This is a continuation of an old thread. I am an ex birdie like Ramona, who I flew with in Trackers a lifetime ago. I have an S&S34 and would be delighted to go for a sail in Pittwater with any ex pusser interested in sailing in one.

Hi mate
Yep, pussers seems like a lifetime ago now. I was a chippie and spent 6 months at Albatross in the early 80's before going to Nirimba for phase 2 training. Albatross was a good place to be...we seemed to spend a lot of time making rabbits. On the weekends a few of us used to go surfing around Gerringong. ****, that water was cold. Used to always get out and scoff down a few hot pies afterwards.I live in Brisbane now and own a Triton 24 which we sail around Moreton Bay and have a lot of pleasant days on. Luckily unaffected by the floods as the boat is on a swing mooring on the bay. Saw a yacht slam into a bridge on the river during the flood and TV images of another one sinking. Just shows how things can go wrong very quickly.
Happy sailing.

Hi fellas. About as close as I got to a Grumman Tracker was at an Albatross Air Show day and making a plastic model of one as a kid.

Wanted to be a Birdie Tiffy but they said no you are going to be an Engine room Tiffy. Moresby, Stalwart, Barbette and Assail.

Once the salt gets into you it seems to be there for good.

The floods here in Bundaberg have ruined most of the marine infrastructure in the town reach of the river and the river bottom is littered with all sorts of wreckage.

I have heard that the deep holes are deeper and the shallow reaches are shallower and that Maritime Safety Queensland will be resurveying the river. I hope they do a fair bit more than that. They pretty much deserted the fishing industry here years ago when they announced they would no longer dredge the river.

Bundaberg and Maryborough fared very well in comparison to the carnage in Brisbane.

I went down to Maryborough Slipway yesterday to check on my boat which has been high and dry for far too long now. Despite there being several catermarans and other shallow draught boats in their yard, no vessels were lost.

Maryborough Slipway and Sand Blasting changed ownership about 4 years ago and I have to say they are doing an excellent job there and their rates are probably the lowest in Qld.

Bundaberg town reach is fairly much a no go area at present but Bundaberg Port Marina and Burnett Heads Marina are quite OK.

The boat population at Bum's Bay has surged and is likely to stay that way for a while.

Best wishes to all the Brisbane boaties.

Graham,
I don't get Slipstream, subscription got messed up and never renewed it. I seem to recall you were pretty good at identifying Soviet subs, if you can email the photo I will confirm your mark for recognition of ex crew mates.

I don't think it is me. My view is that the bloke on the left is Allen Oliver (my course) who I can id from his beard and hair line. I think the other one is Max McLure??