Vast Distances Are Covered

What the ?

The Rock left us in Cairns. Older, wiser, more suntanned and anxious to join the Hakluyt Society for original travel journal enthusiasts. The Second Mate also left us in Cairns with urgent business to attend to down south. We turned back out of Cairns in a few days after replenishing our stores and finally refilling our water casks. We left with memories and, in return we left behind our stamp on the marina: a spatula here, a pair of glasses there - claimed by the bottomless mud lurking at the bottom of the estuary.

The way ahead was South. Many, many miles of South. And some East. But mainly South. Our plans at this stage were mildly indistinct. There were friends to pick up further down the coast at specific dates vast distances away and beyond that a vague plan was forming to reach Brisbane by December. In either case, we needed to make like the black marlin and get moving in case we were caught in Cairns.

Paying our Respects

  'If a man does not keep pace with his companions

perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.

Let him step to the music which he hears'.

The Beachcombers' grave - Dunk Island

Boobies at Michaelmas Cay



WARNING: TWITCHER CONTENT

We picked up one of two public moorings at Michaelmas Cay, dodging around a few shallow coral bommies on the approach. Some practical Marine Parks' person has thoughtfully placed the moorings just outside the range where the booby guano really starts to really get on the nose.

Michaelmas Cay - a booby.

Finding Nemo - Photos from Escape Reef, Tongue Reef, Michaelmas Cay

A week of fine weather to explore the reefs east of Port Douglas and Cairns - October 6th-13th. Here are a few favourite photos. No doubt the Captain will follow up with a couple of words.

Second Mate (often reserved in his praise) thinks Tongue Reef is "alright"

In which we visit Endeavour Reef

Endeavour Reef - Cape Tribulation to the south west.

After picking up "The Rock" in Cooktown, a week of calm weather was predicted - a perfect opportunity to visit the reefs, of which there are no shortage between Cooktown and Cairns. We headed out to Cairns Reef via Osterland Reef to anchor overnight. This was a very comfortable anchorage in the 15-20 knot southeasterly, a natural harbour protected on 3 sides by reef. With the wind still up though, the visibility wasn't great for snorkelling. A really big dolphin came and swam upside down in our bow wave for about 500m. He had a few chunks out of his dorsal fin, possibly from close encounters with boats, but didn't seem at all deterred.