Category Archive

Back To Boating Life At Last! Back To Boating Life At Last!

We trust you all had a lovely beginning to the 2023 year. Now that Covid restrictions are finally gone, life feels a little more like normal. The past 8 months or so found our lifestyle put on hold as we assisted family on shore. There was retaining, grassing, and tree removal work done around the […]

Returned To Europe At Last! Returned To Europe At Last!

After two and a half long Covid years we have returned to our beautiful old girl, Gratis. It’s just a short six week trip this time. Enough to clean her up, then back to Oz until the 2023 European season. Amid bouts of cold, rain and the occasional thunderstorms, lots of elbow grease later, our […]

First Sail in 18 Months! First Sail in 18 Months!

Covid lockdowns put a stop on our cruising life for 18 months. At long, long last lockdowns in NSW came to an end, the weather was right, and Australis 1 could finally set sail. The weather was perfect and although wind was light, meaning mostly a motor, when the sails were up it was divine […]

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 […]

What Does BOAT Really Mean? What Does BOAT Really Mean?
Marinated Chicken in Honey Marinated Chicken in Honey

500g chicken sliced Salt to taste 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard 6 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon Golden Syrup 3 tablespoons honey 3 tablespoons dried chives or 1 ½ tablespoons fresh chives finely chopped ¼ leek washed and diced   Place all ingredients in a bowl. Stir until well combined. Place in fridge (24 hours for […]

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 […]

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/    

Stunning New Zealand Stunning New Zealand

Two more days from our time in New Zealand are online. Click on the links below to read.   http://www.gratisaustralis.com/napuna-bay-new-zealand/   http://www.gratisaustralis.com/oneroa-bay-new-zealand/

2020 2020

  Then time for some sailing…..   Maps sourced from Googlemaps, 2020

2019 Map Update 2019 Map Update

I have just updated the maps detailing the 2019 journey: canals and flights.   http://www.gratisaustralis.com/2019-2/    

More memories of New Zealand More memories of New Zealand

Volcanic rocks were stunning.   http://www.gratisaustralis.com/paihia-to-whale-bay-new-zealand/

Sail to the Bay of Islands Sail to the Bay of Islands

Beautiful countryside, perfect sailing.   http://www.gratisaustralis.com/karaka-bay-kawau-island-new-zealand-2/   http://www.gratisaustralis.com/kawau-island-to-urquharts-bay-whangarei-new-zealand/   http://www.gratisaustralis.com/urquharts-bay-whangarei-to-oke-bay-cape-brett-new-zealand/    

New Name New Name

Excitement! OMG Agencies completed the design on our the new name vinyls for Australis 1. As you can see, there is no need to rename the blog site. Gratis is for Europe, Australis 1 for Asia and the Pacific. Perfect!!!!!! When there is a spare moment, the old will be removed and the new added.

Working at a Pace Now Working at a Pace Now

I’m cooking.   Bob is working on the bed: the mattresses arrived a little larger than the dimension he sent in.    

Sundays in Newcastle, NSW Sundays in Newcastle, NSW

Sundays are market day. GF pies and GF straight from the baking to you. We were in tastebuds heaven!?   Tonight home made passata for the Italian focus for this week’s meals.

Returned to Oz Returned to Oz

After several delays and a long 12 day – yes, what happened to that anticipated 6 – 8 days – sail that threw everything it could at us,  we and our 3rd home finally arrived in NSW. The tale and images are slowly coming along. In breaking news, I have just completed the text for […]

New Zealand to Australia: Day 5 New Zealand to Australia: Day 5

Day five of what was proving to be the ‘slow boat to China´, the waters were slightly improved, but not much.   For the first time since the last sail car had broken, the boys were able to substitute the main’s top car with one from below. Repairs completed, the sail was raised and set […]

New Zealand Bird Sightings! New Zealand Bird Sightings!

Paradise Cove, Urupukapuka Island to Awaawaroa Bay, Moturua Island With a change approaching, the decision was made to motor the short distance across to the sheltered Awaawaroa Bay on Moturua Island. Waiiti Bay, Bay of Islands Making the most of the weather window, a dinghy ride took us around to Waiiti Bay Bay. First, a […]

More Boat Work More Boat Work

Check out the links   http://www.gratisaustralis.com/drogue-attachment-adjustments/ http://www.gratisaustralis.com/boat-winch-battery/