Eden is a fishing port, though as in many other places the fishermen now do harbour trips, whalewatching, and charter fishing. A few fishing boats for sale, but others definitely active. We enjoyed watching the unloading of a huge mixture of fish - not many of any great size. Fresh fish and mussels available to buy, and good fish and chips which we sampled.
Once the town had a whaling industry - started by an English stockbroker whose investors pulled out when they found out what they were investing in and left him stranded. However he got it going and also several other businesses in the area. One whale is a local legend, it rounded up stray baleen whales and herded them into the harbour. Then when they were harpooned it even covered the poor creatures' blow hole. As a reward it was given the tongue and lips of the carcass. What a gruesome tale. The skeleton of 'Old Tom' is in the local museum.
When we arrived we tied up to the fishing dock, but were worried that the 'Kingfisher' whose spot we had taken would return. Fortunately another yacht left in the evening; he had been rafted up to another fishing boat that was no longer used. We moved, and at midnight 'Kingfisher' came in to dock. It would have been quite a performance moving in the dark and finding somewhere else to moor.
Being a small town, we got chatting to several people strolling down the dock, and were even offered a lift to the petrol station to fill up diesel cans. (Also a bed for the night at his house if we were desperate for a night on dry land!)
A bit of maintenance turned into a general turn out. We thought that one of the fans for the engine compartment had stopped working. The spare was down at the bottom of a stern storage area that we seldom have to open. To our surprise it was wet - never had been before. Water dribbling from the bolts of the windvane steering. Of course the (salty) water had then dribbled through to the under-bunk lockers. Luckily lined with plastic as they were full of bedding' but at the bottom was the copper sheeting and netting that helps the radio signal - now a wonderful turquoise and deep red. In the end we found that the fan we thought was kaput was just running quietly, the other one was very noisy and had the problem!
Today we had the best sail for ages. In spite of a gale warning we had perfect 15 - 20 knots of wind behind us all day. The gale never happened, at least not where we were. We're now 40 miles further north in an attractive and tiny harbour called Bermagui. Also a fishing port, but now quite a tourist spot as it has pretty beaches and rocky headlands. Once again we are rafted up to a fishing boat that is in port until after Easter. This one is a bit fishy, and this evening its very high pitched bilge alarm went off. Eventually we found someone on another boat that phoned the owner to come and turn on the pumps. Blissful quiet, it was worse than a hundred mosquitoes.
Fishing hasn't been too successful recently - particularly annoying as we have had to buy a fishing license in New South Wales. Today lost a mahi mahi and a good size tuna, but did in the end land a small 'little tunny' which tasted pretty good. G enjoys hanging a line over the side in the evenings just to see what comes, not to eat, but quite a selection of different species.
As we get further north it is getting warmer and greener. Much more rain than in eastern Tasmania. Washed all the thick fleeces the other day only to have to get them out again today as the south wind felt as though it was coming from the South Pole while we were at sea. On land though it was warm enough for short sleeves.
A Happy Easter to all, don't eat too many Easter eggs.
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