CURRENT POSITION
Onboard ‘Fair Dinkum’
Port Stephens & Port Macquarie - NSW.
Phone calls have ‘Fair Dinkum’ in/out of Port Stephens and now ‘hove to’ at Port Macquarie with the Hastings River running at a great rate of knots after the recent torrential rains in northern NSW and S of Brisbane.
Skipper and crew left Newcastle on Thursday 14th May, and sailed north looking forward to some fine weather …. looks like we have some more WET WEATHER ahead!! Just when we thought the sun was going to shine.
Whilst the guys were in Port Stephens they were at one of the local clubs one evening enjoying some music and the band gave them a big wrap to the locals from the stage. Some members of the Ulysses Club were also enjoying the entertainment that night, and after the guys left one of the members took up a ‘bucket collection’….delivering the most generous donations personally to ‘Fair Dinkum’ the next morning…….people we are meeting at each port of call are supporting ‘Fair Dinkum’s fundraising with great generosity……
Our sincere thanks to all those who donated in Port Stephens……and to the Ulysses Club members for ‘delivering the donations’.
Did you know #4?1770 - Port Stephens was named by Captain Cook in 1770 after Sir Phillip Stephens, Secretary of the Admiralty. Port Stephens, less than three hours drive from Sydney and forty minutes from Newcastle, is a major coastal recreational and holiday centre.
Many find Port Macquarie to be a perfect stopover for trips between Brisbane and Sydney (407 km north-east). Port Macquarie has fantastic beaches and extensive waterways that make up the Hastings River - offering great fishing.
We have had some more radio interviews and met some great people. We’ve also informed the Blog editing team that all three of us do not share the skill to type reports, so we are transferring our reports to them by phone --- just like all ocean going executives do! All sounds a bit suss to me….a ‘Gerr..ard the Gent’ excuse I’m sure.
We have to send a SPECIAL HELLO to the cabbie who dropped us back at ‘Fair Dinkum’ after we had been to town to satisfy a craving for a great Indian meal. He donated the cab fare to our fundraising……….our ‘Thanks’ to a great guy.
Another ‘Gem’ from Gerr..ard the Gent.‘We had another “sideways slip” into our raft-up berth on arriving in Port Macquarie….that wind can blow just when you least expect it! Complete 360 and wouldn’t you know it, even though we were facing totally the opposite way to that which we had attempted…we slipped in perfectly....THE RIGHT WAY ROUND. No thanks to Skipper and Crew!
Did you know #5?
Port Macquarie was named after Lachlan Macquarie, the governor of NSW. Prior to European settlement, the area is thought to have been occupied by the Kattang Aborigines. Captain Cook sailed past this section of the coast in 1770, as did Matthew Flinders in 1802. However, the first to investigate the Hastings River Valley was John Oxley who followed the Hastings River during an overland trek from the Tamworth district in 1818.
Three ships set sail with 44 military personnel and 60 convicts who were chosen for their skills and good behaviour, and encouraged with the possibility of conditional pardons or tickets-of-leave after 18 months. A penal settlement was established in 1821 under Captain Francis Allman. The convicts were set to work clearing what is now the CBD of thick bush (mostly tea-tree and banksia) and substantial trees. One of the first buildings - the garrison hospital - still stands today. At this time, Port Macquarie was the most northerly settlement in the Australian colony.
Quote of the Week is from Donald Hamilton –
‘Being hove to in a long gale is the most boring way of being terrified I know.’
Port Stephens & Port Macquarie - NSW.
Our sincere thanks to all those who donated in Port Stephens……and to the Ulysses Club members for ‘delivering the donations’.
Did you know #4?
Many find Port Macquarie to be a perfect stopover for trips between Brisbane and Sydney (407 km north-east). Port Macquarie has fantastic beaches and extensive waterways that make up the Hastings River - offering great fishing.
We have had some more radio interviews and met some great people. We’ve also informed the Blog editing team that all three of us do not share the skill to type reports, so we are transferring our reports to them by phone --- just like all ocean going executives do! All sounds a bit suss to me….a ‘Gerr..ard the Gent’ excuse I’m sure.
We have to send a SPECIAL HELLO to the cabbie who dropped us back at ‘Fair Dinkum’ after we had been to town to satisfy a craving for a great Indian meal. He donated the cab fare to our fundraising……….our ‘Thanks’ to a great guy.
Another ‘Gem’ from Gerr..ard the Gent.Did you know #5?
Port Macquarie was named after Lachlan Macquarie, the governor of NSW. Prior to European settlement, the area is thought to have been occupied by the Kattang Aborigines. Captain Cook sailed past this section of the coast in 1770, as did Matthew Flinders in 1802. However, the first to investigate the Hastings River Valley was John Oxley who followed the Hastings River during an overland trek from the Tamworth district in 1818.
Three ships set sail with 44 military personnel and 60 convicts who were chosen for their skills and good behaviour, and encouraged with the possibility of conditional pardons or tickets-of-leave after 18 months. A penal settlement was established in 1821 under Captain Francis Allman. The convicts were set to work clearing what is now the CBD of thick bush (mostly tea-tree and banksia) and substantial trees. One of the first buildings - the garrison hospital - still stands today. At this time, Port Macquarie was the most northerly settlement in the Australian colony.
Quote of the Week is from Donald Hamilton –
‘Being hove to in a long gale is the most boring way of being terrified I know.’
Gerry Ryan of Melbourne has always been a 'doer'. Many years ago he had a goal of building his own boat and setting off onto the high seas. Over a period of many years he built his first boat, aptly named 'Avarest'. Not having any formal training in boat building, let alone sailing didn't hold him back. Gerry applied himself to the challenge and went on to complete several impressive trips along the east coast of Australia with his family and friends. After eventually parting ways with 'Avarest', he purchased 'Fair Dinkum'.
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