Thursday 2^nd February

Oh dear the gearbox is, I can hear Pete telling our neighbours from Plan Four right this minute, buggered.  This means poor 2XS has to go up on the slip.  Coff’s Harbour is not big on boating and this is not the best place on the coast to have such serious mechanical repairs, but…no alternative!  Or maybe it can be beached and fixed?  Who knows?

I had a swim today, off the back of the boat.  This particular beach in Coff’s Harbour is heaving with swimmers.  Nearby are big heavy surf beaches, but this beach is placid, with a big wooden jetty, huge stone sea walls, a few gently lapping waves.  I didn’t stay in for long, just enough to get a bit of refreshment and a bit of exercise.  Very lovely it was, although visibility was zero.  I was hoping to see some of the fascinating sea life I read about on the interpretation sites along the coast.  But…no…

Our kind friend Duncan picked us up at about 11.00.  He was on his way up to Woolgoolgah (I think…) about 30 ks up the coast.  It was absoltely beautiful, driving through the thick sub-tropical forest, dodging in and out of the massive roadworks (never mind the roadworks…)  Pete and I wandered around the caravan park while Duncan conducted his bit of business.  He took us to a big IGA so we could stock up on avocadoes, bleach, cleaning products for various parts of 2XS and then we went to Duncan’s house for chicken sandwiches in the outer suburbs of Coff’s Harbour.  They live in a very pleasant suburban area; four bedrooms, swimming pool, two living areas, soft countryside surrounding.

We picked up a vital component of 2XS’s innards – oh deary me - and then Duncan took us home.  I had my swim and was just boiling the kettle when our new BFFs (Best Friend’s Forever) from Plan Four turned up in their dinghy.  Peter was raring to go, so keen to help Pete.  Leanne came and sat in the cabin with me and we sipped tea and discussed Life In Devonport etc. 

At six we all putt-putted into a weirdo place to tie up our tenders, so we could go to dinner at the Yacht Club.  Coff's Harbour is lovely but very deficient in facilities for yachts.  Really the only option is to go to the marina; if you anchor in the bay, there is absolutely nowhere to tie up a tender. Big stone walls, forbidding big wooden jetty with no ladders.  Impossible!  Once again we tied up to a reasonable place which necessitated more Round the Rugged Rocks scrambling.

We had a very nice dinner at the Yacht Club with our Coff’s Harbour friends: Duncan and Amanda, Craig and Maggy, Peter and Leanne.  And tomorrow…well Peter and Leanne have put off their departure from Coff's so they can help with Pete’s gearbox problem.  And maybe I will swim a bit more, read a bit more, and if I am lucky, I will get on shore with my beloved bike and go for a bit of a spin.  Who knows??