Starved of kids!

We've met only one other boat with kids on it in the more than 3 months since leaving Hobart. So the kids have at times been pretty starved of time with other kids. This situation has been firmly defeated in the last few weeks in Port Macquarie however.

Ava takes Sam for a row

The kid drought breaks on Aratika 2

Purely through serendipity Em's sister and family were holidaying at nearby Bonny Hills for a week so we had a great time hanging out with them. The kids surfed, played games and generally carried on with their cousins. Also visiting Port in the same week were some great friends from Canberra and Coffs Harbour so we enjoyed the company of adults and kids alike.

The continuing theme of meeting really nice friendly people along the way has also continued in Port Macquarie as we were befriended by a local cheese maker and his family (Em's idea of heaven). So not only did we get to try some awesome local soft cheeses from the hills of nearby Comboyne but we also enjoyed some really great company. Ray, the cheese maker, is also a shipwright and has just brought a yacht down from Coffs Harbour to do up and sell.

More importantly they have three great kids that our girls have enjoyed playing with. They also introduced us to the locally brewed Black Duck beer, for which we are grateful. It's terrific to see small boutique cheese, beer etc being made here in Port Macquarie.

Of course the girls continue to be spoilt by grandparents, great grandparents and great uncles and aunts. Their Gran has had them building ginger bread houses, finishing school assignments and swimming at the local pool. They even scored a tennis lesson this week from their Great Uncle Peter.

The house just seconds before being devoured

Tennis Coaching

D'Arcy reads to her Great Grandparents

We also took the time this last week to do a fantastic walk here in Port Macquarie that runs about 10km along the beaches from Lighthouse Beach to Town. It must be one of the better day walks in Australia for sure.  Forest, beaches to swim at and a blue sky day made it a great outing.

Whomping Willow

On the walk

So we are really enjoying the fact that it is school holidays at the moment and the weather here is just superb. Blue skies, light winds and warm ocean days. We are looking North again now though and hope for a window to sail the 70nm up to Coffs Harbour in the next week or two. When we can line up tides, wind and swell we will set sail again. From there we will continue North and East to stay ahead of anything resembling winter.