GLADSTONE MY NEW FAVORITE PLACE

24 June 2023

I love Gladstone marina.  Now, I am not a big fan of marinas, they are just a necessity in certain parts for refueling, provisioning, sheltering from weather, repairs or a good shower.  However, Gladstone marina is exceptional.  Knowledgeable and helpful staff, excellent facilities, showers, lounge, courtesy bus into town and all set-in park surrounds, quite chill and relaxed.  I don’t expect it’s a place for serious repairs and maintenance (there is no sailmaker) but a great stop over marina.    

My first priority on day one was to get all the laundry done.  I had quite a lot to do, a months’ worth and all the bedding, towels etc.  The laundry is superb, a couple of ladies showed me how to use the machines.  I don’t know why females assume males can’t operate washing machines, I am pretty sure washing machines were invented by men.

Then it was on with the chores.  I had a long list, restocking just about everything, beer, gas, diesel, water and provisions.  I also needed to do a repair on the Yankee where a rip 40cm long had appeared along the leech. 

I have made a temporary repair of the yankee with some stickback tape, I hope it holds until I can get to a sailmaker for a more permanent repair.  It looks like the ultraviolet has damaged the cloth, it looks quite weak.  Of all the sails the Yankee does get the most use and is usually out, furled to various degrees in all conditions.  It does a lot of work.

The Australian cruisers in the marina were all friendly and ready to give helpful advice for the trip north.  The majority seemed to be on large catamarans, beautiful boats.  In future I can’t see why anyone would cruise on a monohull.  Catamarans offer so much more space and comfort plus a view of the world. 

In the evening I walked over to the Yacht Club and had an excellent meal of Coral Trout, chips and salad.  My first salad since New Zealand, it all tasted very good.  Even the local brew was acceptable.

The last day at the marina was quite hectic, a trip into town to the supermarket and pick up a local SIM card, refuelling, filling a gas bottle, topping off water tanks, giving the boat a washdown and countless other little jobs.  By the end of the day I was tired, but happy everything had been completed.  Tomorrow I can relax and sail at my convenience in the morning.  I plan to anchor out for a couple of nights before heading north.  The weather is northerly for a couple of days and I don’t like going to windward  I also I want to get the boat organised and everything neatly stowed away before heading off again.