Rising early we were able to catch the low tide as we headed out the Gold Coast Seaway and logged in with Seaway tower for our journey up the coast. The waves were small across the bar and we had little trouble apart from dodging several fishing boats and pleasure craft. This time Daddy chose the 'correct side' of the Cardinal mark in the middle of the sea way (which we had not seen on the way into the Gold Coast two days earlier, a new buoy from his memories 20 years previously, and it was only noticed on our way in in the dark after we got a nasty surprise with a low water alarm with water falling to only 1m under the keel at the time). No alarms this time, so the journey was off to a good start.
We had a great time relaxing and catching up with Family on the Gold Coast, and we were all sad to leave.
After meeting a lovely couple at the Marina, our original plans to travel outside South and North Stradbroke Islands around the top of Moreton Island and hanging a left to anchor behind Moreton Island, we decided instead to head on past Moreton Island on to Mooloolaba.
Dolphins were spotted off the tip of North Stradbroke Island. YAY! Makes dolphins spotted every day offshore so far.
We were able to put up the sails for a lovely trip and we also raised the Gennaker (an asymmetric spinnaker) off Moreton Island and it looked wonderful (and added a few knots to our speed). We were able to drop the sail without putting it into the drink as well, no small feat!
A beautiful sunset once again and night fell as we rounded Moreton Island on the way to Mooloolaba. We enjoyed a steady rolling trip (but no-one was sick). After a few calls to Coast Guard Mooloolaba to log off, we entered Mooloolaba at approx. 9.30pm and tied up (with help from a neighbouring sailer who was on the dock).