Home....for now

Day breaks, the Count sees Sydney for the first time. River Quays sits alongside the Breakfast Point residential development near Cabarita. A very big improvement on the industrial site it once was.

So what now? If you want to find a guy that is in control of what he’s doing....meet this guy Stuart.

He’s driven up from the 'Gong to River Quays.....sleeps in the truck from 3:30am to 7am and then the shuffling begins.
He’s got to get the Count off the truck to head back down to the Gong for the keel...and another boat!

watch this..........

The Count is on the move...

A call to Stuart at 1:30 am. He’s heading for the M5 along Picton Road. To put you in the picture, to move from Port Kembla to River Quays involves a well planned operation.

They move from Port Kembla up Mt Ousley Rd to Bulli Tops and turn left along Appin Road to Appin then turn right and head to the M5 toward Campbelltown.

From the M5 to the M7 where it meets the Lighthorse Interchange with the M4. It was at this point I had planned to meet them.

In keeping in touch with Stuart along the way I figured that I was about 10 minutes in front of them and pulled over to give him a call. At this time I glanced up to see multiple flashing light roaring down the freeway.......the Count was on the move!

The Count arrives

The Count is unloaded in Port Kembla, Australia. Once exclusively used for BHP’s major steel operations on Australia’s Eastern seaboard but has now expanded it’s port operation to container and transport shipping. For those that aren’t familiar with the “Gong” this is a very picturesque coastline with a very lovely harbour at Wollongong and dramatic escarpment to the West running all the way to Stanwell Park to the North. Being on her own and new to the country I choose to greet my new Beneteau 57. Stuart from Boat Transport (9816 2392) mentioned that she was shy so chose to be dressed for photos. The plan was to move her tonight.

The Master

The Count requires a well qualified and experienced crew. I sail Saturday’s on John Molyneux’s Bavaria 38 Match EquiKnox with a feisty crew out of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. Conveniently for me part of that crew is Alan Stannard.

Alan and I spoke about being involved with Make it Count and it was a pretty easy decision when it came to Ship’s Master: Alan Stannard, Master V, Naval Architect & Shipwright and continues to teach Shipwright skills, Coxswain and Yachtmaster accreditations. He also supports the Sydney Heritage Fleet.
How do you follow that?!