November 2

We are settling into “Marina” life – again! Bundaberg is not the most exciting destination. It is somewhat of a cross between the Iowa and Florida – farmland on the ocean. The city is like any large Midwestern city complete with a Kmart, Target, multiple Blockbusters in town and assorted strip malls on the outside of town. The downtown is an anemic retail area with many vacancies. The marina provides a free van twice a day to take you in as the marina is 6 miles outside of town. I feel like this is more American than New Zealand. I am not thrilled with the area but we are really focusing on getting some boat stuff down and at least we have no detractions from our work.  

We have rented a beachside condo for next week when we put the boat on the hard – up on land – while we paint the bottom and do some shaft work. Read Jordan’s journals for in-detail information on this. A regatta from Vanuatu came in this week and there are lots of kids around suddenly. Thank god - it was a bit desperate for Jonah around here with no kids. He seems to miss kids more when we are at a marina than when we are out cruising.  

The cruising crowd around Australia ie. local costal cruisers are definitely a retiree crowd. The boats coming in from Vanuatu and New Caledonia are more mixed. We have new neighbors, Juniper, skippered by Peter and his wife Joanna and the “crew” Anthony, 6, and Ella, 3. Joanna thinks there weren’t a lot of kids out there this year but it tends to be a very subjective experience. Jonah is thrilled to have a little boy right next door. He is ramping up on those dormant social skills. A little girl from a Kiwi boat down the dock is whipping Jonah into shape.  

I don’t know if I really like the area. I prefer places that are either more sophisticated or  places that are much more wild and untouched. I am looking forward to seeing more places in Australia.