March is of course our anniversary with Gai's birthday the following day, so we decided that we would do an all day cruise from the Gold Coast to Brisbane. The cruise took six and a half hours and was very relaxing. It included morning and afternoon tea and also a BBQ lunch and salads.

It left Marina Mirage at 9.00AM and docked into Hamilton in Brisbane at 3.30PM. Through out the cruise the Captain kept us informed about the islands that we passed and also any other useful information that came to his mind.

The Pacific Adventurer was docked at a wharf after losing 31 containers over board into Moreton Bay during a recent cyclone and getting holed above and below the water line. Diesel and oil were spilt into the Bay causing a multi-million dollar clean up, suspension of the trawlers fishing in case their nets became caught on a container and considerable damage to the tourism industry. Navy mine sweepers were called in to help locate the containers while the clean up continued.

When we reached Brisbane we boarded a coach that bought us back to the Gold Coast where we had left the car earlier that day. At one stage I thought that we would be the youngest people on the cruise, but thankfully that proved not to be the case. A great day was had by all and something that I would recommend to all people. It's the longest trip to Brisbane that I have ever done.

Happy Birthday to Gai.	Her birthday cards and flowers.	Happy anniversary to us.	Clive chackes out the MV Brisbane.
Marina Mirage in the distance.	Across the Broadwater to Australia Fair.	We're underway.	Cruising past the marina.
Gai resting. we swapped to plastic seats later.	The Silver Star is back. Yours for $5,000,000.	Heading up the main channel.	The white sands of Stradbroke Island.
Slightly overcast but we still got burnt.	We got quite close to some of the islands.	Water was really calm.	Ferry terminal on one of the islands.

Boats mored on the sheltered side.

The Flag.

A car ferry docking.

Lowering the ramp.

North Stradbroke island in the back.

Going out into Morton Bay.

The town of Dunich can just be seen.

A rusting wreck makes for great fishing.

We passed a yatch race in progess.

This was a near miss.

The leading boats.

The Port of Brisbane in the distance.

Travelling up the Brisbane River.

Looking at the City of Brisbane.

This container ship was being loaded.

A car carrier being unloaded.

The Caltex oil refinery.

Pacific Sun setting off on a cruise.

She was a big boat.

The Gateway Bridge duplication progresses.

Looking back down the river.

Going under the Gateway.

A big span to be done next.

This boat was about to leave.

The Pacific Adventurer caused the oil spill in the bay.

The hole patched up in blue.

Floating booms control more leakage.

The wharves are being conberted to housing.

Our self picture.	The Lady Brisbane about to leave.	Up the river she goes.	Map of the routes the boat can take.

Stitched view looking towards the City of Brisbane.