5 Dec 2002: Sidney BC.

Part of the deal with our cruising lifestyle is our annual trip back to Sydney Australia to visit family and friends. Today we leave for a 28 hour marathon journey by air starting with a ferry trip across to Vancouver then a bus to the airport followed by those interminable hours waiting in the lounges at Vancouver and LA before the long haul across the Pacific. Admittedly, it takes less time than sailing but it just seems longer! Illywhacker will be well cared for in our absence by our close community of liveaboarders in this marina. We have had some wonderful times listening to tales from these cruising friends from Scotland, England, Sweden, Germany, US and Canada. The boat is snugged down without sails, halyards wound, extra lines but without the full winterising routine that was necessary in Alaska. She can look forward to a little snow on deck perhaps but it will be short-lived and not likely to drop the below deck temps to freezing . If this does happen, heaters will switch on ... hopefully. To date the weather has been mild and it looks like an easy winter coming - El Ninio?