My Mum and Family
Another year of change was heading our way
During the late 1970's, Marion and Ron along with their two children often travelled from their home at Dalton on the Southern Tables of New South Wales to visit Marion's Mother and Father
(Margaret Hinchliffe & Fredrick Gould Dinning) who lived at Charmhaven on the Central Coast of New South Wales, this was when Ron and Marion discovered the village of Mannering Park which is located on the South / Eastern shore of Lake Macquarie N.S.W. as it was only 10 kilometres from Charmhaven.
In 1986 after returning from New Zealand, Ron an Marion sold their property in Dalton and purchased this little house at 1 Greenway Avenue Mannering Park New South Wales. The house was right across from the lake and there was a well worn track made to and from by us all. Alan and Cath Roy lived by the lake, we instantly all hit it off, we were able to share many good times with Alan, Cath and their family over the years.
It soon became the norm for Ron and Marion's children to bring along their mates for weekends and holidays, Sonya's regulars being Justine, Linda, Anthea, and Chris with Malcolm, Gavin, Nathan, there were plenty of local kids about as well. The house was pretty well bursting at the seams most weekends and holidays, and we just had to grimace when we got to the checkouts to pay for all the food, but no one can ever say they did not have a great time which was our reward, and importantly for us we always knew where our kids were and that they were safe.
Fun, Relaxation and play were the order of the day
There was always plenty of laughter at RKB's expense when he 'Fell Off' the water ski's.
All good things must come to an end, as the children grew into their teenage years the weekends away from the city grew less appealing. Initially Spree II was sold and replaced with a Farr 6000, a 20 foot Trailer Sailer, as neither Ron nor Marion had any experience with sailing boats, Marion thought it would be a good idea to purchase a book called How to Sail - 3 weeks later we joined the Mannering Park Sailing Club, racing every Saturday - we were hooked.
This was a busy year
Ron and Marion took the family to the Whitsunday Islands where they chartered a yacht - it was a 33 footer.
Marion and Ron headed off to England to attend the wedding of Sarah Gaywood and Billy, they decided to have a good look around the UK, hiring a car for their stay and travelled, England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
When they purchased Starlight Express she was lying in Pittwater, a location she would return to many times.
Marion and Ron were members of the Greenwich Flying Squadron sailing club which was located quite close to their home in Lane Cove, they raced Starlight Express every Wednesday afternoon and Saturdays with the GFS. The Saturday races were confined to Sydney harbour and became somewhat constrained for Ron and Marion. After visiting a number of Yacht clubs around Sydney Harbour and Pittwater (Broken Bay) it was decided to approach the prestegious Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in Rushcutter Bay.
The C.Y.C.A. had a short haul division that offered offshore races most weekends. Ron and Marion were still very 'Green' saliors and the short haul races helped them hone their skills. Starlight Express was moured near Longueville jetty which was some distance up river from the C.Y.C.A.
As Ron and Marion and Starlight Express were deeply embeeded in the C.Y.C.A. they were offered a Marina Berth at C.Y.C.A. in Rushcutters Bay.
Over the next few years both Marion and Ron both worked hard in their respective careers during the week and enjoyed sailing Starlight Express with the C.Y.C.A. on the weekends.
We purchased Sea-D from Charles and Beryl Dorman, we moved her down to the C.Y.C.A. Marina in Rushcutter Bay Sydney. Sea-D was re rigged, new sails, new communications systems, instruments, radar and auto pilot installed. As our shakedown cruise to test all out we entered the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Annual Yacht Race. On Boxing Day we crossed the start line at 13:00, we had on board with us as racing crew, Warren Cottis, Chris Burchell, Sonya Burchell. . Sea-D crossed the finish line at Coffs Harbour at 12.32 on 29th December, taking 1st place in our Division. Sea-D was ready, were we?
In March we departed Sydney for Auckland, New Zealand, we had on board making the passage to New Zealand our sailing friends and often competitors Kiwis Dick and Pat Goldstiver, who had sailed their Yacht 'Suspence' from New Zealand to Sydney and later campained the Racing Yacht 'Ice Fire'. In April Marion and Ron put themselves to the test, departing Auckland N.Z. heading for the A'tata Island in the Kingdom of Tonga. We were taking part in the New Zealand Island Cruising Regatta to Tonga.
The months May to October saw us cruising Tonga including the islands of the Ha'apai's and Vavua, then onto Fiji where Sonya Burchell joined us for a week, during which time she was offered a husband by Thomas the local Chief of Beqa Island.
On to Vanuatu where we met up with Peggy and Fred for a while. We cruised to New Caledonia and finally returning to Australia to sit out the Cyclone season.
December 26th saw as entrants in the 50th Sydney to Hobart Yacht race, as luck would have it, in Bass Strait our wind instrument indicated that we were encountering 87 knots, although we had prepared Sea-D for the blow our 'triple reefed' main sail was torn forcing us to retire from the race and return to Eden. .
Had 'New Year's Eve' at the Eden Fishermans Club, then headed North making our way to our Marina Berth at the Mooloolaba Yacht Club.
On the recommendation of David and Valerie Wraight of the English Yacht 'Dutch Maid', we installed an 'Australian' designed reverse osmosis water maker, just in case we could not obtain 'Fresh' Drinking water enroute. It turned out that we did not take shore based water on-board again until 1999.
Cruised the East Coast of Australia and over the Top from Gove to Darwin as a participant in the "Over the Top Regatta"Darwin to Bali Yacht Race which was the Australian feeder to the "Arung Sumudra" in Indonesia.
"Arung Sumadra" (Bali to Jakarta Yacht Race) along with 141 International based Yachts, 23 Tall Ships & 43 War Ships. Some of these craft travelled from the other side of Earth to join Indonesia in the celebration of their 50th year of Independence.
Thousand Islands Regatta Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, then Thailand for Xmas where we hoped the kids would join us but they had other arrangements.. great pity as The little French Restaurant at Phi Phi Don with a group of friends takes a lot of beating.
We returned to Malta in February, shortly after our return we recieved a fax from Richard Weekes saying ' Last night I asked Sonya to marry me and she said Yes'. Marion and Ron were then under severe time pressure to complete a comprehensive overhaul Sea-D they departed Malta in May to return to Sicily then onto Italy, Sardinia, Corsica, Balearic Islands, Spain, Gibraltar and the Canary Islands arriving at Porto Morgan, Gran Canaria. From there we returned by a grueling 3 day's of Flights, Airport waiting lounges for Sonya and Richard's wedding in Sydney in September 1997.
After returning to Gran Canaria from Sonya and Richards wedding, on passage to Lanzarote we heard the shocking news of the death of the Princess of Wales, Princess Diana. We flew our flag at half mast.
On 23/11/1997 at 13:00 we departed Las Palmas for the Carribean in the Atlanic Rally Crossing, one of 154 Yachts ( 3 Australian entries) making landfall at St Lucia. Sea-D had one one of the best communaction systems and our radio's boomed out over the waves. Sea-D was asked to untake the daily postion skeds for the 154 yachts and relay the results to the race head quarters of the ARC.
Sea-D crossed the finish line at St Lucia on 14/12/1997 having completed the 2837 Nautical Mile Race, Sea-D finished 7th in our division out of 18 racing yachts. We were happy with the result, happy to make landfall and happy to 'down' a few Rum Punches.
We could see the Southern Cross in the night sky again- Sea- D was heading home.
Cruised down to St Vincent and the Grenadines, here in Cumberland Bay we encountered the 'Real' Pirates of the Carribean. On to Bequia,Tobago, Union Island, Grenada, Trinidad, Curacoa of the ABC Islands, where we 'ditched' our 'failing' Aquapro RIB, and purchased a 'Caribe' Dinghy which has the reputation of being the 'Best Available', this new dinghy changed everything, suddenly we were able to travel long distances in double quick time in comfort. It removed the need to relocate Sea-D to Towns and Villages when supplies were needed, particularly Tropical Islands as we frequently needed to anchor well out behind reefs.
From the ABC's we sailed to the remote and reclusive San Blas Islands meeting the South American Kuna Indians, at the time of our visit the San Blas Islands were in drought and we were able to supply them with Drinking water, made 'Fresh' that morning from our water maker.
We then carried on to Panama, Galapagos Islands, Marquesa Islands, Tuamotus where we met a Tahitian family Max and his 3 children. They came by to give MB shell necklaces on Mother's Day.
A couple of days later we received word that Rons father William George Burchell had died, Sea-D was in a very remote part of the world, so Ron and Marion asked Max if he could keep an eye on Sea-D while Marion and Ron returned to Australia to finalise the funeral. This was not easy as it envolved Island hopping by plane to the Cook Islands, then a flight to New Zealand and another flight to Australia. After returning to the Tuamotus Sea-D continued on to the Society Islands, Tonga, Fiji, New Caledonia, Brisbane, Coffs Harbour, Lake Macquarie, Sydney.
Total distance traveled 34,000.90 nautical miles, which equates to 62969.67 kilometers, in 4 years, 6 months, 12 days 6 minutes.
We have literally hundred of stories to tell, this is a quote from our last news letter:
"As we reflected, we realised this experience will never be forgotten. We have learned many things. We have met many interesting people from different cultures and societies along the thorny path. It has been a wonderful Geography lesson.
We will miss the solitude of the oceans, the joys of landfall and exploration in a new Country. The camaraderie, the firm bonds of friendship, the 'open house hospitality', the wide circle of care afforded by the cruising community.
We can't wait to be with our family and friends in OUR OWN country again. We are ready for new challenges and horizons yet unknown, a permanent home and a cat!!"
We ( Ron and Marion Burchell ) were honoured to be awarded a Plaque and Perpetual Trophy for 'Best Cruise Overseas' twice by The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, once in 1995 for our New Zealand and Pacific Cruise aboard Sea-D and again in 1999 for our World Cruise aboard Sea-D.
Thank a teacher.... If you are reading it in English, thank a Veteran!