August 11, 2022
Our first task of this day was to get checked into the country, which meant answering questions from several officials, filling out paperwork, and a thorough inspection of our boat. Australia is very serious about protecting itself from foreign invaders (such as insects or things that might dwell in food); so the check-in process is lengthy. What makes it extra stressful is knowing that the set time we paid for could easily slip into expensive overtime; so our objective was to be as helpful as possible as they went through everything on the boat. Thankfully the process went well and they finished within the initial timeframe. A huge relief!
Next, it was time to motor over to our new slip and get our first look around. Our impression was that this area seemed very flat. A few photos below (click on any photo to enlarge) . . .
Our next order of business was to visit to the marina office. For how extensive the English language is, there is one feeling for which I can’t think of a word. It’s the experience of coming into a new place and finding your expectations or hopes have been exceeded. It’s a quick intake of breath, then letting it out with an “Oh my.” This is how I felt when I got my first look at the marina building and its surroundings.
What was it about this place? Mainly, it was the feeling of walking into an especially lovely park, well-shaded by a variety of mature trees. The marina building itself was two-story and attractive enough to fit in nicely with its surroundings. Fronting the park was a promenade that ran along the waterway. On the breakwater to the east was another tree-filled park. In a nutshell, the setting around Gladstone marina was simply beautiful. Below, a few photos . . .
As it turned out, the marina staff were very welcoming, the facilities really nice, and the twice-daily shuttle bus to and from the city made this place very livable. There was a nice café right in the park plus a seafood market and a yacht club within easy walking distance.
But even before learning about these benefits, I took one look and knew this place was perfectly suited for our current needs. Between taking a season off cruising to fly home to the US in 2019, then being grounded by Covid for 2 years, our last three years have been closer to “land life” than a real cruising lifestyle. New Caledonia was a nice segue back into cruising, but it was a place we were familiar with so it lacked the novelty aspect.
Now we were setting off into new territory, and we had some adjusting to do. As it turned out, I don’t think a day went by that I didn’t give silent thanks that we ended up here, just the place we needed to be to begin this new phase of our lives. –Cyndi
