Greetings from Little Grove

We are still based at Princess Royal Sailing Club in Little Grove near Albany, Western Australia.

Walking alongside the golf course

We were contacted by our travel agents, Flight Centre, and, as expected, there was not an option to have our money refunded. We accepted travel vouchers, which have conditions attached: we have to use the vouchers on Malaysian Airlines; we have to leave from Australia to any destination; we have to book by 31/12/20; we have to travel by 30/06/21.

Kangaroos close to our path

On the same day, Jeremy checked his bank card balance and discovered that his credit card had been hacked. After one hour and fifteen minutes on hold (annoying music and inane announcements), he got through to the call centre. His card was cancelled and a new one issued. Nine transactions originated from Mexico and almost two weeks later, only one of these fraudulent withdrawals had been cleared from his account.

Becalmed

We have developed a routine for shopping. Once a week we motor the two miles across the bay to Albany and use the free short-stay visitors’ pontoon. We shop at the IGA supermarket and return to the sailing club. Once a fortnight, we stay the night in the marina at Albany, use the laundry facilities and go shopping.

Name the tree?

We continue to enjoy walks around the public golf course and on other off-road tracks. Jeremy occasionally swims round the marina. I swim if the wind is light and the sun is shining (that is...rarely).

One of our longer walks!

Last week our neighbour, Jason, was working on his boat. We heard a loud yell and rushed outside. Jason had been drilling and had slipped. Sharp metal had cut right through the centre of his finger nail and it was bleeding. He was in a lot of pain. Jeremy stemmed the blood and I passed him material for a makeshift dressing, which he wrapped round tightly with Micropore. Social distancing was set aside for the moment. Jason’s girlfriend, an Emergency Room nurse, was able to take him to hospital. He had two fractures in his index finger as well as a severed nail. After a few days’ rest, he was back on his boat.

Spot the skipper

The weather has been changeable as autumn arrives. Last week we had two gales and two days of strong wind warnings. The lowest temperature was 6C and the highest 25C, with plenty of rain showers. We have been fine in our pen, shaken but not disturbed.

Ah, there he is

Many friendly people have offered to get supplies for us from Albany. A local sailor, Geoff, wants to share a bottle of wine with us while maintaining social distancing. One or two have viewed us with suspicion as an overseas visitor who might just have sneaked into Albany from abroad.

The Australian Government wants all foreign nationals who can’t support themselves to go home. Our visas expire in December, so we don’t have to leave yet. We keep in touch with the British High Commission and monitor the UK Foreign and Commonwealth website. There are still Malaysian Airlines’ flights to London, but currently the costs are three times the amount of our travel vouchers and would require a six day stay in Kuala Lumpur airport. We’re staying here for the time being.

One day's steps on our new App

Some Covid-19 restrictions are beginning to be lifted in WA. Schools are open to all children from tomorrow (Wednesday 29^th April) and groups of up to 10 can meet as long as social distancing is observed. Leisure boating is allowed once again, but only locally. No regional borders have been opened and state borders remain closed. Of the 9 Covid-19 cases in our region, all have recovered. There are very few new cases in all of Australia.

Our new hi-fi

Jobs on SD continue to be done. Jeremy has fitted a new hi-fi system in the stern cabin, so we can listen to CD’s once more. New hardwood steps have replaced old, cracked ones on the stern and new bungee has been put on one of the horseshoe lifebuoys. A gentleman strolled along the walkway, looking for his octopus trap. Jeremy owned up that he had used it as a securing weight. He found an alternative weight and returned the trap with apologies. I have checked all our tins of food for rust and cleaned out the lockers. Both sails have been washed and scrubbed to free them of salt and sand. The leak from the hot water tank has been sorted. It occurred where a plastic pipe met a metal one.

Snack time

This weekend Australia has been celebrating ANZAC day. Here in Albany, maroons went off in King George Sound at 0600, wreaths were laid and a flypast marked the beginning of a minute’s silence followed by bugles playing the Last Post. For the first time ever, there were no parades and no crowds.

In the meantime, avoid drinking disinfectant, take care and keep safe.