Paradise lost

It’s not all fun and games living aboard. Shortly after a beautiful paddle around Sugarloaf Bay Jack and I both came down with what our English friends call the dreaded lurgy. Is it flu? Bad colds? We don’t know, but we were nearly flattened by chills, fever, stuffy noses, coughing, the whole works. We knew we needed to get closer to civilization so we dropped our mooring, made the 10:15 bridge opening out of Middle Harbour and motored to Rose Bay hoping for an unoccupied courtesy mooring. We picked up the last available of the six and within minutes we were tucked away in the corner of this very large open bay, exhausted and sniffling. 




The next day Jack dragged himself to shore, beached the heavy dinghy and walked to a small grocery store for fruit and other supplies. We’ve spent the past three gorgeous sunny days collapsed in the cockpit, napping, reading, sniffling, coughing and promising each other we’d feel better tomorrow. This is unusual for us, as we generally bounce back pretty quickly from any germs we come across, so this is a particularly virulent bug. We don’t even know where we picked it up but I  suspect public transportation is the culprit. 

Surprised this guy could park in the middle of the road like that but there he sat for a day and a half.



Late yesterday afternoon eight super yachts anchored in the bay to shelter from the predicted strong southerly winds overnight. And as the light faded in the evening there were Friday night races as far as we could see, big boats, small boats, an America’s Cup class excursion boat, a square-rigger, a cruise ship and the omnipresent seaplanes, paddleboarders, kayakers, rowers and boardsailors. There were so many start guns going off in a row that Jack says it sounded like a rolling broadside from an old time man o’ war. We had a lot to entertain us and we’re happy that we chose this active bay as our sanitarium. Still, we’d rather be healthy and doing all the things in Sydney we haven’t got around to yet. 


On another brave trip ashore Jack threw himself on the mercy of a local pharmacist who set us up with some stronger meds  that seem to be doing the trick. We think we’ve turned the corner but as luck would have it, we ran out of good weather. Today we’re socked in with wind and rain and fog so thick that Sydney seems to have disappeared. 


We console ourselves with the thought that even the wealthy guests on the super yachts are staring out at the gloom and looking for another book to read. It doesn’t phase the racers, though. 

4 Comments

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4 Responses to Paradise lost

  1. Elizabeth Wright

    Beware, the cough from that virus lasts for weeks, JB and I have both had it. Hopefully being on the water will take the place of the vaporizer we needed at night and you’ll be feeling better soon!

  2. JACK…. MARCE…. Saw your post and it brought back so many Friday night memories of the harbour, kick the bug into touch and get down to the CYC in Rushcutters for a curative Rum, not sure who is running the show these days but I’m sure you will be welcomed as international guests, Wednesday is a good night 🙂
    Rehua

  3. Cindy Balfour

    So sorry you guys got the crud. We had it here a few weeks ago I thought I was going to die. Glad you are starting to pull out of it.

  4. Bruce L. Bly

    I don’t get to read all of your posts, but really do appreciate sharing your journey, even the sniffles… fair winds and sunny skies to you… and good health to boot… Jack’s old music mate, Bruce Bly.

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