TripSailor.com® Sailing Blogs

Rebel June 10, 2010 at 05:01 AM

You done well! Like your refueling style. In Blackwattle Bay and barge browser that services the fishing boats will fill you up – only Fridays I think. Ask any fishing boat how it works.

Rebel June 10, 2010 at 05:04 AM

Tip: preface your blogs with ‘Charon’ otherwise on the general page of blogs by everyone it will just say "Launceston to… and no-one will realize it is Charon.

riverbend June 11, 2010 at 02:16 AM

Richard and Wendy, if and when you get near Cape York, call in at Restoration Island and say ‘Hello’ to David Glasheen. He’ll either give you a bottle of beer or hit you over the head with it! I wrote about him in my travelogue to Thursday Island – see http://www.riverbendnelligen.com/dearall2814.html – and also on my blog – see http://athomeatriverbend.blogspot.com/2009/07/no-man-is-island-except-for-dave.html .


Yes, we look forward to seeing you for lunch tomorrow at “Riverbend” at which time we shall make you both Honorary Members of the Nelligen Yacht Club – see http://www.riverbendnelligen.com/nyc.html


In the meantime, it’s too cold outside so here’s some online reading while you’re huddled inside your centrally-heated cabin:


http://riverbendnelligen.com/germanharry.html


http://riverbendnelligen.com/frenchjoe.html


http://www.janesoceania.com/suvarov_tom_neale/index.htm


And here’s the German version of “The Riddle of the Sands”: http://riverbendnelligen.com/sandbank.html


Enjoy!

riverbend June 12, 2010 at 12:57 AM

Richard and Wendy of the ketch CHARON are cordially invited to attend today’s lunchtime ceremony at the NELLIGENYACHTCLUB – see http://athomeatriverbend.blogspot.com/


By order of the Commodore-Secretary-Treasurer-and-only-member

riverbend June 13, 2010 at 01:27 AM

Ahoy there, Richard and Wendy,


thank you for yesterday’s enjoyable lunch on board CHARON with your good friends David, Roy, and Ruth. Great food, great company, great location! We pray for fair winds and a safe passage for both of you all the way up to tropical North Queensland!


You already know about David Glasheen on Restoration Island. If you have time and the inclination to meet some local yokels when you get to Cairns and Thursday Island, here are two more contacts:


in Cairns look up Fritz Herscheid who operates a real estate business from his home at 258 Aumuller Street at Westcourt which is just a block away from the city. Fritz is of German origin but doesn’t speak a word of German so you’re safe! He used to be, amongst other things, a salvage diver in New Guinea and has lived on and with boats most of his life. His phone number is 740413360, email Cairns@Trans-ocean.org


on Thursday Island call in at Stan Pedler who runs a Bible-Shop in the main street. He used to sail all over the Torres Strait in his own yacht. His phone number is 740692818, email Thursday@Trans-Ocean.org . I have written more about him at http://www.riverbendnelligen.com/dearall2818a.html


As you can tell from both of their emails, they both belong to the German bluewater sailing fraternity Trans-Ocean – see www.trans-ocean.org – which I talked them into joining years ago and for which they act as support points for transitting yachties so they won’t be at all surpirsed by your visit.


I hope you’ll make it to my old “home” Thursday Island which I still remember with great fondness. When you have a beer at the bar in the new Grand Hotel, remember Somerset Maugham who stayed there while writing his short stories “German Harry” and “Frenh Joe”. You may stand right next to Gary Duff, the Kiwi crayfisherman, who’s been on the island ever since I lived there in 1977. Say ‘hello’ to him from me and also to the other four vagabonds who seemingly live in that bar, namely Tony, Henry, and Leo and the old seadog Reg Sabatino. If you want to read all about my return trip to the “Thirsty Island” in 2005, go to http://www.riverbendnelligen.com/dearall28.html