Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
I finally entered the small boat harbor after passing through the great man-made concrete-
block breakwater at twelve fifteen p.m. on the 2
nd
of March, gliding alongside a calm,
open dock. There were maybe about sixty other boats there. Very quaint little place, used
to be a logging harbor. The little island, called Mutton Bird Island, has been reclaimed due
to the seawater being damned in by the breakwater. One can now walk up the island hill
from land. It is a world renowned nature reserve, and the delicious Mutton bird is no longer
killed for its resemblance in taste to mutton. It burrows in the windy hills to breed and rear
its young and migrate to the Philippines in winter.
Coffs Harbor was a very welcome break for me. I had spent twelve days out alone, sailing
south along the eastern Australian seaboard. It was the start of the solo trip I had spent the
best part of twenty years preparing for. I always knew I would single-hand a long trip, as
I had read and enjoyed the adventures of several solo sailor-authors and wanted so badly
to be one of them. New Zealand is regarded by most deep water sailors as the Mecca for
cruisers. The sail there can never be easy as a northerly front comes across at least once a
month, and there is always some sailor that gets clobbered by it. I hit it both coming to and
going from New Zealand. Naturally.
It took me a couple of days to get my sea legs back again. My attitude towards this sail in
the beginning was most unhealthy, and I had to fight myself constantly to keep going. How
easy it would be to just sail into Mooloolaba where Gavin was, for example, and hang out
there or turn back to Bundaberg, but what would the point of that be? I had come a long
way from the days in South Africa when building the boat and sailing was still a very far
off reality and a Saturday morning meant a trip to the hardware store to buy yet another
handful of brass screws for the endless construction of a home-made boat struggling to take
shape. No, now my appetite for single-handing to New Zealand had been whetted, and I
was keen on setting sail.
While in Coffs Harbor, I had caught a bus down to Mooloolaba to visit with Gavin. His
friend had kindly allowed me to stay on his boat for a couple of days, and it was fun to
see Gavin again and hear his recent experiences. Mooloolaba is a surfer's paradise on the
Gold Coast and has a population of suntanned beautiful people. It has become touristy but
still exotically tropical and romantic. I was able to really relax and catch up on some much
needed sleep.
I returned to Coffs Harbor after a few days and met Lynne and Terry on their red thirty foot
sloop, Olivia, who they were preparing for the crossing to New Zealand as well. They were
a sweet couple and had just recently tied the knot. I felt so single again in their company.
They were very nice to me and included me in several of their outings at night. Terry was a
