At the Fremantle Sailing Club

The Schooner Maggie B is still at the Fremantle Sailing Club, though they have moved us to the VIP berth right in from of the Club House, where we get a constant stream of visitors.

We will be here for at least a week or two. Lots of boat work to do, plus we have to sightsee some. We haven’t even gotten into Perth as yet.

For boat work, we have the sails off at a loft getting touched up; lots of sanding for varnishing; stove gas system overhauled (again!); the main Furuno box in to get its circuits tested; the toilet overhauled (again!); new blocks on order; new Yanmar fuel filter sensors ordered; parrell beads being made from Jarra wood; a new top for our steering compass also being turned from Jarra, with an old Australian penny in the top; bilge cleaned; interior and exterior paint touched up; replace some worn halyards and furling lines; etc., etc.

Fremantle is wonderful.

The weather is bright and hot, but with a nice sea breeze. Being part of the western desert, the air is rather dry, more like Colorado than the humidity of the Seychelles. Freo, as it is called, is strongly Italian in background. Certainly all the restaurants are Italian. The Fisherman’s Memorial in town lists all the names of fishermen lost at sea and the names are almost 100% Italian. The local small “quick” supermarket has 20 different kinds of olive oil and 40 different kinds of salami. The big club in the middle of the park is The Italian Club.

One other thing we have noticed is how many very tough cars there are. These are the big Land Rovers or Toyotas with four wheel drive, extra road clearance, roof racks with three extra tires and two jerry cans of fuel, six extra lights on the front, two shovels strapped on and big “Roo” bar protection for the grill. Obviously ready for the worst that the desert roads can dish out.

Hannah has had a continuing saga with the African drum that Willis left on board for her. It has Springbok leather and Australian Customs has, after much toing and froing, confiscated it and sent it to Willis in the States.

One Customs issue that made us very, very nervous was that part of their checklist was “What anti-fouling do you have?” We were hauled and repainted in the Seychelles in December, but I could not remember the name of the paint and they did not press it. Certainly there has been a change away from the toxic stuff that everyone use to use. I suspect that the stuff we used in the Seychelles may have been something that is now outlawed in Australia. Could they kick you out of force you to be hauled, scraped and painted? I just don’t know and don’t want to find out.

Last night the Cruising Section of the Sailing Club had a barbecue, where the Maggie B was the treat. We perhaps had 50 visitors on board. She is looking her best, even after 16,500 miles.

All is well.