the power of prayer

I wondered what i was going to do with all my time
now that i am not working in the United States , and i have found the answer
prayer. I was thinking it would to help others , maybe start a new job  i was wrong .
Never did i realize that right in fron tof me was the word TIME i had all the time in the world to
pray for people , not just a regular prayer life but one to where every morning i feel the " tug " at my heart strings to come before the throne lifting people up to Jesus . it started when i was on the boat and we were sailing in the Whit Sundays , God i know now was preparing me to take the time to talk to Him and come to him in prayer . When i was in the USA my time was not my own , i worked 60 hours a week , scraped to pay my bills and was so stressed and depressed , just trying to open the WORD up to read for a few minutes my eyes would grow heavy and before i knew it i was fast asleep taking a nap.

My prayer life was less and less as i was so worried about my job , my patients and
just paying the bills to keep the electric on .

Never would i imagine that He would allow the doors to slam shut in America
and send me here where my full time job would be a prayer warrior? is that a job ?
i didnt know the importance of Spiritual Warfare and how the prayers of HIS Saints are
powerful in breaking down the strongholds that satan uses to lie , deceive and trick others
into thinking That they have no power . Prayer to me was like " ok i bless my food and thats it "
go on through the day and then at dinner we rinse and repeat
Untill HE got ahold of me and said " will you pray for my people " and now i know that the word prayer  is a weapon more powerful than i ever imagined !

i didnt know that when the the name JESUS is spoken all the deamons and the devil himself
shutter and try to hide . That just his name alone is power  some seem to think wen he died on that cross he died like the other thieves , but HE not only suffered on that cross HE carried everyones SIN
with it . Everything we ever done wrong , from the lies to the murder to the adultery to the hate and greed . HE carried all that on the cross . It was there HE gave us the key to Eternal Life
the Cross . He could have said " not me im not going on that cross for Your sins cause they are not mine " but He loved you and I so much He didnt want Satan to have the key the power of a soul that died to go to hell .  If we only knew how much HE loves us . 

I have been a Christian since i was 21
but never before have i felt the need to draw closer to my FATHER JESUS
to talk to him to pray to listen to him to have that relationship that
is more than food or drink , money or people
deep calls to deep like a deer pants for the water
so does my soul thrist for you oh Lord

and HE does answer and hear your prayers
talk to him
tell him like you would talk to your earthy father
he loves you so much he waits for you to come to him in prayer
to talk to him ;)

remember your prayers do mean everything to GOD
dont let satan make you think you are not worthy of blessings , healing and above all
peace and happiness


God bless you and keep you
Yankee girl down under

the little lie .......

The other day  me and rob were helping Esther and phil sell the glow candles and the glow sticks at the beach in Yeppoon
i seen so many faces , young and old rushing up to the counter to buy the glowing products .
As the even came to a close , and it grew dark outside  we took the rest of the glow sticks and gave them to the children in the crowds .
children scrambled everywhere to get a "free " glow stick
The Holy Spirit reminded me " we are to be the "light " that shines in the dark.

The event was mostly about Santa , and jingle bells
but towards the end was a beautiful narration by one man
talking about Jesus and his life from birth to death .
It was touching .

The ending was Santa's appearing his grand entrance and the crow cheered loudly
as they welcomed the  stranger  in a red and white suit  holding goodies for the kids in his bag.

And i wondered , wondered what it would be like if WE got that excited about JESUS ??
and not just the older people , but the children too !

To me Santa is a IDOL he is a fake imitation of love
he promises , but dont always deliver
he says he's magic but we find out as we grow older
Santa is a Lie " he is mom and dad "

Jesus is not a Lie nor does he break promises
He dont need candy or magic
or a sleigh to prove he loves us

look at the cross
there is the real gift !
his sacrifice ! his real love and it is FOREVER not in a season


Dear parents dont let your children grow up
believing a lie
each year

teach them about the one who loves them 365 days a year
every hour , min and sec
his name is JESUS  the real gift !

God bless you
Rob and Debra Gallehawk

stop trying to "fit in a space you dont belong !!

After coming from the high seas with water as your ground , you come to realize a lot about
life and the things you take for granted in it . We complain about the little things , when you really stop to take notice that it is not that bad . Life is like a puzzle we always are trying to fit in the right place to make the whole picture appear , but we have to realize that it takes not just one puzzle piece to make that beautiful picture ! time and effort and patience fitting each piece in its proper place until the last piece is
placed and the excitment grows and you know the puzzle is finished . Then as you step back you can see the whole picture . sometimes we just want that certain piece to fit in , we turn it , try to force it in the space and even think about cutting it to fit it in or better yet a hammer is my way of fixing it lol

We are like this in our christian walk in life
one piece of the puzzle at a time
some will fit others wont
and some just look like that is the proper piece
but after trying time and time again
we realize its not gonna fit , it dont belong there dummy so stop trying to make it fit lol

 this was me in United states
i wanted so much to fit in the rest of the crowd
i even tried to look the part
but something inside me said " you dont fit in " and i grew increasingly angry

after pretending i fit in the crowd , dressing and playing the part
it took me leaving the whole picture before i could step back and
realize this is not where i was to be .

Jesus knows where each of us are to " fit " in his whole picture
one precious piece at a time
sometimes by trial and error
some by flood and fire
others by pain and suffering
but in the end as we allow HIM to help us put the puzzle of our life together
we get a glimpse of what the whole picture is going to look like ;)

are you that puzzle piece that you try to fit in a space or place you were not
ment to be in ?
do you try and play the part and pretend that you do fit ?
or is something deep inside you telling you
that God has another plan for your life and its not that "space " your thinking you fit in !

stop trying to fit in with everyone else
remember you are a unique piece of Gods puzzle
and in time with you allowing HIM to guide you
you will find your "space " your myspace lol in the puzzle

and there you will find it fits !
it will give you peace , happiness and joy unspeakable
and change your life like you never thought possible .

stop hammering yourself into that space you dont fit it
its not comfortable huh ?lol

Gods plan for your life dont need a hammer to make you fit
he has the perfect space for your life ;)
with Him

God bless you

yankeegurl

i found a stronger faith in GOD in the open seas

 

I wanted to add to this last part of my experience in sailing , as a testimony to those who have had their faith shaken , or to the point you feel you dont have any. Faith is a strange thing , you cant see it and its goes beyond the tangible you just exercise Trust in God that He is in control of All things and you are just the saiboat passing through on His waters . I am terrible at faith in myself , but i can pray for others for things and just know that the prayer is answered. Maybe its because i dont think myself as worthy to receive such blessings from God , or that i just would rather see others happy first . I have found living on the seas the keys of Faith are quickly turned un when you are at the mercy of the Almighty in the Vast Ocean with only trust in HIM knowing HE is in control of me. We may navigate the ship with our own hands to make it go where we want , but HE controls the wind the waves the elements  I used to think i was so small and with not much  significance in this huge world , but i was so wrong ! He does hear my prayers , he knows where i am at at all time that is why he is called THE SHEPARD and we need him to navigate us through lifes storms to the safe shores in life . Where the grass is green and we are safe from the Wolves as he stands with Rod in hand looking over his flock . now i know what the Psalm 23 means " my rod and staff comfort me "

He loves us so much HE laid down his life for us !
shed his blood so that we may have eternal life with him

my faith in HIM has grown in the last 7 months
in the swells of the waves
the winds of the storm the downpour of rain
swimming among the most deadly of creatures in the Great Barrier Reef
he HAS provided always us food , fish and crabs and water
even safe anchorage when we were in the wind storms of 30 knotts!
he is our Anchor our light house to help us find our way home too !

i remember the times i walked away from him doing my own thing
but the light house was always shining in the distance to becon me to come home
he never leaves or forsakes us.
times i was 200 miles from home and no doctor i had a ear infection and just to come to him in prayer
acting in faith HE healed my ear !
my doctor on board the ship , the times i cut myself with coral , the bumps and bruises we took in sailing.

my only obstacle i found was ME! when i begun to operate in faith GOD moved the mountians
in all areas of my life.

They say sailing is just for leisure ?? well it was not just that for me , but a TEST of our faith in HIM
to remember how Peter took his eyes off the water and on Jesus for a second to walk on that sea
he would have walked all the way across it if he didnt look down !  This is us sometimes we get our eyes off God and on the negative or the impossible and we begin to sink in disbelief . But when we put our faith and eyes on HIM wonderful things happen .
times i could have walked on water with Him but the darkness scared me and i quickly began to sink in my faith . Psalm 56:3 what time i am afraid i will trust in thee ! when we operate in fear we loose faith
fear is not from God but satan . remember that next time you feel defeated ;)

God bless you
and thanks for following along with me to the Great Barrier Reef ;)
See you soon !

yankeegurl down under  


.

Things i have learned

We are headed back to Yeppoon , back to live on the land with the rest of the landlubbers. As i look back to all i have experienced on the sea it has been such a amazing experience . To see nature in it's rarest form . The Great Barrier Reef and some of the most beautiful places in the whole world . To be blessed to walk on white sand , and snorkel in cobalt blue waters with the fish and turtles !. To be there to help a stranded  giant sea turtle upright itself so it could get back into the sea .  The days we would just fish all day then come in for a cuppa and take a nap ! that was my whole day folks ;) no people at work harassing me , no call lights blinking like mad with impatient patients waiting to rip my face off . no setting the alarm clocks to wake up to pure exhaustion  only to hit it 5 times for 5 more minutes . Or the ever popular ' nurse finders the agency where i worked would Call me off after getting dressed to go to work !  no warming the car up while i force myself to the car knowing another day of STRESS was following me like a shark .

I like this life i would not ever look back and wonder what i missed !
what i left behind maybe has good friends , good memories and my family
but i gained so much more in blessings than i can ever dream to imagine !


Jesus says in Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure,
pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your
bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to
you." Many people have read this scripture and always associate it with
money or financial gain, but money is not mentioned anywhere in the
scripture. Jesus says, give and It will be given unto you good measure,
pressed down, shaken together, and running over. That It is what ever it
is that you need. If you are in need financially, then give to God what
finances that you do have now. If you are in need of a friend, then be a
friend to someone else today. Whatever the need is in your life; give what
you have to God now and He will multiply it and bring it back to you. The
Scripture says, give and It will be given unto you. 


I am no exception to this rule 
anyone can be blessed with happiness 
but you first have to rust in what GOD wants for your life 
not what you think you want 
and i promise HE will amaze you once you let HIM have his way .


I was in a 9 year relationship . one with no commitment 
no love of GOD no promise for the future 
going no where !
and when i let GO and let GOD have his way in my life 
it was almost unreal how he opened the doors of ALL areas of my life .
As the doors were slamming in my face in America 
the windows flew wide open in Australia 
As i let go of all my hurts and the  desires i thought i needed to be happy 
God brought Rob into my life !
a man that loves the Lord 
that loves me 
and wanted to share his world and love with me .


This time it was not just him and me 
it is GOD rob and me 
a perfect trio sailing all over Australia in Queensland 


dont ever think GOD is not powerful enough to change your 
STRESSED out dull , boring , unfulfilled life .
like mine was 


Our GOD is a awsome GOD 
he wants to bless you you are HIS child 
the secret to having those blessings 
is LETTING GO and letting GOD 


God bless you 
and stay tuned 
im not leaving the blog 
my life in Australia has just begun ;)

Caution ! the Enemy is hiding with a open jaw to devour you !

Sorry haven't written in awhile . We are now headed back to Yeppoon
to begin a new life on the land . God has blessed us with so much beauty and time . time to Relax
take in the breeze the sun on our faces , walks on the beaches and meeting new people that live on the sea . Is this adventure over for Yankee Gurl and her skipper ? Nope its just begun . Now onto wherever the Lord may lead us . The reason i have the words Caution  fragile this life , was due to something i experienced the other day that really made me think . We took the dingy to the jetty to get some last minute items , mail a few letters and do laundry. We tied her up to the jetty using a bow line knot . and on the way back we go ready to jump into her , rob going first to steady her in balance as i went next to come aboard . I looked all around me and barn swallows were going crazy darting in and out near the jetty . We didnt think anything about it untill after i got in the boat and looked down . Right there on the bow line knot that held the dingy to the jetty was a baby swallow , we tried to reach for him but he got scared and took off landing in the water just inches from the jetty , we had no net to reach him and as i tried to untie the knot rob said " hurry " and just as i got the knot loose he went silent .............  " hes gone doll " rob said and a huge bat fish ate him !

I was in shock , we were just inches from that little bird
and WHAM! he was gone , ate by a huge fish in minutes from saving him .

1st Peter 5:8 came to my mind  after shedding a tear for that poor little thing
Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.

Satan is not the horned thing you see in Halloween , he hides and uses things , and even people
to snare you in life . Drugs, alcohol , sex , and even false religion  to name a few. We as Christians need to be always on the alert for the ENEMY! at ALL times . The Holy Spirit is our guide . that little voice inside us that says " dont do it " and we have to be intune to it . Its not going to shout at you , but subtly tell you and you have to know what is of GOD and what is NOT!

Our life is fragile you get only one life on this Earth
are you trusting in the FATHER Jesus to guide you and keep you safe from Satan's snares and traps ??
or are you being blindly led to be caught by a BIG fish with a hungry appetite for your soul ??
Satan is that big fish my friend . Dont be deceived the best instruction to have is the WORD of GOD daily read and get the armor of GOD on Cause hes there waiting to attack you unaware ..

God bless you
and keep you
Yankee gurl

The Dumb things some people do when visiting the Great Barrier Reef

Today we woke up to almost 80% of heat as the sunrise shown in the hatch window of the stern of the ship.
The breeze from the outside was a welcome . The rians fell softly on our ship and seemed to dry up instantly.
Cereal was on the menu followed by cold Wrapped Sandwiches , and some time Rob got to read and i blogged and sent a few messages. Surprisingly the cockpit was cooler ans we had our tea up there along with skipper gabbing away and talking to himself in his mirror . The clouds are kinda dark but the wind is a steady 15-20 knotts E/SE and try to dry our laundry after it got a sprinkling . Yesterday we seen a odd sight dont ask me why people have to set fireworks at Halloween but they sure did , then some daft idiot set off a red flare and we thought someone was in distress :/ you dont need tv just look outside at all the things going on. Like the other day 2 young bloaks were speeding in their jet skis the first guy was hauling down like he had caught fire and all a sudden the engine stopped and he was thrown in a summer salt in mid air and on the water he laid on his back , i seen his buddy yell " i told you to slow down " lol but he was showing off and he got towed back to the mainland :P   It never ends you find someone that just pushes the limits on safety at the marina and you wonder why more people are not injured ??  the worst is when you are sailing in?at night and there are no anchor lights on the ships that are moored ??? huh thats Insane ! what if a ship sails at night like us and we run into another ship ?? " whoopsie " ?? not  or your asleep and a catamaran rams you in the night and you find yourself in davy jones locker ! i  think they need a law about moored ships that are anchored out side the marina .

Set aside that thought and i have seen another sad sight
beer bottles and glass floating in the sea
paper bags and trash where people just are too lazy to pick up after themselves
Sure lets junk up the Great Barrier Reef ! it will take care of itself !  The saddest sight i seen was at 5 Island where so much trash had drifted on shore it was like a junk yard :(
it was hard not to want to pick it up all of it ! i feel sorry for the sea life and the mammals that call the islands and the sea home . We a humans need to be reminded this is not our home , we are just visiting and we need to show respect for the Great Barrier Reef and the sea and land life around it .

you think that with a ocean so big people would respect it
but there are a few that have No respect for anyone but themselves

and everyone else suffers in the process .

Passing the time away

We are still in Arlie Beach until the gear box that Rob ordered comes back from Brisbane . Rob has been sanding the deck for something to do , I have been doing crossword puzzles
and im reading a chapter in the Good Book a day ;)
 The march flies are so bad near Cid Harbor and Hook island , we have heard they are attacking the tourists
and its almost impossible to rest or enjoy a day at the beach . They are concidered a Horse fly in the United States and those buggers will bite you hard! and we thought sand flies were bad . Rob had to buy 2 egg flips (spatuals) to kill them they are that big ! luckily we dont see but a few of them since we have been stuck in the bay here at Erlie Beach. The winds have finally died down here 10-15 knotts so its more comfortable now
We bought the Cd " are you being served ?" it has some good episodes in it , i love British Satire ;P
rob also bought Johnny Cashs Cd with June Carter Cash and we listen to to in the evenings cause the radio stations are frilled with the rap music and techno be bopping crap lol

You can always tell when its laundry day in the Bay  half the ships have laundry hanging on the lines on their ship to dry lol looks like a Chinese Junk Boats lol
but its cheaper than burning them up in those gas dryers
and spending 5 dollars a load for a small wash ! Not !
the marina i filled with boaties using the facilities so we seldom do our laundry for that reason if you can get a good sunny day and s/e breeze its perfect for drying the clothes ;)

happy sailing !!

I CAN NAME THAT SOUND IN 2 NOTES haha

Now that i have been living on "TRAX" our home that floats lol we have become adjusted to some pretty strange sounds . Creeks and bangs, strange sounds that seems to appear when your either sleeping or having a meal . The topping lift is a weird one , this is part of the boom of the main sail that will vibrate with the wind , its goes wawawawawawaw lol and its quite annoying . or theirs "WINDY we call the wind generator shes always humming wildly when the wind picks up , and when it drops she will slow down . No way can you sleep with her going all night so we shut off her Life supply with a flick of the switch  at night . then one night we kept hearing a sound like rattling teeth when we was eating our "tea" and rob investigated it and it was the solar light switch that has a ball on the end of the string and banging on the glass as the ship rocks lol  N ext is the inverter that hums on and off while charging the freezer and frig ( hole ) haha it works ever extra hard if i have to plug in the computer to charge when it gets low :P  and then you have the main stays those wires that come off the mast for stability. they also vibrate zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz no wonder Skipper sings and yaks all day long and squaks when all are going at once haha  hes picked up sounds of the barn swallow and he can imitate them to a tee !   im gonna try and see if he will copy the sound of a kookaburra lol 
The most obvious sign is the toilet door that slaps back and forth i you dont jimmy a pillow inbetween her and the wall or she goes fllip bang flip bang  lol and lastly is the motor to the ship that has to run one hour to get the water hot and charge the ships battery sound like a pile driver on cement  :P  and my computer oh and the mp3 player and batteries.   mom and dad didnt call me sonar ears for nothing rofl



AHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhh the quiet of sailing in the Serene soundings of the sea  haha

I will Go where YOU send me , from sea to land and beyond

Hi there just been staying at Erlie Beach for now the winds picked back up at we had 2 days of swells of over 30 knotts at times . I didnt even attempt to fix dinner , we opted for soup and bread for the night and went to bed early . The rain poured down all day and into the night . The boat rocked fiercely almost heeling over from the gunnel at times. It is not always pleasent when trying to read or even take a hot shower before bedtime . We did manage to take the dingy to Erlie Beach point and rope her to the jetty and walk in town to get a few books and rob had a ice cream at Mc donalds i had a sorbet' at baskin in robins . It was kinda wet and muggy and rained in patches the whole time making it more humid . Its almost Summer here in Queensland so that means more heat and humidity .Funny how i have family in USA and its October and they are having cool weather and fall and we are Roasting lol . You dont realize how big the world really is untill you fly across the ocean to another continent. We are getting ready to head back to Yeppoon in a few weeks
if all goes well if not sooner. The gear box is still getting repaired at the marina . We could sail back with the Northerlies but there is no chance in that untill mid November and we need to have the motor fixed to help send us back. I used to think having upkeep on a house or even a rental was expensive ! Geesh it insane all the things that go wrong from the toilet to the autofurler acting up when we sail !  Its been almost 7 months since we first set sail to the Whit Sundays it has been more than a vacation to me more like a life adjustment to the ocean ;)  I dont know where GOD will send us next , but He leads and WE follow . We have seen over 3 dozen islands including harbors and inlets from the most beautiful to the plain but all of them have their own beauty and wonder GOD has created them all beautiful in their own way . Amidst the mozzies and the biting march fies we have had to wack with a egg flip and kill by the dozens , there is still the moments that are the most serene like the 15-20 knot winds and sunny weather when sailing ! or the encounter of the Humpback Whales and their babies a sight to behold to anyone that has never seen such a huge mammal . God is so amazing so unspeakable in all his creation .

above all

Today was one of those wonderful sailing days . Although the motor to the ship was not working we had plently enough wind in the sails for a short time till it dropped off. I took advantage of that time and laying face up on the deck as she gently sailed with the breeze in my hair. I looked up into the sky it was full of pufft white clouds everywhere and the sun was shining through them . The Sun was warm , my laundry was hanging to dry , and it was a good day . I sat and as i looked up into the sky i thought WHAT A MIGHT GOD WE SERVE ! all around me was ocean , ships sailing by and nothing but the hum of the wind generator as it picked up the wind . Lots of questions come to mind when looking up into that endless sky , wonder how far heaven is ? wonder if the angels see me down here ? and these and many more questions come to mind like a small child that asks her father why why why ?  All i know is the Holy Spirit is the Wind in My Sails ;)
as i take a deep breath in to just fill my lungs with the air i Thank God for every blessing he has given me , my family my children , the people i met in the hospital at OSU and Grant Trauma , all the nursing homes and the prisons i was blessed to sing to Gods hurting children . I thank HIM for getting me through the hard times the times i cried so hard that i could not breathe from grief , the times i prayed for the dying . And although people in the USA were constantly persecuting me for sharing the gospel of Jesus i count it all Joy because what i did i did it in Love just as Jesus  did for us on that cross

HE was crucified and laid behind a stone
HE lived to die , rejected and alone
like a rose trampled on the ground
he took the fall
and thought of me
above all                       

The Anchor holds

   

I often wonder how such a huge ship that weighs in over 11 tons can be securely held in place by its anchor .After all it is not very big , nor does it know where to adhere below the sea surface . Man has to find a spot that seems suitable for anchorage, then carefully lowered while adding extra length of chain . Sometimes we find ourselves trying to anchor in the mud or the sand . That would not be a problem but for some anchors they will not secure themselves in the sand without a certain type of anchor called the reef anchor that has arm like projections like a spider on each side allowing to grip the reef or dig into the sand securely .

Most ships whether they are owned or chartered out will have a wench that has a motor to raise and lower them . I often wondered how the sailors threw the anchor overboard without a motor !

You would have to be either very strong or have a dozen men help you . The amazing thing is that a piece of the boat that is so odd looking can securely hold that ship down in the water ! when the wind and swells are raging and the boat will either swing in a half circle and then back again or facing the beam of the swell it will rock the boat side to side or hobby horse her bow to stern .

Personally i dont like the rocking as much as the hobbyhorse ing espically when trying to sleep and your in the stern of the ship . you tend to slide from head to foot and when the swells are very big you just might meet your significant other half way as you are sliding back and forth . I am lucky i have not got sheet or rug burn from it lol

 There is more to a ship and living in her than meets the eye ;)

 above all we have our anchor 

his name is Jesus and he keeps us securely in his sight and under his wings 

and in his precious care 

other anchors may hold for a time , untill the tide shoves them aground 

but our Lord will never leave us stranded He loves his children 

and HIS anchor HOLDS Eternally FOREVER ;)

Footprints in the sand

As most of you have been reading in my postings i do describe with my life experiences on the sea . Not everyone will agree on my views and that is ok ;) GOD made each of us different , no two alike on this Earth
With that when you read my postings i always put GOD in front of my travels , my walk my life . I think the experiences we are given in this lfe on planet Earth are like a footprint in the sand . once walked on the wet sand it leaves the impression of the travelers foot . Although we may not know what kind of person walked on that sand , we know it was a person by the footprint it left .  This is what Jesus did on this Earth .HIS footprint was not just a imprint but a gave us a path for us as sinful humans to follow . At the end of the Trail was the Shed blood of Jesus on that Cross . But although the trail is gone . Through HIS love for us the journey has just begun when We except him as our Lord and Savior .  We may see only one set of the footprints in life but that just means Jesus Is carrying us to our destination !


 We often stop at beaches to stretch our legs and look for shells  and i usually come across footprints of others in the sand , some big feet , others little children , all sizes and shapes coming to and from the beach
and it makes me think " Lord i pray that the people who made those prints know who you are so that in there journey that they take to their destination they are ready to meet you someday . Even just a print on the sand makes me wonder and i stop to pray for those who left the print behind .

A little rain must fall

We have relocated to Shute Harbor
 The rains and winds were getting stronger in the S/E so we had to relocate Happy Bay was not a very happy place to visit :/ i was amazed at the junk on the beach , twisted metal and the beach itself is not people friendly.
most places you can walk on the beach in barefoot . not this one . shoes preferably steel toe would be safer. The trail was about the only nice part of the Island .Sad to see something that is gone neglected by people. We have sailed to over 3 dozen places and this place by far is the most disappointing. The anchorage was good though and it held back the winds up to 25 knots !
 Its now raining very hard on our ship , we have the windows and the hatch battened down ;)This time is used for reading , and sometimes if i am brave enough to tackle the oven and that refrigerator that is a "hole in the ground " lol i will make muffins or a cake . Shute Harbor has a jetty and the marina and bus service all we have to do is get in the dingy and go to the jetty and take a bus to go shopping in town ;)

Its been wild and windy all day long , but hopfully in a few days we will see the sun again :/
I am looking foward to doing my yoga its too cramped to attempt it in the cabin lol
We did do our laundry and Rb hung his outside the cockpit on lines lol then the rain came , mine was inside on a rack thank the Lord :P

Lord Let me be a "light house " for the Lost at sea

It was more than a hearts desire to live in Australia . About a year ago i felt the Lord calling me out of United States , the doors to my life were shutting all around me . And i remember as i was driving home from work one day it felt like i no longer belonged in America , like a ghost just passing through  the strangest feeling to know your there but only for a time . I told the Lord " Lord where ever you need me to go i will follow , send me " then after confessing that i though " just great you dummy what iif he sends you to Africa or Antarctica ?
i was not selective in where God was sending me ! But HE knows are heart , and In November 2009 I met Rob who lived in Queensland , and we feel in love and the rest is history ;)

So with me being a christian and trying to let my light shine , has been a challenge while sailing on the ship.
Nothing stops me from praying for other boaties in my silence. and at times i have chucked a note explaining Gods love and the Salvation of Jesus on it , with a prayer and a hope it will reach someone that needs HIS love . Once i met this lady in the bakery that was crying and i didnt even know her and i told her " i will pray for you dear " i t was as if i felt her heart breaking , she had all she could do to keep half a smile on her face .

Please dont get me wrong i have my moments i enjoy the sea , and have seen so much and feel so blessed
but i am a person that thrives on personal contact , and if i cant talk to someone about Jesus or just be there to comfort them i feel lost out at sea.   Letting my light shine on the sea , being a beacon for the Lost like a lighthouse leading the ships in from the darkness to a safe harbor to anchor , my desire is to be like that .
I know i cant lead them all to Jesus , but Lord let my light shine strong let the warmth of your love be that beacon for them in the dark passages of life . That reminds me of when we motor in the darkness and sometimes you cant see a hand in front of your face only the navigation map and the port and starboard light to guide the way . Jesus is our compass  the Holy Spirit is the wind in our sails  and through faith alone can we navigate safely to our destination .

Some days are just pure Magic ;)

I know i have wrote many of a posting on the negative things with sailing
but its not all negative and gloom and doom with living in a sailing yacht .
Some Evenings when the wind is just a breeze and cool as we are watching the sun go down
on the horizon , Rob and me will have cheese and crackers and fruit and a small glass of wine to end the day. The nice thing about living on the sea is the constant sea breezes that come across your boat . to me its  a built in air conditioning system from The Good Lord Himself ;)  and although the sun may be beating down on you at times , we still have the coolest place to rest in our bunk in the stern of the ship . The hatch is open and the breezes fill the room , it has invited us many of times to take a extra cat nap , and finding ourselves waking up in the middle of the afternoon lol

I have been waking up at 6 am " yes mom 6 am lol " to do my yoga on the deck of the boat
its so nice right when the sun rises , its still cool and the sea breezes surround you too .
In the distance i hear the Sulfur Crested Cockatoos yakking away in the trees , the sea gulls whining and fighting over the bait fish on the shores , and the welcome of the Barn Swallows that land on the ship , just to aggravate Skipper and get him started  lol

Sometimes when Rob is out exploring the mountains or the trails i will set on one of the side wells of the ship and just sun bake like a lizzard untill i hear the humming of his outboard motor ;)
Its the most wonderful place to Read the Good Book and listen to what the Lord is speaking to my heart today .
when the water is calm we take advantage of it with a little snorkeling  
Its something you have to experience for yourself to appreciate the vast beauty of the sea and the creatures in it .
When i look down from my mask and take slow deep breaths from my snorkel , and let me body just float on the top of the water , i feel like im apart of the sea. The fish swim in schools and somtimes right up to look you in the face to see " what the heck is that in our backyard ?" lol  The coral is so huge and so many different types and colors its just amazing . Rob pointed out a blue star fish ! it was cobalt blue and so bright i have never seen something so beautiful .

Days like these are just pure Magic ;)
and these are the days you enjoy living on a boat !

just like home Things get broke , wear out and wont work even on a boat !

Just like a home from the minor to the major repairs and mishaps , things get broke on the sailboat too.
We have went in one month to first the wind generator to the water pump that decided it would give up the ghost when we were in the middle of the ocean trying to motor in 0 winds ! and then came the toilet that stopped flushing and Rob had to rip out the lines , and clean it out and figure what was blocking the piping . Next came in Inverter the power supply to the boat , it decided to blow up right after little over 5 months !
Just like a home , your boat will encounter the lovely little things that are a pain in the backside.!
Now its the anchor wench ? ! Oh why not just add to the beauty of more complication on a nice quiet sailing adventure lol  Guess its a blessing we dont have a washer and dryer ( portable ) those go on the fritz too after while so handwashing is the least at expense . If your Skipper is handy at fixing things count yourself blessed and that GOD has sent a mechanical angel amongst a skilled sailor. If i was just me on the boat i would be fixing EVERYTHING the yankee way with DUCT TAPE ! lol    when we have the radio on and we listen in on the schedules of report from the charter boats that people will spend thousands to just have a few days to sail for their vacation . We hear anything from " my toilet wont flush " to " the anchor will not lower"
to " i cant get the water recycle r to work "      and they are stuck till help arrives at their own expense of sometimes 150.00 a hour !  so much for enjoying a relaxing time with family when the Lou wont flush !!

It gets down right comical to hear some of the reports that come in you wonder why cant they keep a check on the charter boats and make sure they are in running condition before turning them loose with inexperienced people that just wanna feel the wind in their hair and sun on their face !  but things break they wear out just like home sweet home  the good thing is  We dont have to make sure the Grass is mowed  hahah

to keep up with the Joanses.

what me and Jessica Watson have in common ;)

Remember the young girl that sailed in her pink sailboat across the Ocean alone.
did you know we both have one thing in common . It is not sailing , or that we live in Australia , its not even that shes a girl .  We both have  Dyslexia 
what is it ?
dyslexia is a learning disability that can hinder a person's ability to read, write, spell, and sometimes speak. Dyslexia is the most common learning disability in children and persists throughout life. The severity of dyslexia can vary from mild to severe. The sooner dyslexia is treated, the more favorable the outcome; however, it is never too late for people with dyslexia to learn to improve their language skills.
t is caused by an impairment in the brain's ability to translate images received from the eyes or ears into understandable language. It does not result from vision or hearing problems. It is not due to mental retardation, brain damage, or a lack of intelligence.

All my life i have had problems in school , it seemed as if the words or letters were turned around like looking into a mirror. and direction , spelling as you can see in some of my words that dont get spell checked will either be mixed up or doubled or even missing or misspelled . Jessica Watson also has those problems
but she didn't let that stop her from her goal of sailing around the world . I still to this day at age 46 get wind direction and even processing information backwards . I just have to do things hands on and over and over again untill i get them right . That includes tying knot's , steering the ship in the wind  the right way .  It can be frustrating for me when learning new things . I have always wanted to memorize the Bible scriptures but that was hard for me when i would get the index of the chapters backwards :/  So i just take one scripture at a time and read it over and over till its locked in my memory .  It was always a struggle in my work life working around charting with being a medical Technician the patients lives are in your hands and the charting has to be done the right way or someone could get hurt or even killed .  I would spend hours going over the patients charts making sure i wrote in the right area the vitals .   Its not  something you tell everyone it is kinda embarrassing. But i have found in the scriptures that most of GOD"S disciples had problems not one of them was perfect but GOD used them in mighty ways . I used to think my disability was a shame to talk about
but when i heard about little Jessica Watson and what she did in spite of her dyslexia it made me realize that i too can do anything if my heart and mind is set on it . So now you know why my spelling looks funny at times or theirs typos or missing letters lol
I have over come so many difficulties in  my life and dyslexia is just one small thing compared to
others . God is so good he takes the Ashes and turns them into beauty like a piece of coal that looks useless
 except for warmth , little do we realize when pressure is added to the coal over time that ugly looking lump of coal turns into a precious diamond !  We too are like that in Gods eyes he puts the pressure on us at times not because he hates us but because he loves us , and tempers us like gold tried in the fire heated until one day we can see our refection in it !  the Reflection of God .  Not over night will this process happen , it will with time and trial , fault and sometimes failure . At the End of the journey when a christian is then called home to be with the Father in heaven  we will be Transformed from that lump of coal to one of his precious diamonds !So when you feel the pressure in life and you think HE dont love you remember that lump of coal and what happens to it .

We have a GOD that loves us beyond all our faults and disabilities
What a loving father
his name is JESUS !

Winds and Swells and Rain Oh my !

We have been in both Nara inlett and Maccona inlett for almost 5 days now
the winds are topping 25-35 knotts with open sea swells of 3 meters ! It is too swelly to sail to Erlie Beach right now , Nara  and Macoona are safe  anchorages for the boats from the direct winds in open waters
sailing is far too dangerous for a sailing yacht let alone a catamaran that is even lighter ! Me and Rob try to find things to do beside aggravate each other lol  We read books , he plays the guitar and writes poems for songs , i blog and facebook when i can get reception , we cant do laundry the wind will rip it right off the line into the sea . We take alot of naps , and we keep lots of popcorn on hand for a movie on the dvd player on my computer . It has also been raining and the winds will seem to die down then gust out of nowhere.
A couple of days ago we anchored near the reefs edge  NOT! and we had to move trax cause she was dragging her anchor into the reef . Here we was in the dark with only a few stars around and had to navigate her farther away from the other boats . They Have Anchor lights on their masts so we could see them
but the visibility was crap ;/ so we inched our way farther out away from the reef . Later on another boat tired to anchor where we was and sure enough they had to move cause they was also dragging their anchor .

Soon as the winds ease we can hoist the sails and head back for Erlie Beach
we are getting low on vittles lol thats yankee talk for food  ya'll lol
 Since we are sheltered from the direct wind from the S/W we still have to deal with the tide swinging us in a circle and a occasional "thump" from Elvis our dingy smacking into the boat . i used to hate anchoring in windy weather but after awhile you get used to it . some nights you dont sleep as well for fear of running a ground with the boat in low tides , or swinging into another boat by dragging anchor . Its all apart of living on the sea and now that i have been on the sea for about 6 months it does get easier to adjust to ;)
I guess if i had prior experience with a sailboat like Rob my Skipper does it would have made the transition easier from city Gal to Sea Worthy lol
Skipper our budgie is already Australian so no wonder he is adjusted to the sea life hehe
but i am learning and i finally know how to tie a stinking bow line and cleat off the rope when we have to put her near the ramp to fuel up . It used to be a nightmare for me i almost fell in water trying to help rob get her cleeted off and close enough to the jetty but not to close that we would scrape the paint of her side she still had side fenders to protect her from the rubbing but we popped a few of them trying to get her in the jetty and away from the other boats . I hated that part and tried to hide from Rob but you cant hide to well in a 38ft yacht he will find me anyway lol  so i swallowed my pride and kept trying till i finally got it right !
maybe cause im dyslexic could be another reason for why its been so difficult for me to learn the knotts and even the wind direction lol    Thats another story :P  

Happy Sailing !!!

a small miracle in A BIG OCEAN

This is Skipper my budgie Rob bought him on my B day
hes just a baby and with us being out on the sea , we decided to clip only one wing
which was a big mistake we made . We keep him in his cage and the onnly time he is allowed out is when the hatch to the bottom of the cabin is shut , so he will not fly off . We set sail for beautiful Blue Pearl Bay to do some snorkling and taking film . The day was perfect warm , sunny and a little windy nothing unusual .

After snorkeling we took a nap the cabin below and left skipper in his cage
i was just waking up when i heard silence and only wings take flight . I ran to the top of the cockpit
and skipper was not in his cage . now mind you we are in 100 ft of sea water no land ,and the only thing was going through my mind was " OH GOD dont let him drown " i was so upset , i looked over the side of the ship and called out for him , fearing a larger bird got him or worse a big fish . " Rob kept trying to tell me to relax he would look for him , i immediately yelled out " Jesus please keep skipper safe till we find him "
i said " i know his only a budgie but please keep him safe LORD "  i searched with rob everywhere for him and still no sign . I looked into the blue water fearing the worst and then Rob came from behind me with a fishing net and i thought " great hes drowned i dont wanna see that Dear GOD " and i lifted a soaking wet budgie that was out of breath out of the net and rushed him into my arms with a warm towel to warm him up from the water.
Rob saved skipper ? How? we searched 15 mins for him !
Rob said he found him at the back of the stearn near the exhaust pipe   holding on with his feet and flapping to keep afloat in the water .

There are thousands of fish in the sea , sharks as well as sea birds that could have caught skipper
but he was safe , not a scratch was on him .
I held him close on my chest with the towel over him dried him off , and a few hours later
he was back chirping and singing like nothing happened .
I may have seen only a few things close to a miracle in my life
but this was one day i will never forget .  
Matthew 7:11
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

Luke 12:7
Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
 and then the Holy Spirit reminded me that , even the smallest of things that we think we lost God is there and he knows where we are at every waking minute , every second of every day of our life , and that little birdy was no exception . While things that seem so impossible to man NOTHING is impossible for GOD not even the sea the wind and waves can match his power ! I had just witnessed a small miracle in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef !   Skipper is safe , and we now keep him under lock and key all his doors and areas he found a small opening and escaped :/  so Rob helped me wire up the areas of the doors and the feeding windows to keep him safe .  He has earned his Sea legs and is now Sea worthy ;) I must have cried thank you to Rob countless times and above to my JESUS who is above all my Life Saver !  and He saved my little skipper .

Dont ever let anyone tell you GOD dont preform miracles in this day and age
HE still is on the Throne in heaven waiting to bless you and give you your hearts desire !
 He knew that i loved my little budgie and he made sure skipper was floating safely till Rob came to rescue him .  and you dont t think you are  that important to the LORD ???

we come from different worlds

I wanted to show you this pic it was not taken by me but my hubby
that loves to climb mountains , he climbed the highest mountians overlooking the Nara Inlett where our boat was anchored. He wanted me to come with him but i am not good at climbing , and the bugs drive me batty when i try it. I have made several attempts to try and do some of the things he loves , but i guess this is not one of them . I also dont like heights , and maybe that is why i hyperventilate ?? lol He climbs them in no time flat he took film of the top of the mountain looking down . I seen him from my boat , like a small bird on a ledge , i didnt dare get scared , but i was a little worried about him . I guess its the Ozzie in him the bush man he will always be , and maybe we dont like some things , like i like yoga and listening to my mp3 player , writing poems and writing in my blog , and he is all out doors ! He knows a lot about the Trees and flowers and the wildlife in Australia . Thats my guy !  and when he was on that mountain  i was waiting for him making him his favorite pancakes and ginger marmalade with cream ;)
GOD is unique in how he has created man and woman  so different
but complements one another perfectly ;)  I may never climb that mountian
but i know who created the mountain and although it may seem to hard for me
i am reminded that with GOD nothing is IMPOSSIBLE , his power could crush the biggest mountain

Rob is truly a man of GOD and i am blessed to have him climb the mountains i cant in life he is there beside me when i feel i cant do something , always encouraging me  just like JESUS !

As close to heaven as you can get ;)

I wanted to show this to you 

This is as close to Heaven you will get ! it;s a pic of Hill Inlett near tongue Bay 

Amazing , how can anyone not except that there is a God that has created something so beautiful as this !

the sand is pure white , mixed with azure blue and green 

and to swim in it , reminds me of the blue Lagoon ( movie ) the waters are warm and inviting 

and the sea life welcomes you , even the sting rays that lay on the bottom give way and share it with you 

all kinds of salt water sea life you can ever see! and you think you seen it all at the zoo ?

the Great Barrier reef is so amazing " did you know it is so big that astronauts can view it from the space shuttle on the moon !

So the next time you hear someone saying " how do you know God is real " show them this pic !

and just think our God is so big his tiny toe will fit in the Great Barrier Reef !

What a mighty GOD we serve !

 

 

Its Raining !

Its raining here at the Whitt Sundays , We have moved to Shute Harbour to weather out the N/W storm . the rain is pouring down on the boat . We are in her locked up safe and tight till then. Now can you imagine being in a 38 ft sailboat and stuck there for 4 days with NO tv?? just books , and the radio and the squaking budgie lol.

Hopfully it will not be a long rain and we can get on dry land soon . This time is when i read the Good Book and take time to meditate on what God is speaking to my heart about .

Life on the sea is more than just the scenery its the experience , the people you meet , and i have met some quite interesting people in Australia , from the backpackers that come to the Whitt Sundays to travel some from Germany , France even Malaysia . Some come on foot  and sail with charters on a sailboat , others will come in caravans and drive from the mainlands . Its a amazing place a mix of so many cultures here but not like America where you see the strife and stress . There is a big difference between the USA and here .

Well off to read the Good Book
hehe reminds me of the days when i would visit my gramma and there she would be on the rocking chair with the Bible in her hands and it was always a new discussion in scriptures . She had the mind of a steel trap and never forget a thing ! but was always there for us grandkids when we had a question about the Lord .
and she loved the Rain lol would open up that big house and let the fresh air come in , of course Grandpa B would fuss about it , but she always had her way with him lol . so when you i see the rain it reminds me of the times God will send the rain for a reason , not just to quench  dry Australia and its life on the sands and seas
but to quench our thirst for HIM HE is the rain ;)

God bless
Yankee Gurl 

saling days are never the same type twice !

hey its me the new ozzie in training lol here is a pic of rob and i sailing in perfect weather
although the swells were 1.7 meters and knotts were 15-20 knotts
it was a amazing day we were gybing with the wind and it was like the swells where the surf and trax was our surfboard . they came from the side heeling her over normally and the wind would just push her along
we were going almost 8 knotts !

these are the good sailing days , when shes in the wind
and the waves just work in harmony to her as we were headed north to
Erlie Beach
We even got to get some rest for a change lol
usually you cant do that with her knocking you side to side
or riding the breaking beam jmping like a bucking bronco .
im starting to relax to sailing at night , at first i was freaked out by it
i could not see 2 feet in front of my face , and we was suppose to trust this stinking navigator ?
ray marine  lol Well God is always my Captian , and rob is the skipper
im just one of the apostles that freaks when the waves look like they will eat you crying out "save me Lord "

You learn to not use fear when sailing , it makes it worse and you cant think properly .
So i watch rob when he sails and so far im getting pretty good at steering her into the wind as he hoists the sails !

Still given a choice i would rather have a catamaran they are less rolly
and more comfortable a ride
and have more room
but who has 300,000 doallars to spend
on one ?
We see alot of older couples sailing , amazing ! they are in their 50s 60 and even 70s
living in their cats ( catamarans ) lol
we are just young whipper snappers to them :P
All in all its a wonderful life on the sea
who can say they have dolphins out there back door that come visit and ride the bow
to say hello
Happy Sailing

keeping ship shape?

When i was in America , i had the concrete to run on and a gym to go to , when you go from all the things you take for granted such as simple things as this , you step back and find out just what a change it is to move to a whole new world ! So now your wondering how does one stay in shape on a 38 ft monohull sailboat ?
Well i have found out that when the wind is calm or a light breeze i can get away with putting my sticky mat on the deck and doing yoga . Its great for balance espically when she does tend to rock to one side then the other at times lol . Its amazingly peaceful just you and the wind at your face the gulls and the sea and GOD . The meditation is wonderful . I also do Pilates and push ups . If the weather is good me and rob take walks on the beaches somtimes we run , or walk the trails on some of them if they are handy.  Also i have changed my diet
to taking out milk, wheat gluten , and sugar . It was hard at first but i feel alot better. the first week i was so hungry i had headaches from the withdrawl of sugar :/ but others that we know dennis and kylie and their kids are on this life change ( diet ) and its really great for a detox of the whole body and the gut .

At first i was drawn to the cream buns and cakes all the lovely things a ozzie has
the tim tams and you name it even  pavolva   ( sugar cake ) i gained 20 lbs ! Dear Lord never been that heavy in all my life . So you quickly learn to eat those things in moderation :P
Now that i am not working time is on my hands and i can make time for my body and my health
and i think i feel better here than in the States .   the fruits here are so good , jack fruit , rambutans, and passion and pawpaw fruits not to mention coconuts . They also eat kangaroo just like the usa eats deer
low in fat and very healthy for you too .

Well thats it for now i am headed to sit on deck with rob
yachty style with a glass of red wine and cheese and crackers
Happy sailing !

Scawfell Island the Home of the Giant Clams

Hi everyone , just a quick line to say we have left scawfell island , had a lovely time snorkling and just taking in the breeze . I made veggie soup and it almost reminds me of Grandmas :) well not quite , hers was amazing all the time . Just the smell brought back memories of her in the kitchen cooking . I am blessed to have her as my grandma the one that told me about Jesus when i was younger , took me to bible school , and told me about the Great I AM . She's one in a million . Still with us at age 93! amazing !

We snorkled at Scawfell it was so nice i tried to get good pics with the water cam but i only got a few :(
oh well we have alot of places to explore i will get to show you the sea life and all the fishes too soon when we get to Hook island .

Have a G day
happy sailing

Rob , deb , and skipper (the boatie budgie ) lol 

The mozzies ( mosquitoes ) and the sand flies VS ME!

The one thing i HATE is mozzies and sandflies . They are real big here in Australia and can be found conveniently hidden in the mangroves untill low tide and evening  then they ATTACK . I  have R.I.D a product here in Australia that stinks so bad it gives you a headache :/  but given a choice of being bitten or wearing long sleeved shirts and pants in hot weather . Ill take the chemicals thank you :P I thought the USA had a bad issue with these buggers , i was so wrong . when you have to move to other places to hide the boat in safe anchorage its somtimes a give or take issue " do you want to rock and roll all night long in the swells " or move to a quite anchorage with your neighbors the BUGS !  If given a choice i would chose the sand flies , after almost going insane at Percy island with them in the lagoon i have found that liquid fabric softner works wonders lasting 4-6 hours as long as you dont wash it off !. Mozzie Coils are not pleasant smelling and give me major migraines. They are ok out side the boat not inside . Sand flies are so small you can see them land on you , they are smaller than a gnat and will bite you and leave a red circle where they bit you .  they hate anything oily on you so the more you load it on your skin the better . This time around im taking NO prisoners they better stay out of my way i  have a rolled up tea towel and a good supply of RID to kill them ...   So make my DAY !!!

 

from washers /dryers to buckets and line drying

I think the United States spoiled me to much . I was well equipped with a full size washer and dryer when i wanted to , i never took a second thought to what it would be like on the sea . Going from such things that we often take for granted in life , we may think its nothing , just the basics of living .... untill you make a sailboat and the sea your home. You just cant wash your clothes where and when you want to . If its humid forget it you might as well  blow on them yourself to dry them when wet . This was learned very quickly myself when you wait 3 days to dry your wet clothes on a line and pray that mother nature will get them dry before the sun goes down.On top of that is the wonderful essence not like the cuddly fabric softener sheets you toss in the dryer . this is a smell of damp musty sea salt mixed with fish scent  yum yum ! lol  I used to drive my mom nuts changing clothes 3, 4, 5 times a day and throwing them back into the dirty laundry :/ Sorry mom  i guess what comes around  goes around  now i really know what she did to try and keep house and home clean and tidy . Forget washing jeans all the time , just trying to wring them out will turn your hands to hamburger :/ amagine a full set of jeans no washer only your hands to wring them out  ouch!  so i wait till i get to a marina to a laundry mat instead  Now about white clothes , NEVER wear white clothes on the boat , started out with a few shirts and a pair of shorts that were sparkling white now they are a nice shade of Gray ! washing them in sea water will not get them any cleaner dont even attempt this one . I know you see other yachtsman sporting the white , and God knows how they keep them clean , i would guess they just pitch them out when dingy and buy new ones ? its a well hidden secret i guess . We have also lost many a nickers ( you guys call them underware ) sent with the wind into the ocean maybe mother nature needed an extra pair for her wardrobe ?? cause rob and i have lost several refuges too the wind ! No i didnt dive into the water at 100 ft below sea level to retrieve the buggers the fish can have em for all i care lol  So ............. do you still wanna sail  hehe

the creatures we encounter on the sea and beaches

  Hi There Yankee Gurl Down under here ! We found this big boy upside down on the shores of Leeks Beach near Keppel Island . He was washed in with the high tides and must have been there 6 hours . The birds were trying to pick him to death . Luckily me rob and 4 other boaties got him flipped over and righted up so he could           head back to the sea . We encounter this alot , most of them are smaller , this guy was enormous ! and we could not even pick him up to help him . but we kept water on him as he slowly inched his self back to the ocean . Then with a last deep breath he poked his head out of the water as if to say Goodbye and thanks ;)
He was very docile not at all mean towards us . I think also he was so tired from getting himself uprighted . I  had rob take a pic with me to show you just how big this sea turtle was !  Never seen one that big in all my life you could have rode on him lol  we estimated he was at least 90 years old ! from the size of him What a amazing day we had we got to rescue a sea turtle ! Days like these make me happy to be on the sea at the right place and right time !

Snorkling with safety in mind around sharks

I wanted to send this to people that fear sharks and other dangerous things in the Great barrier Reef .

But First of all to tell you why Sharks attack .  you have to remember that all fish have a very sensitive built in radar and their hearing is 10 times more keen than ours . Scientist have discovered that whales will send sonar waves to one another with low pitched moans over 10 miles away !!  and all fish even the shark can hear a boat motor 1 or 2 miles away . To swim with safety you never swim like the people on the beach do splashing and screaming top of your lungs , they can hear it and to them it sounds like wounded fish for dinner ! We snorkel in pairs never alone . Never at sunset or when the sun is coming up , that is feeding time for sharks . Surfers are also attacked because of the sound the rudder in the board makes as the surfer is surfing over the waves , sort of like a rudder to a ship it gives off vibration .  when you snorkel , you slip quietly into the shallow water never flipping and splashing but quiet is the key. and never probe or poke fish espically the big ones , they might have a go at you if you tick them off . RESPECT this is their home NOT YOURS. Use your eyes and look around when swimming , you will know if a intruder such as a shark is approaching all the fish will SCATTER !! if you are fearful animals will sense the fear , they smell it , dont snorkel if you are afraid . hope this helps ;) Try snorkling on a charter boat first they are skilled at where the safest places are to snorkel . Sharks are not always the Bad guys :/  amagine if you were around thousands at a beach screaming and yelling splashing , wouldnt you think it was injured fish ? lol  Sometimes people are the dumb ones !

Ask and you shall recieve ;)

G'day from Yankee gurl here ! yesterday me and rob went to North Keppel Island and trolled for a couple hours to get a bite . We look out in the huge sea and think about the millons of fish in the huge sea swimming , one is bound to take our bait. Then i am reminded that GOD created all things big and small , and we prayed and asked HIM to bless our bait and poles . Sounds strange from other points of view , but in one hour rob's pole was singing away and he handed it to me to reel in . It was a huge 43 inch spanish mackerel .

what a might GOD we serve !! HE has created the seas and land all creation is in his hands and NOTHING is too hard for our Lord . We now have enough food for 10 days . When you think your life is so insignificant with GOD and you seem so small compared to the sea  GOD is there shouting down he loves us and he provides for his children without a second thought of what we need . Maybe it may not be what we want in life but it will always be what we need ;)

GOD bless
and happy sailing !

birthday blessings on and off shore ;)

Hi everyone , sorry i have not written , yesterday Sept 1st was my 46th birthday .
This is a pic of my new extended family from Yeppoon, Queensland in Australia . They have been more than just friends since i have stepped foot on Australian soil . They are family . when the Summer comes we will be back on the mainland around November , close to Christmas time , i am so excited this year i have not just a new Husband to share my life with . I have a family of GOD that has taken me in like i was one of their own .Accent and all this Country Yankee is finally feeling like this is home . God is awsome in the fact he knows our needs both on shore and on the mainland . HE is amazing , uncomprehending, unstoppable, all powerful
and all knowing at all times . For him to see me as i was in the United states and now i have more that i could ever be blessed to have . Gods family goes beyond the regular family at home and reaches even to the land down under . To see that many people there to sing and wish me happy b day brought tears to my eyes
and i felt like i was already a Ozzie ;)

2nd time around

When i first got to Australia , i thought i knew everything about sailing , but i was wrong , i new very little about it . So the first trip up North to the Whitt Sundays was very new for me. I did enjoy the scenery and the sea life  . But sailing and learning to live in such small quarters was not easy . When you come from a small city and have a large wardrobe of clothing and shoes to living with only a small closet that holds snap top lids of your clothing and everything you will wear has to fit in there. Just amagine a small plastic box what can fit in it , this includes shirts , shorts , and even underclothes . There is not enough room for clothes to hang in the closet , i do have a small space for hanging a few garments , but the problem with that is they tend to get damp from the sea breeze and salt. i have come from also a full size washing machine and dryer to washing out of 2 buckets in cold salt water , and hanging them on a line in the ship to hopefully dry before the sun goes down . Showers were another issue with me , i was so used to letting the warm water fall on me for about 20 mins and taking my time enjoying the moment. You cant do that on the ship . Fill it with warm water in the sink and take a sponge bath in less than a sink of water , im also including washing your hair . that is not possible in the boat everyday . I was used to washing mine everyday , not so on the boat you are lucky to wash it 1 once a week ! aghhhh . I got used to pulling it up in the pony tail and wearing a hat .    So we are headed AGAIN up north , this time i know what to expect when we sail  so it wont be as bad . I wish she would magically grow into a catamaran with a full frig and washing machine !

I did miss Hill inlet the pic above that was one beautiful place it was amazing and just for the time there i didnt think about the washing machine or the hairdryer lol
i think GOD put it there for people like me that have difficulty in adjusting to sailing and as a retreat from the confines of the boat ;) 

adapting to sailing

I must admit what i thought would be very easy to adapt to with my life in the USA was not. It may look like sailing is a piece of cake but for me i never sailed let alone clear up to the Whit Sundays following the Great Barrier Reef . Steering the ship was quite nerve wracking and i had to learn to relax and not override her when navigating . Rob is a good skipper he knows when we have to use the for sail or change to just the main sail and i get the names of the ropes and which to pull at the right times. I am more comfortable at steering now than what i was . If you have never been on a monohull sailboat its shape is similar to a v and it will rock side to side sometimes leaning ( heeling over ) which used to scare the crap out of me ! and then you have the times she ( the ship ) will hobby horse or bob from bow to stern . that is ok with me unless we are jumping over huge swells in mid air . My poor hubby he is so patient with me and he tries not to get frustrated with me at times i forget things.
The one thing i have learned is just because to see people sailing and it looks like a piece of cake , its not what you think. Sailing has its times like the pic i showed you when the sea is like glass and calm , or a hint of a breeze and you can sit on the deck as she motors . but other times its down right scary . You never know when the wind will change and you have to be in tune with the weather and the navigation or course on top of that and avoiding things like reefs and rocks or other boats coming at you .   But the beauty is you can go where you want to epically if you own you boat . I kinda feel sorry for the charter boats , they have only a few days to try and see places and if the weather is bad , to bad you still have to try and snorkel in cold or cloudy weather :/ and not always do they have a good time , used boats have issues from the bilge pump that goes out causing a flooding in the ship to the radio not working . Those people spend alot of money to just have a taste of what me and rob were blessed to have . God bless them for that .. rob would make a excellent guide and captian he knows everything about the sea .  I know there will be people who will never get to sail but i hope that with my blog i can let them peek into my life and just for a moment get to feel what its like to sail and go places . That is one reason i started this blog , to share my blessings not horde them .

God gives you moments in life to share and this is one of them .   the Percy Islands
Ever seen the Lord of the Rings ??? its almost like your living there . its full of such beauty your eyes just cant comprehend . we walked that 3 mile path up to the homestead to see kate and John and thousands of butterflies were flying around everywhere its was like a fairy forest something so magical and it took my breath away . the trees you see in the pic are pandanas  they love the tropical parts of the forest where water is near and the roots are huge , storing water and nutrients in them while in drought times. they are very adaptable
lol wish i could be like them ;)