I live in Yeppoon, Australia. Yeppoon is the coastal township for Rockhampton in central Queensland. We have about 20 islands within 10 Nm range east of Yeppoon. If you wish to sail north you have to make sure there is no army training in Shoalwater Bay. Every year it is closed for about six weeks while Australian and US military undertake joint land and sea operations. The big positive from this is that as you sail through Shoalwater Bay close to land, you see the coast as Captain Cook would have seen it over 200 years ago. No buildings, no cars, no people and fantastic anchorages!

Some 15 years ago I bought a production Northshore 33. I have added a sugar scoop to its stern so it is now 36' long. The Northshore has such a high freeboard the extra length looks like it should have been there from the start. I have had to convert from a transom hung rudder to a through hull rudder.

To be continues