My apologies

I neglected ected to tell you all we arrived safely in MacKay, Australia on August 31. On route from Vanuatu we had some interesting times. One of the boats we were traveling with Bluewind contracted us to ask medical advice as the crew Ruy was very sick with a high fever and unable to swallow. Using our sailmail using the SSB (Single Side Band) radio we were able to contact the crew member not on board but who is a medical doctor. He called Bluewind on their satellite phone from the US and determined that Ruy required stronger medication than Bluewind had on board. We had a stash of medicine on board that had been left by that same Doctor. As we were less than 15 miles from Bluewind we arranged a transfer. Using a washed out peanut butter jar we put a sealed bag inside with the antibiotics. We tied a small string around the lip of the jar and attached that to a throwable rope. We then found a small water bottle and partly filled it with water and tied a small line around the water bottle & attached it to the other end of the throwable rope.

Here we are approaching Bluewind

Zeke throws the water bottle

Direct hit. He hit the sail. James can retrieve the water bottle. 

Zeke ready to send the medicine

James pulls it over. 

Also on this trip No Regrets accomplished something they have tried many times to accomplish. From noon to noon over a 24 hour period we broke the 200 miles per day barrier. We went 225 nautical miles in 24 hours. Our average speed was 9.5 knots. At times we were riding down waves at 12 knots, sometimes 14, occasionally at 16 and twice at 18. 

Upon arrival in Australia we had 5 uniformed officers on board and a sniffer dog that left dog hair all over my bed. The dog got excited so they bring a drug & explosives analyzer device and find traces of pseudo epinephrine on board which we can't explain. We are finally passed but need to wait on board while we wait for the quarantine inspection. The agricultural guy is delayed and when he arrives he apologizes as someone is sick today & he had a freighter to inspect. We were told they could confiscate your meat. Even canned meat and vegetables and fruit. They inspect your boat with an underwater camera and if you have barnacles they haul you out & clean the boat immediately at your expense. Fortunately he only found weevils in a bag of pasta and book lice in a basket Zeke has bought. The book lice and weevils are not a problem as they already have them in Australia. 

I will fill in a few of the gaps over the next few days. 

On September 7 I flew home to Canada. I will return to No Regrets on December 5. More to come