Landing with our feet running…

We've had a very busy first month back on Aussie soil… in Bundaberg we imported the boat, paid our tax and bought a car in preparation for the road trip home in January.  We then sailed 50NM south to Hervey Bay where Laurie's mum joined us for a week.  A trip to Fraser Island with our friends Ernie and Marilyn from Christmas Island followed by a week in the Great Sandy Straits Marina.  Then we took Moana Roa upriver 30km to Maryborough where we slipped her to anti foul and give her a polish.  Beau even worked on the boat on his 13th birthday!  Moana Roa is now ready for sale.  Next stops Tin Can Bay, Scarborough, and the Brisbane River….

Good ol' Aussie BBQ - Mum joins us for a week in Hervey Bay

Fraser Island - the biggest sand island in the world!

Ernie and Marilyn join us onboard

Wild dingoes live here and can attack! 

In search for evidence - dingo footprint

Mary River, Maryborough - the author of the book Mary Poppins was born here!

Beau is officially taller than Sonia!

Lots of history and a great military museum

Kara cleaning the prop shaft

Travis buffing the topsides

Ready for antifouling!

Ice cream cake for afternoon tea… 

Scrubbing up for Beau's birthday dinner

A new look for the teenager…

Moana Roa - FOR SALE

On Aussie soil again!!

We arrived at Port Bundaberg

Smiles all around as we complete the Pacific Ocean crossing!

Mike from "Tashi Delek" showed us some photos from his 3 Mt Everest expeditions...

Barbecue on "Tulu" farewelling Mike and Carol

Travis and Beau off to the skate par

Kara was mad keen to do Halloween so we had to prep the
local yachties at the marina - she had great fun!

Our new bus - we got a great private deal on a Nissan Pathfinder with only 50,000kms on the clock.
Now to buy a trailer in preparation for our road trip home in January

Final Big One...

The last big passage on the Pacific from Luganville, Vanuatu to Bundaberg, Queensland... 1000NM - 6 days - punctuated by a 12 hour stopover at Huon Reef, north of New Caledonia.
Here we landed on a sandy beach and saw birds and turtles nesting!

Arriving at Huon Reef we were the only boat

We had 12 hours to stretch our legs and explore the sandy cay

The Boobies were unafraid and allowed us to come very close

Many were sitting on eggs

Some had chicks

On the water the turtles were doing mating gymnastics!

On land in the evening they came ashore and started digging

We waited patiently as they dug deeper and deeper

And carved a perfect hole to lay their eggs...

In 3 months the hatchlings will climb to the surface and make their way to the water!

The rest of the passage we were confined to the cabin with consistent 30kn winds and seas crashing over the boat

Reading passed the days...