“Down Under Go West Rally Week” What a hoot!

11th –15th November 2022

Above and below GWTW dressed with all the country flags we've visited

The “Welcome Week” events got off to a great start with the first event being the ‘Welcome to Country” ceremony.

This is a traditional welcome by members of the local Taribelang Bunda people who have inhabited this land and the surrounding sea area for thousands of years.

After the haunting sounds of the Digeridoo faded away the ceremony moved on to the “Smoking” ceremony where all rally participants were encouraged to step forward and be enveloped by the white smoke.

According to legend the smoke not only cleanses us of any bad spirits hanging around our person but also keeps us safe while in this country and provides everyone a safe journey back to the land from which they hail. 

With the welcome formalities over it was time to move inside and partake in some serious imbibing and woofing down of canapes.

We had a fun night socialising with all the other rally goers, swapping stories of the passage from New Caledonia and generally catching up with friends we’d cruised with over the years gone by. Oh, and also to officially celebrate the end of our 16 year circumnavigation.

Us with fellow  Aussie circumnavigators from  the yacht " Blue Heeler"

Group photo with 'forever friends' that we hung out with for two years in NZ.

Over the coming week their was more catching up with friends but this time they were land based. Nick flew in from the Gold Coast and Pete drove down from the sunshine coast. It was great to see them both. 

Every day there were a bunch of  new activities to keep us busy. The list included barefoot bowls, music jam nights, dinners at the local pub, BBQ’s, info seminars on weather and cruising the Australian east coast from Cape York to Tassie. There was even one on how to understand the unique way we Aussies speak! Do we really speak that different? Surely not.

A day trip to the Bundaberg Rum factory was a must.

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One of Liam's favourite beverages

Enjoying a seafood platter Ulla and Pelle from Sweden

Music nights featuring Liam

Cane Train crossing

Barefoot bowls on the marina lawn

Roos at sunset

It was a really fun week that literally flew by but soon it was time to drop the dock lines and point GWTW’s bows south to Sydney.

It had been a long time coming and we just couldn't wait to see Sydney Heads and sail back into the harbour once again.

Follow us on our tracker at :

https://aus-share.inreach.garmin.com/GoneWithTheWind

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