Turtle Bay

We awoke this morning at 5:30 to the crystal clear waters of Turtle Bay. Even in 10 metres of water, we could still easily see the bottom. But this was not a morning we were going to get to enjoy it. We had plans. Our early waking hour had been planned so that we could get several big jobs done before the sun was blazing. Going up the mast is hard work for both of us and the heat makes it that much worse so we were keen to get it done early. We had several jobs on the list while I was up there:

• Retrieve the Jib halyard and Furler upper bearing assembly. These were stuck up there from when we lost our jib on our overnight trip down from Magnetic Island to Bowen. 
• Change the lightbulb of our tricolor masthead light. 
• Put up the collapsible steps. The steps up to the second set of spreaders are fixed however the last set to the top are collapsible and need to be pulled out on the way up and put away on the way down. The last person who went up the mast was a rigger and he forgot to put them away. I would use them anyway but needed to remember to put them away.
• Lastly, was not originally on our list but once I was up there Bryce remembered. Our steaming light has never worked. The steaming light is a white light on the forward part of the mast that is on when we are motoring at night. We have constantly been trying to figure out why it won’t work, to no avail, but figured I would have a look at it anyway. 

We got all the jobs done easily and magically, the steaming light just worked. Turns out it must have been a wiring problem inside the boat that was fixed when we did our rewire last May. Props to the skilled electrician who did that job! 

The view from the top was amazing. From the boat we could see the bottom around the boat but from the top of the mast, I could see the bottom of the entire bay! There was nothing in it though. No coral, no fish, nothing. Thanks to my reconnisance though, I would happily have swam in that water knowing there were no big fish nearby! I don’t like having regrets but one big regret we have right now is not picking up some Stinger Suits! Summer is jellyfish season in Australia so you have to suit up even for a swim. 

Once I had retreived the jib halyard, we were able to put our newly mended jib back up. Most of the stitching on the sacrificial sun cover had worn off, which is how the webbing holding the sail up had detached. All of the stitching had been sewn over and some patches had been put on. Good as new! We so missed having it and are glad to have it back! 

Now we sail!!!