 2 weeks in Port Douglas, then fly to Brisbane and spend 2 weeks house sitting and meeting Mike's brother, then we get on a train to work our way down the east coast to Sydney. Stay to catch up with friends before heading to Goulburn and then on to Canberra to see the children and family. Then we change to a coach and head to Eden to see more friends and check up on the unit before flying back to Tassie from Sydney or Canberra whichever offers better flight deals. After leaving the boat last year to travel to the UK - Mike is much more amenable to leaving the boat knowing the systems will not all fall apart as he had first feared.
So currently, we are doing a 5-week house sit in Kettering with views over the marina so we can keep an eye on Yaraandoo II. (Our friends' are off to the mainland to collect their new caravan so we are really plant-sitting.
Yaraandoo II is not being neglected and is sitting snug on a very safe mooring in Little Oyster Cove. Mike has just ordered a reel of wire (115 meters) so we can replace all the standing rigging. It has been 10years since we did this process and our insurance agent said they would not insure the rig unless the wire was replaced. So the wire and cones for the Stay lock fittings have arrived so now we are waiting for some calm weather so we can start the project. It means hauling MIke up and down the mast which is time consuming but a cheaper option than hiring a crane to pull the mast and replace the wires all at once.
Our gardening ar Erica's property still continues with mulch spreading on garden beds and planting new trees in the paddock gully, separating bulbs and establishing new flower beds.
Of course, it is not all work and no play. We have entertained and been entertained by friends. We went exploring on my Birthday weekend to the Tasman Peninsular. This region is a famous tourist area both historically around Port Arthur the famous Penal Colony and also for the natural wonders as in rock formations in the cliffs. We visited the Blow Hole, the Devils' Cauldron and the Remarkable Cave. The weekend weather was perfect for walking and exploring - sunny days and cool nights. We made the most of roaring fires and the odd glass or two.
The other activity which has been taking up a lot of our time is property hunting. We have been looking at what is available in the way of blocks of land and houses for sale in the Channel region but of course, the budget is the ruling factor. Still, it has been fun looking.
Well, folks, it has been six months since I published a blog entry and for my tardiness at the keyboard, I apologise. Life for the crew of Yaraandoo has been happening at a frenetic pace with not enough hours in the day.
Since deciding to winter in Tasmania - we have had a 2 month holiday visiting friends on the mainland by way of the big silver bird. (much faster than battling east coast lows in a yacht). We became engrossed in village life by doing exercise classes, joining a badminton group, sailing the twilight series aboard Solquest, I am learning the ukulele and have a weekly lesson, then I play with a ukulele group once a week so in all, we have Monday and Friday evenings free. We have still been assisting our friend Erica with land care and Mike is now well versed in chainsaw activities and her woodpile is reaching epic proportions.
A weekend priority was checking the property market in the Channel region and we looked at many houses but our budget was quite restrictive for this area. The other alternative was to purchase land and build but we did not want to be in suburbia. We got outbid on a couple of occasions but have now signed a contract for 2/3s of an acre block in the heart of Kettering with wonderful Bay and mountain views.
Once the settlement is finalised we will proceed with building a modular home. The design we have chosen is two modules, built in the factory and then transported on low loaders and erected on site. The front module contains the entry, living, kitchen, dining and sunroom and the rear module contains two bedrooms each with an en-suite divided by the laundry and rear entry. The house will be facing NE so plenty of sunlight and great views.
Our first exercise has been to demolish the farmers concrete water tank and remove some dangerous trees on the block. Then the farm machinery shed will be dismantled and sold while the small shed is to be relocated to the gully as Mike's work shed. You will see from the photos that this was/is no small task. We still have lots of chainsawing to do to create the woodpile and burning to get rid of the rubbish branches from the pine tree as they cannot be burnt on a wood stove.
We had to slash the block to reduce the fire hazard. The grass was waist high and there are so many blackberries, so now slashed we will start a poison regime to curtail all the roots. However, I have also saved one maple tree and planted a protea and I also have a lemon tree and boronia bush in pots ready to plant when we have cleared the gully. many friends have offered cuttings so I will be busy planning and planting the garden once the house is built.
It has not all been physical work as there have been lots of legal papers to attend to with two solicitors and our financial advisor sending copious papers to be signed. Kirsty is handling the purchase of 13 Turners Drive, Kettering, while Felicity has been dealing with the selling of 184 Imlay Street, our unit in Eden.
Meanwhile, Yaraandoo has not been neglected. We have purchased a mooring in Little Oyster Cove (which can be seen from the block), so she now has a permanent home, although we are still on the marina waiting list. She has been getting lots of tender loving care but we have been sailing on other folks yachts so we are taking her out for a spin with guests aboard later this week.
Of course, the hectic pace is not slowing down as Christmas is just around the corner - where has this year gone?
More news as events unfurl.
Life for the Powells continues at a hectic pace. Christmas/New Year was somewhat quieter than anticipated, as we both came down with the lergy, so not much alcohol consumed, but lots of honey and lemon drinks instead. (We are trying to make up for that now as we are back socialising with friends once again).
We kept our appointment with Systems Build on the 7th and January and signed the contract for our new home. Now the plans are drawn to scale and signed off so the site plans can be drawn up and submitted to the Kingsborough council. Then we have to design the kitchen and laundry layout to accommodate the white goods we have purchased. I have already chosen the bench tops and cupboard colours but drawers etc need to be planned with the specialists designer.
We had a great day at the January half-yearly clearance sales. I think Mike was in shock by the end of the afternoon, as usually with any purchase he looks, researches and compares but by the end of the afternoon we had purchased the lounge suit (all powered recliners) a leather sofa bed for the guest bedroom/study, a fridge, washing machine and dishwasher. The following day we chose the wood burning heater for the lounge - if you recall we have a plentiful supply of hardwood timber on the block.
So lots of decisions are being made and items finalised. We are ever hopeful the plans will be submitted to the council before the end of January. Meanwhile, we have been clearing the block from blackberries and tidying up the felled timber. The pine tree is causing us the most hassles at present as the wood cannot be burned in the heater. There are so many branches to be sawn up and disposed of. Either we pay by the cubic meter to have it chipped at the refuse centre or burn it bonfire style on our property. I think I explained that any property burning fire has to registered and not larger than a cubic metre and no more than one lit at any time. So last Tuesday we spent 9 hours feeding the rubbish branches to the one fire. Fortunately, the scar from the concrete tank removal is a fantastic site to do any burning.
On the Eden front, we are getting quotes to have our stored boxes transported across the Bass Strait. Unpacking the items will be an Aladin's Cave experience as the boxes were packed nearly 23 years ago and we cannot remember all the contents.
We have two buyers in a bidding war for the Eden unit and we have exceeded our $$$ expectations, though we have not quite achieved the asking price suggested by the real estate agent. The solicitor is drawing up the contract of sale next week and we anticipate a 42-day settlement.
Of course, we have continued racing in the twilight racing series and were delighted with first place in the first race of the year. More wine and salmon for Solquest's kitty.
Mike has dived on Yaraandoo to inspect any growth occurring while we are settled on the mooring but all was in fantastic shape so we continue with the usual maintenance.
Tomorrow we are having a day off and taking international guests to the Cygnet Folk Festival. We are looking forward to the sea shanty gig at the yacht club, it is always so much fun.
Stay tuned for more events in the Tasmanian Life change.
Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.
Since I last updated the blog we have celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary and the 22nd anniversary since moving aboard Yaraandoo II. Wonderful memories evoked by these milestones and we still enjoy our life aboard even though we became land owners on the 20th of December.
We have been extremely busy on the block - tidying up after the tree felling. We have now cleared the land and boundaries so the grass is lawn height and the next job will be spraying the blackberries in the gully where Mike's shed and the orchard will be established. We gained about a metre of land along the top side fence when we trimmed next door's hedge. So then we had to get permission to light a fire to burn the rubbish as fire season is now well underway and we did not want to wait until winter to dispose of the garden waste.
We think we have enough firewood for a few years and we will have to hire a log splitter to cut the trunk rounds into firebox size before creating the wood pile. A job for the new year now.
We have a buyer for the big machinery shed and the smaller shed (Mike's shed) will become the storage shed for tools and equipment and his work shed, although we will have to add a new door to allow access wide enough for a ride on mower (a future purchase after we have obtained the furniture).
We have an appointment for the 7th of January to sign the housing contract with Systems Build so the process of seeking council approvals can begin. The planning permission includes soil tests for the envirocycle sewerage system, fire risk assessments, ensuring there are no endangered species growing around the house and drive sites - so quite a process to get through before permission to build is approved.
I have included some updated photos of our progress to date.
Stay tuned for more info in the New Year. Now we are going sailing on the D'Entrecasteaux Channel over the Christmas break.
Well, we started off the New Year running and it is February already time is passing faster than ever. We spent many days in January clearing the block of blackberries and timber. We have now only got one day's burning left to do to clear the rubbish pine branches. The fallen gum branches have been sawn into firebox lengths and stacked so the next step is to clear the felled gum trees. We have teamed up with two sailing friends who are also Kettering landowners and purchased a diesel log splitter so the job may be easier than we first envisaged.
February was all gearing up for the Australian Wooden Boat Festival and receiving our US visitors. Kaci and Jan together with Hasse are friends from the Pacific North West who 'adopted' us when we visited Port Townsend - now it was our turn to host and take care of them as they arrived in Tassie to be guest speakers and presenters at the Festival.
Mike and I were involved as volunteers once again, Mike being dock crew bump in on Thursday and Friday with bump out duties on Monday, while I had divided duties, in boat registration on Thursday and Friday and then assisted at the symposium on Saturday and Sunday with a free day on Monday. So I could sail back to Kettering with Garth aboard Solquest.
The festival was a huge success 500 boats on display and the tall ships did manage to get there this time as the weather complied beautifully. The festival site spreads over 1.5ks of Hobart waterfront and the vibrancy and buzz are quite intoxicating for all visitors and boat owners alike. Although much hard work and many hours of unpaid volunteering are required to achieve this status everyone has a fantastic time. Lots of folks need long sleeps and rest after the 4 days of partying to regain some sense of normalcy in their lives. Mike and I stayed aboard Solquest during the festival as we were on duty early each morning and saved the drive back to Yaraandoo each day.
Now, we are back to our Derby and Joan status with all our guest returning home to various parts of the world and mainland Australia. It was fabulous to catch up with so many of our sailing friends. Our time together may have been short but quality time together is worth so much words cannot say.
While Neil and Ley stayed with us - we redesigned our house plans with Neil's expertise on a CAD programme. We have now lost the corridor and achieved much more room in the main living area. Systems Build was very accommodating as we had not submitted our plans to council and all our changes have now been incorporated and costed. The surveyors have been to the block and pegged the build site so once the elevation plans are drawn they can together with the floor plans be submitted to council for approval.
Well, time is still going by at what seems a supersonic pace. Since I last wrote we have been mainly landbased - puppy, dog and plant sitting in 3 different locations for friends who kindly opened their homes to us for doing something we love and allowing us a change in lifestyle.
We first stayed at Steve and Julia's home in Howrah on the north side of the Derwent River, puppy sitting Lola a toy poodle puppy who is a ball of black fluff and so much fun to be with. At the time she did not weigh 2 kilos so wasn't able to have her 3rd puppy injection - so could not mix with other dogs. We did lots of exploring to find secluded beaches where she could run and not be met by other dogs. Puppy training is very rewarding if time-consuming and we had a ball.
From Howrah, we moved back to north Kettering and moved into Bev and Greg's enormous home to dog sit Max, a West Highland Terrier. Max is 8, I think, and much more sedate and set in his ways. He is quite adorable and no training necessary but he enjoyed his treats just as much as Lola.
Still not unpacking our suitcases we moved to east Kettering to plant sit at Bubbles and Douglas' house on the point of Little Oyster Cove and the D'Enrecasteaux Channel. Situated back in Kettering allowed Mike and I to work extensively on the block and just collapse into a non-rocking bed each night.
The block is looking much more civilised now with the brambles and weeds removed. The last clearing of these noxious weeds has been done down in the gully beyond our back fence on the old tramway (used to haul logs from the cutting site to ship loading dock). This is crown land and had not been tended to for years and apart from a fire hazard meant until it was cleared we could not replace the fence which is well beyond its use by date and certainly not wallaby proof.
SystemsBuild visited the block to discuss the temporary power pole arrangement so we can dismantle the big shed ready for the footings to be dug and foundation piles positioned. The concrete must be left for up to 8 weeks before they can be load bearing.
Wednesday was our scheduled meeting to sign off on the plans so they can be submitted to the Kingborough Council. We have made all the decisions about floors, carpets, tiles, splashbacks, power points, lighting, kitchen design materials and appliances, ceiling heights, the location of the wood fire, interior and exterior colours so I think the only thing we have to choose now is the taps and shower fittings. Whew!
So you can tell we have been rather busy - enjoying life though we do miss the twilight sailing now that the clocks have changed and autumn is really here.
Well, since I last wrote we have finished clearing the block of debris. Whoo Hooo! now we just have to watch when the brambles start to sprout again in spring, but a weed spray should be all we need to keep them clear now the hard work has been done.
You will see from the photos there was a huge amount of debris in the Tramway to dispose of and it took us 2 full days to burn with each having a fire to feed and attend. Once the debris was cleared we could replace the back fence. So Mike and I are now quite competent in a new skill of setting posts and straining wires before adding the wallaby proof wire mesh. My only wish is that they made riggers gloves in smaller sizes.
Still, we have now a nice new fence and we know the Wallabies don't jump it as yet because our neighbour saw 8 trapped in the bottom corner of the block the morning after we had completed the fence. Of course, they can still get onto the block from the front as we won't complete the front fence until after the house is positioned on the block.
We are now playing the waiting game for council approval to build before construction can begin but we are very happy with the progress so far. Systems build have been terrific and very easy to deal with. Currently, we are waiting on costings for the upgrades we have chosen for the bathroom fit outs. If anyone thinks choosing taps, shower heads, toilets etc is simple, think again the choice is enormous from many manufacturers and we spent hours looking in the showroom and brochures from the preferred supplier. Still, we think that is the end of our decision making for the house build.
Of course, we are still watching the budget as several items are just allowances ie the water tanks and the sewerage system still have to be costed at the time of build, but we believe we are still within budget and most of the furniture and white goods are already paid for. We have such great friends who are storing all our pre-purchased items. A big Thank You - you know who you are.
We have managed to have some time off from work going to a sailaway with the Tasmanian Coastal Cruising Club. We had a lovely weekend sailing down the D'Exntrecasteux channel to Fancy Bay but the wx changed our overnight anchorage to Missionary Bay. It was great to meet new folk in the sailing fraternity and we enjoyed happy hour on the beach and invited the group to Yaraandoo for morning tea/coffee on Sunday before we all went our different ways to home berths.
We also had another week doggie sitting Max, the West Highland Terrier, we are so lucky to be trusted to take care of. Max is such a character in our new Kettering lifestyle.
So stay tuned for more info in the Powell happenings.
June 1st marked the official start of winter and didn't Tasmania do it in style. Mt Wellington is covered in snow and Kettering has been wet and windy but we are very snug aboard Yaraandoo II.
Our work on the block sifting topsoil and moving rocks to make garden beds came to an abrupt end as the dirt pile turned to mud and rocks, and not at all siftable.
However, other projects have been completed. We finished repainting the bedside cupboards to blend with the brass bed frame. The electricity has been disconnected from the machine shed and we thought the shed could start to be dismantled, but only half the job was done and the meter box still needs to be disconnected and removed before dismantling can begin.
We have taken advantage of winter sales and ordered 2 water tanks, upgraded pump, fittings and pump cover to be delivered to the block when we have prepared the base. Of course, we can't prepare the tank site until more soil is moved and we can't move the soil until the weather improves ........ All in good time - but we are getting better at waiting, the plans are still with the council but hopefully we should get approval to build soon. Meanwhile - waiting.
I am planning the garden and want to attract birds to the block but without many trees or bushes at present, it is an uphill battle. I have been pricing birdbaths and got a shock compared to 20 odd years ago since I last purchased one. So I started to think outside the square. I visited the local tip shop and bought 2 wrought iron candelabras and 2 old fashioned ceiling lights. The lights were dismantled and the electric parts discarded leaving 2 lovely glass bowls to place in the middle of the candelabras. (see photos). I now have 2 very unique and distinctive bird baths for around $20.
We are looking forward to the June long weekend when we are going sailing with the Tasmanian Cruising Club but more about that next time....
I will start with the June Long weekend which happened to be my Birthday so I gave every one a day off to officially celebrate the Queen's Birthday. We sailed Yarrandoo II down the D'Entrecasteau Channel to Port Huon and then up the river to Franklin. We joined the Cruising Yacht Club of Tasmania (CYCT) on the annual event.
It was great because I didn't have to cook. We enjoyed a pot roast meal at Dean's Boat Shed on the sat night and a Thai Style meal at the Wooden Boat Guild in Franklin on the Sunday evening. 23 boats attended the sail away so it was good to meetnew cruising friends. The weather ranged from very stromy to calm and rain but we had a superb sail back on Tuesday so it was a great way to finish off a fabulous weekend.
Work on the block is progressing. Mike and I feel as if we have been working on the chain gang for ever - sifting soil and moving rocks but the effort is paying off and we now have 2 flower beds planted on the front of the block and we are stock piliing more soil for the garden bed in the turning circle in the drive, plus we have a rock base for the proposed car port area.
We have planted several fruit trees, (cherry, plum, pleach, apricot and pink lady apple. The citrous trees are still in pots until the house is built as they need a sunny wind protected position. The view from the sun room looking SE when the trees are in blossom should be a sight to behold. Of course, every item we plant has to be caged until the house is built and a front fence established as the wallabies would eat the lot. Currently it looks like we are planting a forrest of wooden stakes.
Then great excitment 2 weeks ago. The council came to errect the DA (development Application) notices on the bock. This allows any neighbours notification and time to object to our plans. The drop dead date for objections is July 2nd but all our neighbours are pleased we are building and have already complimented us on the improvements we have made to date. So Kingborough Council should give us the go ahead to proceed soon. Next Week -hopefully.
The next exciting event occured on Friday. The Machine shed was demolished. Tim arrived with another roof plumbiing mate and together with Mike worked all day numbering panels and demolishing the shed. It is now Flat Packed on the block waiting for a crane truck to take it to its new home. With the demolition completed, a large flat open space is now ready for the new house footings. Rosemarie, our neighbour on the uphill side asked if we were going to build a subteranian home as their view was so much improved with the shed gone. I replied that we did not have the millions David Walsh had so unlike the MONA museum our house would be above ground.
We have now moved into No 9 Turners Drive as we are doggie sitting while our neighbour Christine is exploring some national parks so couldn't take Harry. Harry is a Cairns Terrier about 8 years old and very set in his ways - no trouble at all as long as one doesn't touch his paws.
We are finding staying in No 9 is very convenient - no rushing out to the boat to run the engine before we can have a shower. No travelling time either but we do have to take time out to walk Harry so a win win situation. He is very happy supervising us working on the chain gang.
So with that said I will sign off and upload some photos.
While living in No 9 Turners Drive, doggie sitting Harry, we managed to do an amazing amount of work on the block preparing for the installation of the water tanks. We purchased these separately from the build as we got a great deal when Global Tanks were having a sale. Of course, this meant we had to prepare the tank beds ourselves and what a day that was when the FCR and gravel were delivered.
The truck could not reverse up the slight incline at the top of the drive so it was all dumped at the level of Mike's shed. This meant we had to shovel and wheelbarrow 6.5 cubic metres of heavy stuff up the hill. The FCR is finely crushed rock which is compacted down and then the gravel is spread on top so water cannot erode the base away in heavy downpours. We only had the loan of the compacting machine for the day so had to get the beds installed all in one go. We even skipped badminton that day as we were both exhausted, to say the least.
We have had some winter weather of late with snow on Mt Wellington and lots of rain so we thought we might have to cancel the tank delivery, but for once the wx gods were with us and the 23rd dawned bright sunshine with no wind. We, fortunately, had 3 guy friends help to unload the tanks off the delivery truck and position them on the prepared beds. I took lots of photos and made a video of the proceedings so hope you can see them with this blog.
Still, no word from the council on the final approvals so no construction has started as yet but hopefully there will be movement in early September. I am beginning to make arrangements for the house warming and our 50th wedding anniversary celebrations so the house better be there by 13 December otherwise we will have to hire a marquis.
Christine returned from her jaunt on the mainland so we moved once again to puppy sit Lola (the toy poodle) while Steve and Julia furnished their new holiday home in Palm Cove. So now we are once again living in Howrah on the eastern shore of Hobart so only go to the block 2 days a week. Lola loves visiting the block. She runs like the wind and chases the wallaby scent, plays in the puddles and helps us dig as we are terracing the western edge of the gully slope. She then has to suffer the indignity of having a bath when we return to Howrah but this doesn't deter her from her antics the next time we visit the block.
So life is good, while the waiting is still frustrating, we can see improvements and changes to our new home site. Spring is definitely on the way as my bulbs are starting to bloom and the garden beds are flourishing.
Waiting - Waiting - Waiting, it is all so frustrating but Mike and I are now resigned to the fact that the house will not be on the block until the New Year. What with mass staff walkouts in the planning department of the Kingborough Council and the lack of planning permissions hence no start to construction this close to the Christmas shut down period, means we are fighting an uphill battle of hope. Much better to be resigned and get on with our lives doggie sitting and looking forward to the start of the racing season at the yacht club.
We are still making progress on the block. We planted another 2 cherry trees this week and the frog pond is pretty well established now - just need some gravel, a bit of spray paint, a few more reeds to be planted and then we can look forward to November when we can go and collect frog spawn to populate it with. We have checked friends' dams but no sign of little frogs as yet.
Yesterday we helped Christine build and burn a bonfire of the remains of a large tree which blew over in last weeks strong winds as we have been informed fire permits will be necessary from next weekend as the drought conditions have meant the fire season is being declared very early this year.
Spring has sprung and most my fruit trees have blossoms and the leaves are uncurling also the garden beds are awakening from the dormant winter period. We have slashed the grass in the gully twice already and we have to wait for a windless day to spray the tramway (that is crown land on the other side of the fence) at the bottom of the gully as the blackberries are not quite eradicated.
Next project is to establish some garden beds so I can get some veggies planted. It would be nice to have our own tomatoes this year. However, it will only be a temporary arrangement as we cannot erect the veggie enclosure until the house is in position and all the sewerage and drainage trenches have been established. A walk-in veggie enclosure is essential here to stop the wallabies eating all the produce.
The block is still vulnerable to wallaby attack as there are fences on 3 sides but again the gate and front fence have to wait until the heavy construction work on the block is completed. This week we found a baby wallaby being encouraged by its mother to leave the pouch so we suspended work and left them undisturbed to work out what was what and we do not know who got the upper hand as both had left the block when we returned.
The Kettering Yacht Club BBQ for the opening of the season is arranged for this Friday so we are looking forward to attending and catching up with boating friends we have not seen for a while. Mike helped Garth service all the winches on Solquest this week so everything is running free ready for the races around the buoys.
I guess that is the news as is.
Lucky 13
Oh yes - it has finally happened on this auspicious date. We have all the completed documents from the Kingborough Council giving all the approvals necessary for us to commence building at last.
Now our plans have been approved and stamped we have arranged to pay the second invoice to SystemsBuild. We have a meeting next week to sign off the final contractual documents so construction can begin. Hurray!
This event has been a long time coming and now we are happy little vegemites as we will be able to see events as they occur instead of nebulous accounts of paperwork being taken care of in various offices.
You will see work started with underground electricity connections being installed - lots of photos as very exciting. The crane truck also arrived to remove the old shed and take it to its new home.
I have also arranged the plant enclosure to include raised garden beds and have planted tomatoes, peas, beans, capsicum, lettuce, kale, leeks, parsley, thyme, coriander and still have room for my cuttings in the wind and wallaby proof enclosure.
Of course, the timing means we will run into the Christmas shutdown in the industry so we anticipate completion taking place in March. Another excuse for a party so watch this space!
Happy are we - Oh Yeah
What to say and where to begin - December has arrived and events are happening at a very fast pace before the industry shut down for the long summer break.
We knew to expect the concrete truck to cover the underground electricity conduits as the trenches were not quite 600 deep. Three different suppliers were required to connect the electricity. Tas Networks to take the main from the top of the power pole to where Urban Electricity could connect to our underground conduits and Digital Metres to connect the metre box. Whew! it all worked out and now we have a temporary meter box until the house arrives, but most importantly we can boil the billy in the shed and Mike can charge power tools. What progress!
However, working on the block a couple of days later along came another truck with a digger as big as Tim's. These guys had come to mark out the footings and augur the holes. We had been told this would not happen until after the Christmas break. So yes, we were very excited.
The procedure was much less stressful than first thought as rock was only found for 2 of the 18 holes and the rock was solid so the footings could be built upon a solid foundation and formed with concrete. The concrete truck arrived the next day and the foundation pillars cemented in place.
Meanwhile, another event was taking shape. On the 13th December - yes Black Friday! Mike and I celebrated our 50th Wedding Anniversary. Michael and Irene arrived from Canberra so we made up the guest bed and offloaded the spinnaker into the shed, the profiterole cake was ordered and the champagne glasses polished. On Friday morning we headed up to John and De's beautiful home to rearrange furniture and decorate with party trappings. The cake was collected the champers and grog put on ice and all the planning made for a smooth operation and 40 guests arrived for a wow of a celebration with enough food and grog to feed an army. The weather was kind, not too hot and the rain held off so the front balcony and house design made circulation from food to grog easy and meant folk could mingle with ease. What a day! we have so many wonderful friends and though lots were unable to attend ( ) the next big function is already in the planning stages - the House Warming in 2020.
The next day was just as busy tidying up and preparing for the Kettering Community Christmas Party. Another wonderful gathering with, I think, 280 guests with local businesses supporting the evening, a superb time was had by all thanks to the many volunteers. What a great community we have chosen to settle in. Yeh! for Kettering.
Now there is no time to sit back and relax for the Christmas social scene is well, underway and we have events to enjoy right up to Christmas day which we will be spending with 3 other yachting couples. Life is good - we are celebrating and looking forward to the New Year.
We trust you are all as fortunate as we are and counting your blessings.
Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New year - from the Powells.
Just another update to see out the last few days of 2019 and bring in the new decade of 2020. What a frustrating year of waiting as the wheels ground so slowly but with a great prospect to look forward to probably late March when our new land base should be completed.
I said we were on top of the charts for romance (not) with the purchase of the Powerarm for our 50th wedding anniversary and an electric start, self-propelled mower for Christmas we are saving our old bones from hard work while maintaining a great lifestyle.
We intend to be shore-based in Tassie in summer and then aboard Yaraandoo II sailing to warmer climes in the winter but in 2020 we will be establishing the house, driveway, front fence and electric gates so intend to fly north in the winter and visit Palm Cove with our friends Julia and Steve.
We had a lovely Christmas day with other yachting orphans whose family are far-flung across the globe. Once again John and De were our gracious hosts with all pitching in with food and Chris Cringle gifts it was a super day.
Boxing Day was spent aboard Life of Crime with Steve, Julia and puppy Lola. We sailed to a calm anchorage with good TV reception. Once settled we shared a delicious lunch watching the start of the famous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Late in the afternoon, we sailed back to Little Oyster Cove Marina after another wonderful day with friends.
Summer has finally arrived in Tasmania and we spent the Christmas break in a house sit garden picking berries - loganberries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and cherries while still managing to do landscaping and watering the vegies and plants at the block.
Upon our friends (Bubbles and Doug) return from their New Zealand break, we returned to Yaraandoo for some quiet days out on the Channel and joined other boats from the Cruising Yacht Club of Tasmania to Celebrate New Year's Eve.
We still raced aboard Solquest and had some fantastic podium finishes as the winds were stronger and more in Solquest's favour. Four first places and one 3rd over the last five races - we shall be getting an adjusted handicap if we keep this up.
The vegetable garden on the block is still being very productive and I am looking forward to getting some winter crops in place. It has been lovely giving our Tassie friends produce for a change as we have been kept supplied with homegrown produce in the past.
We purchased a new slimline water tank to be filled from the shed roof to maintain the garden. Now I have pressurised water and it is so much easier than gravity filling the watering can and trudging up and down the gully to water newly planted trees and plants. The smallest things bring such huge joy. I was so excited to find two frogs in the frog pond so the tadpoles have finally grown. Now all I have to do is hear them sing so I can try and identify what sort of frogs they are.
The third of February is an auspicious day any year as Megan celebrates her birthday, but this year it marks the date we first stood inside our new house. Mike and I drove to the Systemsbuild factory and actually saw the two modules were taking shape on the subframes and the wood framework complete with door and window spaces so rooms could be identified.
The next stage is the plumbing and electricity before the plastering can be started then the first coat of paint is applied. We have been invited to the factory any time so we will probably limit ourselves to fortnightly visits to view the progress. Leonie, explained the various stages of construction so we now have a better understanding of the process.
So a few pictures will tell more than words and YES! we are very excited now we can see the house taking shape.
Happy Valentine's Day to everyone but especially to Neil and Ley on their 22 wedding Anniversary.
We had a fabulous day. We did some office type chores aboard Yaraandoo and then drove out to Cambridge to visit the factory. The house has progressed heaps since our last visit. The bedroom model has outer planks, windows and doors and the plumber was busy installing the ensuite plumbing. The front module is not so far advanced but has double sliding doors installed and the roof trusses are now in place.
The rooms look much bigger now the supporting trusses for the framework have mostly been removed. We were thrilled to see the progress and we know the kitchen cabinetry is soon to be started in the next-door factory. So more photos to show the progress.
We then went with Steve, Julia and Lola for a lovely crayfish lunch to celebrate. Lola again demonstrated her fine tastes as she would not eat the tail meat when offered a titbit, but loved the legs and ate them with gusto.
Later in the afternoon, we did some work on the block. Mike weeding and me planting our next crop of lettuce seedlings and some cuttings which were ready to be planted out in the front garden. All the cuttings for the driveway garden bed are thriving well but of course, can't be planted out just yet.
Meanwhile, we have been enjoying ourselves supporting the Kettering Yacht Club in the Wooden Boat Rally held on the off years to the Wooden Boat Festival. We raced on Friday evening Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Friday evening a BBQ was held after the race and then Saturday night was a curry night which we did not attend as usually, curries have lots of garlic. Instead, Mike and I enjoyed a surprise 50th party for Gai of Will and Gail (who own the property where we keep the dinghy and car to access Yaraandoo on the mooring). It was a lovely evening and enjoyed by all. Sunday evening was a roast night at the yacht club with outside caterers doing a marvellous job and the food was great. It was the presentation night and prises were divided between the Kettering Yacht Club and members of the Wooden Boat Guild.
Solquest has done well this 2020 season with 5 first, a second and a third place in the 7 races entered so roll on Wednesday. We are entertaining members of The Mariners (Kettering Cricket Club) this Wednesday. The plan being they race on our yachts and we play cricket against them in the near future. Kettering Commaraderie is alive and well.
We are limiting our visits to the factory fortnightly, so we do not make pests of ourselves too much, so anticipate another update in a couple of weeks.
Here it is the 26th of February and the year is slipping by at a great pace. Mike and I seem to be busier than ever with little free time but enjoying our lives to the nth degree.
The racing aboard Solquest has continued with more podium finishes though last weekend's race was so frustrating at the start with light airs and the spinnaker flying until a wind shift. In fact, we raised the spinnaker 3 times throughout the race so the crew are getting plenty of sail change practice. Another 2nd place.
We are still playing badminton on Tuesday evenings and I am getting lots of praise for my improved playing with my service being described as deadly.
I am still playing uke twice a week with lessons on Wednesdays and playing with the Margate Uke group on Thursday evenings. With Gerry's help (a friend visiting from Canada) I am improving my new uke by changing all the string heights and tuning pegs making it easier to play.
We have also had another day out aboard Life of Crime, enjoying the last crayfish of the season for lunch - the day out on the channel was wonderful.
Mike has been helping Garth soundproof Solquest's engine bay and replacing halyards for Greg aboard Pania and we have both been working on the block.
later this week we hope to get lessons for using the big log splitter. Early on we had the two dead gum trees and a very tall pine tree felled on the block. Now Tim (our earthmoving guy) has placed the 3 pine trunk sections in a large U shape so we can safely contain and stack the split gum trees down in the gully. Friends estimate we have enough wood to keep our fire going for about 10 winters. Tidying up the felled trees will make the gully much neater and we can then think about landscaping that area.
Yesterday, we had to go into town for our annual skin checks so carried on out to Cambridge to the factory. The build is progressing well with the plumbing being completed in the back module and the electricity being started in the front module, the roof trusses have been completed over the sunroom/deck and the wall has been extended by the front door enclosing in a small weatherproof porch-like entrance.
So life is wonderful and we appreciate each and every day.
What a difference a couple of weeks can make to our lives. Firstly we have hauled the boat out and done the usual maintenance of anti-fouling, changing the sail drive oil and anodes, acid washing and polishing the topsides and then cleaning the stainless. Now I know I am getting old as I have lots of aching bones and muscles but the task is now done and I am writing this as we wait for the tide to rise so we can be splashed and Yaraandoo II returned to her mooring.
We have been lucky to do a doggie sit while this has been happening so I did not have the added nightmare of climbing up and down ladders and trying to cook when we have reduced facilities while on the hard. In fact, we have two dogs - Archie and Max currently staying in Archie's home but we will move to Max's home tomorrow as John and De return home earlier that Greg and Bev.
Of course, while the boat is on the hard we maximise our time as each day costs to be hauled out and standing there. However, Friday dawned and it was pouring with rain so when no boat work was possible we drove out to Cambridge to view the house progress.
Wow, were we thrilled and such an incredible amount of work has happened since we last saw the modules. We now have Hardy plank, (the outside wall cover) on both modules so the insulation in the roof, floors and walls is complete. All the doors and windows are in situ. The plasterboard is fitted so we have internal walls ready for painting and the ensuites are ready for the tilers. All the wiring is laid to holes in the walls ready for the switches or appliances and it really looks more like a home now rather than a shell of wooden frames. Still, no delivery date from Systembuild but we believe we are on track for the end of March to early April. So we are very pleased to get the boat maintenance completed so we can concentrate back on the landscaping of the block.
Then there is the pandemic which is affecting all our lives in so many ways. Mike and I are both well and fighting fit and hope to stay that way by not attending group meetings. In fact, all that we were hoping to attend have been cancelled by the various organisations acting responsibly so no yachting meetings or ukulele for the time being. Fortunately, we can keep ourselves occupied by landscaping and working on the block so no isolation hardship for us.
I will get the photos uploaded and get this on the ether before we take the dogs for a walk.
Stay safe - next instalment at the end of March or early April.
Well, guys - what a couple of weeks! Here we are self-isolating as the world as we used to know it has changed forever. The CV has taken the world by storm but hopefully here down south in Tasmania we acted soon enough to stop the events currently happening in Italy, Spain and the US.
For Mike and I little has changed really as we are sleeping on board and working on the block, but of course, all our social activities have ceased so no meetings, yacht racing, ukulele learning or group playing, exercise classes etc.
We are happy to report that the subframe for the house modules have been installed and welded in place so now we have a big Meccano set on the block ready for the crane to position the modules once the building is completed.
We visited the factory on Friday and the tiling in the laundry and ensuites is done or happening, the floating floor for the lounge dining area is ready for installation. The ducting for the airconditioning has been installed and the plastering is complete so now I hope we are up to the painting stage as I guess that is done before the power points and lighting are installed.
We are still landscaping on the block. I have planted succulents in the rock wall (at the back of the carport site). However, the major project is tidying the gully. We collected the log splitter (a 32-ton monster we have 1/3 share in with friends). So now we are creating a long term log storage area at the bottom of the gully. We got Tim the earth mover to position the 3 sections of the old felled pine tree into a U shape and this contains the split logs with some safety rather than relying on our stacking capabilities. If we do a couple of hours per day we may be finished by the end of winter! Look back at the photos of the gully and you will see how much wood the two dead gum trees provided and you will understand what a mammoth task this log splitting will be. Fortunately, we have enough for this winter stacked outside the back door ready for when we move in.
We thought the house might be finished by the end of March but things have slowed down with all the CV rules and regulations. So now we anticipate delivery by the end of April and moving in mid-May - hopefully before my birthday.
So until the next instalment - stay safe and take care of one another.
It is now mid-April and life with CV-19 restrictions continue so everything is very quiet. We are managing to stay in touch with friends and family using Zoom, phones and other techno applications so we do not feel very isolated. We are sleeping aboard Yaraandoo and still landscaping the block.
Our big project has been tidying up the gully by successfully using the log splitter and creating a long term storage woodpile. This came to a halt when Mike had a skin lesion removed from his back so he cannot lift or do any strenuous exercise until the stitches are removed next week.
We did have some magnificent autumn days and everyone was gardening as the bans on travel are enforced. We had 10 police with 2 paddy wagons and a patrol car checking all those waiting in the Bruny Island Ferry queue. The police were stopping folk going to their holiday shacks. I am not sure why some folk cannot understand the distancing rules.
I was given some flag iris and dahlias corms so have made yet another garden bed and got them planted before we had some good soaking rain overnight. This softened the earth in the drainage ditch on the roadside, so I took the opportunity to re-locate some agapanthus plants from the ditch to the rocky embankment to the west of the drive entrance. So the drainage ditch is now clear and the bank on the west of the driveway will make a good fire break once the agapanthus establish.
We did have a jaw-dropping moment last week when we received a quote to add a new crossover and bitumen the drive for 6 meters (a council requirement) and then gravel up to the carport area. $34,500 minus GST. It was advised we would need 240 tonnes of road base (that is 20 trucks). Noting, that the driveway is pretty much solid rock anyway we wondered if we were being quoted for an autobahn - needless to say, we will not be accepting this quotation.
So our last visit to the factory was very exciting. We now have the kitchen cabinetry installed, the floating floor is laid in the lounge/dining area and underfloor power points have been installed, the ensuites toilets and vanity units are in place, the wardrobe fittings are complete, the decking is laid in the sunroom and front entrance and the sundeck now has a roof.
Reid advised that a tentative delivery date was the 18th of May but it may be earlier if work goes to plan. Other completed units have to be moved before ours can be loaded and the completed units cannot be delivered because of local road works (the temporary road width makes it impossible for the low loaders to transverse the road work stretch).
Still, if 'Hove To' is on-site by May 18 it should only take to the end of the month to install the sewerage treatment plant and connect the water tanks to the house plumbing so we will be in for my Birthday. What a Birthday Present!
Stay safe and be good to each other until our next instalment.
Well, we have 9 sleeps to go until the due delivery date of 'Hove To' to the block. Many folk in Tasmania are waiting for May 18 as it is the first day that some restrictions are to be lifted. So we can actually have friends to visit in groups of 5. Trying times for impatient people.
Mike and I have been making the most of the autumnal weather, landscaping. We had a free delivery of soil that was headed for the tip as it contained lots of debris. So we set to and got back to soil sifting. The load contained house bricks and landscaping rocks and weeds but it was worth the effort as the soil was fantastic and several garden beds have been established and now they are all planted. Mostly with natives, Kangeroo Paw and ground covers but we did put two more iris beds on the front, one being flag irises and the other native irises.
We removed the odds and ends from behind Mike's shed and laid the bricks which now support a series of potted plants, 3 x camellias, 3 x cordylines a variegated rhododendron and several natives. These pots are to hide the shed wall until the shed gets moved to the gulley (a back burner task so probably a couple of years time. The captain and I have differing opinions about the shed move).
Friends also donated some sleepers they no longer required, so we have enlarged the garden bed for the rhubarb and large plants like zucchinis and pumpkins and made a great raised bed near the water tanks. Two more native trees were planted in the gully and all newly planted items seem to be thriving. The current rain is really welcome but we trust it does not continue throughout the week otherwise the delivery may be affected.
The last visit to the factory was a little disappointing as we could not get many photos due to the painters scaffolding. OHS rules dictate we cannot enter the modules by any other means than the purpose-built steps. Since to enter the modules all the scaffolding would have to be moved - we declined so the painters could keep painting. The outside now has two coats of paint and is looking great and the once the eves/architraves are painted the painters start on the feature walls in the bedrooms.
Since our last visit to the factory, the kitchen splashbacks have been fitted and I am thrilled with the colour coordination with the kitchen cabinets. It is always hard to envisage colour schemes from samples but our choices seem to be proving quite sound. So all the furniture we have purchased should blend in just fine. Lots of our friends thought I was quite mad buying furniture in the sales and storing it, but we are so pleased we bought what we wanted when it was available as buying a whole house full of furniture in these COVID restricted times when deliveries are stalled, would be a nightmare.
So the photos in this issue are mostly of the garden but we hope to visit the factory early next week so another update due before the delivery.
"D" stands for
Dissapointment, Deflation, Despondancy, Depression to name a few feelings and NOT for Delivery.
We were so excited about the count down to Monday May 18th when we received information on the Friday - that rocked our world.
I am emailing you today to follow up on our conversation earlier where I suggested that final checks were being made to make sure your delivery next week was all planned out correctly. I also hope that Leonie has been able to address your other concern. Unfortunately I have a bit of bad news regarding the delivery for next week. Assessments were made some time a go and the plan was to access via your driveway and get to the other side of the powerline to conduct the delivery, unfortunately this option isn’t viable.
The truck and crane company have now advised that the house wont be able to sit far enough away from the powerline across your driveway to safely conduct the delivery and keep the crane sling / spreader bar at a suitable distance from the live wire. As mentioned earlier the option to lift over the powerline was also being looked into and has yielded the same answer, there is no safe way to work around the live wire and the recommendation from contractors involved is to have the wire removed.
The issue that we have here is that Tasnetwoks have a lengthy due process in addressing requests for powerline removals / power connections. I have just advised Bruno to put a works request in to Tasnetworks and lock in a day that they can remove the powerline, however this won’t happen before the scheduled delivery date next week and may actually push the delivery back 3 weeks at the best case scenario.
Writing this email makes me feel nauseous as you are both so very excited for your home to get onto your land, we were so very excited to provide you with that, however, this news in the 11th hour is horrible. At the moment I can only offer you my most sincere apology that things are working out like this, push Bruno / Tasnetworks as much as possible to get the powerline dropped as quickly as possible and keep you updated as soon as I have news of a new delivery day.
I know you may struggle to have a nice evening with this information, but I wish you well and I look forward to speaking to you again soon.
So we have been following up with telephone calls to all and sundary but Tasnetworks have informed us that the best case senario fothe power solution and hence delivery is minimum of 6 - 8 weeks meaning it will be August before we can think of unpacking boxes. That is well into winter here in Tassie and the modules will be boarded up to weather proof them and moved outside the factory - all completed with no where to go.
One ray of sunshine is that the plumbing (installation of the sewerage system) which normally only occurs after the modules are in place can be commenced while we are waiting for Tasnetworks, so at least the time for council to provide an occupancy certificate should be much shorter than the usual delay after delivery.
With Covid restrictions we cannot go sailing but we are fortunate to have friends that have let us use their marina pen while their boat is on the hard being painted so we are more than comfortable with shore power making every day chores easier. The sailing restrictions are due to ease on June 15th so that is something to look forward to instead of landscaping on the block.
Then yesterday was so scarey - thank goodness for wonderful friends.........
Mike was rushed off to hospital in an ambulance as he suffered an episode the Docs called a 'Transient Global Amnesia Attack' at breakfast. Mike was completely 'vacant' sitting at the table and not recognising anything or anybody.. I called our GP who was not at work but friends arranged a local now retired Yachty Doctor/friend to immediately visit (luckily we were alongside in a marina berth rather than out on the mooring) and after examination Paul ordered an ambulance which rushed Mike into Hobart Hospital where he had many tests, an ECG and Catscan all which prooved OK. His blood pressure had dropped from 200+ to normal so he was released from hospital and is home again with no memory of the episode. Scarey!! especially since I was not allowed to accompany Mike for the ambulance ride or attend the hospital due to Covid restrictions, I just had to wait for a phone call - it was so distressing seeing him into the ambulance as he was so confused as to what was happening and why I could not go with him. It appears stress caused the incident and Mike still has no memory of the day before the event or what happend when the ambos took him in their care. So now blood pressure readings are routine and we start follow up procedures with our own GP first thing today.
So, Powell happenings are a somewhat up in the air but I will keep you all updated.
Firstly, to put you all at ease, Mike is fine and suffering no after effects from his episode other than he has lost his memory of those 24 hours around the incident and will never be able to to retrieve those memories. Our GP followed up with more tests especially an MRI and a doppller carotid artery test and taking blood pressure readings twice daily for a fortnight - all is normal.
Now 4 weeks down the track and no news from Tas Networks other than the job is registered but they still cannot give an estimate of the date the power work can be carried out so no house delivery date.
However, the waste water treatment plant is now installed. After months with no rain - Huey had to change conditions during the night before delivery - it rained heavily. So by the time the truck off loaded the digger and trench work began the block was pretty churrned up. Then one lorry load of top soil and 2 trucks of gravel later the driveway was also looking worse for wear.
The absorbtion trench, 20m long x 1.2m wide x .6m deep was dug with only a slight rock problem at one point. It was then layered with gravel, a polly tunnel, more gravel and then a geo membrane before being covered with top soil. Once that was located it was easy to establish the position of the tank another 2m x 2m x2m hole. The side nearest the gully was no problem but as work progressed towards the house site rock became very apparent. The rock is blue metal and very hard so instead of the tank installation taking a day, two working days were required. Meanwhile, it rained again and all the spoil (mostly clay and rocks) had been spread into a sea of mud by the digger working backwards and forwards. No longer was there any grass around the shed and the area was a total muddy mess. Fortunately some gravel was leftover from the trench so that was spread at the halfway point and bend in the drive so we can still use the drive to get close to the shed.
The following 2 days we tried to shovel and rake the area to smooth out the mud ruts, removing rocks where possible, but it was an overwhelming task. We have now ordered 9 cubic metres of top soil and 10 kilos of grass seed to re-establish the area to the south and east of the shed. The rest will have to wait until until the house is delivered and the plumbing trenches are completed.
The council inspector was happy with the waste water installation but picked fault with our gardening rain tank alongside the shed. The overflow was just directed to a dustbin (a temporary arrangement until we knew where the absorbtion trench was going to be). We set to the following day and installed an underground pipe with bends where necessary to avoid the absorption trench and direct the water overflow to the gully and eventually to the frog pond at the south east of the block. Not that we expect that tank to overflow very often as we pump the water to the main tanks when it is 3/4 full as we want to collect as much water as possible before the house is delivered and the main tanks can be filled from the roof.
My shoppping patterns will have to change once we live in 'Hove To' as we cannot allow any antibacterial soaps, bleach or ammonia to enter the waste system so I will have to study what cleaning brands I can purchase and which brands I must avoid. This ruralistic living (no water, sewerage or garbage pick up, nor postal services) will need some serious thought input for everyday living.
On a happier note, I had a wonderful Birthday (which lasted a week) being spoiled by my darling soul mate and wonderful friends. I can say I was wined and dined right royally over several days. Gatherings are still limited in numbers, due to Covid, so we dined with different friends on different occasions throughout the week and what a lovely time it was to finally meet with friends again. All topped off today with an outing aboard Solquest with some of the Solquestrian crew and the wx was terrific but boy the days are short - once the sun drops below the mountains it gets quite cold.
So now you know we are back to moving soil and sifting rocks just like the early Tasmanians.
Well, I hope everyone can hear us cheering as finally we have a DELIVERY DATE.
July 23 is D day as long as there is no gale force winds. We still do not know whether the trucks will come through Hobart before rush our or after - the finer details are still being worked out by all concerned.
Tas Networks will have a team of 3 guys on hand all day to de-energise and drop the offending wire posssibley brace a pole if need be and put it all back in place once the modules are installed on the Meccano set. Then the 2 modules are zipped together and house is at lock up stage. It will take a few days to install the drainage pipes and water systems then we wait for council to issue an occupancy certificate. Once we settle the final account we get the keys from Systems Build.
So just keeping everyone up to date with news as it comes to hand.
I have included some photos of the block now the waste water treatment plant is installed and you will see from all the rocks and clay on the surface why we had to have10 ton of top soil delivered to tidy the place up after the installation. Still some more top soil to be delivered and seeding to do but that won't be done until after the plumbing trenches conecting the house and water tanks have been dug.
So now on the countdown once again - like a NASA launch let's hope it is not stalled again as our stress lelvels could not stand yet another delay.
There were many sleepless nights between the 18th May (the original date of delivery before complications were discovered) and the 23 of July the actual date of delivery. The dawn arrived with perfect weather - thanks to all those who prayed or kept their fingers crossed and not forgetting the doggies who kept their paws crossed.
It was an early start for the delivery guys and police escort as the low loaders left the Systems Build factory at Canbridge at 4.30am. The route was not direct because of low bridges so the river Derwent was crossed via the Bowen Bridge. The police had arranged for all the traffic lights to be in sequence through Hobart so a clean run through the city and the the transports managed to get through the school zones time limit and parked outside Kettering before 8.30am.
The Tas Networks guys were next bringing their crane to the block to de-energise the wire. Next the delivery crane arrived to set up. What an event to witness. The crane was rated at 220 ton - a 5 axle (4 wheels per axle) where each set of axles could turn independantly. The crane is too heavy to travel on the road with the counter weights attached, so once the crane was on the block another low loader arrived and reversed up the drive to deliver the counter weights for the crane. The setting up of the crane was a complex procedure and was the most time consuming part of the event at the block, but once it was in place the police escort returned to the module low loaders and the first module was escorted to Turners Drive.
The skill of these drivers is something to see. The word awe is so short but boy it describes how those felt who witnessed the event as we were all in awe and entranced. The crane driver could position the module within millimeters of where Ben said it should go. Very soon the second module was delivered and the lifting procedure was repeated. Tas Networks did not need to drop the wire as the crane driver said the conditions were good to go ahead with a lift over the wire so in fact the electricity to the street was on again by noon.
The bedroom module was placed at the very rear of the mechano set footings and the lounge module was placed in the correct position by the crane and then the two modules were winched together by hand using ratched chain winches. In itself no mean feat as the bedroom module weighs 12.5 ton and the lounge module weighs 7.5 ton. There was a guy on the roof positioning the flashing between the roof joins as the two parts became one.
Very quickly the crane was dismantled and it together with transports and escort vehicles departed and Turners Drive became a quiet rural street once again. However, the activity did not cease as the partying began. About 25 friends and neighbours joined the garden party champers, treats, tea and coffee were all consumed at will.
On Monday (27th) the remaining set to work procedures begin. The plumbing connections between house and water tanks/waste treatment plant need to be made. Front and Back porch steps to be constructed. The reverse cycle heat pump and hot water system need to be connected. The island bench top can now finally be installed (it could not be fitted before delivery as it made the maximum width of the rear module too big to be transported).
Then there is the occupancy certificate to be granted by the council but hopefully the handing over of the keys will take place shortly and then we can get the bed/base, wood fire and white goods delivered. All the rest of our new furniture is stored nearby in Kettering, with friends, so a few trailer loads will see the house furnished and ready for the big unpack of boxes.
So we are nearly at the end of the build stage of our new home. It has been a longer journey than we anticipated waiting for council approvals and such but exciting times lay ahead as we establish our land base.
Well the setting to work of the house post delivery is proceeding but not as fast as we had hoped (I think we are very low on our patience levels). We now have a front porch with steps, the plumbing under the house is almost complete, the back steps frame work is in position but waiting for the digger to arrive to connect the house down pipes to the water tanks and waste water treatment system. It is very different being in a rural location instead of a suburban block.
So I will keep the photos up to date as events occur.
eg our project this weekend was the building of the great wall of Kettering, on the driveway bank.
Another week and progress has gone ahead at a great rate with plumbers, painters, carpenters and electricians all doing projects. The house is now plumbed to the water tanks and the waste water treatment system is plumbed, but yet to be commissioned.
The hot water system is working well and the reverse cycle heat pump has been installed and commissioned. The island bench top was fitted and looks great so trust the ceasarstone holds up as well as the corian in Yaraandoo's galley. The mirrors in the ensuites are still to be fitted and the house cleaned before our walk through inspection but Systemsbuild have advised it is OK for the white goods to be delivered on the 20th so we should have the keys by then. So we are expecting to be moving furniture or unpacking boxes by next weekend.
We have already saught quotes for a car port and Tim is expecting to start work on the driveway by the 29th August so all the loose ends are coming together at last.
This week I have been busy in the garden installing another shell compartment to the frog pond. I now have 3 shells fitted where the piped water cascades from one shell to another before draining into the natural waterway/supposed creek in the crown land on our back fence. So I hope by November (tadpole time) there will be some residents.
Friends have shared more of their photos of the delivery day so are posted here .
Looking forward to telling you about moving in day which is not too far away we trust as we are both getting very excited
The Systemsbuild walk through post delivery happened on the 21 Aug after we had our white goods delivered on the 20 Aug. We moved our furniture in over that weekend and gradually moved off Yaraandoo II over the next week. After our new base and mattress were delivered, we could finally sleep in 'Hove To' so chose to do so for the first time on Sept 1, Australian Wattle Day and the start of spring, so an appropriate date.Since then we have been very busy with outside and inside organizing hence no blog writing till now. Our driveway was created with a new concrete pad at the road end and then sealed after the gravel had been laid and compacted firmly. Garden beds were created and edged with all the rocks excavated on the block and we are now waiting for more soil deliveries to fill them so they can be planted out then covered with mulch. 5 m of topsoil was spread over the flat muddy/rocky area and sown with lawn seed to create a nice grassy area for the courtyard (and was completed just before we had lots of rain so the seed should germinate quickly).One hold up has been the wood burner fireplace. The tiled hearth for this was installed by Systemsbuild in the factory and should have been to the dimensions we provided but in fact, on delivery of the fireplace, proved to be too small. As the correct size would have had too big an impact on the room space, we opted to go with another fireplace which only needed an addition of 100mm border tiled area (Systembuild arranging at their cost the increase in hearth size while we are paying for the extra due on the fireplace exchange). On 23rd Sept, we had the formal handover of the house and have now received the Final Certificate for the house construction from the Kingborough Council. We get 90 days of 'warrenty' with Systembuild and they have been very responsive to the few small issues that have arisen so we are 'Happy Campers' but exhausted with all the heavy garden work. At least we are both fit and well and loosing weight!! Our Doctor was pleased with our fitness when we saw him to get some new prescriptions.Now we are looking forward to finishing off the garden beds (rain stopped play as the soil was too gooey to deliver) and finally we can start to enjoy our new home. We are looking forward to entertaining friends and with summer approaching we have the BBQ ready for balmy summer evenings.We have started the sailing season and with badminton each week we are getting exercise other than moving rocks and soil so our social life is getting back to normal. I trust the photos give you some idea of our progress to date.