16 Dec Claire's 2nd Birthday
12 Dec Fly to Sydney
8 Dec Arrive Airlie Beach
4 Dec Depart Townsville
24 Nov Arrive Townsville Customs & Quarantine. Restowing stored items.
18 Nov Depart Louisiades
20 Sept Arrive Panasia Island, Louisiades PNG
10 Sept Depart Townsville stop over in Magnetic Island for a few days
7 Sept 2003 Fathers Day. Nice presents and phone calls from the kids. Checked rigging, Judy making flyscreens for hatches. Peter and Lyndal from "Illywacker" over for drinks. Tomorrow we get deliveries of groceries, meat, fruit and veg, duty-free booze, farm-fresh eggs.
29 Aug Left 5:30 am after two anchor alarms during the night. Arrived in Townsville at midday, just over 5 weeks after leaving Sydney
28 Aug Left Jonah Bay 5am for a long day's sail to Cape Bowling Green. Arrived at CBG 9pm in 25 kt winds and pitch dark.
27 Aug Shopping in Airlie, then to Armit Is. On the way, advised that a berth was available in Townsville, so continued on to Jonah Bay, near Gloucester Passage.
26 Aug Airlie Beach. Dinner at Whitsunday Sailing Club with Jandu.
25 Aug "Hippo" with Michael, Sue and Patrick arrived alongside -morning tea on Meridian, dinner on Hippo. We met them in Eden on our way to Tasmania.
24 Aug Back to Cid Hbr
22 Aug Visit famous Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet then on to Turtle Bay.
21 Aug Brampton Is to Whitsunday Is, Cid Hbr. Met by "Jandu", PBYC members Hans, Elisabeth with daughters Gertrude and Natalie and children.
20 Aug Curlew to Brampton Is.
19 Aug 2003 Hexham to Curlew.
18 Aug Easy sail with the MPS to Hexham Island.
16 Aug Left Bundaberg in a Strong Wind Warning, SE 25 - 30kts. Sailed through the night arriving in Keppels around midday. Continued on to Cape Manifold.
13 Aug Crossed Hervey Bay, saw two whales and calves. Arrived in Bundaberg Port Marina 5:15pm, met by Wal and Robbie.
12 Aug 6am over the bar, quite flat. Rode the tide up through Snady Straits to Hervey Bay. Anchored at Moon Pt, Fraser Is.
11 Aug 7:30 pm with assistance from John and Anne-Marie, we left Mooloolaba for the Wide Bay Bar and Great Sandy Straits.
10 Aug 7am departure from Birkdale, across Moreton Bay with MPS up! Arrived in Mooloolaba 5pm, met by Harry and Muriel, John and Anne-Marie.
6 Aug 2003 Travelled through the Broadwater to Brisbane, only ran aground once! Tied up at Peter's neighbour's pontoon.
5 Aug Arrived in Southport. Jazz night at SYC with Stewart and Mary Ann Wright.
4 Aug Departed Coffs for Southport, delayed by Gale warnings and need to rest. Lovely visit by Peter and Annie Stuckey with their sons from Port Macquarie. Peter built Meridian and launched her nearly 11 years ago after 6 years hard work.
28 July Left Pt Stephens with new compass sort of working. Sailed through freezing cold night to Coffs Harbour.
26 July Left Newcastle en route to Coffs Harbour, discovered faulty autopilot compass. Went into Port Stephens to try to fix it.
24th July Left Pittwater for Newcastle in stiff Westerly winds. Stayed in Newcastle marina for two days, visiting Mum and friends Bob and Marie.
20 July 2003 Left Cabarita Marina for Blackwattle Bay and refuelling.
12 July. Paul's 60th birthday party at Meredith & George's house. Small gathering of friends made it a special day.
7 July. 'Meridian' is now in Westport Marina, Cabarita near Concord. Judy is very happy to be back on board. We are getting things ready to leave in the next couple of weeks.
29 June Moved Meridian to Westport marina, Cabarita on Parramatta River.
29 May Judy out of hospital, back to Meredith's house in Sydney.
27 May Arrived in Blackwattle Bay with Peter Munckton.
26 May Jervis Bay - Kiama. Judy suffered three broken ribs when thrown across cabin. Taken to Shellharbour Hospital for 3 days.
25 May Eden - Jervis Bay
23 -24 May Crossing Bass Strait to Eden
22 May Left Lady Barron, again in Gale Warning
21 May Arrived Lady Barron, Flinders Is
20 May Left St Helens for Flinders Is in Strong Wind then Gale warning
17 May Decided weather not good for northerly passage, returned to St Helens Island
16 May Past Maria Island, decided to continue across Bass Strait.
15th May Left Hobart - into Fortescue Bay by 5pm.
13th May. Judy's eye is slowly clearing, but still not giving her real vision. To help us sail back to Sydney we have Peter Munckton from Brisbane. Peter sailed with us from Brisbane to Sydney at the end of 2001. Up to now we have been spending our time in the D'Entrecasteaux Channel and Bruny Island. We will leave Hobart on Thursday and head for the east coast, then across Bass Strait when the conditions are right.
Feb - May Details in Sydney to Hobart 2003
Feb 1 Judy's Birthday
Jan Baby-sitting while Meredith returned to work 3 days per week.
