"Back on line! TEKANI II is anchored at North Keppel Island and the internet is again accessable for the first time in almost 2 weeks. Going in to Rosslyn Bay Marina this morning for fuel, water, scotch and other essentials.
The small Italian gen-set on which the extensive array of electronics, plus freezer and frig, TV, H&C water and other home comforts depend, has died again. Hopelessly unreliable and will be partly replaced by a new generation wind charger ASAP. A bit lke a Lamborghini: expensive, good-looking, but prone to sudden stops at inconvenient times.
Weather so far has not been friendly to anyone sailing south on the Queensland coast despite the forecasters' best efforts to produce northerly, or even easterly winds - they just don't happen. Relentless and consistent southeasters at between 15 knots on a good day and 20/30 knots most days make progress uncomfortable, slow and expensive with the big Perkins helping to butt into strong headwinds with seas to match.
Looks like Xmas either here or somewhere south of Gladstone at this stage."
And while Brian is 'marooned' off Gladstone for Christmas, he dreams, with the help of GOOGLE Earth, of the island of Tekani, now deserted and abandoned, but which he and his family will always remember as it once was when they were all there for Christmas.
