Category Archive

The Week That Was 11 The Week That Was 11

And an interesting week it has been……..   A Covid outbreak resulted from a worker in a quarantine hotel breaking protocol. Another person lied and the state was put into lockdown when it appeared the virus had mutated into a 24 hour or less cycle. For us, lockdown was not bad. a swim here and […]

The Week That Was 9 The Week That Was 9

On the Road Again Outings With final pack up completed life became a continuous outings as we slowly make our way home. Bob and I can’t remember the last time we saw the landscape so green. Driving through regions decimated by bush fire, most were well on the way to recovery. It was only a […]

The Week That Was 8 The Week That Was 8

Packing Up and Finishing off for the 2020 Season   Outings No outings this week, since pack up is well underway and Bob is madly working on completing numerous small jobs he wants done.   Work It’s incredible how often the weather bypasses the Newcastle area. First off was a new door handle to our […]

The Week That Was 7 The Week That Was 7

Boat Work Coming to an End for 2020 Our time on Australis 1 in 202o is rapidly coming to an end. Bob and I are working at pace to complete the jobs on the list for this season.   Boat Work The new main sheet was installed. With the rope on a large drum, it […]

The Week That Was 7 The Week That Was 7

Port Macquarie, Calais and more……. Weekly Outing On awaking last Sunday, Bob’s first words were, ‘I think we’ll take a trip to Port Macquarie…..’ A two hour trip, we passed through country that had been decimated by last summer’s bushfires, but more on that later. Arriving in beautiful Port Macquarie in time for lunch, a […]

Cattai Wetlands, NSW Cattai Wetlands, NSW

Currently closed as a result of the bushfire damage and COVID, it’s worth keeping an eye on the website for notification of the reopening date.   Click the link below for more information Cattai Wetlands  

The Week That Was 6 The Week That Was 6

The Traveller Continued, France Revisited and more…. Work This week, work on the traveller was slow and tedious for Bob. Despite it all, some progress was made. He had to bight the bullet and purchase a plane for levelling the base upon which the traveller is to sit. Then it was time to drill. Hidden […]

The Week That Was 5 The Week That Was 5

The Traveller, Belgium Revisited and more…. With school holidays underway, Bob and I made the decision to push on with work rather than taking the weekly day out.   Work After a night of thinking Bob realised he’d missed a step in the priming of the engine. Problem solved and with its new filters, it […]

The Week That Was 3 The Week That Was 3

A Birthday and More! I think I will make the ‘Week That Was!’ a weekly heading for the short recap of happenings aboard. A week of fantastic weather came to a sudden end as a predicted weather front arrived three days early. The lack of planes in the air is certainly playing havoc with the […]

Our New Favourite Fruit Our New Favourite Fruit

Sumo Citrus Sweet, large, seedless and so easy to peel, Sumo Citrus is the best citrus fruit we have ever tasted. For a person not that enamoured with citrus, that says a lot! Woollies is the place to find them.   Initially cultivated in Japan, their history is quite an interesting read for those who […]

Myall Lakes, A Stunning Wetlands Myall Lakes, A Stunning Wetlands

Myall Lakes National Park, New South Wales The weather warming beautifully, this was a perfect day for taking a break from boat work for an explore. First off, though, was this beauty coming alongside. A replica paddle wheel steam sailer. Just over an hour north of Newcastle, and 16km east of Bulahdelah, is the picturesque […]

Tuna Potato Patties Tuna Potato Patties

For those with food allergies or intolerances, this is a meal where dairy and wheat can be easily substituted for other products. I use Like Milk (pea milk) and rice flour for a dairy free and wheat free alternative.   1 large can tuna 4 large potatoes pinch of salt, to taste 2 tablespoons margarine […]

The Week That Was 2 The Week That Was 2

Work on Australis 1 continues slowly.   Boat Work The v berth up front had timber planking lining the sides. Although aesthetically suiting the wooden theme inside, there was a downside to them. They made the already small area appear smaller. Only being screwed in place, allowed dust to fall between the cracks. Regular varnishing […]

Goodbye August Goodbye August

Where has the year gone? How can we be in September already? Work wise, steps have been small and more research undertaken before the next stage is undertaken. In good news, the traveller for the main sheet has been shipped. Now it’s a matter of waiting. A new page titled ‘Blogs Followed’ is up and […]

A Yacht Renamed A Yacht Renamed

Saliander officially became known as Australis 1 back in late March, but we had a six month window in which to ticks all the boxes required. This week was the week. The last of her old name ‘Saliander’ removed, the lettering denoting our girl as ‘Australis 1’ to all was adhered to the stern and […]

The week that was 1 The week that was 1

We are still trying to figure out where time goes. It’s almost the end of August and with much remaining to be done, already we’re discussing when to head home to Adelaide. That aside, things are progressing. There is only one day of our time in New Zealand during March left to put online. A […]

Solar Panel Wiring Going Ahead Solar Panel Wiring Going Ahead

Between rainy days and constantly having to race out for new parts required for finishing the job,it’s been rather slow progress progress for Bob this week. That aside, some advances have been made and he is starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel as the wiring work comes together. Some soldering, […]

Solar Panels: A Great Energy Source Solar Panels: A Great Energy Source

Solar panels are a major requirement on cruising boats in today’s world. Why? They are a critical source of energy for maintaining the modern systems on board. Fridges, lights, batteries, computers and so forth all utilise the energy the panels bring on to Australis 1 – and Gratis, too. When we took ownership, Australis 1 […]

Life is Never Boring! Life is Never Boring!

It’s been another busy week aboard Australis 1.   A new post from NZ is also online. http://www.gratisaustralis.com/a-walk-a-dinghy-ride-oneroa-bay-paroa-bay/    

Life on Board Update Life on Board Update

Life is never boring…..