Kapok lifejackets
This safety alert aims to raise awareness of the risks associated with the use of out of date, and dangerous, kapok filled lifejackets.

Kapok filled lifejackets with cotton straps are decades old and have not been manufactured since the 1980s. However, an unknown number are still being used.

Kapok is a cotton-like fluff that is no longer used in lifejacket manufacture, because it naturally loses buoyancy over time and, if it gets wet, it will absorb water. Furthermore, the cotton straps rot over time, even if the lifejacket is not used, and will tear or break off the lifejacket when weight comes on it.

While these lifejackets may have complied with the applicable standard when they were manufactured, and may have the old standards logos on them, they no longer comply with the modern Australian Standard for lifejackets and are not fit for use on any Domestic Commercial Vessel (DCV).

If one of these lifejackets has successfully been used in the past, it should still be replaced as soon as possible and destroyed, as it will have deteriorated and might not float now.

Even if these lifejackets are in their original packaging, have never been used and look in perfect condition, replace them and destroy them.

Reminder
If your vessel has any kapok filled lifejackets, remove them from the vessel, destroy them and replace them with new lifejackets that meet the current standard. If you are not sure if your lifejackets are filled with kapok, ask your AMSA Accredited Marine Surveyor for assistance.

The dinner is $40 per person and includes a 2 course meal. The night will commence at 7pm and guests will hear from inspirational guest speakers  Jan Howard and Mary Holley – the 2019 Australian Sailing NSW SheSails Award Winners. Jan and Mary will discuss how they established the successful women's training program at NCYC. As they are both veterans of many Sydney Hobart races, they wanted to give other women the opportunity to enjoy sailing as much as they did, and set up training programs specifically for women to learn in a very supportive and collaborative environment, focused on skill and confidence building.
 
The booking link is as follows: https://www.trybooking.com/BEFRC.

Wednesday 26th & 27th June.
Our next stop Grafton where we meet up with our dear friend Bevan Williamson who is on route to Pottsville, but beforehand he is going to join us and spend the next two days relaxing in Grafton. We decided to check into the Gateway Lifestyle caravan park, which as the name suggests is also a retirement village. Once settled into our van sites we decided to take a walk around the park and get a feel for the place. This is a very neat, well established caravan park, with manicured gardens and plenty of lawn particularly in and around the retirement village. The caravan sites were large and easy to get into, also we were fortunate as our sites were very close to the amenities. For such a great quality caravan park we were surprised to find the daily fee at only $25.00. very reasonable. 
The private homes in the retirement village were all modern and well maintained with great gardens, individule driveways and sizeable garages.                                                                                              Bevan noticed a leak on our van, water coming from a water hose leading to the toilet the plastic fitting had split. A quick trip to the plumber supplies part purchased and back to the park to replace the broken part, job done time for dinner.
Today is a shopping day, topping up the food supplies and trying to find the Information Centre. Try as we did, we just could not find the information centre even our GPS, which took us to the so-called location, it just was not there, we guess it has moved address. 
Grafton is situated on the mighty Clarence river with a population of around 20000, the greater Grafton area has a population of some 50000. In 1851 Governor Fitzroy named Grafton after his grandfather the Duke of Grafton a former Prime Minister of England.
Grafton was originally opened up because of its Cedar forests known as red gold a much sought-after timber. Today Grafton is known for logging, beef cattle, fishing/prawning, sugar, manufacturing and tourism.

Friday 28th June.
Our next stop Hastings Point Caravan Park situated on Mooraback Creek a tidal creek, which opens up through sand banks to the Ocean. The caravan park is on a bend of the creek and looks out towards the entrance. Opposite is a hill over looking the beach and from this point it is possible to spot whales frolicking on their way to the breeding grounds.We met up with Rhonda & Howard dear friends originally from Mt Eliza, Rhonda & Pam share the same birthdate the 1st July as such a birthday drink at the local watering hole, a lovely night.

Saturday 29th June through to Sunday 29th July.
Breakfast with Rhonda then on our way to our daughter’s home at Tanah Merah Brisbane. Parking the van at our daughter’s home is by far the most difficult parking I make, enough said. But I must admit I always enjoy the challenge. On previous visits we have only spent a couple of weeks with Tracie and the boys but this time Tracie had a number of jobs, which needed doing also she had a very busy period at work as she had only recently arrived home after an overseas holiday, as such our timing was perfect for her.  I repaired her pool chlorinator, serviced her motor mower, repaired some damage on a wall, adjusted her curtain mechanism, mowed lawns and became Oliver’s driver with school pick ups and soccer training/playing runs, all very satisfying. Pam washed clothes, cooked meals, house cleaned, and helped Tracie with designing a display for her companies’ exhibition to be held in Sydney in just a few weeks’ time, they walked every day, exercising, but most importantly enjoyed some great Mum and Daughter time together. we were both thrilled to help out and isn’t that what parents are for, there is no doubt as a single Mum she does a great job and we are very proud of her.   I also took the opportunity to make repairs and polish the caravan and the cruiser both badly in need of attention.
Pam has a number of relatives in Queensland and we took the opportunity to catch up with as many as we could some lovely lunches and catch ups. We also caught up with Adrian and Daisy, friends we met on a Canada & Alaska cruise, a great couple and good company.

Tuesday 30th July.
With the van all packed by 11am we were soon to start our next journey, to negotiate the gate and get onto the road one must drive across the road and onto the nature strip opposite, normally I can then get onto the road and align on the bitumen, not today, as I got out of the gate the garbo turned up leaving me little room to negotiate. Being in a hurry I drove out of their way only to hit a deep guttering slicing a hole in the side of the front tyre. Off to get a new tyre, back to hook up the van finally on our way. Our next stop Scarborough to visit Neil & Lois sailing friends. Last time we called in N & L had a few Butcher Birds, which they fed each morning one named squeaky, well Squeaky knew he was on a good wicket inviting the rest of the family to join him, not a good move as he and his family became unpopular and got evicted. Neil’s Mum was over from Tasmania enjoying some warm weather, a delightful Lady, much talking about sailing, Tasmania, politics and just having a great time. As usual Lois cooked up a storm enjoyed over a glass or two.

Wednesday 31st July.
After coffee with Neil, Lois and Neil’s Mum we set off heading towards Bundaberg, our overnight stop the Woodford show grounds. This is a great overnight stop, good facilities quiet and close to the village. Woodford is known for its folk festival, which is held each year over the new year’s holiday period it is very popular especially with the young. Woodford has been kind to our Daughter Debbie who for some years had a stall there selling her clothing range with great success. She had a double bonus as she also loved joining in with the festival activities.
                                                                                                                                                  

Thursday 1st August.
This morning we head to the Maroochydore Bush Botanical Gardens to meet up with Robin & Faye White who are staying close by at the Cotton Tree caravan park. The Botanic Garden is well worth a visit when in this area, the gardens are an eighty-two hectares eucalypt forest with walking tracks and winding creeks some flowing into large water holes. One of the walks has been dedicated to the arts with many sculptures placed around the walking track created by artists from around the world. As we had done this track before we chose the river walk, which we all enjoyed, afterwards coffee and cake at the canteen. We were served by a Downs Syndrome girl who did a great job and was very ably assisted by one of the volunteers working in the canteen, it was great to see. Time to move on to our next stop Chatsworth Park, which is 6km south of Gympie a free overnight stopover. The Gympie council have done a great job setting up this parking area, the sites are all clearly marked and easy to manoeuvre, at the park are clean amenities and the park land has three large ponds with many varieties of water bird species. The area is about three hectares and Pam and I enjoyed walking around the area. One big draw back it is on the Bruce Highway and very noisy.

Friday 2nd to Monday 5th August.
For the next four days we are staying at Moore Park Beach with Bill & Leslie who built their home here 12 months ago moving from Brisbane and what a great home they have created. The lay out of the house works very well and complimented with an outside covered barbeque area. We were parked alongside the house the lead in to Bills rather large shed where he stores his caravan. Bill and I fished the top end of the Kolan river over two days and between us caught six fish unfortunately all undersize, one cod fish looked to be OK but it measured 2mm undersize at 38mm. bugger. Bill, Pam and I walked the beach on three of the days Pam setting the pace her little legs working hard with Bill and I at a more leisurely pace lagging behind. Leslie is an accomplished artist she has created some wonderful paintings and is once again turning her skill to making two lead light windows, the first one giving her some grief as she is a perfectionist, however she also has incredible patience. Leslie & Bill introduced us to a game called funergel a dice game and great fun, I can’t wait to introduce this game to our grandchildren. Our time with B&L was very relaxing and we are looking forward to seeing them in Mornington later this year.

Tuesday 6th August.
We bid our fair wells to B & L and headed to Miara situated at the entrance of the Kolan river, the caravan park runs along the river front and is a great fishing spot. What I like about this place is that I can leave the boat in the water safely. We were introduced to this park by Ron & Jan Sweetser both previously members of MYC, Ron the Class Captain for trailable yachts when we joined. As I was reversing the van into our site who should be parked alongside but Ron & Jan, it was great to catch up. After setting up the van launching the boat, I was now all ready to put fear into the fish stock. Speaking with Ron I learned that the fishing was slim pickings all put down to a lack of rain during the summer, however I was not daunted.Ron was right after three days fishing the only taker was a 45cm Flathead a lovely fish. It was not that there were no fish, there were hundreds of Toads, I must have caught 25 of the buggers, some small flathead with some catching whiting and bream but not many.  However, sun beamer’s with Ron, Jan and friends was pleasant and Pam very wisely stocked the fridge, so no shortage of food. On our last day there one fellow caught the biggest Flathead I have ever seen it was 73cm just a monster I was now wondering why we were moving on.

Saturday 10th August.
Today we head to Eumundi, staying at the show grounds, our preference was Maroochydore but all the caravan parks were full. Our reason to stay here was to catch up with friends Chris & Glenys Leighton and Robin & Faye white both couples staying at the Cotton Tree caravan park. Is it any wonder all the caravan parks were full, this is a busy place, 40 years ago we stayed at Cotton tree with the ankle biters then it was a lovely seaside village a  relaxed place, today it is fast becoming another surfers paradise with multi storey buildings along the river and more under construction? The Leighton’s, White’s and ourselves went to the Coffee Club for lunch a very popular place afterwards back to the White’s site, which is looking towards the mouth of the river a pretty spot. Chris told us of their visit to Lightning Ridge where he bought a ring featuring a brilliant green opal and of a cave where one fellow had carved figures into the cave apparently quite spectacular. We have yet to visit Lightening Ridge it is now on our radar.

After Eumundi we start heading south our next stop Bribie Island.                        

Request for help for The 2020 420 Australian Championships 1st- 9th Jan 2020

• We have two jury members that we need to billet for the regatta, one juror will have his wife. If we can billet them it will save us paying for their accommodation. Ideally close to the club as they some times have late nights with protests and again, if possible, not with competitors.

 

• Are you medically qualified? We are looking for a nurse or doctor to be at club or a float at all times boats are afloat. Happy if people can only do a day or two and we arrange a roster.

 

• Do you any corporation with a reasonable size Marquee? We are happy to hire one or borrow one and promote any brand associated with it.

 

• BBQ/ Lunches, yard , and canteen; If you can help for a day in any way during the event on or off the water please let us know.

 
Please contact Chris Jackson Yachting@aquariuspools.com.au if you can help (or 0412591451 after hours if possible)