Searching for Heather

We first met Stuart in a yacht club in Tasmania. He had almost lost his propeller and was bolting it firmly back on. Stuart’s boat is a solar powered sailing boat so pretty much what we dream about every time our diesel engine is started.

A few days later Stuart was in Launceston and came on board for a coffee. He was picking his wife, Heather, up in Hobart and they would both be back in a few days.

Unfortunately, by the time they were together in Launceston, we were climbing Mount Amos so we missed each other again.

A few days later they drove out to Coles Bay where we were at anchor and called us on the phone. A squall had just begun so we all agreed I would pick them up in the dinghy as soon as it finished. An hour later the squall was now a storm and they drove away unseen.

Shortly afterwards they set sail back north so that Stuart could stand for the Green Party in the state election. We agreed that we would stop on our way north to see them.

A few months later we arrived in their home town of Port Macquarie and took a buoy next to their boat. The locals were all friendly but – Heather and Stuart were further north in Mooloolaba. We continued north.

After our time in Raby Bay, we were once again searching but now received the information that they were on a catamaran behind the Great Barrier Reef. We sailed north of Fraser Island and – wonder of wonders – finally met Heather on Great Keppel Island.

Heather, Meredith, Stuart and Brian invited us for a delicious dinner and enjoyable evening on the catamaran and the following morning we all enjoyed coffee and cake on Artemis.

It only took seven months but we finally met Heather.