Hi Hivers, I'm new to hive. I have been blogging on facebook but my bro put me onto hive and helped me get set up. This is my first article and I look forward to getting to know how hive works and sharing my sailing adventures and travels with you.
Several years ago hubby and I made a plan to live in Sth East Asia. We have explored Asia over the years on 2 and 3 week holidays from Australia. We were both enamoured with the people, the culture, the scenery and the food. And the cost of living. We could afford to retire a little early if we moved to Asia where living is cheap and the aussie dollar buys alot of beer. As we got closer to our planned year to make that lifestyle change hubby piped up one day with words that would change my life far more than I expected.
"Let's buy a yacht" he said.
"Sure" I said, "why not. Umm, but why?"
"Let's sail to Indonesia" he replied.
I pointed out that I had never actually set foot on a yacht before, let alone sailed one.
"That's ok", hubby said. "You'll learn."
I'd also like to point out that hubby hadn't sailed in 25 years himself. But life is meant to be lived and I'm always up for an adventure, so after much research, hunting and viewing of a variety of yachts, we settled on a 44 foot steel monohull. She is Watusi 2. And I am Watusi Woman. Let the adventures begin.
Then Covid 19 locked down the world. Luckily for us, we live in Queensland, where the weather is beautiful and the Barrier Reef is even more so.
Sailing up the coast from Brisbane - our home town - was the beginning of my learning curve. A very steep learning curve, I might add. It's not only a whole new skillset to learn, but a whole new language as well. Who knew that you can't call a toilet a toilet, a rope a rope and a bed a bed. And left and right? As a blonde, there is left and the other left. Sometimes I feel quite smug when I call out "starboard". That's the other left.
The beginning of our adventures on the high seas started last year in May. In the worst season of weather Queensland yachties have seen in years. We had high winds - often from the wrong direction, big swells, storms and rain. Did I mention the swell?
So blessed to not suffer from seasickness. Then there were the days of no wind. It was a very contrary sailing season weather wise.
Quite the introduction to this sailing newbie. And here I thought it was all sunsets and champagne.
But I'm slowly picking up skills, enjoying sundowners at every opportunity and taking way too many sunset photos.
Until next time, this is Watusi Woman out 🥂
