Peter, Paul, Mal and Nick

The next few days were spent seeing to a couple of minor problems, the bow thruster (a new solenoid required) and the TV (operator error!) and one major problem with the toilets, one Carr thought he had had fixed in Sydney but it transpired that Peter thought Paul was doing it and Paul thought Peter was doing it and thus, in the end, no-one did it at all and it just became a bigger problem.  We then met our newest and very best friends, Mal and Nick from Resource Boat Management, who attended to it in a most capable and affable manner.  It was a major repair taking three long working days to complete.  New parts were necessary and we were also waiting for a new solenoid for the bow thruster to arrive, (FNQ has not heard of overnight express!) then a weekend in which nothing could be done. Mal went fishing and Carr and I walked a lot.  By Monday afternoon the parts had arrived so Mal returned to his noxious task and Carr and I continued our walks.  Airlie Beach has really expanded since we were last there in 2003 and there are at present a number of new waterside developments under way including a new marina with apartments, shops etc. The original commercial area of Airlie is as grotty as ever but the hordes (noun. a swarm or pack of insects or other animals moving in a mass) of noisy backpackers who inhabit downtown don’t seem to notice.  Their numbers swelled dramatically over our days there as WYDSYD attendees began arriving for their post love-in-with-the-Pope holiday. The locals mainly live at Cannonvale or at Shute Harbour where there are some magnificent mansions overlooking the Coral Sea.  Mal came from Proserpine each day.