Totsiens Pegasos - until 2018

We sailed from Cairns to Green Island on choppy seas and into the wind. It was a bumpy ride but it felt good to sail again after a week at anchorage in Trinity Inlet. Pegasos managed 7 knots in 13 knot wind. Robert was very happy - he had all three sails out, fishing lines out and he swung down the keel too. Unfortunately, no fish this time although something sizeable bit clean through a lure leaving a little piece of hard lure on the line.

We were lucky enough to see the only buoy for us being vacated just as we arrived and picked it up immediately - we're getting good at this. So nice to see such clear water after the pea soup in Cairns. The choppy sea settled during the night and the next day we dinghied ashore to snorkel and walk around the island.

The snorkeling was possibly the best we've done so far. The water was warm and clear and lots of tropical fish were everywhere - all sorts and colours and sizes. They seem unperturbed by people in the water and swam around us doing their thing - which is mostly eating.

We had a picnic lunch next to the beach fending off the Banded Rail bird - initially friendly birds keen to come up to us which quickly became annoying pests as one jumped up and pecked off some of Robert's wrap as he was eating it. It became a stand-off with us flapping a towel at it while it attempted several stealth techniques.
  

 
The birds who are really sweet and who have been close to the boat throughout our trip are the Welcome Swallows. Apparently they were named Welcome Swallows as early sailors used to know land was close by when these birds appeared on the ships. They often visited Pegasos - usually Mr and Mrs, sitting on the side railing discussing a possible nesting site under our canopy and often a flying recce under the canopy and even into the galley. They would dart about the front of the boat while we were sailing and catch a ride on the rails.

The second night at Green Island was not great. The wind started at about 2.30 a.m. and got steadily stronger and the mooring became bouncier. We decided to leave earlier than planned and set off after breakfast for our final anchorage at Bluewater Marina at Yorkey's Knob slightly north of Cairns.

We sailed with the front sail only with the wind gusting up to 20 knots and a rather rough sea. It was Pegasos' last sail until we return next year.

The entrance to the inlet past Yorkey's Knob is narrow and shallow. Although it is dredged, we read 1.3 meters on the depth gauge before low tide. We narrowly passed a large catamaran along the entrance - well if it can get out, we can get in. And we did, inching along slowly with the now familiar sight of mangroves on both sides of the narrow inlet.

A half submerged boat didn't inspire much confidence.

We turned a corner and appearing out of the mangroves was a pretty marina with many boats and nice houses surrounding it and jungle covered hills in the background. Most of the houses have their own jetty at the water's edge and all kinds of boats line the edge.

 

Our allocated berth at the end of a finger required a 180 degree turn in a very narrow space. Something Pegasos can't do. So we inched past to a gap and Robert started to turn the boat. There was much manoeuvering forward and reversing in little increments while a mild panic set in for me. We attracted the attention of the owner of the nearest catamaran, Pelagic, who suggested we tie on to the outside of his finger berth until the wind dropped and he kindly came out to assist us by taking a rope I passed down and tying us on. It turns out he recognized us from Fitzroy Island when we were anchored nearby. Soon afterwards with the help from the marina manager and the kind man from Pelagic, we squeezed Pegasos into her berth.

On the way in Robert caught a fish, a Ribbon Fish. It was a bit bony and not very big but it tasted quite good and it was just enough for a light supper.

That evening we joined a group of other people on the marina for drinks and a chat. Australians are generally very friendly and outgoing and this bunch were no exception. We enjoyed the company and their stories and insight about the reefs. The next day Robert set about taking down the sails and taking off the anchor and the start of many things to pack away on the boat. We are leaving the boat for about six months in a hot and humid climate which is also cyclone season. There are lots of things to organize on the boat.

A few days later we collected our hired car and first stop for Robert was Whitworths for more fenders and Bunnings for pool salt to put in the storage hulls and small dehumidifier pots - an attempt to reduce the build up of mould in the closed up boat which is inevitable in this hot, humid and wet summer season. Following a tip from someone's blog, I wrapped linen and duvets in plastic cling wrap and hope it works to keep mould off the linen.

In sorting through the storage areas, we found more stuff to throw out. We became quite ruthless in tossing out things we initially kept thinking it may come in useful. Quite liberating. Our suppers became interesting creative combinations as we used up the remaining items in the grocery cupboard. The last few days passed very quickly as we worked our way through "battening down the hatches." We spent the last three nights in a nearby B&B as our bed on the boat became a storage area. The weather was already hot and humid, nowhere near as hot and humid as it's going to get, we were assured.

On the last day Pegasos looked strangely different with the covers off.

Goodbye Pegasos, we will be back next year, hopefully in March. We are looking forward to the next adventure already.