Gradiva sets sail for Sydney

Gradiva has left the safety of her Raymond Island jetty berth at last, bound for Botany Bay...well Pittwater actually. Pete left this afternoon, December 10th 2015, a little after 5pm as Ayla and I were driving onto the ferry to come home after Ayla's art lesson, so we were kinda in an awkward spot to get pictures - we got this one as we were driving on:

and then this one through the ferry window:

Pete has on board with him a girl from Massachusetts, the lovely Lucy Williamson. She's the daughter of a friend of a friend of Pete's from the States. She is currently in the middle of a year's work experience at a Boarding School in QLD and has come to spend Christmas with us. She hasn't done a lot of sailing but I'm sure she'll have a great adventure with Pete teaching her the ropes!

Ayla and I are staying on here at school/work for another week and then flying up to Sydney to meet them, sail the last bit up to the Northern Beaches and hang out on the boat for a couple of weeks before sailing home with them.

So Ayla, Nelson and I chased them around the island!

And waved goodbye as they headed up to Metung and Lakes Entrance.

3 hours after they left Jetty D, Raymond Island, there were safely outside the Lakes Entrance bar crossing and into the ocean.

You can track their course through www.vesselfinder.com if you like! Or keep checking back here for updates. Anyone wanting to join them up the coast just give Pete a call on his mobile - I'm sure they'll be happy for the company!