Darwin, 26/8/2016

We're here, well almost. This is sailing after all!

We left Cairns on time at 4.30 PM, only a day late due to the diesel leaking problem. As we left port the weather got worse and worse, but we carried on anyway. We planned to call in to Cooktown, but the weather was too bad and the entrance is slightly tricky, so we didn't. Instead it was straight on to Lizard Island and its luxury resort. It didn't look that flash from the bay where we anchored for the night. There were about a dozen boats anchored around us. This is where boats going south wait for the infrequent northerly winds to blow.

Next morning off we went to Morris Islet. This is a lovely little sand island in the middle of the shipping channel, but with an excellent anchorage. The island is quite small, Peter claims the record for circumnavigating it as a senior. About 15 minutes I think. The coral lagoon surrounding it is about 10 times the size and is quite startling as it emerges with the falling tide. We had lunch there and then headed North to Cape Grenville for the night. Again there were 2 catamarans at anchor, and as we left in the morning, a small single handed yacht dropped anchor.

On leaving this bay we headed to the northernmost tip of mainland Australia, Cape York. First though we went through the Albany Passage. Very beautiful and almost unspoilt. Cape York itself is nothing to write home about. Its an unprepossessing piece of land that just disappears into the sea. The island north of it has the lighthouse is is much more imposing. After the cape we sailed through the best looking tropical islands anywhere, stunningly beautiful with azure blue crystal clear waters everywhere. After this burst of sailing we reverted back to being a motor boat again. Very light winds and flat seas. Gove was abandoned, as was The Hole in the Wall passage, a shame but that's the way it went. On we motored until last night. Wind enough to sail, and besides we were almost out of diesel at this stage. Today was a cracking sail all day until we anchored in Fannie Bay, near Darwin. The tides here are  up to 7 metres so all the marinas have lock gates on them We missed the opening period by about an hour, thus being at anchor again.
At the gates open again at 7 in the morning, we will go and refuel, the dock is neighbouring the Tipperary Waters Marina, and then secure ourselves in the marina.

Peter and I are flying to Melbourne on Sunday morning at 02.10. It'll be just like being on watch again.

Another repair has just arrived, the pull start cord on the outboard has broken. It can wait till I'm back though.

All is well on board, no mutiny yet and I'm expecting Cheryl back around September 2.