Welcome

This web log contains the website content for our journeys on Reflections IV from April 2000 to December 2008.
Click there to start at the start.
Col, Liz, Courtney & Anna

Monday, July 10, 2000

July 2000 - Southport onwards


 Southport onwards
 July 2000







After a long stay on a mooring at Southport we are now moving on up through the Broadwater towards Moreton Bay.

Leaving the Gold Coast behind us  floating churches and everything else  



Anna decides to wash the Barbie clothes as we motor along. 



 First stop was Tipplers passage about 10 miles away.  There are lots of wallabies and goannas around here  From where we anchored it was a short walk through the bush to the ocean side of South Stradbroke island
The beach was quite spectacular  The small resort there has many wallabies in the grounds after a feed.  



 After a day there we moved on and unfortunately got stuck at a spot called the "shoals"  Not a good look but no damage done.  These photos are at low tide. (that's when all the water disappears)






Friday, June 30, 2000

July 2000 A day at Movie World

We promised the girls that they could go to one 'world' and Movie World got the guernsey.
Here we go... hold on to your money - fat chance.










Monday, May 15, 2000

May 2000 Newcastle to Southport

So we had a few days in Newcastle to sort a few things out and then get on  our way. Well a few days turned into a week. That's OK these things are normal. Then a southerly change came through and we thought it was prudent to wait until the front went through and go behind it. A low developed in the Tasman Sea and stalled and got deeper.

End result - we waited 10 days for the seas to abate to an acceptable level to go. It was a very cold wait. The fisherman weren't going anywhere either so there was no pressure for us to move off the Fish Co-op jetty. The upside was there was a 'mini-school' for the girls being run at Stockton for three days and we were able to go to this and meet some of the other distance education parents and children.

So here we are waiting at the Fish Co-op all day...And all night.



Liz taking Reflections out of the harbour with 25kts of westerly behind us...  and a huge coal ship coming up astern...








Anna tucking down into a warm comfortable position















We stopped over in Trial Bay (South West Rocks) for 2 nights.

Just over 24 hours sailing.
We had a nice day out visiting the Gaol.  
Leaving Trial Bay for a day sail to Coffs Harbour.










Early morning motoring and snacking in calm seas and pyjamas.











School work goes on..  Though uniforms are not strictly adhered to...

Passing Byron Bay lighthouse.  Note the automatic fishing system.

These dolphins were spraying us with their blowholes they were so close.
We arrived at Southport late in the evening after a 26 hour trip from Coffs Harbour.


We anchored in a bay just off Sea World.  What a bizarre place,  amphibious buses going past, helicopters and seaplanes buzzing overhead and the fake volcano at Sea World flaring up every 15 minutes.



That's all folks - now we're off to Movie World.


Tuesday, April 18, 2000

April 2000 The trip begins... and we are on our way... South?

Original website menu

So the first thing we will need to do is brush up on our navigation skills.  We turned right instead of left when we left Swansea.  Oh well... The Hawkesbury river was beautiful and uncrowded this time of year.
See the Third mail message for a more detailed run down on what we did down there.




Here are selected photos...

Ready to leave Lake Macquarie - early morning at the yacht club

  Heading up the Swansea Channel with other members of the Lake Macquarie Yacht Club cruising divison.

Leaving Lake Macquarie - at last!

Poled out headsail and running downwind to Broken Bay

Introducing Tiger Woods the family pet - who felt very ordinary on the first few sea voyages

Tiger - refusing to look at the camera while playing dress-ups

Going for a walk around Scotland Island in Pittwater.  Photo taken by Anna

Mast up and away.   All 16 metres of it!

New mast fitted.  Unfortunately the spreaders (arms) got tired.  So back on with the original.

Heading off from Jerusalem Bay for a walk to Cowan along the Great North Walk

Looking down into America Bay - yes we did climb all that way and then walked a few k's - Well done Anna.

Aboriginal carvings in sandstone along America Bay track

Finally on a heading North.... 



Heading into Newcastle past Nobby's head  Newcastle city - but where are the public jetties - gone!



Anna and Dad at the helm.  Public boating facilities at Newcastle harbour. ?