Sailing Maia

Things have come together this week. Today we just returned from a sail with all the needed parts working, and it was outstanding! We are impressed with how she sailed, making a wonderful tour of Moreton Bay for a few hours. Everything was in place, so we got to try out the self steering wind vane which came back to the boat just a few days ago and we just yesterday got the last pieces to make operational. After another full day of boat chores, we got set for a sunset sail. As we left the harbor, we knew we were really cruisers because it is Sunday evening here and everyone else was heading home as we put out for an evening cruise. It was with much anticipation as Craig swung down the small rudder for the self steering vane and Evvy put on the little sail that makes it go. Once we had the sails up, we made the adjustments, and watched Maia sail on her own, with the self-steering vane doing its job, and the boat making good speed. Smiles were wide all around. We are tempted to go get some food and water and take off now!

The the functioning of the self steering wind vane is very important to make Maia sail properly, so we were happy to have it delivered by the former owner this week. The best way to see it work is through a moving picture, but here's a shot where you can see the little metal fish that works as a counterweight, balancing against the vertical piece also in the middle of the picture. OK, it won't make much sense unless you've used one, but take it from Dave's expression, we were quite pleased. As we sailed on, Evvy cooked stuffed bell peppers, pasta, salad with fresh squeezed lemons and spices from from the marina garden (no kidding!) and we had our first fabulous dinner under way while figuring this all out.

We're now back in our "pen" or berth in the marina, just ahead of the rain that swept in behind us, pour outside as I type. The other things we ticked off our to do list this week include selection and installation of fresh batteries, new LED running lights and wiring for them, a couple trips up the mast to pad the spreaders, and a new solar panel. We still have important pieces on order: a new main sail, custom tarps for shade and cockpit protection, return of our EPIRB (safety beacon) which we sent off in the mail to change from New Zealand to Australia registration, and some smaller but important parts like a foot pump and other plumbing materials for the water systems. In another week or two, we should have all of this here and can leave our temporary home here in Manly. In the mean time, we're looking forward to planning a few over night trips around Moreton Bay.

Our plans are looking like we are going to stay on the Australian coast for next few weeks. We were planning to soon leave Australia for New Caledonia and Vanuatu, but we are getting slowed down by bureaucratic hurdles here in Australia. The path looked pretty clear up until Tuesday of this week when we visited Customs to pick up a form and Evvy spoke to a different officer there who told us we didn't have all the documents we needed, so our plans are still changing. We may be able to move things faster, so nothing is set yet, we're still working our way through the options. So the day we can roam the seas is drawing nearer. Stay tuned to this channel.