Great Keppel Island QLD
17-19 May 2019
The voyage to Great Keppel was a rough and messy, it was much nicer once we got closer to the islands but we still found that there was a lot of movement at our anchorage and sometimes it felt like we were still travelling! Despite the wind and waves the anchor held tight the whole time even though the wind blew strong at times and the waves were rolling us around.
There were quite a few rain squalls but also plenty of times that we could get out and explore. The island is a place for many to come and relax, reflect and catch up with friends that they made whilst visiting. We were fortunate to meet Janny Poate the mother of fallen soldier Private Robert Poate who was killed in Afghanistan https://vimeo.com/298689088 . The Poates have turned their family farm in Canberra into a refuge for veterans suffering PTSD, and there are so many suffering. An example of Janny's achievements is that she walked 4805km in 3 months from the northernmost point of Australia to Tasmania's Cockle Creek where 41 poppies were placed into the sea to honour our 41 soldiers killed in Afghanistan. Many family members of fallen soldiers joined the last phase of the walk to Cockle Creek. Janny is an inspirational woman who gives hope (and love and hugs) to those suffering. I look forward to reading the book "Life after loss" that she is currently writing.