Darwin

Darwin

It’s nearly 1,000 miles from Booby island to Darwin. Booby island is the western entrance to the Torres Straits. We had 18 to 20 knots for most of the 3 and a half days it took us to cross the Gulf of Carpentaria (that’s one mighty big water mass) and the north coast of Australia to reach Darwin. We had to motor the last day as the wind first turned a little to the north so it was a flat run...and everyone knows just how much a cat likes that!!..and then dropped to 8 knots from the aft quarter as we rounded first Melville then Bathurst Islands and headed into the channel that leads to Darwin harbour.

Monday 4^th dawned a beautiful clear day with a coolish breeze which soon became the beautiful ambient daily temperature of Darwin. We got alongside the Customs wharf by 0930 and were quickly sorted. Then before you can go into a marina, divers have to inject chemicals up each skin fitting intake..to kill what they say is black mussel. So by then we had missed the tide to get into the locks that let you into the marina. The tide rise and fall here is 18 to 20 feet. We anchored off Fannie bay and went ashore to the Darwin Sailing Club..and then into town.

I have to say that all of us were impressed with Darwin. The cleanliness, the newness and the weather all combine to make this a pretty special place. There is more here than we think!

After Jeremy had a good night at the casino, we saw Gordon off to catch his flight home. Jeremy, Brendan and I slept well that night! Next day, put Salanjo into the Duck Pond marina, what a dirty spot! We did the cleaning, fixing and reorganising of the boat ready for Anna who is returning for the Indonesian leg of the trip. Jeremy did a mighty fine job as laundry maid washing, drying and folding all the linen and washing. Brendan some engineering jobs, and Geoff did what he does best..organised the other two! That night after a not so successful night at the casino the boys all flew out making the end to a wonderful 2,000 mile voyage. That makes over 6,000 miles since leaving NZ in May.

Next leg....Indonesia, starting 23 July 2011. Can’t wait.