And we’re off!

12/4/2010 9:56 PM Australian Cruising Yacht Club, Rushcutters Bay, Sydney.

Well, we feel as if we’re off, but we are aware that Vanuatu is in fact another direction.

After some last minute repairs, just a bit more stowing, more securing and tying down, last minute shopping, and welcoming aboard Nick, we set sail in  pretty near ideal conditions. A beautiful day in Pittwater saw us heading north, turning right into the Pacific, and south down to Sydney. Chimere handled her extensive cargo with apparent ease. A very special way to see and greet Sydney harbour.

Sydney harbour was supurb, and skipper Bob delighted in introducing us to his stomping ground. Sailing close by a departing cruise ship always puts things in perspective, and a wave is as good as a hello from one white cruise ship to another.

The cruising yacht club is, well, not what this mere mortal is used to. Pulling up next to a Ferrari at the lights is always of interest to, well, some of us, but pulling up next to (well, a few births away) Wild Oats feels like it will take some beating.

The next stage involves clearing customs, and, you guest it, more shopping (when in Sydney), more stowing, and finally assembling the entire delivery crew prior to heading off some time on Wednesday.

May the customs man and the weather man smile on our endevours and grant us similar conditions to today.

Bill Vrijens.

[new photos here – admin]

3 thoughts on “And we’re off!”

  1. Hi Guys
    My name is Steve Black. (Little Bro of crew member Andy)I will be following your progress on this fantastic journey. Wishing all concerned the very best. I can only imagine how awe inspiring your day on the harbour will be today. Enjoy guys.
    Steve

  2. Our prayers go with you and we wish you fair seas and favourable winds indeed … we look forward to reading of your adventures.
    Love B, F & J

  3. Hi Steve,
    great to hear from you. As I waved them good-bye his afternoon Andy, and everyone else aboard, were very excited. It was a glorious day on the harbour and after meeting up with a fuel barge and buying 1,132 litres of diesel ($1,600) we went for a tour under the bridge. Just spectacular.
    It’s now 10:00pm and it’s their first night at sea and they’ll be keen to get some sleep and prepare for their turn on watch.
    Also, a big thank-you to Leanne for loaning Andy to the MSM mission; a paramedic, a chef (in a past life) and a guy who seems to be able to fix anything mechanical. What a guy!!
    Like you, I’m looking forward to reading the regular Ships Logs.
    Thanks for your comments and encouragement Steve.
    Cheers
    Rob Latimer

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.