Congrats to  Bj, Sean and the crew of Nemesis placing 4th in their division on the Sydney to Hobart. They battled for a placing, going from 1st to 3rd to last to 4th just missing out by 7 minutes for 3rd position in their division.  Jessica Watson and crew placing a 2nd in their division with all the crew under 21! And congrats to  Laura Roper,  22 year skipper of Natelle Two.

Miss Laura Decker who is currently in South Africa, is almost finished her solo circumnavigation at the age of 16, to become the youngest ever to sail around the world alone once she closes her circuit in the Caribbean.  Go Laura!!

2011 was a busy and amazing year, here’s to 2012 being a bigger and better year, with more adventures to come!!!

Before Europeans arrived the Snowy and Thredro river valleys served as Aboriginal paths to the highest most respected places -the home of the ancestral spirits.

An Aboriginal creation story tells how a platypus followed the moon taking seawater to the mountains. The platypus punctured the sleeping moons water carrier and the  gushing water formed the Snowy River.  Dyilligamberra, the powerful rainmaker, keeps the river full of water. He looks after the whole water system from the mountains to the sea.

The Old snow gums ( pictured below) are the “grandfather” trees, and they are two to three hundred years olds, some of the oldest in the Kosciusko  national park. Aboriginal tradition says that the spirits of the ancestral travelers live in these warragani (old snowgums.)

Back in the capital, (for those that don’t know), it is Canberra. And rolled down the hill of parliament house, which is one of my favorite things to do while here, it should be added to the things to see and do list while in Canberra. Also had a quick lesson in welding from my dad, as I dream of welding up a  up  new arch for Yemaya. Spending Christmas with my dad while Bj is racing on Nemesis in the Sydney to Hobart race, think its going to be a wet and wild ride this year, well, its good for ya!

Off to Adelaide tonight to do a delivery to Perth, looking forward to seeing both places as the last time I was in Adelaide I was 5 years old and we accidentally over feed a duck and killed it, not the fondest memories of a city,  I am sure we had more fun then making ducks fall over dead.

Yesterday I got interviewed for the local paper and they ran a really nice article today in the paper. Here is a link to the story! Thanks to all the crew at Midtown marina, as they always look after us here, its good to be back home!

http://www.news-mail.com.au/story/2011/12/08/new-tack-for-solo-sailor/

Home sweet Home!

6.30pm arrived in Bundaberg Australia,  after a quick 16 day passage, was dancing,laughing and cheering as I was coming in the channel to home, so happy to have made it across the whole pacific  ocean. I told Yemaya she is now an Aussie!

The last 2 days coming in were quite nasty, and I knew I was running late in the season. Last time I arrived in Bundaberg was on miss Isis with Bj, and the same thing happened, we got our butts kicked on the last two days coming into Australia,  I guess some things never change.

The worst thing was being tied up to customs dock and not allowed off the boat, I could see the restaurant and people drinking on shore, as I salivated at the mouth dreaming of salads and fish…..well a can of good old chicken soup sustained me for the night. Then to make matters worse I could not sleep, and spend the night cleaning the boat. But it makes that first meal and drink sooo much better, when you finally get it!!

Anyway, I am happy to be back home!

Well the wind died last night and we flopped like a fish out of water all day. Slowly the wind is coming back. Talked to the General and his advice for weather was to “just get yourself a glass of wine and put the fishing line out” classic general style. Which would have been helpful advice if I had wine and a fishing lure.

The sounds of silence, as I sit 300 miles off the coast becalmed after a quick passage, the silence is golden, just a splash, splash of water passing the hull, the occasional bird and that’s it, no sounds from the wind, which I miss, as that is the sound of miles passing under my keel. Music is off and I’m enjoying the last bit of sea peace. I lie in my bunk curled up with a great book, breathing in the peacefulness before the next mission ashore. A half moon shines brightly giving the sky a lovely glow. You have to stop and enjoy the peace while you can, for who knows when the next bit of peace will be.

How to put into words the beauty of the night’s sky. The moon illuminates the sea and sky, bathing Yemaya in a soft silvery light. Velvet rich sky with pin points of light piercing through the darkness, wispy strands of clouds leave a trail through the darkened night and we fly like a rocket across the seas, heading for my beloved Australian shores.

Today is half way day also been out here one week, with 900 miles to go, we are getting closer to home. Yemaya has been such a good girl, the best she has ever sailed. Think it’s the new number 4 sail plus my confidence in the boat, and trying to catch the boys ahead of me. Yesterday, I Had gained on them and was only 99 miles behind..hehhehe Im coming to get you!!!

Reading The Climb by Anotoli Bourkreev and a favourite quote by him about Everest is

“You have to pace yourself.

Its not who gets up first,

Its who gets up.”

Passing through the slot of islands between Figi and Tonga. Can see an extinct volcanic island, also last week we had two earthquakes in the Tongan trench about 150km from Vavau. Last time I left Tonga a volcano blew up.