Cooktown to Darwin

The weather had abated a little and we decided we must keep moving so along with Atlantia set sail early morning for Lizard Island. We had a fast boisterous sail with the saving grace being that all of the winds are behind us.
What a lovely bay!! A lot of boats who had been awaiting the weather to improve were sheltering there so we now feel we have caught up with the tail end of the bulk of boats heading to Darwin.
Lizard was an island which had a beche-de-mer operation—sea cucumbers—many years ago. An inhabitant, Mrs Watson, fled from aboriginals who threatened to attack when her husband was off fishing. She left with a Chinese worker and her baby in a beche-de-mer boiling tub and drifted with the wind. After 9 days they perished from lack of water and her memory is noted in many ways on the island today.
Cook climbed the hill here and was able to see what has become Cooks Passage enabling him to get outside the reef.
When we arrived it was warm enough that we all jumped in and had a snorkel. The giant clams were here and more fish than we had seen before and it was lovely to finally be in the water.
We went for a walk on the beach and along with Margaret and Will went for happy hour on Furthur which is also here with Brian and his crew of 2 young people. Alison would have been at Beaverbrook with Mike although she had not recollection of him—how could that be!!!!
We feel now that we are getting back into the cruising lifestyle—yeh—it is such a vital aspect to our lives and we have missed it!!
Next morning was spent on Atlantia helping sew their sail that has the thread on the seams rotting—the UV will destroy the thread before the sail. Another walk ashore where we found an old barrel inside of which is an old journal to record your visit and various essentials in a box. There was also an old bush shower---memories of my time in Australia in the 70’s, when we used to use them while living in the outback.
The next day shortly after our 5am start Ken caught a lovely 20lb Spanish mackerel—these ones are a popular local fish and look more like a Wahoo than the North American Spanish Mackerel. Tasted very much like the ling cod we were catching in BC—delicious.
Oh well another fish moratorium—no locals to give fish to here, they all have more than they need!!
Well once again what a difference a few hours makes—we motor sailed to get to our next anchorage at Bathurst having decided that we would not make Owen before dark as it was 13 miles further. As we rounded Cape Melville—rock formations here look as though someone just picked up a pile of rocks and just dropped them---we were suddenly hit with 30-40 knots of wind. We persevered with the last couple of miles at 2 knots with both engines on full. We got really close to shore and anchored in 3 metres safely with no fetch or swell. We spent the night with the wind generator free wheeling as it will over 35 knots and in the morning motored forward on the anchor to set it free in 25 knots of wind. Just as we set our course the wind dropped to nothing forcing us to motor most of the next day!! This place is difficult to forecast as at this time of year it is only a matter of how strong the trades are—the forecast is always 20-30 knots and they warn that it can be off 40%!!!!! All you know is that you will not get a cyclone and beyond that it will be what it will!!
Our next anchorage at the tiny islet of Morris Islet seems to be too small to shelter in the gale the guide book suggests. It is covered in sisal trees which were planted years ago along with coconut palms to allow shipwrecked sailors some means of survival. You could cut a sisal branch which would be long enough to knock off a coconut—only one coconut tree left but lots of sisal.
All the way up tiny sandy islets are scattered everywhere, they are well chartered and lit. Shrimp boats anchor by the day and fish at night. It would be fun to have the time in settled conditions stop during the day and snorkel or dive in the area. We have neither the time nor the settled conditions.
Next day involved yet another early start allowing us the 60 miles to Portland Roads. The secure anchorages are few and far between up here and you do not have a lot of choices as to the distance you would like to go each day. Luckily they are reasonably attainable if you start early. The distance to Cape York from Mackay is over 750 miles so day hopping less than about 60 miles a day seems to take forever.
A lot of boats heading to Darwin would have been up here several weeks ago and had the luxury of stopping every few days but we feel pressed to keep moving.
Although the winds were forecasted 25-30knots but we had 15 behind us allowing a lovely spinnaker day. We have not been able to use it this year so it was a treat to travel 6 knots all day.
Arrived and met yet another boat heading to Darwin—Ellida, with whom we shared our fish—Ken is allowed to fish again!! We had a visit with them and feel better as we work our way through the last of the fleet—we will not be last to arrive as we travel faster than most and are prepared to start earlier in the day.
The next day the 25-30 knot winds allowed us a great run under jib alone doing 7-9 knots to go to Shellbourne. After anchoring we saw the crew of a local boat ashore looking for what turned out to be oysters. Not to miss out we took the dingy and collected a pile also. They did warn us of a large resident croc in the bay so we did not stay ashore long and were a little apprehensive wading the dingy back deep enough to put the motor down.
Later we spotted a huge wild pig feasting on the oysters on shore—we had been wondering how some of them appeared to have been shucked while attached to the rocks.
Next morning set off again with winds 20-25 on our stern quarter—allowing us to have the perfect sail with both sails up and do 8 knots most of the day. We did the 80 miles in the daylight to get to Adolphus Island which is slightly north of Cape York Peninsula.
The next morning the wind had abated to 15 knots and we had a pleasant hour sail across to Cape York where we anchored off a glorious golden sand bay. We climbed the hill taking the prerequisite photo at the sign proclaiming we were at the northern most point of continental Australia. Sadly it differed greatly from when I had stood here in 1973. When I was here years ago and wanted to travel “the Cape” it meant fording many streams and rivers. You would hook up the exhaust of your 4WD truck to a hose which you would then bring up to clear the water. Today vehicles are equipped with permanent hoses, I think you still need to spray your electrical connections and cover your engine with a tarp if the water is deep. We had to ford the mighty Jardine River in a 4 WD Toyota Land Cruiser. It was wide and formidable but now there is a vehicle ferry so although it is still a rough trip the mystique has decreased and the numbers of people increased.
Several boats are here so we had happy hour on Cop Out and enjoyed meeting more yachties.
Next morning we sailed to meet Atlantia at Siesa, which is inside the Gulf of Carpentaria where we would leave from to cross to Darwin. Siesa is a small settlement which has developed near the aboriginal community of Bamaga to supply the tourists travelling from the south. There is a camp ground and a brand new well stocked supermarket.
We dined on Atlantia eating the last of our Spanish mackerel and kangaroo bolognaise and the next morning we both set off for the last 750 miles to Darwin.
Shortly after leaving Ken caught a 20lb dogtooth tuna, half of which we managed to pass across to Atlantia under sail. I did allow Ken to try for one more fish—a Spanish mackerel on order—unfortunately the order got confused and we ended up with another 20lb tuna—sashimi in our future!!!!!!!
The winds were light and seas with a sideways roll for the first few hours and we understood the term Gulf of Crappycrap which it had been termed by Janet on Shilling.
Shortly after, the wind picked up to the forecasted 20-30 knots and once again was behind us. This is always a treat and we did not feel menaced by the forecasted wind warnings of 25-30 knots.
After a fast passage with only a scrap of reefed jib we arrived at dawn at Coral Bay, 600 miles from Siesa.
Reminiscent of our trip many years ago from Ecuador to Panama with Migration, we were in sight of Atlantia the whole way and they arrived an hour after us.
Once again we are thankful to have our catamaran which allows us to do watches on a long passage from inside our salon. Whenever we arrive at an anchorage we are in our shorts and t-shirts and our monohull friends are in their oilskins with their stories of at least one soaking.
Coral Bay is the home to a fancy resort which has recently been renovated and is now open and welcomes yachties—we spent a couple of well earned days resting there—drinking cold beer, swimming in the lovely pool and having dinner at the restaurant. We had a great day walking out around the billabong, home to many birds. It is great bush to wander in as it is open enough to allow easy walking. It brought back so many memories of my time in this region many years ago and it was nice to still be able to have the feeling of unchanged conditions. Given the developments and national parks created in since our time here it is a rare treat.
Off the next morning now with Ellida, we had met in Portland Roads, and Atlantia we set off for Acura Bay which is the closest bay to round Port Don in the morning. We are now being caught by the boats we had passed previously and at one stage there were 6 boats on the horizon.
We arrived in time to take Atlantia and Ellida up the estuary on a croc hunt—saw one slither into the water.
Happy hour with sashimi from our tuna—it is frozen and I thin slice it still frozen and at these temperatures—28C it thaws in a few minutes. It looks as though we now have appies for the fleet and will not have to eat it all ourselves.
Next morning we all left at 9 30AM to catch the current to Escape Cliffs a 55 mile day which we thought we would be flying with the 15knot headwind and the 2 knot current—oh well by 3pm the wind dropped and the current had only been 1 knot in our favour was now 1 knot against us!!
Finally we put down anchor for our last night on passage just after dark and had one more celebratory evening on Atlantia.
Next morning we negotiated the reefs and sand bars for our last 45NM to finally arrive in Darwin---yeh!!!!!!!!
Opua to Darwin—3500NM —15th May—12th July and another 600NM from Wellington to Opua in April!!—that is the equivalent of approx 8000km at a speed of about 15km an hour---truly slooooooooow travel!!!!