Boats, Boating, Sailing, Yachts

En route to Australia we had a holiday in the North Island of New Zealand

Port Stephens, New South Wales, Australia. We called in here en route to a weekend with friends on the Central Coast. In 1904 the first passenger ferry between Nelson Bay and Tea Gardens was started by the Boyce and Thurlo families. It proved such a success that the runs were expanded to Salt Ash and Soldiers Point. They operated three launches; “Reliance”, “Kingfisher” and “Replica”. These petrol driven vessels carried supplies and passengers on a daily basis. In 1927 the business was taken over by the Engal family, who installed the first diesel engines to operate on Port Stephens. With the outbreak of World War II the vessels were commandeered and the Engal family was forced to close. In 1987 the ferry service was re-established with an aluminium vessel named “Waterbus” operating four days a week between Nelson Bay and Tea Gardens. Today, the ferry service operates two historic timber ferries on a daily basis, carrying thousands passengers each year from Nelson Bay to Tea Gardens. It’s a ferry ride that both visitors and locals can enjoy, taking in the beautiful vista of the bay up to Tea Gardens on the Myall River, and all the surrounding bird and marine life that the area has to offer. portstephensferryservice.com.au/about-2/

On catamaran "Set Sail at the yachtie" out of Mooloolaba, Queensland in 2015. Still cruising www.setsailcruises.com.au 2022 Blue ropes

Sailing Holiday in the Whitsundays. We chartered a Lagoon 380 Catamaran 'Seabreeze' from Sunsail's base at Hamilton Island Marina. Ian on board. 6 of us on board, luxury camping

Sailing Holiday in the Whitsundays. We chartered a Lagoon 380 Catamaran 'Seabreeze' from Sunsail's base at Hamilton Island Marina. 6 of us on board, luxury camping. The Whitsundays are 74 beautiful tropical islands on the coast of Queensland, Australia. The largest group of islands in Australia, the Whitsundays are largely undeveloped with only 8 inhabited islands and 32 forming the Whitsunday Islands National Park. at Hamilton Island Marina

Scavenger Hunt/23 Knots An ancient knot, often used in boating operations. One of the most useful knots you can know. The Bowline forms a secure loop that will not jam and is easy to tie and untie. The Bowline is most commonly used for forming a fixed loop, large or small at the end of a line. Tried and tested over centuries, this knot is reliable, strong and stable. Even after severe tension is applied it is easy to untie. netknots.com/rope_knots/bowline The bowline is sometimes referred to as King of the knots because of its importance. Along with the sheet bend and the clove hitch, the bowline is often considered one of the most essential knots. Wikipedia