Back to the USA Santa Ana and Tustin

7Am Brisbane airport, Very happy to see aircraft we will fly in, my favourite airplane. First flight with Qantas for a long time, great service, good food comfortable seats with lots of leg room, even got a few hours sleep. With a tail wind from the Fiji Hurricane only took 12.5 hrs to LAX.
We were so early had to wait for Customs to open at 6 am. As usual no problems going through officialdom, they are very good now, we were outside in no time at all.

After a rest full day at our friends home in Santa Ana, we took
a ferry ride to Balboa Island

Well this says it all, Its a local beach community in
Orange County (wealthy)

Waterfront walk

After a 42 Grand Banks, this is my dream boat a
52ft Fleming, Dawn said I could have one too.

Interesting Architecture

Name says it all

No, I haven't got it wrong, as when you see the price of this
68yr old home of 3000sq ft, you will need to lie down.
$8,950,000  see I told you.

Buddy Epson  built and lived in this home for
many years, Who !!!
Jed Clampert from the Beverly Hillbillys.

Johns Barn at night, the 51 Ford looking great.

These were our rides, Mine the 51 Ford convertible,
Dawn in the 57 T Bird, cruising in a balmy 24Deg C.
Priceless

Thought the car looked in the era at one of Johns rentals.

Says it all,This is where all the old timers meet on Friday avos
to have some cold ones and talk bull.
The Tustin Garden club

Down the Queensland Coast Pt 4

Stopped for the night just south of Gladstone, and on board the only other boat in the bay was a very good fishing friend who I originally met in New Zealand. A very good night of Rum and Cokes, Thanks Digby.

Lady Musgrave Island, an atoll on the southern most end of
the Great Barrier Reef, 38N miles offshore. 

The entrance to the Lagoon was very hard to spot, narrow
but calm.

Once inside it took about 30 min to make it to
the Anchorage.

Mainly sailboats out here. Good shelter from the reef
until high tide when any swell can roll into
the Lagoon.

Our 36ft Fairways, a light but very capable and economical
little boat, we did a lot of miles in her, would be a great boat
for the loop.
 

The Admiral ashore.

A very detailed Ariel photo of the atoll

Surprisingly thick woods.

The National parks has done a great job with facility's,
even a composting toilet. Limited numbers of campers may
stay here, but must supply all there own provisions. including
water. A dive boat brings people over.

Sunset over the Pacific.

Back down the coast, again blessed with good weather. calm days in Australian waters are not the norm.

The USA has Bayliners, we have Riviera's, all money
little skill.

Yes a 100ft channel, too much of a hurry to slow to 6 Knots
 

Blew past then back to wide open

Careful when going ashore.



Our last walk ashore then head for home.
That's all I have on this trip down memory lane.
In 8 days time Dawn and I will be on our way
back to Mobile Al to tidy up the boat then on our
way to complete our great loop. Travel through the
gulf of Mexico to St Petersburg, then down to the
Florida Keys, to step off on our trip to the Bahamas,
where we hope to meet up with our other Looping
friends.