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And its cold.

Well, I had thought the chances of headwinds were diminishing, but it appears they actually minished (a nautical term, I'm sure). The breeze has kicked up quite a bit and is in the high 20s at the moment. The good news is that we can lay Brisbane at about 50 degrees off the wind, so at least we can still make progress and don't have to tack. I had been hoping to have a little bit more east in the breeze but it is what it is. The main has two reefs in (and the second reef is very deep!), and we've got several turns in the headsail. Every now and then, a huge wave explodes over the boat, just to keep us on our toes.

Unfortunately, the inevitable has happened. I had my suspicions the day before yesterday, but it was definitely confirmed yesterday: the port saildrive now has sea water in the oil as well. It's absolutely no surprise, really, but I had been hoping it would hold out a little longer. So, we'll have to be managing the engines very carefully, as it looks like we'll be motoring for a day or so when the breeze dies off. Here's the thing, though. I was thinking about the port engine, and it's a bit of a head-scratcher. I mean, it's definitely the worst of the two now, right? The input shaft is leaking oil out, and the output shaft is leaking saltwater in. But… maybe, just maybe, these two leaks cancel each other out! I could just keep pouring new oil in the top, and everything will balance itself out. So, you see, with that brilliant logic, I've convinced myself that the port engine is actually still the best one!

I was going to say that I don't want to have to paddle up the Brisbane River with the dinghy oars, but then I remembered… we haven't got a dinghy. So, that's one less thing to worry about, I suppose.

The good news is, we've only got 277 nautical miles to go until the entrance to Brisbane, which is a little less than two days away! That means we should be on the Q berth at Rivergate around lunchtime on Tuesday. That's definitely something to look forward to!

Despite the headwinds and the engine issues, we are still making progress, and Brisbane is getting closer. Let's hope the weather eases up a bit and the remaining engine holds out for the final push.

Until the next adventure, fair winds! And remember, when it's time to move your pride and joy, Yacht Delivery Solutions is ready to help. 

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