Monday 6th February

We left Port Macquarie this morning with an additional three passengers – James Miedecke, his nephew Harry, and Harry’s girlfriend Tegan.  Tegan had never been out at sea, and I think she enjoyed her 15 nautical mile trip very much.  She lay peacefully in the nets at the front of the boat, sunning herself and occasionally sipping on some lemon mineral water with ice.  I was worried that she and Harry would arrive in Camden Haven looking like ripe tomatoes, but no; Tegan was still beautiful, blonde, unburnt (not sunburnt) when we tied up to the wharf outside the RSL.

Our trip down the coast was, for once, another Attenborough Journey.  We have hardly seen any sea life since we have been back in Australia.  There was a lone dolphin which cruised around the pier in Coff’s Harbour, but other than that, just the odd sea bird, nothing else.  But today we saw dolphins, big silver ones, and a whole school of small rays, just beneath the surface of the water.  And just off the coast, we saw what looked like a raft of dolphins, lying close together, motionless with just their fins poking out of the water.  Leanne, when we told her about this, said that this is what dolphins do when one of them is giving birth – they make a protective huddle around the mother.  How Attenborough is that??

Going out through the bar at Port Macquarie was easy-peasy, although Harry assured us it is the most dangerous bar in Australia (he has been studying for his mariner’s certificates.)  So we were taken a wee bit unawares when we came in through the bar here at Camden Haven…it was short, sharp and scary!  Pete and I harnessed ourselves to our safety lines and I herded our poor guests into the cabin and firmly shut the door on them.  I didn’t want any of them to be washed away in the surging waves!  Pete steered 2XS through the waves, trying to keep in line with the leads, and we both got a bit rush of adrenaline as the rock sea-wall loomed rather closer than either of us would have liked.

But now we are safely in a dear little village, Laurieton, in Camden Haven, up another muddy river full of pelicans and cormorants.  We are tied up at the public jetty behind Plan Four.  Peter and Leanne were at the look-out on top of the when we came in; they were holding their breath for us.  They had a horrible time coming in a few days ago; the waves were three metres and it was very much not fun.

As soon as we had tied up I made chicken salad rolls for all comers.  There was plenty for Peter and Leanne to share and we were very happy to see them again.  The Miedecke contingent scarpered shortly after – they had to catch a bus back to Port Macquarie.  Harry and Tegan had to drive back to Sydney, a four hour trip, so they couldn’t hang about.

Pete and I went for a walk into the little town once everyone had gone.  It was very hot so we had to walk s-l-o-w-l-y.  It is a very pleasant place.  All of the people in the shops are exceedingly friendly; unnervingly so, really… We bought two red pears in the fruit and veg shop, a book about road-building in the outback at a small café, and an icecream at the swimming pool cafeteria, and everyone was radiantly thrilled to see us.  We also went into the RSL club, a large and gleaning edifice about 100 metres from the wharf.  Some lovely smiling young women gave us a key to the toilet and shower facilities under the building and told us we were more than welcome to stay, for no more than a week… For free!  Usually there is a sign on these jetties saying, Stay 15 minutes maximum!!

I am now drinking a very welcome cup of tea and Pete is fast asleep downstairs, looking very happy (I checked.)  He is exhausted.  Our time in Port Macquarie was very pleasant and restful for me, with much couch-time and bike-riding time, but for him, it was yet another experience of spending many hours down in the engines getting very hot and bothered.