PORT DOUGLAS - Our new home

EXCITEMENT as Grant meets us & escorts us into the
 Douglas River at Port Douglas

Doesn't time fly when you are having fun.  We can't believe we are almost into our 3rd week here at the Port Douglas Yacht Club Marina.  Grant gave us a lovely welcome by flying out of the Douglas River (as only Grant can) in his boat and joining us side by side as we finally came into the last port on our very long trip. Luckily we managed to get one of the last berths available and we got Silver Affair parked with many excited and willing hands taking our ropes.  It was time to party.

Grant escorts us down the Douglas River into Port Douglas

Settling in to Marina life at the PDYC

Motor bike mad just like his Dad

Now we have slotted right in to marina living and almost feel like a local.  Have enjoyed meeting our yachty neighbours and hearing the many interesting stories of how people ended up here in beautiful Port Douglas. 

We now have a bike each, thanks to Grant's good friend and Boss who is moving house.  It's an easy ride through a park and across one road and we are at the beach or if it's not too hot, we do the 10min. walk.  It's good to be swimming and loosening up those creaky knees and we are loving the tropical water temperature.  Grant has his boat parked next to us and he calls in after work each day and early most mornings when he and Col duck behind into the river and set the crab pots for the day. We have enjoyed quite a few yummy mud crab lunches. 

Have enjoyed a couple of nights up in the mountains with Grant, Nina and the kids and loved the early morning wake-ups from our little torpedo running and jumping all over the bed.  It's lovely to be able to pick up Tahla from school, she is growing up so fast.  We are all looking forward to being here for her 6th birthday in September when she will have both her Aussie and her German grandparents at her party.  Nina's Mum & step-father fly into Cairns on 10th Sept.  We will all have a day out on the boat to the reef and to Low Isles while they are here.

So now we settle down for the next 3 months enjoying 28 degree winter days.  We will be staying up with Grant at least one night a week to help with Liam on Nina's work day.  We will go to the reef for a couple of days a week and maybe towards end of September we will disappear for a while and head up to Lizard Island for a week or two.  End of October I suppose we will have to think about heading home.  Only time will tell.