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Mischief - Up to Mischief again: Log 66 Further adventures of S/Y Mischief through the eyes and ears of Chas Baynes



Friday, 27th July 2018 - Mackay Marina

Boat cleaning day! Washed down the decks with boat shampoo to get rid of the Boobey poo all over the decks - they are quite prolific, and a right pain. Why they should target boats out at sea I really can't understand but everybody had it seemingly. Jill off Air Power was doing target practice using surplus fruit as missiles to ward them off - I wish I'd thought of that given the hundred or so limes we had to dump at customs.

We had a drinks reception in the Clarion hotel jump up the ramp ashore and there was a wedding party going on at the same time so it took too long to get a drink so I couldn't really be bothered but we had dinner in the restaurant there - posh fish and chips I would call it: battered fish pieces, a full crayfish, oysters, prawns you name it, and a plateful of chips. As usual I was stuffed!

Neen, our new member of crew joined today after a very long journey from UK of some 36 hours. She was completely knackered when she got here. Trevor is leaving first thing in the morning.

Saturday/Sunday, 28th/29th July 2018 - Road trip!!

I had been asked the previous evening if I should like to go on a road trip as there was a space going in the car, with Mike and Karen of Blue Pearl and Scottish Sharon of Emily Morgan. So, armed with a toothbrush, a camera, a bottle of wine and some clean undies off we went. We initially stopped off in town to allow Karen to buy some new training shoes which she did for A$15! She was though a typical woman dragging around all the shops whilst Mike and I tagged on behind reluctantly. But we were soon out and headed off down the Bruce's Highway to Broken River, an hour and a half drive away in the Eungella National Park.

We had to stop off half was at the Pinnacle Hotel, famous for its Pinnacle pies so we bought a couple of these for lunch and set off again. At Broken River you can see Duckbilled Platypus if you are lucky and we were! They are tiny things relative to what you might think and quite difficult to spot, but with the zoom on the camera and the ability to pan into the object I could effectively get a close up which was brilliant - they are so weird. There are also a load of terrapins floating about in the river there. But there are also snakes and one of the blighters about three feet long, black and thin came out of the hedge onto the decking and as I moved toward it to take a picture it raised up and lunged towards me which had me back-peddling pdq. Luckily, it grabbed a roach of some sort and disappeared again after swallowing it. You can guarantee that these things are poisonous.

From there we went a further 25 km into the national park to the Eungella dam along unmade roads so it was a tad bumpy, but the main hazard were the Asian cows standing in the road with their big sad droopy ears and humps. Not a kangaroo to be seen though. We took various 'road trip' photos in various poses draped over the car or trees before heading back to the Eungella Chalet where we had booked a cabin with a log fire for the night. The views down the valley from here towards Mackay are simply stunning.

We cracked the wine and the litre and a half bottle of 'Overproof' rum and realized we hadn't bought any mixers for the rum. So, I took myself off to the little shop down the road to find it was shut on a Saturday from 1pm and it was now 5pm. I stood outside tutting and huffing as you do, and a lady came out and asked me what I was after as I was looking desperate apparently! Well, I told her we had a bottle of rum and nothing to go in it which was enough to make anyone desperate - so she let me have some coco cola and some orange juice with a "I wouldn't normally do this but….".

By this time it was just before six and two drinks down, Sharon was looking at the clock on the wall which was the size of a wagon wheel and showing 7.45 and as dinner was served between 6 and 8 she thought we ought to be getting a wiggle on to make it in time; she hadn't noticed that it was showing that same time when we first went in and the fact that it wasn't yet dark should have given it away. Since then we became the 745 club!

What is it about a chalet, a log fire and a big bottle of rum that makes you laugh your sides off for hours on end - I haven't laughed like that for years, in fact it was the last time I was in Hungary on a triathlon training camp in a chalet with rum and good friends………..

The Sunday was a slow start albeit at 7am and we had a massive road trip breakfast and set off for the Finch Hatton Gorge on the way back to Mackay. As we approached the gorge we had to cross a ford or two and on the other side of one was this snake, only this time it was a monster and possibly as long as the car! I think it was a python and we had to wait for it to get out of the way before we could continue on - it was not in a hurry, and surprisingly we were not about to move it.

We parked up and made our way up the wooded path towards the river and falls. The brochure says, "Swimming in the fresh water at Finch Hatton Gorge is a must - it's literally breathtaking". I didn't bring my speedos but when we found a 'private' rock pool the girls dared me to go in, with a "come on Ironman", not thinking for a minute I would - should have had money on it. Clothes off, straight in! It was so cold it certainly shrank my modesty! Absolutely gorgeous spot though.

A quick stop in the pie shop again on the way back to Mackay completed a brilliant road trip weekend. I'm still giggling now writing this.

Meanwhile the others on Mischief went on the organized tour to Cape Hillsborough National Park where they feed kangaroos and wallerbies on the beach at sunrise which was also hilarious by all accounts.

I was greeted by the news that Mindy, our organiser and hostess from WCC was being moved on for some reason. (Note from Editor: Mindy has returned to the USA for treatment of an ongoing medical condition). We were up in arms as she and her husband Galen have been absolute stars on this rally. I don't know the politics behind this decision and so maybe it's not for me to say but literally everyone in the fleet is fuming, and Wendy on board Mischief has been in floods. Despite this Mindy delivered a brilliant prize giving evening in the hotel, and given the emotional pressure she must have been under she didn't miss a beat. Star quality.


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