Position: Moored Rushcutters Bay, Port Jackson
Wind: light, variable
Sea: calm  Swell: nil
Weather: mostly sunny, warm

As the deadline for getting our application in for the Tollgate Island Race approaches (noon tomorrow), we have at last obtained the all important stability certificate. We have also passed the category one safety audit and the communications check, though, as luck would have it, the VHF radio decided not to cooperate when the marine electrician conducted a test call on it. We connected the emergency antenna and established that the problem was not with the radio itself. I then made a quick excursion up the mast, undid the antenna connection, inspected it (it looked fine), then reconnected it and returned below. The next test was successful. I have since nipped the connector up with a pair of pliers and sealed it with some self-annealing tape so I am reasonably confident that the problem will not recur.

Now the only thing left outstanding is the qualifying passage. Chris and I had planned to complete this requirement this weekend but here an obstacle arose which I could not anticipate. I caught another damned cold which by Friday afternoon had become a nasty respiratory tract infection. Having just recovered from a bad cold barely two weeks ago, I was singularly unimpressed. (I really need to get out of Sydney soon!) This bug had me laid up in my bunk all of yesterday but I am pleased to say that I am feeling significantly better today, so, with continued rest, I hope to be close to fully functional in a few more days.

I shall speak to the CYCA sailing office tomorrow about our options for entering the Toll Gate Island Race; however, I think the most likely outcome is that we will have to forgo this race and will use next weekend to do our qualifying passage for the main event, namely the Sydney to Hobart Race, instead.

Again I regret I have to report:

Not all well, but getting better.