My little piece of peace

Gooday 'pipe' - unless he'd eaten lots & lots of spinnach - I'd think he'd be lucky to be as far north as Gladstome or Rockhampton. I've got some great - life-long - yachtie friends in Mackay - so I do hope he checks in with me before he clears north of there. I was wanting to do the trip with him - but Dr's spoilt all that but I be well enough to be a host-type person - I hope - when he gets into Cairns.

All of us - I'm sure - wish him well & trust he's doing just fine. Ciao, james

 

Groper - gooday - I didn't see your message before I sent mine off. So get in touch with me & I come down the mountain - & well have a coffee or 2.
You should have me phone # by now - but just in case - 40 93 9900 will reise me or it'll take a message & I get right down there. Ciao, james.

Yours is looking fab mate - great going - almost time for a barbie - - eh ??? - ciao, jj

 

Hello everyone,
I am in Mackay, the last coastal town before the Whitsunday group of groups of islands... I have a new toy - an "Acer aspire one" and McDonalds wifi - which is torturiously slow, BUT FREE

I thoroughly enjoyed a stopover at Pearl Bay what a beautiful spot, sheltered from most westerly and southerly winds and thoroughly beautiful in a rugged and isolated sort of way...

Next stop-of of note, was at Middle Percy Island at the "A" frame beach... Bloody MAGIC, stayed 3 or was it 4 nights... Tempted to stay forever there but need to sell my boat first... Any takers . ? ? ? to buy my boat - that is...

I have reduced the cruising rpm to 2500 and still average a pleasant 7.4knots and burn 1 litre for 2 miles... I have heard that several resorts in the Whitsundays are shut since the last cyclone "Yasi" ? ? ? and will check out opportunities to caretake some of these, mow the lawns and tidy up about the place... Just an option that may lead to "masalai's yot club and bar" being created for the cruising boater...

I have a plea, everyone please support the middlepercy yacht club by becoming financial members - just say "masalai sent you"... It can be done on the internet... If you cannot find it I will post a link on "My little Piece of Peace" as soon as possible...
http://percyisland.com.au/yacht-club

I must away and get a 24v inverter to deliver 240VAC and 800 watts for the boat - I got rid of the 4000watt unit as it was too big...

 

Gooday & H E L L O T O Y O U Great to hear from You & that you're alright.

I've got a real good - long time - yachting friend who lives in McKay. If you need any assistance while in McKay - send me an e-mail & I get you in-touch withe them.

Be safe - travell well & enjoy your wonderful adventure. My very best wishes - ciao, james

 

Mas good to hear you are out there
I have over the years bought Acer laptops and they are fantastic, we now have 5 in the family one is 8 years old and ALL are good. I have the Acer 5332 which is a "middle" priced job and its been good all along. In South Africa all my HP products have always been problems. I will never buy HP again in South Africa.
Just had a look at Mackay - beautiful place

 

Mas,

Send/text me your mobile number and I will drop by. Presumably you are in the river.

john powell 0427639508

 

He sounds happy enough!!

Sell the boat already --but he hasnt got there yet.

 

Mas on CNO anchored in Pioneer River, Mackay around midday today.

Waved but couldn't raise him to take him to lunch.

Mas, text me your mobile number.

 

Another.

expect he will be sitting on sand at low tide now.

 

Too bloody right mateys, sitting on sand - exactly as per design...

I am absolutely buggered, trying to get telstra to sort out my dongle connection to the internet (Au$80 for was it 4 gig - about one decent sized movie - TALK ABOUT RIP-OFF ! ! ) - I have a "appointment" on Monday at 10 am to take my computer and dongle in for "installation"...

Had coffee with 'downunder' and used the free internet access at "Global Burgers" a nice cafe that makes a burger for every country... (Sorry frosty no dog burgers for the tastes near your neck of the woods...) But - - I am sure Kangaroo, Crocodile, Camel, vegetarian and other options may be found... I am having a "Mackay" which is based on fish... very nice too...

Heading back to the boat, 04:07 in the afternoon, but some time yet until the tide rises enough for the rubber duckie... I will be floating around Mackay until Wednesday/Thursday... Now to check all my other emails... Cya...

 

Hi all, found a link (indirectish) to a heap of global c map type charts... Go to https://docs.google.com/?authuser=0#folders/0B7obaCLj3x7uU0xDTjFfeWRseEk have fun...

 

Hi All & for Silver R, I called your friend who is going bush for the w/e and may call Monday or thereafter. I had problems with my 'dongle' No NOT That one, it still fires 'blanks on demand,) But with my internet access - which now works fine - thanks to a new boating friend - seems they have been travelling around on their tiny sailboat with t single berths and not much more... The simple life has definite advantages... It is from them I got the above link, https://sites.google.com/site/venturacruising/home is their site... - Have a read Manie, their boat is almost as small as yours !!

Mackay river anchorage is not all that nice - close to town, but no laundromat - and I need to do quite a bit of laundry... Potable water access is difficult as the banks are rocky and could easily inflict severe damage on my boat... The winds are southerly and blast straight along the river, making anchoring not all that pleasant, but thankfully has been quiet at night - but too bloody cold...

Monday I go to telstra and tell them a friend fixed the problems for my new windows mini 10.5 inch ACER aspireOne... which also serves well to receive access via wifi at "MacDonalds", "Global Burgers" in Mackay and I wonder where else as I travel further North...

I think I have battery problems as this morning I awoke to very low battery capacity and only listened to the radio briefly after sunset... Batteries were showing 24.5 in the morning when I turned off the mast-head anchor light... PV panels need to be checked, and so does the PL60 battery-charge device to ensure it is correctly connected and programmed etc...

I also must get another little gas stove and also a refil, as my 4kg bottle is empty... I may ask Silver Raven's friend here in Mackay, to help on that issue - Thursday, after my pension payment gets deposited Wednesday arvo... I will also buy a smaller 24v 1000W to 2000w inverter from Jaycar on Thursday also. That should keep the freezer and a few other small things charged and operating with careful management...

No good news of any plantation opportunities in PNG or elsewhere in Melanesia as yet - - One can live in hope... No keen boater seeking to buy my boat either - so I guess I must continue to plod on...

Then I will - if the weather is pleasant, set off further north...

Hi downunder,
Thanks for your visit, and assistance with coffee and access to wifi at your favourite coffee shop... I am slowly catching up with emails and other correspondence...

http://percyisland.com.au/yacht-club is the club to join as a paying member... ( "masalai's bar and yot club" Membership will be free to friends but the booze and food will come at a modest fee, - - and the brewer is already identified - the owner of "Othello" - a seawind... makes a very nice drop...)

 

thanks Mas
from what I can see it looks like they were on this "adventure" 2000 to 2001
definately a small boat

 

Hi Manie,
He now has a "coaming" over the forward 2/3rds of the cockpit... I think I need a magnifying glass, not only to find this tiny device, but to read the screen, - - clear but I seem to be squinting to read such a tiny screen... I may try plugging in my 23" screen to the HDMI port sometime soon...

I intended going to church for the 7am service, but the tide is dead-low at 0.28m about now (07:00h) to a high of 5.32m around noon so the flow will be very rapid - I best stay aboard and monitor anchor holding - maybe adding some more chain, but I am confident I have sufficient out... Just to be safe, to be sure, to be sure... ;D

 

Gooady 'Masa" & all the rest - as well. Trust everyone is well for this weekend.
"masa' - do you know if 'they' on the vey little boat' are heading north or south ??? I'd be dissappointed if I thought they had passed through & I'd missed being their host in Cairns. I'll try to check-out their web site & raise them on the web.

Mr. 'Downunder' - - A very big - thanks - congratulations - well done & grand comradery compliments to you SIR - well done ! !
You are the real living example of what we should be all about - helping our fellow yachts-persons - along their chosen path. My hat's off to you - big time.

'Masa' - sure hope you get all the 'up-grades' that you need while you are in McKay.

You might use a very very long rope & tie it to the church gate - so you can get there to do whatever it is that you do there. Maybe the local guy in charge - could let you walk there - by parting the ways for the 'flock' to get inside ???
With all the - up-grades you plan to do - it sounds like you might be very broke before you leave - as usual - with all cruising people. Not many 'over-weight' cruising people anywhere in the world - none that I know of - here in OZ - - tighten your belt - do with many less extras - keep some food on board - fix only what is necessary - & continue to sail on - - seems to be the go - where all cruising people are concerned.
Wish we could sell this bloody farm & move on - cause I'd be on board something that floats & sails just as fast as ! ! !
Ciao, & good progress to you & all cruising peoples around the world. - james