So....we ordered a patch kit and arranged overnight post. We berthed at D'Albora Marina as we had no way of getting ashore and waited...and waited....and waited. The kit arrived on Thursday. In the meantime Ruby posed for photos for the tourists on the bowsprit as we were berthed next to the whale and dolphin watching boats. The bowsprit was at head height so she will appear in many Korean happy snaps.
Manatee tucked next to the massive tourist boats
We got to know some of the staff, Peter and his dog Malcolm were regular visitors and helped with the repair job when the kit arrived. Most of the deckhands were women and one boat had an all female crew...really nice to see in a still male dominated profession. One of the deckies related stories of whales playing with the boats, apparently they are renowned for it. This area up to Forster is a marine sanctuary so plenty of marine creatures about. Dolphins come into the marina in summer and the boom nets on the back of the tourist boats (you can see one on the big boat nearest to Manatee's bow) are referred to as 'human tea-bag apparatus' due to the plentiful sharks!
Marg and AK took advantage of the marinas 'personal care facilities'-individual bathrooms with unlimited hot water (we really limit our water consumption on Manatee as one should anyway) and a TV room where we could watch some Olympic events.
The rest of the time we took advantage of the pleasant surroundings.
Lots of boats ( heading north from the Sydney Boat Show and heading south from the Hamilton Island Race) pulled into the area seeking refuge as the weather turned nasty so we had a pretty social week. We are both very relaxed, AK has stopped wearing a watch and when asked the time Marg often replies "a quarter past thingy".
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