After 2 years of planning and preparation, we are on the cusp of realising our goal of casting off the lines of Paseafique, sailing down Port Phillip Bay and turning left to head up the east coast of Australia and onto south east Asia. The last few months have been tumultuous to say the least – selling our family home of 22 years, moving house and retiring from our long held jobs. In the midst of this, our very close friend died, and so being able to set off on this trip has become even more significant. Needless to say, we have been swimming in a cauldron of swirling emotions, and now that our departure date is set, the nervous tension is rising. It is very hard to believe that when we walk out of our door tomorrow evening, we don’t actually know when we are likely to be back again.

Our initial plan is to get as far north on the NSW coast as we can in one or two legs, and then maybe stop at Coffs Harbour, and then Southport. From there we will make our way up the Queensland coast so that we arrive in Cairns mid June – in time to prepare ourselves for the rally through Indonesia which leaves Cairns July 6^th.