KatieKat 2001 Cruise Chapter Two

This is the second webpage of our cruise covering the year 2001. I am attempting to restrict individual webpage file size (so that it loads faster on slow modem connections) by keeping it down to about 25 thumbnail photos plus my jabbering. The purpose of the cruise webpages is to let family and friends know what is going on in our lives. The "Interest" column identifies the target audience, and is intended to spare you baby-picture slide-show agony. This is one long continuous page, and clicking on any of the underlined dates above should jump your screen to the appropriate section on this page (or you can use the scrollbar on the right to navigate up and down this page). Joe Siudzinski

21 April, 2001 -- Southport Scenes

When we pulled into Southport two months ago on our trek south, we had intended to stay only a week. So much for short-range planning, as unfavorable winds and unfinished US tax returns kept us pinned down (not to mention the great trip Joe had to Tassie on Adagio). Nevertheless, we've been enjoying this area's great surf and beaches, going on numerous excursions, and doing some minor boat upgrades. It's been a great stay here, especially in the company of other cruisers such as Dave and Linda Seller on Nimbus.

This is the dock we were tied to for a couple of months. Great view of the Broadwater and its varied water traffic.

View from our boat of "Joy Flights" - somehow that title doesn't sound right. Interesting to watch him take off and land amongst all the boat traffic.

This is an amphibious bus! On the road, this thing looks huge! Kathy couldn't resist and took a ride on it - came back wondering if we could put some wheels on KatieKat.

Want to water ski? No problem, mate!

This is the seawall along the main Seaway entrance into the huge Gold Coast and Broadwater recreational area. Running the bar (on the left in the photo) is not for the faint-hearted - on this particular day, NO ONE was going in or out, not even the jet-skiers.

A wonderful park for the kids. The enclosed swimming area is on the right and the pirate ship for scambling onto is on the left.

Kids of all ages.

Some of us never grow up.

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15 April, 2001 -- More Print

Australians love diminutives. Tasmania is Tassie, St. Vincent de Paul is St. Vinnies, poker machines are Pokies, football is footies, etc.

As seen on an egg carton. Humans should be so lucky!

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31 March, 2001 -- Tourists Visiting Cape Byron

We had experienced the Cape Byron lighthouse at night while sailing north up the coast last year, so we decided to pay it a visit by land. It is located on the easternmost point of the Australian continent.

Built in 1901, the Cape Byron lighthouse is 22 metres high and is perched 94 meters above sea level and is said to be one of the most powerful in the southern hemisphere. The chart says it's 387ft above MSL and visible for 27 miles.

View looking south from the lighthouse. That night, about 30 miles south of here, a 12m yacht hit Evans Reef (a couple of miles offshore) and lost her keel. Two people died and four others spent all night clinging to the boat and then swam to shore in the warm shark-infested waters. Their liferaft evidently failed.

Joe loves lighthouses. Even with GPS, when sailing along a coast on a dark night there's something very reassuring about seeing the light emanating from where it should be.

Kathy is becoming a great fan of lighthouses as well.

Getting there.

We were there.

It takes a while to become accustomed to the road signs in Australia.

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13-20 March, 2001 -- Tassie on Adagio

Unexpectedly, Dorothy and Steve Darden kindly invited us to join them on a passage from Victoria to Tasmania on their beautiful custom 52' catamaran Adagio - I jumped at this chance to sail across infamous Bass Strait down to Hobart, while Kathy was content to stay at home on KatieKat and catch up on her reading. The passage proved wonderful, with normal cruising speeds in the 9-11 knot range. We pulled into Port Arthur in order to sit out a fast-moving low pressure system, and then sailed on into Hobart. It sure is beautiful down there! Unfortunately, I inexplicably managed to destroy almost all (36) of the digital photos of this trip when my camera SmartMedia memory card died (first time this has ever happened - perhaps there was a reason for the Fry's bargain price?). If you're interested in seeing more about Adagio, click here to visit the Adagio website. I flew back to Southport today and rejoined Kathy on KatieKat.

Joe relaxing at the Adagio navigation station. Aft of the nav station is a huge fully-equipped galley (including such things as a dishwasher and an electric stove), and to starboard there's a large settee and table.

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2 March, 2001 -- Gold Coast

Stopped again in Southport, on the Gold Coast - Queensland's nicer version of Miami Beach. This time, it is still summer, and the beaches and surf are wonderful. With really warm water it's so easy to spend hours swimming - figure the odds of being munched by a shark are pretty low (only four or five deaths since October), and the jellyfish (or whatever "stingers" are) aren't that plentiful. There's an olympic-sized swimming pool nearby that Kathy goes to, whereas I'm quite content to swim, body-surf, or play with the boogie-board in the ocean.

This is known as the Gold Coast.

Beach bum.

Can't say our bikes quite blended in with the Harleys. Kathy's bike now sports a smaller designer carry-all.

Off to dinner and a movie. This bridge looks out onto the Broadwater - KatieKat is in Southport Yacht Club marina off to the right.

Kathy had been enviously eyeing the kids' pedal-powered monorail in the playground - she couldn't resist going for a spin late at night.

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1 March, 2001 -- Australian Signs

Continuing the fascination with cultural differences, as exhibited by road signs, billboards, and menus, I collected the following over the last few weeks.

Nice to be forewarned.

Now we know where they come from.

Nothing I say could possibly be politically correct.

Every dinky little curve (whether obscured or not) for about 20 miles had this set of signs on the road to/from Lamington Park. Never could figure out why I should extraordinarily be prepared to stop. This proliferation certainly diminished the signs' effectiveness, as indeed there were a few seriously blind and narrowed curves. The way I figure it, the signmaker had a great lobbyist.

Nothing is closed - as best I can figure, this sign warns of a passable narrowing of the roadway.

This sign is specially designed for Kathy, who molests every plant or flower she comes across.

I like pizza and I love desserts, but the combination...? The prices are reflective of this particular somewhat upscale restaurant. The Australian dollar is currently hovering at around 53 US cents, so normally one can get a great restaurant meal for well under US$10 (including wine). Best deal in the country: MacDonald's sells their ice cream cone for AU$0.30 (16 US cents)!

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