"sail on Silver Girl"

It is with a heavy heart that Toketie prepares to 'go troppo'.....

Bundaberg, Australia has been a mixed blessing.....the flooding was one of the most intense experiences we have had in the Pacific Ocean!  For the third time since leaving Canada in 2006, we seriously contemplated giving up the cruising life.  But two months of land travel in Malaysia and Thailand have convinced us to give it another chance.  With all the drama and trauma in Australia though, the silver lining has been that we have met some incredibly fine people and I believe it is mostly their total acceptance of us into their lives, always being there to help us, whether machining the stripped out windless or a ride from town or the railway station....not to mention saving us on the river, that gives us the strength and courage to continue! 

But 'the time has come the walrus said' and the Great Barrier reef and points West are calling so last minute preparations have been completed, provisions have been stowed, fuel, water and all the other essentials for self sufficient living have been seen to and even the weather has finally cooperated with strong SE winds to drive us up the coast to Cairns and beyond to Darwin.

This message, however, is a special thanks to the friends for life that we have made in Bundaberg!  Through Lesley (OCC Port Officer) and Fred, we met a group of serious blue water sailors with many circumnavigations under their collective belts.  And a finer group would be hard to find anywhere!  So to Chris and Ann who bring the concept of 'mi casa es su casa' to life, to Brendan (who literally saved our bacon) and Marina, to Derek and Gill, to Phil and Liz, we can only say that just being who you are, so open and welcoming and willing to help, you have inspired us and given us back our love of this cruising life.  It's not always easy, it's never the picnic that non-cruisers imagine it to be, but it is a uniquely rewarding and fulfilling lifestyle that challenges us at every turn and makes us feel alive!  'Silver Girl' we hope to see you in Thailand next year and we will be keeping a weather eye out for 'Jorga' when your nest is empty and the call of the wild lures you to distant ports once again......rumour has it they are opening China up to cruisers :)

There are no 'goodbyes'....only farewells till we meet again.....thank you Bundaberg from david & linda!