Logbooks:

East Coast Cruising (2)
England 2016
East Coast Cruising
Darwin to Sydney
Cape Leveque to Darwin
North West Cape to Cape Leveque
Hillarys to North West Cape
On Board Singita, Perth to Port Lincoln

Darwin to Sydney

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Happy New Year!

Date:

Jan. 2, 2016, 4 a.m.

It is great to be in Sydney, what a buzz! It all feels so familiar, We have had busy week moving between Blackwattle Bay & Birkenhead Point catching up with friends & organising the next big event, NYE on Sydney Harbour. Given the restrictions we managed to work out the logistics of getting friends on & off prior to & after the fireworks without (hopefully!) too much inconvenience to them. We had 10 plus Roger & I on board & had a really great night & the fireworks were spectacular! The night was a very fitting celebration to end our 7 month voyage & to begin a new adventure on the east coast in 2016.
Our plans from here will take quite a different turn. We will cruise the harbour, Pittwater, Broken Bay & Lake Macquarie between now & mid April after which we will take the boat up to Port Stephens to be 'dry' stored for approx. 5 months whilst we travel to the UK to spend some quality time with my Mum & Dad. Our plan whilst there is to spend some time on the canals on board a narrowboat. Mum & Dad celebrate their 60 wedding anniversary in September & we will stay to share that very important celebration.
In the meantime, the log will certainly be 'quieter' but we do intend to update any interesting happenings & adventures & any longer trips.
Thanks to you all for your interest in our 'over-the-top' voyage & encouraging us along the way, greatly appreciated :-) Stay tuned!

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Blackwattle Bay

Date:	Dec. 26, 2015, 2:30 a.m.
Position:	33 52.34 S, 151 11.18 E

What an amazing feeling to be here, quite surreal still. We have just travelled down the harbour, past the Opera House, under the Sydney Harbour Bridge & under, my personal favourite, the Anzac Bridge in our own boat, who would have thought?!
Our friends from Perth Scott & Sonja are already anchored & are on board to welcome us in. Their plan was to come out to the heads this morning to meet us however their anchor winch for some bizarre reason wouldn't work so poor Scott spent the early morning trying to fix it. That's boats for you!
26th December is the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race today so we hopped across to 'Singita', (literally!), & went back up the harbour for 1pm start. Even though the weather was not the best it was still a spectacular sight.
Back in Blackwattle it was time for a 'champers' to celebrate!

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Sydney Harbour!

Date:	Dec. 26, 2015, 12:30 a.m.
Position:	33 49.66 S, 151 18.40 E

Just turning to enter Sydney Harbour with North Head towering above us & the red & white striped Hornby lighthouse looking across from South Head, what a thrill!
The sun is just managing to peak through now & again so it's starting to look really good.

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Bangally Head

Date:	Dec. 25, 2015, 10:30 p.m.
Position:	33 37.41 S, 151 21.11 E

Fantastic scenery along this coast, beautiful homes, beaches & loads of lush green trees. Not very photgenic today, still grey & overcast. Hoping the sun comes out for our entrance!

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Boxing Day

Date:	Dec. 25, 2015, 9:30 p.m.
Position:	33 34.47 S, 151 19.91 E

What a lovely couple of days we've had in Pittwater. Our first afternoon in our friend Louise drove an hour to visit & welcome us in & Andrew, Roger's nephew, paddled out on his surfboard & jumped on board to do the same. Really special!
Christmas day we spent with Roger's family which was very nice. After a gorgeous lunch there was a trip to the local sea baths & later a walk to try to walk off some of the over indulging!
Today is Boxing Day & we are off on our final leg, 15nm to Sydney Heads, very exciting!

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Flat Water

Date:	Dec. 24, 2015, 6 a.m.
Position:	33 35.68 S, 151 18.82 E

Finally! Got to be happy about that!
Sailing into Pittwater was a real buzz, whilst we are not quite there we are technically in, what is called, 'Sydney Waters'. The Captain is very chuffed.
The vista to is just lovely, Pittwater is a real gem, a cruising haven, we will wait until all the Christmas madness is over & come back & explore some of the 140 ish bays.

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Barrenjoey, Pittwater

Date:	Dec. 24, 2015, 5:30 a.m.
Position:	33 33.24 S, 151 24.68 E

Just turning into Pittwater &, I must admit I am very glad about that! Today was one of those days when being on the water was not the best. It was a very confused sea with two swells running at 90 degrees to each other & the light wind wasn't enough for the sails to work efficiently. We had a good run for about an hour & she 'purred' along but alas the other seven very pretty yuck :-( The coast was very picturesque all the way though which was great.

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Take Two, Nobby's Head

Date:	Dec. 23, 2015, 9:30 p.m.
Position:	32 54.78 S, 151 48.39 E

On our way to Pittwater today, pretty exciting, getting really close now! We will stop in Pittwater & have Christmas lunch with Roger's sister & her family, looking forward to catching up with them all even though it still doesn't feel like Christmas yet!
One thing I am not excited about is the sloppy sea, again! Never mind, just a short trip & the coastal scenery certainly makes up for it.

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Newcastle

Date:	Dec. 23, 2015, 4:30 a.m.
Position:	32 55.27 S, 151 45.73 E

After a good sail down we are safely berthed at the marina in the busy Newcastle harbour. We don't normally choose marinas over anchoring but Newcastle doesn't really have any convenient anchoring spots. So here we are, might just 'hop' off for dinner given we have the opportunity, nice!

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Nobby's Head

Date:	Dec. 23, 2015, 4 a.m.
Position:	32 54.81 S, 151 47.98 E

Just entering Newcastle harbour & staying well out of the way of a ship & 4 tugs heading our way!

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Point Stephens

Date:	Dec. 22, 2015, 11:30 p.m.
Position:	32 45.05 S, 152 12.90 E

Half an hour out & we were right about the seas, sloppy! We have motored to now but as we turn we can pull out some sail & hopefully 'ride' the slop better.
A nice touch, the dolphins that surfed in with us were there to surf out with us, nice :-)

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Heads Again!

Date:	Dec. 22, 2015, 11 p.m.
Position:	32 42.18 S, 152 11.32 E

We must have looked really funny yesterday, would have loved someone to have a camera handy! We managed to do our two 'runs', one for food & wine & another for fuel both in the rain! Both times in our work-site, bright yellow, too big for us rain coats! The looks we were getting from people as they drove past in their warm & dry cars were priceless!
Today we are making for Newcastle, Roger's home town. We have decided to break up the trip to Pittwater as, even though the wind has dropped, the sea state is pretty sloppy. Pittwater, where we'll head for tomorrow, is where we are having Christmas Day with Roger's sister & her family.

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Salamander Bay

Date:	Dec. 22, 2015, 1 a.m.
Position:	32 43.35 S, 152 6.08 E

Well today is not looking any better, still grey & overcast. We are moving from Fame Cove across to Salamander Bay to do some provisioning & a fuel run, haven't picked the best day though, now raining very steady!

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Fame Cove

Date:	Dec. 21, 2015, 10:30 a.m.
Position:	32 41.08 S, 152 3.89 E

We moved from Oyster Cove on the high tide, we did try to venture out prior but we 'kissed' the bottom with the daggerboards so turned around to re-anchor & wait for more water. Yard turned out to be good so all being well we will use them however, note to self, go in & out on a high tide, preferably a spring high!
Just anchored in beautiful Fame Cove, a key-hole, very protected bay surrounded by dense trees. Although the weather is not doing it justice today, very grey & overcast.

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Oyster Cove

Date:	Dec. 21, 2015, 1 a.m.
Position:	32 43.88 S, 151 57.11 E

Cromarty Bay turned out to be a very protected & lovely anchorage, we 'stuck like glue' to the bottom &, when lifted, a bucket full of gritty sand came up with the anchor, gotta love that!
On Saturday we went ashore & whilst chatting to a local home owner, Clive, we discovered that he was Club Captain of the local sailing club, that there was a race on this afternoon & drinks at the club afterwards So after a walk around, coffee with Clive & his wife Sally, we went to watch the start of the race in very gusty conditions. Following lunch & a long overdue haircut, we went to the club & shared a glass of wine & a few stories.
On Sunday I caught up on paperwork & domestics whilst Roger spent his time in the engine bays changing oil & oil filters, the not so glamorous side of boating!
It's now Monday & the strong NE winds have passed & we have just arrived in Oyster Cove where there is a lift-out facility we are interested in looking at. If it proves to be suitable we will lift the boat here for her next antifoul & servicing. One problem, boy it is shallow for the last few miles, even at high tide we were only 1.9m in places.

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Cromarty Bay

Date:	Dec. 18, 2015, 3 a.m.
Position:	32 42.80 S, 152 3.59 E

After exactly 24hrs we dropped anchor in, what should be a very protected bay from the strong NE winds due to hit this afternoon. We couldn't have timed it better, as we were weaving our way the very scenic channel from the heads to Cromarty Bay the wind was starting to pick up. Even though we have hired a boat & cruised around Port Stephens previously we have never tired this anchorage, so fingers crossed!

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The Narrows

Date:	Dec. 18, 2015, 2:30 a.m.
Position:	32 41.73 S, 152 3.39 E

Now through the Narrows & turning left to our anchorage after travelling the 10nm from the heads. It's a very extensive & lovely port with lots of places to hide from wind from any direction, perfect for what is about to arrive!

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Port Stephens Heads

Date:	Dec. 18, 2015, 1:30 a.m.
Position:	32 42.56 S, 152 12.43 E

What a great welcome we just had with 4 white-sided dolphins surfing the bow, very difficult to photograph as they are so quick but fabulous to watch. Always a thrill to see their smiles :-)

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Seal Rocks

Date:	Dec. 17, 2015, 9:30 p.m.
Position:	32 28.54 S, 152 34.53 E

Very quiet overnight, we needed the engines on to keep us moving as the wind was very light. The sun has just risen to reveal a lovely coastline & the outcrop known as Seal Rocks, will be avoiding them!
Seal Rocks are the last of our turning points, now heading for Port Stephens' heads.

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Tacking Point

Date:	Dec. 17, 2015, noon
Position:	31 29.17 S, 152 58.26 E

Given the great sailing conditions we have made very good time & are about 3hrs earlier than expected at Tacking Point, which is great.
The entrance to Port Stephens is deep enough at all tides so all we need is a flooding tide to enter &, given that the tide is running in all morning an earlier arrival will not be a problem.

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Smokey Cape

Date:	Dec. 17, 2015, 8:15 a.m.
Position:	30 55.48 S, 153 7.27 E

I've got to admit we were a little frustrated at having to pull into Coffs Harbour even though it was definitely the correct decision. We had set our sights on a run straight through to Sydney, arriving Friday before some strong NE winds on the weekend became SE on Monday. Alas, wasn't to be! About an hour after we anchored & just before dark, (of course!), we were hit with a 30 knot southerly accompanied by thunder & lightning, (luckily a little way off), none of which was predicted.
First thought was to let the system pass, about 2 hours or so & then keep going but the now reduced southerly wouldn't give in so we went to bed & set an alarm for 5am which was no good, still from the south, back to bed, grrrrrr!
Once up & after consulting various weather sites we left at 11am, still in a southerly but with the promise of a 10 to 15 easterly. We are very pleased to report that has happened & we cruising along beautifully between 9 & 10 knots with one reef in the mainsail heading for, (hopefully!), Port Stephens.

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Coffs Harbour

Date:	Dec. 16, 2015, 9:30 a.m.
Position:	30 18.36 S, 153 8.58 E

What a lovely looking town! Coffs Harbour is nearly a natural harbour, with a little help from a couple of man-made rock walls it is completely enclosed. Some swell does enter, (anchored monohulls are rocking), as the entrance faces east but tonight that's not a problem for us.
Coffs was an unexpected stop we had planned to keep going however, the very nasty storm cell that hit Sydney today has moved north & is now just south of us. When it arrives it will be nowhere near as bad as Sydney had but we think it's only prudent to take shelter, especially at night!

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North Solitary Island

Date:	Dec. 16, 2015, 6 a.m.
Position:	29 55.46 S, 153 20.41 E

Unlike Queensland the NSW coast has very few islands off shore, the lonely North & South Solitaries are the first we've passed since crossing the boarder.
We so enjoyed our very quick stop over in Yamba. We caught up with Geoff & Gai, a lovely couple that we met in the Kimberley at Freshwater Bay. We shared a prawn & salad lunch (yum!) after Geoff took us for a cruise around the very local, (at the bottom of their driveway) golf course. They are very keen, active members & are both very good golfers. Fabulous day with wonderful company :-)

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Yamba

Date:	Dec. 15, 2015, 12:15 a.m.
Position:	29 26.10 S, 153 21.02 E

Yeah! We're here after a quiet night, both wind & ocean were very kind to us. Coming in over the bar was good, no breaking waves, just a couple of hefty following waves which gave us a nice push! Really amazing, & confusing here, & at a number of bars along this coast, is when the tide changes it can take up to two & a half hours for the flow to turn & run with it. As always it pays to read up before tackling any entrance.

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Ballina

Date:	Dec. 14, 2015, 1:30 p.m.
Position:	28 52.89 S, 153 37.20 E

Feels like a very slow trip today. The Captain has an ear infection from being in the water on Thursday & is not feeling the best, we only have the headsail up to reduce the amount of energy required. Also we need to time our arrival time with the tidal flow over the bar at Yamba so we'll be 'strolling' along at 4 to 5 knots. Feels very slow!

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Cape Byron

Date:	Dec. 14, 2015, 11:45 a.m.
Position:	28 37.65 S, 153 39.58 E

Rounding the most easterly point of Australia, Cape Byron. Exciting as it is my last, I have now been to all the most sticky out points, N, S, E & W of mainland Australia. The Captain, of course, not to be outdone, has been to all four points in Australia, he has been down the very southern point in Tasmania.

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Point Danger / Tweed Heads

Date:	Dec. 14, 2015, 5:30 a.m.
Position:	28 11.46 S, 153 36.05 E

Point Danger didn't sound inviting but given the calm day the outer reefs look positively benign.
Cruising past the beautiful Tweed Valley, what a lovely sight from the ocean, rolling green hills with the Mt Warning peak standing tall amongst the Great Dividing Range in the backdrop. Much nicer than the man-made Gold Coast 'mountains'.

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Heading South

Date:	Dec. 14, 2015, 2:30 a.m.
Position:	27 56.00 S, 153 26.10 E

Safely through the Seaway, interestingly littered with fishermen, surprising given the pleasure boat traffic.
Now heading south, NSW here we come! The boarder is about 17nm away.

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Gold Coast Seaway, Entrance

Date:	Dec. 14, 2015, 2 a.m.
Position:	27 56.12 S, 153 25.49 E

Once again we have wound our way through very scenic narrow & shallow channels south towards the Gold Coast where we will 'exit' Moreton Bay through the man-made 'Seaway' to the ocean. What a contrast! From mangrove lined channels & islands with modest white sandy beaches to the high rise buildings & high energy action of the Gold Coast all in one short journey.

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Leaving Jacobs Well

Date:	Dec. 13, 2015, 11:30 p.m.
Position:	27 46.30 S, 153 25.55 E

Left this morning at 7:30am after a lovely couple of very relaxing days with Bruce & Kay. We shared morning teas, lunches & dinners & they very kindly drove us around the local area which is still very rural, (sugar cane plantations), a pleasant surprise given the highly commercial Gold Coast region only a short drive away.
Our anchorage out the front of Bruce & Kay's house was great holding, we had to give the anchor a little more than average encouragement to come with us!

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Jacobs Well

Date:	Dec. 11, 2015, 1 a.m.
Position:	27 46.90 S, 153 22.25 E

Safely anchored just off Bruce & Kay's lovely waterfront home. 'Tunnel Vision' is finally home too, after 19 months 'adrift' she is tied to their private jetty. Fantastic spot!
Saw some funny things on the trip down this morning, a 40 knot speed limit sign on water & a jetty on a lean! Also had our first under over head wire experience. Passed close to the pylon for maximum clearance, luckily loads.

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Russell Island

Date:	Dec. 10, 2015, 10:30 p.m.
Position:	27 38.58 S, 153 21.76 E

What storm we asked ourselves this morning when we woke to a beautiful clear morning & glassy still water, just stunning!
Left the anchorage at 6am to head down to Jacob's Well, which is where Bruce & Kay have their house. As we wind our way through the islands we are reminded of Roger's friend Rodger, who used to own land here on Russell Island, now on our port side. What a lovely spot it is :-)

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Canaipa Point

Date:	Dec. 10, 2015, 12:30 p.m.
Position:	27 38.15 S, 153 24.96 E

Well, what a difference an hour makes! After a lovely fairly energetic day at Peel Island, (we'd spent time in the water cleaning the hulls & had been for a walk on the beach), we planned for Bruce & Kay to come on board for dinner. However, as daylight faded the dark clouds gathered & the thunder & lightning down south started to get our attention. We had been warned about the storms around Brisbane by a very experienced cruiser friend of ours, Mike. On checking the weather radar it looked as though it would pass to the south of us & we thought we may just get some rain & a little wind, WRONG! Half an hour later we had 45 knots across the deck, the wind had completely turned us around which meant we were now on a lee shore (stern in), never a good thing if the anchor drags! I must admit Clawdette handled it beautifully & the anchor didn't drag but after the second squall it was decided that we would up anchor & find shelter elsewhere so as not to remain on a lee shore at night. Once the storm passed we would have more than likely have been fine but it wasn't worth risking so Bruce, being a local, led the way to a safer anchorage, Canaipa Point.
Needless to say after all that excitement (?!) dinner plans were cancelled & we ate finally at 9pm!

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Peel Island

Date:	Dec. 9, 2015, 5 p.m.
Position:	27 30.57 S, 153 21.65 E

Finally after we are safely anchored in Horseshoe Bay on the south side of Peel Island. Unfortunately it has been dark since just after the fairway marker so other than 6 ships, 2 barges & a crab pot float that managed to get caught on our starboard daggerboard (!!), we saw very little. It was also fairly sloppy for the first few hours, we had a 15 to 20 knot wind behind us & shallow water all round which chops up very quickly.
Looking forward to a quick shower & some sleep..

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Moreton Bay

Date:	Dec. 9, 2015, 9:30 a.m.
Position:	26 48.68 S, 153 10.54 E

After a trouble free but frustrating run down the picturesque coast, (the wind was behind us which is a slow angle for us), we are passing the NW Fairway marker which is the start of the main shipping channel for the Port of Brisbane. A very busy channel! We already have a ship approaching from behind doing 12 knots. We will follow the channel but travel out of it on the right hand side, by doing so, we will have the dredged deeper water & be out of the way of all shipping traffic, although they will still look close once it gets dark.
Moreton Bay is huge! Another maze of narrow, shallow channels, sandbanks & islands.

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Double Island Point

Date:	Dec. 9, 2015, 12:15 a.m.
Position:	25 56.00 S, 153 11.90 E

Just rounding a very picturesque Double Island Point with Rainbow Sands in the back ground, very nice in the morning sun. Now heading directly south towards Moreton Bay. Our destination, all being well, will be Peel Island.

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Wide Bay Bar (End)

Date:	Dec. 8, 2015, 11 p.m.
Position:	25 47.46 S, 153 8.20 E

We're through with no problems at all which is great. Even in the benign conditions the stretch known as the 'mad mile' was still a little confused but nothing of concern. It is best to exit on the last of an flooding tide as there is normally an on shore breeze/wind, by doing so you then avoid wind against tide which can be very messy. the down size is you push tide all the way out, at times we had 2.2 knots against us. All that meant a slower trip through than anticipated. 

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Wide Bay Bar (Start)

Date:	Dec. 8, 2015, 9:45 p.m.
Position:	25 48.34 S, 153 2.40 E

We left marina at 4:15am & after pushing tide up the Inlet we are finally turning to head out through the Bar. All indications are that we've picked the weather & tide perfectly as there are 21 boats in view going out with us!

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Tin Can Bay

Date:

Dec. 8, 2015, 8 a.m.

What a nice relaxing week we have had in Tin Can Bay. The first two days were just as predicted, 30 to 35 knots so we were very happy with our decision to 'berth'. The marina here is great & the facilities exceptionally clean & tidy. Everyone, without exception, has been very friendly. We chose not to hire a car given that there was enough to occupy us locally & given that we wanted to do a few jobs on the boat so it would have been a waste during those days.
We have done a couple of walks along the shore, given that Tin Can is surrounded by Snapper Creek & Tin Can Bay Inlet there is plenty of shoreline to follow. On a smaller scale than the famous Monkey Mia, Indo Pacific Humpback dolphins that visit Norman Head each day to be fed, which is a great attraction for the locals & visitors, including us! We also ventured a little further out & spent the day in Gympie, a very nice picturesque country town. It's been a very social week too, with dinners & coffee out & on board & a lovely Sunday lunch, with live music, at the Marina Bar & Grill with new friends & fellow cruisers, Kim & Kim.
But, enough of all this fun & frivolity! The winds have turned in our favour & all being well we will be on our way south again tomorrow. First challenge at 6:30am, crossing the notorious Wide Bay Bar! With plenty of research & planning all should go well.

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Tin Can Bay Marina

Date:	Dec. 2, 2015, 4:30 a.m.
Position:	25 54.40 S, 153 0.44 E

Safely tucked into our marina pen. First impressions are great, seems nice & friendly & well run.

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Tin Can Bay Inlet & The Wide Bay Bar

Date:	Dec. 2, 2015, 3:15 a.m.
Position:	25 48.35 S, 153 1.82 E

Plan B! The weather prediction all week has been for a strong SE, (20 to 25 knots), change to hit early Thursday morning so, as mentioned, we had tucked ourselves into Garry's Anchorage, (which, by the way, was just lovely). However, when checking the latest weather this morning the prediction for the front was for a more southerly direction & had increased to 30 to 35 knots! So rather than sit & wait for the actuals we decided to book in to the Tin Can Bay Marina, 20nm south. Given that the SSE winds are predicted for the week we have booked in for one week.
Just entering the Tin Can Inlet & we have also had our first look at the notorious Wide Bay Bar. We will be crossing this to continue south so the weather needs to be right.

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Garry's Anchorage

Date:	Dec. 1, 2015, 5 a.m.
Position:	25 37.62 S, 152 58.46 E

Had a good morning with Bruce & Kay exploring the old timber works on Fraser Island. Logging was stopped in the late 70s but not before all the old growth plus had been remove. There are some reminders of those days scattered along the western shore. Also spent time up a number of creeks, of which there are loads! It would be fabulous to see Sandy Straits from the air during a spring low tide.
On near high tide we travelled the short distance to Garry's Anchorage, which is the most secure in area. Unfortunately we will be held up here for a number of days due to a very strong SE front which is due early Thursday. With predictions for over 30 knots, we're staying put!

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Turkey Island

Date:	Nov. 30, 2015, 7:30 a.m.
Position:	25 31.59 S, 152 56.01 E

Another early start today, left Bundaberg at 5am for the run south to the Great Sandy Straits. Had another easy day with the wind behind us again we made good steady time. Our first choice of anchorage, Big Woody Island, (&, yes it did have loads of trees on it!), didn't work out as there was about 10 degrees of west in the north wind which ran straight down the bay so we moved on to the southern side of Turkey Island, (&, no, didn't see any turkeys!).

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Great Sandy Straits

Date:	Nov. 30, 2015, 3:30 a.m.
Position:	25 14.43 S, 152 56.91 E

Just entering the Sandy Straits, an amazing 'maze' of winding, sometimes very shallow & narrow channels of water in between shifting sand banks & sand islands. Fraser Island, at approx. 120klms long & 15klms wide, to the east is the worlds largest sand island.

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Bundaberg

Date:	Nov. 29, 2015, 7:30 a.m.
Position:	24 45.25 S, 152 25.45 E

We entered Hervey Bay today, known for the east coast whale migration, pity it's not the season.
It's been a long day today but an easy one. The wind was behind us all the way, with just the headsail out it was very leisurely.
On the leads now to enter the Port of Bundaberg, not the most attractive I must admit. Bundaberg famous for the rum of course & for it's sugar exports. Just another overnight stop, tomorrow we are heading to the Sandy Straits between Frazer Island & the mainland.

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Bustard Head

Date:	Nov. 28, 2015, 10:30 p.m.
Position:	23 59.37 S, 151 46.36 E

Good news, no more fronts & the wind & sea state have settled so well under way. Travelling about 75nm south to Bundaberg.

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A False Start!

Date:	Nov. 28, 2015, 8 p.m.
Position:	23 57.42 S, 151 35.17 E

We left the anchorage in the dark at 3am to travel with the last of the outgoing tide. Just as we started to venture north in the deeper channel the wind picked up from a nice 10 knots to 20 to 25 knots from the north, the sea state, of course, obiliged & instantly turned ferel. After about 20 mins we did a U turn & headed back for the comfort of the bay, As soon as we did the wind had eased &, after checking the rain radar, it was found that two fronts had past either side of us & were now travelling out to sea. So another U turn & we were on our way again.

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Rodd Harbour

Date:	Nov. 28, 2015, 8:30 a.m.
Position:	24 1.01 S, 151 36.75 E

Change of anchorage for the night, 10nm short of our planned one. Wind picked up so we pulled in to get out of the side on slop, never comfortable :-( Bruce had managed to catch a mackerel & very nicely let us have it so we spent a very pleasant evening on Tunnel Vision.
Retired early as up at 3am for the run to Bundaberg.

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Gladstone Harbour

Date:	Nov. 28, 2015, 4 a.m.
Position:	23 48.05 S, 151 13.27 E

At the southern end of the Narrows is the very extensive &, very busy, Gladstone Harbour. The infrastructure & channels run for 23nm! What a engineers delight! Roger was very excited to see all the industry, including three he worked on back in the 1980s. Lucky for us the ship traffic was only one tug & a couple of transport ferries, no big ships on the move to dodge, they were all either tied up at dock or on anchor just off shore.

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The Narrows, Curtis Island

Date:	Nov. 28, 2015, 1 a.m.
Position:	23 28.50 S, 150 57.93 E

After a busy day in the marina & an enjoyable night spent with Gary, Lyn, Bruce & Kay, we are off again. 'Cruising in company' again with Bruce & Kay which will be great. As they have travelled this part of the coast before they have good local knowledge which will help us enormously.
The 'Narrows' is, of course, a narrow waterway that runs between the mainland & Curtis Island. We need to enter of a flooding tide which will meet the flow from the southern end mid way at the cattle crossing. The farmers cross their stock at this point, at low tide, as there is always slack water. Our plan is to be pushed out by the tide once through the crossing. The water is back to being very muddy, due to the strong flow & we are once again surrounded by mangroves & more than likely crocodiles!

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Keppel Bay Marina

Date:	Nov. 26, 2015, 11 p.m.
Position:	23 9.42 S, 150 47.52 E

After a nice couple of days anchored at Great Keppel Island this morning we sailed the 8nm to the mainland & went into the very nice Keppel Bay Marina, just south of Yeppoon. Great Keppel it's fair to say is probably struggling at the moment. There are some basic tourist facilities there, which are good & very laid back & casual. The resort that was there has been closed for 9 years & is fenced off & looking in a sorry state. It has been sold & plans are approved for it to be bulldozed & rebuilt however, there is controversy over the casino part, as you would expect. Does seem a shame to bring such 'entertainment' to what is a beautiful spot with white sandy beaches, crystal clear water & nature reserves all around. Progress??!!

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Great Keppel Island

Date:	Nov. 24, 2015, 6 a.m.
Position:	23 11.02 S, 150 55.91 E

After just over 32 hours we are anchored at low tide in 2.4m of beautifully clear water. What a thrill to see that! It looks amazingly tempting & I think not a croc or irukandji box jellyfish in sight, better check first though!
Very nice scenic run down the coast since sunrise this morning, not as spectacular as far north Queensland, but still good.
Looking to be here perhaps to the end of the week, will explore the island & catch up with friends Lin & Gary in Yeppoon. First though, a good nights sleep.

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Cape Manifold

Date:	Nov. 23, 2015, 9:30 p.m.
Position:	22 41.07 S, 150 51.07 E

Our very good run continued all night, even though we were passing around a very turbulent area we were able to keep up our speed, thanks also to a flow that defied logic & went against the 'norm', an ebb tide that ran south, great timing for us though kept us seriously on the move!
Of course, all good things come to an end & at dawn the tide turned & we are now, very slowly, motoring the last 25nm to Great Keppel in no wind & a gently rolling sea.

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Clara Group

Date:	Nov. 23, 2015, 7:30 p.m.
Position:	22 20.11 S, 150 43.63 E

Plan C didn't transpire either! Had a great sail south from Double Island to Middle Island as the tide decided to run with us, very nice! As it was dark we had 2 reefs in the main & a full heady & we were still cruising along nicely at 7 & 8 knots. We made such good time that we decided to carry on & head for Great Keppel Island another 125nm away. All happy on board even though the day was not how planned.

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Double Island

Date:	Nov. 23, 2015, 9 a.m.
Position:	21 21.81 S, 149 49.59 E

Current & tide worse here & depths not much better so Plan C, Middle Island in the Percy Group.
Unfortunately, the troublesome tides which seem against us even when they are not supposed to be are with us for a few days yet so sit back, keep smiling & enjoy!

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Prudhoe Island

Date:	Nov. 23, 2015, 7 a.m.
Position:	21 20.10 S, 149 40.55 E

Good job we have a sense of humour! Today trip has turned into a very frustrating excercise. Plan was to travel 60nm to Prudhoe & anchor for the night however, after pushing tide all day, we got there to find the depths just too much, over 20 metres & with a 6m difference between high & low the 'flow' was seriously on the move! So we headed for our next choice, Double Island, 10nm away.

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Shaw Island, Whitsundays

Date:	Nov. 22, 2015, 4:30 a.m.
Position:	20 30.30 S, 149 2.84 E

Forgot rule number one today, work with the tides! We had the tide against us all the way, up to 2 knots at times. Didn't really matter though as it was a short trip & it meant we had a lovely slow run through some of the central Whitsunday Islands, very nice. We have elected to stop at Shaw Island, which is 10nm south of Lindeman. Weather forecast looks okay so we will try to keep heading south & from all accounts we are not the only ones thinking that way, we are sharing this bay with 10 other boats.
Whilst chilling in the afternoon we spotted a dugong feeding very close to the boat, Roger managed some good photos given that they are pretty quick on the surface & normally shy.

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Pioneer Point

Date:	Nov. 21, 2015, 11 p.m.
Position:	20 13.44 S, 148 45.46 E

Left Airlie Beach at 6.30am this morning, now rounding Pioneer Point & turning south to enter Molle Channel.
As you would expect there were a large number of changes in Airlie Beach since Roger's first visit in the 1980s. The town is the gateway to the Whitsunday cruising grounds & all they have on offer, which is loads! As always with development, some is good, some not so good. One of the highlights is a large foreshore lagoon area that has been landscaped beautifully. It is a huge hit with locals & visitors & it's great to see families enjoying it & the bbq & picnic facilities.

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Airlie Beach

Date:	Nov. 16, 2015, 5:30 p.m.
Position:	20 15.72 S, 148 43.20 E

After a very quick trip, (our average was 8.4 knots), we dropped anchor just after 1am. Given it was dark we just picked a clear spot, had a shower & went to bed. In the morning, amazingly of all the places we could have picked in this large bay, we ended up alongside a yacht 'Koolinda' from Fremantle which we had seen in Albany (WA) when Roger helped friend Scott sail his boat to Port Lincoln (SA), what small world, & one of coincidences!
Roger has fond, (up to 35yo) memories of Airlie Beach & the Whitsunday Islands so it will be interesting to see how it's changed. Looks as though we'll have the opportunity, the SE winds that will hold us here are set in until the weekend.

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Gloucester Head

Date:	Nov. 16, 2015, 1:30 p.m.
Position:	19 57.64 S, 148 27.66 E

Gloucester Head, another odd name & on our way here we passed Cape Upstart &, compared to Bowling Green it was seriously 'up', much more impressive.
Just turned & heading for Airlie Beach, 25nm to go. We've had a fantastic sail, we expected to anchor around 8.30am, instead we look to anchor around 2am.

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Cape Bowling Green

Date:	Nov. 16, 2015, 5:30 a.m.
Position:	19 16.88 S, 147 24.52 E

What funny names these Capes have, why Bowling Green I thought on approach. Once there though all became clear, it is a narrow, long spit of sand with very low lying shrubs, with a little imagination those English explorers thought it looked like a bowling green.
Ps; having a great sail, in fact one of our best since leaving Perth, 9 to 10 knots of boat speed in a 10 to 15 northerly, she does it effortlessly.

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Cape Cleveland

Date:	Nov. 16, 2015, 2:45 a.m.
Position:	19 10.82 S, 147 0.94 E

Yeah, the nasty SE change, (normal on this coast), has moved out until Tuesday afternoon so we have decided to make a run for Airlie Beach, 135nm & 24hrs away. Pity, we didn't get to explore Townsville or Magnetic Island after all.

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Townsville

Date:	Nov. 14, 2015, 11 a.m.
Position:	19 14.58 S, 146 50.06 E

Entering the Townsville Harbour in the dark with sheet lightning all around us (!!), on our way to a berth at the Townsville Yacht Club Marina.
Frustratingly, the change in the forecast for tomorrow will mean that we will, more than likely, be held up for a least a week here as more severe SE winds follow. Bright side is, we've never been to Townsville before & being 'held up' here or at Magnetic Island, which is just off shore & a suburb of Townsville, can't be bad?!

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Magnetic Island

Date:	Nov. 14, 2015, 10 a.m.
Position:	19 6.54 S, 146 53.23 E

Bugger! Plan A is not looking possible now & so we are turning around Magnetic Island & heading for Townsville.
After lunch the wind & sea state increased, not much but enough to make us re-think getting to Whitsunday Islands & Airlie Beach, another 30 hours away. Also helping our decision was a change to Sunday's forecast which showed stronger winds for the last 12 hours of our journey. Double bugger!!

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Lucinda Jetty

Date:	Nov. 14, 2015, 3 a.m.
Position:	18 31.10 S, 146 23.36 E

Clear of the jetty & on our way to the Whitsunday Islands / Airlie Beach.

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Hinchinbrook Channel (South)

Date:	Nov. 14, 2015, 2 a.m.
Position:	18 29.43 S, 146 14.21 E

Well that was certainly the detour & extra time. The channel was very impressive with the Cardwell range on the mainland side & Hinchinbrook Island seaward. Beautiful calm water, lush mangroves & many creeks.
Just making an eastward turn to towards the southern entrance/exit & the town of Lucinda. Before setting course though we need to negotiate the 3nm jetty (!!), at the end of which they load sugar onto ships.

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Hinchinbrook Channel (North)

Date:	Nov. 13, 2015, 10:30 p.m.
Position:	18 14.99 S, 146 3.53 E

It has been recommended to us that the Hinchinbrook Channel (22nm) is well worth making a detour for, so we have. The Channel runs between the mainland & Hinchinbrook Island & is reported to be very scenic.
After a very quiet, trouble free night we are just about to enter with the tide with us, yeah!

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Kent Island

Date:	Nov. 13, 2015, 4:30 p.m.
Position:	17 40.56 S, 146 11.42 E

Passing seaward of Kent Island, the light is flashing as it should, always happy when the visuals match up with the chart, especially at night!

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Cape Grafton

Date:	Nov. 13, 2015, 8 a.m.
Position:	16 53.20 S, 145 57.68 E

Just rounding Cape Grafton, 8nm SE of Cairns. Lovely scenic trip down to Cairns this morning, in calm seas & light winds. We are sailing but just needed a motor to tick over to keep up our required average.
I have been reflecting on our stop in Port Douglas & my previous log comments. It's a funny thing this sailing, especially when remote, it can be quite isolating & removed from every day 'normal' life, ours & our friends & family. There are things you miss & things you don't & the things you miss can be really odd & quite unexpected, like a nice Coles supermarket! I was nearly salivating in Port Douglas, the Coles there is very nice & even though I needed only half a dozen things I found myself loving walking the aisles, weird! Also got a thrill when they stocked our favourite Lawsons bread, haven't had that since Geraldton on the west coast, it is the best!

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Palm Cove & Ellis Beach

Date:	Nov. 13, 2015, 5 a.m.
Position:	16 44.21 S, 145 40.62 E

We chose to do a little detour today & run down close to the coast, one because it is just spectacular & two because we have previously visited, & loved, both Palm Cove & Ellis Beach, (just north of Cairns). It was great to see their fabulous beaches & lush green escarpments again, this time from the water.

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Leaving Port Douglas

Date:

Nov. 13, 2015, 1 a.m.

What a gorgeous place Port Douglas is to visit, it has a wonderful holiday vibe, a fabulous main street with shops, cafes, restaurants & everything else you should need, difference is it is very tastefully done & kept beautifully. On top of all that, the town is in between magnificent rainforest & the barrier reef! We are actually very disappointed that we couldn't stay a week or two.
This trip down the east coast is going to be a little frustrating as we won't be stopping for too long to take in all the wonderful places along the way. As mentioned, plan A is to be south of the cyclone belt asap & be in Sydney for NYE & perhaps Christmas which would be a bonus! Whether we make it to Sydney on time depends on the intensity of the SE winds from here on in however, we still want to be clear of cyclones so it means we keep moving for a while yet. So we reluctantly untied the lines this morning &, with a 3 to 4 days weather window we are headed to the Whitsunday Islands. .

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Port Douglas

Date:	Nov. 10, 2015, noon
Position:	16 28.59 S, 145 27.71 E

Just about to enter Dickson's Inlet where the marina & our berth are, great to land safely after a trouble free trip of 449nm & 68 hours.
We have booked 3 nights here, weather is good again on Friday & the weekend so will look to move on then. In the meantime we will enjoy Port Douglas with Bruce & Kay who are due to arrive later tonight.

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Penquin Channel

Date:	Nov. 10, 2015, 10:30 a.m.
Position:	16 16.66 S, 145 29.80 E

On the home straight, 12nm to go.
We have booked a berth in Port Douglas marina, having been here before we know it's handy to everything required. So a little r & r & some sleep that's longer than 2 or 3 hours & we'll be back on track.

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Cape Tribulation

Date:	Nov. 10, 2015, 7:30 a.m.
Position:	16 4.62 S, 145 28.75 E

What a fabulous trip down the coast, especially from Cooktown south. The scenery is just awesome with the Great Dividing Range coming right onto the coast,. Really fantastic to see from the ocean, it is so lush & densly wooded & you can see why with the ever threatening clouds over the range.

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Cape Flattery

Date:	Nov. 9, 2015, 10 p.m.
Position:	14 56.47 S, 145 21.35 E

All good, quiet night on board, only 3 cargo vessels & one cruise ship, the Sea Princess to report on. The Sea Princess was actually on her way to Port Douglas & she past us doing 19 knots, too quick to throw a tow line!
Rounding Cape Flattery at sunrise, heading south with 90nm to go.

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Cape Melville

Date:	Nov. 9, 2015, 10:30 a.m.
Position:	14 9.35 S, 144 31.21 E

It seems to have taken a long time to get to Cape Meville from Cape Direction! When rounding Direction you have a choice of two passages, Lads & the Inner. The Inner is more protected as it is fringed on the east side by numerous reefs, it is some 25nm longer, closer to shore & free of big ships. Lads Passage is the more direct route but littered with ships. Given that we were travelling, to start with, at night we opted for the Inner Passage, thereby adding an extra 4 hours to our journey.

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Inner Passage

Date:	Nov. 9, 2015, 3:30 a.m.
Position:	14 2.93 S, 143 56.24 E

Rounding the bottom corner of the Inner Passage & heading for Cape Melville

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Cape Direction

Date:	Nov. 8, 2015, 5:30 p.m.
Position:	12 50.00 S, 143 34.40 E

24 hours in & all is well on board, so far a very smooth ride. We left Shallow Bay at midnight to run with the tide through Albany Passage, full flow can be up to 5 knots & you wouldn't want to push that!
If weather predictions hold we should have at least 3 days of favourable conditions which is very unusual for this coast, so planning to make the most of it & head straight for Port Douglas or Cairns.
By the way, night watch around these parts is very different to the west coast, where, once you are clear of the coastal reef, there is very little to be concerned about, it's pretty much clear. The east coast is the exact opposite, 'stuff' everywhere! Islands. islets, reefs, rocks, wrecks & shipping lanes with BIG ships in them, how rude! About an hour ago our route took us close to the edge of one lane & two ships passed us within 1.5nm, doesn't sound close but at night they look way too close!

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Shallow Bay

Date:	Nov. 6, 2015, 7 a.m.
Position:	10 43.52 S, 142 34.69 E

Anchored now at the north end of Albany Passage, another fast flowing tidal area, waiting until tomorrow when the tide & wind should be favourable to continue south.
In the evening Bruce & Kay joined us on board for a bbq & a celebratory glass of champagne, or two!

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The Tip, Cape York

Date:	Nov. 6, 2015, 6:15 a.m.
Position:	10 41.19 S, 142 31.88 E

The conditions were good so we continued & rounded Cape York, motoring through the narrow gap between the mainland & York Island. A very exciting moment & the last of our major Capes!

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Peak Point

Date:	Nov. 6, 2015, 4:30 a.m.
Position:	10 42.34 S, 142 25.99 E

Left Seisia on an ebbing tide at 11.30am. Plan is to head around the 'Tip', Cape York & onto Shallow Bay, however if the wind & seas are not favourable we will stop on the western bay & wait to round in more favourable conditions.

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@ Seisia

Date:

Nov. 6, 2015, 12:30 a.m.

We've have a good, entertaining week in Seisia waiting for the winds to ease to poke our nose around the 'Tip' as it is called in these parts. We have shared the anchorage with a number of boats waiting to do the same thing. Seisia itself is not a bad place to be held up, the anchorage is very protected, the supermarket & fuel station are very close to the shore & the main township Bamaga is a short distance away. The locals, more Islanders than Aboriginals, are very friendly & the town & surrounds are neat & tidy. Whilst here we've been invited to a BBQ at the local butcher's house, as you would imagine, the meat was good! There we also met the very entertaining care-taker of the church, Lisa, who told some very funny stories & kept us all laughing. On Monday six of us took the ferry across to Thursday Island which was very good, again very neat & tidy & very well presented & once again, the Torres Strait Island locals are very welcoming & friendly & display a happy disposition with one lady singing & playing her mandolin whilst having her morning coffee at the café. We did a tour of the Island which gave an insight into the history & culture. Then on Tuesday morning, nine of us including Bella a Jack Russell, hired a 4WD troop carrier & drove, then walked, to the 'Tip' of Cape York, the most northern point of mainland Australia. Given that I have stood on the most southern point it was a special moment. For lunch, as it was Melbourne Cup Day we joined in on the activity at Punsand Bay where there is a laid back outdoor style pub & some accommodation. The Cup carnival was being broadcast live on TV & in between they had music, local fashions on the field/beach & even their own horse races along the beach. It was all very unique & great fun to watch.
So at the end of a very entertaining week the winds are predicted to ease & we plan to depart Friday or Saturday.

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Seisia

Date:	Oct. 29, 2015, 2:30 a.m.
Position:	10 51.29 S, 142 21.77 E

Yeah, we had the tide with us today which was great given that when we turned east towards Seisia the wind had picked up & on our nose so the extra knot or two helped to keep up a healthy speed. After negotiating the shallows around Crab Island it was an easy 16nm run to the anchorage. We are still 20 klms from the tip of Cape York so can't claim to have conquered that just yet. We'll more than likely be here for a while, it's all a waiting game now for better winds to head down the east coast. Plenty to do though, a ferry to Thursday Island for the day is planned & maybe a 4WD tour to the 'tip'.

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Endeavour Strait

Date:	Oct. 29, 2015, midnight
Position:	10 57.39 S, 142 4.86 E

Beautiful flat calm water this morning & as we left at 6am the sun was just rising & the near full moon setting, both look fabulous across the water. Also saw a 2 to 3 metre shark cruising around looking for breakfast.
Now rounding Crab Island & heading east through Endeavour Strait to Seisia.

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Crab Island

Date:	Oct. 28, 2015, 7 a.m.
Position:	11 2.90 S, 142 8.53 E

Our Crystal Creek anchorage did not work out as it was too shallow. Given our quick sail we arrived 2 hours after low tide so rather than wait around for high tide we travelled 5 nm further north to a very sheltered spot just south of Crab Island where deeper water ran closer to shore.

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Vrilya Point

Date:	Oct. 28, 2015, midnight
Position:	11 13.66 S, 142 5.60 E

After a nice couple of days in Port Musgrave we are heading north towards Seisia & Cape York. Planning a two day run with an overnight stop at Crystal Creek. Just rounding Vrilya Point & having a great sail which makes a change! Two reefs in the mainsail & headsail we are safely cruising along between 7 & 10 knots in very gusty conditions. The breeze is mostly 10 to 15 knots but given it's coming off the land we have gusts of 25 knots.
Very happy we stayed in Port Musgrave, not only did it prove to be a very safe, sheltered anchorage it also was very interesting. The bird life was prolific all day there was always something to watch & listen to. Also, for the first time in a while, we were able to stretch our legs ashore, a couple of nice walks along a sandy beach which had interesting & very different shells &, it's own 'sculptures by the sea' thanks to a cyclone that visit last year.

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Port Musgrave

Date:	Oct. 24, 2015, 2 p.m.
Position:	11 58.72 S, 141 56.04 E

Yeah, another notorious Gulf conquered! After 350nm & 56 hours we anchored in Port Musgrave, about 80nm south on the western shore of the Cape York Peninsula. Once again BOM wind predictions were spot on &, apart from a 10/15 breeze each morning which 'chopped' up the sea state for a few hours, both wind & sea were light the whole way, just perfect! Draw back, of course, is that apart from a few hours at the end we needed to motor sail. Unless you are prepared to tack back & forth & expose yourself to by being 'out there' much longer, which we are not, motor assistance is required. So we decided to make landfall at Port Musgrave as the predictions for further north were for stronger winds.
All in all a good trip across celebrated with a quick wine with Gary & Lin on Kik-n-Bak once anchored. The other boat that left Gove with us took a slightly different course so has ended up further north so hoping to catch up with them at Seisia.

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Bremer Island

Date:	Oct. 22, 2015, 11:08 a.m.
Position:	12 8.72 S, 136 47.10 E

Well weather looks as though it will hold & so w have made the decision to head to Cape York, up to 3 days & 350nm away. We have two other boats travelling with us which is always good for longer trips, it's reassuring to see lights, not too far away, during the night & good to chat on the radio.
We all left at 2.30pm to catch the tide out & to clear all land before dark. All going to plan so far, we are just cutting through under Bremer Island.

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Gove

Date:	Oct. 21, 2015, 2 a.m.
Position:	12 11.81 S, 136 42.23 E

Arrived in Gove at 10am after a great sail south from Cape Wilberforce. This will be a very quick 'pit-stop' as the weather looks as though it might hold for a Gulf crossing, with 350nm of nothing but water calm conditions are vital. We'll monitor various internet sites to check that nothing changes & in the meantime, with Gary off KiknBak, we'll hire a ute & get fuel & povisions, pick up his wife, Lin, from the airport & treat ourselves to dinner out at the Arnhem Club. We did want to go to the local yacht club, however it doesn't open on Wednesdays.
Extreme caution is required now in Gove harbour as there are a number of sunken & washed up boats. The ones on shore are easy to see but the ones under water are not, not a good place to enter at night! Some boats were wrecked by last years cyclone, others have just been abandoned after mining company, Rio Tinto shut down the bauxite refinery after spending 2 billion upgrading the plant. The bauxite mine is still operational & it is shipped from the port but there is no 'value add' for Australia, just dig it up & ship it out, not good!

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Cape Wilberforce

Date:	Oct. 20, 2015, 11:30 p.m.
Position:	11 53.96 S, 136 35.26 E

Another notorious Cape conquered in good conditions, very happy about that!

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Point William

Date:	Oct. 20, 2015, 10:30 p.m.
Position:	11 52.16 S, 136 33.03 E

Up at 6am this morning to travel on to Gove. Just rounding Point William & heading for Cape Wilberforce.

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Elizabeth Bay

Date:	Oct. 20, 2015, 9:30 a.m.
Position:	11 54.28 S, 136 34.04 E

Finally after nearly 12 hours & 72 nm we arrived in Elizabeth Bay. Anchored & went for a quick drink & catch up with fellow travellers.
Just an overnight stop, heading to Gove tomorrow.

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Pobassoo Island

Date:	Oct. 20, 2015, 8 a.m.
Position:	11 55.65 S, 136 26.87 E

Finally a good sail, the last couple of hours have been great.
Passing under Pobassoo Island which was named by Matty Flinders so my Captain tells me, Pobassoo was the chief of the Macassans collecting Trepang (sea cucumber). Getting a great push from the tide, doing 9.2 knots! Surrounding scenery has improved vastly, lovely islands & islets with great looking sandy beaches.

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Alger Island

Date:	Oct. 20, 2015, 4 a.m.
Position:	11 50.04 S, 135 58.78 E

Just had the tide against us travelling up the west side of Alger Island, a pain but sometimes unavoidable.
Just turning east across Donnington Sound.

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Cadell Strait

Date:	Oct. 19, 2015, 11 p.m.
Position:	12 5.13 S, 135 33.29 E

Turning the 'elbow' in the strait & heading NE, into the wind of course!

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Cadell Strait

Date:	Oct. 19, 2015, 10:30 p.m.
Position:	12 3.14 S, 135 32.67 E

Up anchor at 6am this morning & just about to start our journey through the Cadell Strait, should have the tide with us hopefully!
Our permit for Galiwin'ku didn't arrive via email so we went ashore anyway &, as it turns out we were very glad we did. As mentioned, our visit to Maningrida was not a good experience & so it was refreshing to see a huge difference in Galiwin'ku. It was cleaner, people were a lot more friendly & looked purposeful. The supermarket was very well kept & fresh fruit & veg were just that!

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Galiwinku, Elcho Island

Date:	Oct. 14, 2015, 3:02 a.m.
Position:	12 1.84 S, 135 33.63 E

Yesterday from mid afternoon to early evening a swell entered the bay & gently rocked us from side to side, not a problem for one or two days but looking at the weather we may not be moving until Monday as the wind get stronger over the next few days & the swell will increase, more so given we have spring tides starting. So we moved this morning to outside the township of Galiwinku hoping for a little more protection.
I have also applied online for a permit at least we with one we can get off & walk the beach.

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Elcho Island

Date:	Oct. 13, 2015, 3:30 a.m.
Position:	11 58.98 S, 135 34.90 E

After a 9 hour motor we are anchored on the west side of Elcho Island 5nm north of Galiwinku. Starting at 3am really paid off today as the wind piped in earlier & only the last 2 hours were sloppy. Again we couldn't sail with the wind being on the nose, very frustrating! If we start to tack our way to destinations it would be slower & mean we are exposed to nasty winds & seas every day after, or before (!) 11am, so motoring it is.
Elcho Island is Aboriginal land & Galiwinku the community town. Once again we need a permit to 'land' but given that we are away from the town we may try a walk on the beach.

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Channel Re-visited

Date:	Oct. 12, 2015, 8:30 p.m.
Position:	11 56.60 S, 134 54.72 E

Up & away at 3am this morning to catch the tide high enough to navigate safely back up the Yabooma Channel & to flow with it through & under Mooroongga Island & east to Elcho Island. Safely through & now turning east. With a good push & only light easterly winds against us we should be anchoring around 12pm.

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Yabooma Island

Date:	Oct. 12, 2015, 11 a.m.
Position:	12 2.36 S, 134 54.85 E

Anchored safe in a very different place. We are surrounded by low lying islands, big & small, the water is cloudy & not at all clear & they are many very shallow reefs & sandbanks & most of the area is unsurveyed, not the best!
One great thing, the 3 Cats from the King River turned up yesterday & we all got travel together today. Tunnel Vision, Bruce & Kay, have continued on to Gove for family reasons which left the 2 other boats plus us to share stories of the last week at drinks on board Clawdette.
No time to rest, we're off again at 3am in the morning.

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Channel to Yabooma Island

Date:	Oct. 12, 2015, 3:30 a.m.
Position:	11 56.47 S, 134 54.54 E

Well what fun we have had over the last few days, not! Original plan was to leave Saturday night but the wind refused to 'die' overnight which left us frustrated especially when the morning turned out to be calm. We couldn't leave then as we would have arrived at our destination in the dark, which wasn't recommended. So another day went by & we planned again for Sunday night however, the wind was stronger & lasted up to midnight. We had a very disturbed night setting & re-setting alarms & waiting for the calm. Eventually at 2am we were up & away, the wind had only died an hour before so we were expecting fairly rough conditions. As it turned out it wasn't too bad, swell was about a metre & wind, on the nose of course, less than 10 knots. Given the late start we were not going to make Elcho Island, some 85nm, so here we are heading down a very slim tricky channel to Yabooma Island. 7nm out of our way but sheltered for the afternoon breezes.

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Entrance Island

Date:	Oct. 10, 2015, 1:30 a.m.
Position:	11 57.82 S, 134 12.66 E

We didn't want to stop off as long, in fact we had planned to leave Thursday morning on a very small weather window, however a check of the port side engine bay revealed a coolant leak which needed to be fixed. A bit of Supa-Glue for the brackets & a repair to a split hose & all is well!
We moved from the Liverpool River this morning out to Entrance Island which is 7nm due north ready for an early departure tomorrow or Monday, as soon as the wind dies. The next 80nm are not going to be pleasant with the wind head on & reasonably strong at 15 knots. There is an anchorage which we may use half way if we need a break but it is not a good one so we'll avoid it if all going okay. The next few days the winds are predicted to less than what they have been & that's a good thing given that they were 20-25 knots any reduction is good!

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Maningrida Township

Date:

Oct. 9, 2015, 9 a.m.

Yesterday our permit arrived so we decided to venture into town this morning & check out the Art & Cultural Centre & pick up some fruit & vegetables if able. We motored the big boat to the ramp, anchored & went in by dingy.
There were a 19 written rules & regulations that came with the permit, no:16 read, 'All rubbish & litter is to be disposed of in places provided expressly for that purpose (if any) or removed from Aboriginal Land'. Now the first thing that struck me as we walked through the very few streets was the amount of rubbish everywhere, even though the normal large 'green' household bins were clearly visible. Don't get me wrong, I'm not being racist, I just have no respect for anyone who dumps any rubbish. It is just a basic thing & not to clean up after yourself shows total disrespect/disregard for yourself, others, your immediate environment & the wider environment. I'll get off my soap box now!
The walk to the Arts & Cultural Centre was worth it. All the materials & colours are sourced from the environment, the bark paintings were good & other items also good, just a little pricey! Whilst there we talked with 'Nat' who had lived in town for 5 years, her husband was one of the local teachers. We talked about the current education system & she seemed very positive that all was well & that the Maningrida & surrounding communities were supportive of the school, which is great, education is the only way to go. It will be great to arm the young ones with more choices for their future.
Our walk back through town to the supermarket however, took a little of the shine off our conversation, apart from the rubbish which continued all the way, the houses were very, very poorly maintained & so were the cars. It reminded me, in parts, of Africa & some of the outpost towns there, bearing in mind that they are not supported in anyway where Maningrida & it's communities are.
It all left us feeling quite flat, it is such a tough issue, fingers crossed for the education of the young ones.

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Liverpool River

Date:	Oct. 6, 2015, 6 a.m.
Position:	12 4.61 S, 134 11.62 E

After 11 hours we are anchored safely up the Liverpool River. Luckily the wind & seas were very good to us & we had a good trip overall even though the swell was still up to a metre a times.
Maningrida is an Aboriginal community town serviced by small planes twice a day from Darwin & barges twice a week. One needs permission in the form of a permit to go ashore as the land, like most of the NT is Aboriginal Land / Traditional Owners. So we have completed the required online form which can take up to 10 days to process so not sure if we will get to use it as, if the weather is suitable for us to move we'll move. Wouldn't mind some (fresh?!) fruit & vegies though as the Darwin ones haven't done too well even though I have nurtured & talked to them nicely!

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Haul Around Island

Date:	Oct. 6, 2015, 3:30 a.m.
Position:	11 52.63 S, 134 11.10 E

Just west of Haul Around Island (who named that?!), nearly there!

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Cuthbert Point

Date:	Oct. 5, 2015, 11 p.m.
Position:	11 41.26 S, 133 51.39 E

Finally on the move this morning after one week. We are taking advantage of a day of reduced winds & have elected to leave the anchorage at 2.30am to get maximum travel time prior to, the possibly still windy afternoon. Not the best to stay anywhere a week, but the strong winds & big seas are not the best the alternative! Whilst waiting for the strong winds to pass we have been spending time in the company of the other 3 boats that are anchored here with us. Happy hour & various other activities, have been on most days & evenings. Also managed some maintenance including a trip up the mast to check our anchor light. Thanks go to Bruce for his help. We couldn't fix it but the problem now known.
We have been out fishing with Bruce & Kay & Roger's first catch of the day was a mangrove tree branch! Luckily things improved & he managed to catch actual fish, a barracuda (with big teeth!) & trevally. Bruce, however, was the only one that caught anything that was, quote, "good eating". Interesting even though the river looks like a croc haven we haven't seen any where we are anchored, of course, that doesn't mean they are not there! When fishing just inside the mouth of the river we saw three basking on the long sandy beach. Two of the three were big! Both between 4 & 5 metres!
The other 3 boats have elected to stay on so we are on our own again for the next leg to the Liverpool River & Maningrida Community.

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King River

Date:	Sept. 29, 2015, 3 a.m.
Position:	11 52.92 S, 133 29.01 E

The King River is about 400 to 500 metres wide & edged with very heathly looking mangroves &, I would assume, heathly looking crocs too! We travelled approx. 6nm up river to an anchorage which should be fairly protected. The coast here, like most of the Northern Territory is low lying so even though we are up river we may still feel more wind than usual but we will be protectd from any waves & swell. That said, we have arrived here just after a full moon & in spring tides which means the tidal flow in & out twice a day runs at about 2 to 3 knots so the boat feels as though she's on the move anyway!

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Turning into King River

Date:	Sept. 29, 2015, 12:45 a.m.
Position:	11 45.23 S, 133 33.60 E

Up at 6am this morning to head to King River as the forecast is for strong winds for the next 4 to 5 days, hopefully the river will provide good shelter. I must mention that all four boats left together &, from our boat bringing up the rear, it looked very funny, a procession of mother & ducklings!

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South Goulburn Island

Date:	Sept. 28, 2015, 7:15 a.m.
Position:	11 39.32 S, 133 21.59 E

Arrived after a reasonably slow day in which we were only able to sail the last 3 hours, that's the problem we will have continually now, heading east the wind heads west! Once anchored we launched the dingy & went over for sundowners on Bruce & Kay's boat together with Gary & Lyn, ('Kik-n-bak') & Bob & Helen, ('Makani Kai'), all of whom are making their way back to Queensland.

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De Courcy Head

Date:	Sept. 28, 2015, 1 a.m.
Position:	11 19.33 S, 132 54.68 E

Changed plans again today. We were going to do a very short hop to Malay Bay but conditions were light so we are heading for South Goulburn Island another 30nm to the SE. Will be a slow trip as wind is very light so to pass the time we are turtle spotting, there have been a number around today. It's great to see their smiling faces pop up, like dolphins their jaw line looks like a permanent grin. They also remind me of our family pet, Sam the tortoise, who is still going strong back in England with Mum & Dad.

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Point David, Croker Island

Date:	Sept. 27, 2015, 8 a.m.
Position:	11 21.16 S, 132 35.04 E

Anchored opposite an abandoned pearl farm so hopped in Bruce & Kay's dingy & went to have a look. Abandoned after the GFC in 2008 it is in a very sad & sorry state & is an eye sore on the landscape. It is a great pity that the company, which is still thriving today, didn't &, obviously still don't, feel the need to clean up their mess.

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Danger Point

Date:	Sept. 27, 2015, 4 a.m.
Position:	11 6.43 S, 132 20.19 E

Our plan was to stop at Danger Point overnight & travel Bowen Strait tomorrow, however conditions were good so we decided to keep going given the favourable tide so changed plan to anchor at Point David, Croker Island, at the southern end of Bowen Strait.

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Smith Point

Date:	Sept. 27, 2015, 2 a.m.
Position:	11 6.73 S, 132 6.44 E

Rounding Smith Point on our way to Danger Point

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Outback Spirit, 5 Star Resort

Date:

Sept. 26, 2015, 1 p.m.

Late yesterday afternoon the inevitable 'tinny' with four fishermen on board stopped off for a chat. Of the four Heath is the caretaker of the, currently closed, 5 star resort, here at Coral Bay, & the other three were part of the team working on the refurbishment. Heath very kindly invited us to look around &, if we wanted to, take a swim in the pool. Well, was that VERY tempting given the warm weather & given that the water all around us is inhabited by crocs. Apparently one up the creek near us is 5m!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So needless to say we took Heath up on his kind offer & went in this morning with Kay & Bruce. After a lovely couple of hours we were invited back for dinner which, of course, we graciously accepted & had a very good night in the company of the manager, Dan & 'tradies' working on the site.

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Coral Bay, Port Essington

Date:	Sept. 24, 2015, 6 a.m.
Position:	11 11.91 S, 132 3.44 E

To avoid the heat of the day we dropped the dingy in the water at 7.30am & headed across to the beach to do the 3.7klm loop walk of the Victoria Settlement ruins. Helped by the guide picked up from the rangers station we were able to get a good insight into what life was like & the hardships that were faced by those early settlers. Sobering when you think of our lives today, such a contrast. The scenically pleasant easy walk was well worth it & we enjoyed it despite the pesky flies & mosquitos all the time thinking how did those English settlers cope with them & the heat?!
After morning tea back on board we up anchored to head back up the Port to Coral Bay on the NW side. We would have liked to have spent another night but the smoke haze was still 'hanging' & the fires still burning. Pity, because it was a lovely spot.
A very pleasant end to our day was the arrival of Bruce & Kay on 'Tunnel Vision', our neighbours at Cullen Bay Marina.

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Adam Head, Port Essington

Date:	Sept. 23, 2015, 7 a.m.
Position:	11 22.26 S, 132 9.32 E

After visiting the ranger station / information centre / museum at Black Point in the morning we sailed the very scenic 15nm south to the site of Victoria Settlement & anchored off Adam Head for the night. One not so good thing is that they are burning off across the water & the sky is a very dull shade of grey, shame as it's such a pretty spot. Mind you smoke does wonders for sunsets & sunrises, brilliant red/orange! Must admit the jury is out for me on whether to' burn' or not, it's a complex issue on all sides.

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Black Point, Port Essington

Date:	Sept. 22, 2015, 3:45 a.m.
Position:	11 9.10 S, 132 8.42 E

After 11 hours we arrived safely at Black Point on the NE coast of Port Essington. There is quite a bit of history here, in 1839 'Victoria' settlement was established in the SW corner but after 10 years the government ordered the site to be closed due to it's remoteness, sickness & agricultural issues. There are still some ruins which we hope to visit over the next day or so. Essington is a very large & protected bay so it is a real shame colonisation failed as Victoria, I feel, would have been much better protected than Darwin as a port.

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Vason Head

Date:	Sept. 22, 2015, 2:15 a.m.
Position:	11 3.94 S, 132 1.53 E

Heading into Port Essington, our destination for the day

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Cape Don

Date:	Sept. 21, 2015, 10 p.m.
Position:	11 13.21 S, 131 44.12 E

Left as planned with the turn of the tide at 12.30am after a 'granny hour' dinner & grabbing 6 hours of sleep. Now passed Cape Don, easy in <5 knots & the lowest of the low neap tides &, now we've conquered another cape, I would not want to go round in anything different as even then it was still a little 'lumpy' with a NE swell running!

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Camp Point, Melville Island

Date:	Sept. 21, 2015, 7 a.m.
Position:	11 36.74 S, 131 25.19 E

We decided not to proceed through Dundas Strait today as we wouldn't have been through before the 15 to 20 knot northerly that funnels through every afternoon around 3pm. It would have been right on our nose, so we utilised one of our standby anchorages, Camp Point. One thing that always tickles me pink is, when you think you are in the middle of nowhere, (which is easy to feel when on the ocean), & feel you have been terribly brave in your travels & you arrive at, what you think is an isolated destination, there's a 'tinny' with fishermen in it! This anchorage was no different, there they were bobbing around! They had bought all their gear from somewhere (??) & set up for the night on the beach where there was a basic shed structure & a water tank. Maybe that's why it's called Camp Point!
As for us, we were only planning a pit stop before moving on at midnight to catch the tide out.

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Van Diemen Gulf

Date:	Sept. 21, 2015, 2 a.m.
Position:	12 4.58 S, 131 11.41 E

Through Howard Channel & the 'Vernon's', now heading north in Van Diemen Gulf

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Howard Channel

Date:	Sept. 20, 2015, 11:36 p.m.
Position:	12 5.37 S, 130 55.82 E

7.30am, sun has risen & all's well. Just turning into Howard Channel where the tidal current is set to run up to 4 knots this morning &, if the planning is good, it will give us a nice push.

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Early Departure

Date:	Sept. 20, 2015, 6:30 p.m.
Position:	12 25.50 S, 130 49.40 E

Up & away at 2.30am, yes back to working with the tides! A few tricky spots today / tomorrow, Howard Channel & Cape Don, both strong tidal areas & not nice when any wind is added to the mix!