Category: Blog

We have reached the Coburg Peninsula in the far north of the Northern Territories. We hoped to visit an aboriginal village on Croker Island but when we wrote to the town office asking if we could come they wrote back telling us they had no tourist infrastructure, no transport, lots of crocodiles and that we needed a government permit to land. We took that as a no. We anchored just off the island and they were not lying about the crocodiles. “Karl the five meter crocodile” hauled himself on to the beach just after we arrived and his younger cousin swam slowly past Artemis hoping we were going to take a swim.

The next day we waited for the tide to turn and used the tidal current to push us through the Bowen Strait. It was a great high speed sail that took us to the other end of the island where we anchored and were amazed that we had a tiny bit of Internet. Crazy. Beyond the end of nowhere I could upload files for my colleagues and Heidi could send anniversary congratulations to her daughter.

The next day we sailed once again down wind. A few dolphins came over to play with Artemis, a passing turtle watched us sail by and waved a flipper and an olive sea snake raised its head to watch our progress but decided against chasing us. As sea snakes are each poisonous enough to kill you twenty times over with each bite, we were relieved that he decided against hitching a ride.

We are now anchored off the Black point Ranger Station and took the dinghy to shore. We were heading towards the buildings when a voice out of the bush said “Hello!”. The voice belonged to an army captain in camouflage gear. He left the trees to chat and ask if we had seen any suspicious activity out at sea and if we did to let them know.

At the station we met the three friendly rangers who live out here all year with their wives and children. We asked them typical cruiser questions about their resupply (the post plane each week), power (diesel generators) and water (a bore hole). Two of the rangers were aboriginals and we heard about their grandfather’s and the wealth of animal and plant local lore that they had – back in the day. One of them listed about ten things that could kill us out here and then sent us off to follow a circular path through the bush. We guessed that it looks bad on their resume if too many tourists die so we were not unduly worried. It is the end of the dry season so everything is very dry and waiting for the rains but we found one flower that added a color other than brown and red. We also found a strychnine tree with bright red berries that are, the name is the clue, very poisonous. The aboriginals used them to make poison for hunting and later the Europeans used them as rat poison.

After our walk we viewed the informative cultural center that explained about the peninsula’s history and included a canoe in which an Indonesian was blown out to sea and spent a month drifting to Australia with a broken motor. A four wheel bus arrived and disgorged an elderly tourist party who had just driven seven hours off road to get here. They were interested in the toilets, our journey and the local history in that order. Fifteen minutes later they were gone to catch a boat to a luxury resort across the bay and peace returned.

At the dinghy we washed red sand off us in the sea. On Artemis we washed more red sand off with salt water and finally we washed red sand off our clothes and us with fresh water. Finally we know why they call it the red continent.

Give Me Coffee to Change the Things I can 
and Wine to accept those that I Cannot

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We left Thursday Island heading west for Darwin. This being Australia, it doesn’t look far on a map but the reality is 750 nautical miles. For comparison, that is roughly London to Rome. At our normal speed that should take us a bit over a week.

The first 300 miles are across the top of the Gulf of Carpantaria and takes you far from land. We met cargo ships the first few days but after that there was nothing except a few Asian fishing vessels and us.

After the Gulf, the Wessel Islands extend about sixty miles north into the Arafura Sea and offer bays to anchor in on their downwind side. We were heading for Two Islands Bay which was described as untouched white sand and see-through tropical water.

The first day both wind and tide were our friends and we covered almost 120 miles in 24 hours. We were on a roll. The second day the wind dropped and the tide slowed. All the previous day’s gains were lost and we had to accept that we would reach the islands after sunset the following day making an entry to the bay impossible.

On day three the wind strengthened but then dropped again in cycles throughout the day. With every degree further west we traveled the sunset would be four minutes later. At one point it appeared we were going to win the race. But only briefly.

A cup of coffee and a serious look at the chart showed another Bay a tiny bit closer. The entry was not as good nor the protection but we could make it ten minutes before sunset. With the anchorage in view and the sun still in the sky we turned upwind setting course for the island and 

nothing happened!

The current out of the Gulf was so strong that we could not sail against it. We tried the motor and could only make one knot which would have us entering the bay in pitch black which we were definitely not going to try.

We re-set the sails, set up the wind steering and turned back downwind heading for the huge red sun that was balanced on the horizon. Heidi made gin and tonics and we set course for the next island 270 miles away – that is only London to Luxembourg.

We were anchored off Horn Island in the Torres Strait. The currents run fast and variable between the islands and the Trade Winds are strong. You need to time your dinghy trips well – and keep an eye on the local wildlife.

We were about to get in our dinghy at the pontoon when a local suggested we wait for “the lizard” to leave the Anchorage. He pointed out a five meter crocodile swimming between us and Artemis. We were happy to follow his advice and waited until it was beyond Artemis. During the journey we lost sight of the monster and were very relieved when it appeared on a neighboring sandbank. I have backed away from an angry elephant, been in a room with a coral snake and swam with sharks but this was a totally new feeling. This was something that wasn’t going to hurt me because of a misunderstanding. This was something that actually considers me a good meal.

Another day we took the ferry across to Thursday Island. It wasn’t far but our 2.5 horsepower motor is not up to braving seven knot currents against the wind. Once on the island we went to the council office and asked about the interesting tourist stuff. The lady was refreshingly honest and said “not a lot”. We also met a local who came for two weeks and that was thirty four years ago. He agreed there was nothing much to see but told us the islands are very relaxing places.

There is a fort on Green Hill with some history and panoramic views so we enjoyed that before the tourist buses arrived. A complete circumnavigation of the island is only five kilometers so we walked but for “normal” tourists there was a bus laid on.

At the back of the island there is a huge graveyard which is interesting as each person’s life story is written on their gravestone. If the stories are to be believed, the island was full of upstanding people who were without blemish. A whole section is for the seven hundred odd Japanese who died here while pearl diving. Mostly they have no stones. A particularly spectacular grave was the last resting place of the designer of the Torres Strait flag.

There is an art gallery with works by local artists. We are obviously too stupid to understand art. As always, most of it was over our head but they had stunningly clean toilets which we enjoyed. On the seafront we treated ourselves to a fruit juice and a chat with vocational teachers about the challenge of getting the local children to attend school. A sad but recurring story that, it seems, no one has an answer to.

We bought fresh bread and caught the ferry home. It was a nice walk but the council lady was correct with her “not much to see”.

We left Cairns and sailed to Green Island on the Great Barrier Reef. From there we continued on to the Low Isles where we cleaned the hull of Artemis. Finally we set sail the 420 nautical miles through the world’s biggest reef, finally anchoring at Mount Adolphus Island. After a really good sleep we used the rising tide to reach Australia’s most northerly port, Thursday Island.

Just after Midnight

It is one o’clock in the morning and I am on watch as Heidi sleeps soundly in the saloon. The moon is preparing to sink behind Australia leaving us with only starlight.This is the third night of our journey north through the labyrinth of the Great Barrier Reef.

Since leaving Cairns we have been threading our way north west between uncountable reefs and sand shoals. Day and night, we continually have to adjust course to follow the marked channel that meanders its way through the intricacies of the unseen reef. We have a half moon and therefore the tides are not low enough to expose the reefs and we only see the markers and lights installed to warn of dangers and to signpost the route. 

This is the main highway for ships heading along the coast of Australia and so we share the narrow channels with a procession of bulk carriers and container ships. Everything feels very tight as a three hundred meter long ship passes only two hundred meters to your side. The marine VHF radio is an important tool to coordinate who is going where as we and neighbouring ships head for the same point to squeeze through a pass between two reefs.

This is the ultimate team work. We both need to be alert when awake and so need to sleep well when off shift. That requires that we both have absolute faith in our partner so that we can enjoy a deep sleep even as hull destroying coral slips past on each side of us. Occasionally a bend in the channel or approaching ship requires us both to jibe Artemis on to a new course. Sometimes we have to go from sleep to deckhand and back to sleep in ten minutes and then, in the worst case, do it again half an hour later.

This morning the sun was shining and we were sat in the cockpit enjoying a coffee. Suddenly, out of nowhere, we were visited by a pod of frolicking dolphins surfing the waves and jumping to get a better look at us and hear our cries of encouragement. This afternoon the wind increased pushing large waves in front of it. Each wave picked us up and surfed us forward pushing us onward. When we eventually escape this maze, it will be the dolphins and the surfing we remember and not the ships or the wake up calls.

Challenging Moment 1

Saturday August 26. 0900. In a narrow shipping channel in the Great Barrier Reef. 

We had just rounded Bannan Reef and Neill was asleep after taking the last night watch. Cape Grenville loomed ahead of us and needed to be left to port. Heidi adjusted the wind pilot to take us further out to sea but nothing happened except we slowed down. 

The boat was rigged for downwind sailing and would not sail up wind. So she woke Neill and together we rolled away the large floppy genoa. We set the jib and turned back upwind setting course to round the Cape.

Heidi scanned around us and noticed a freighter on the other side of the headland that would soon turn and head straight towards us. She used the AIS vessel identification system to access his speed and course. Tighten the jib and turn hard on the wind to make space for the freighter to pass to port.

Five miles and about one hour later the freighter was gone and we rounded the cape, changed the sails back and resumed downwind sailing for the rest of the day.

Challenging Moment 2

Friday August 25. 0400. In a narrow shipping channel in the Great Barrier Reef. Corbett Reef to port. Rodda Reef to Starboard. No moon. No stars. Pitch black.

Three sailing vessels are heading north. Artemis, Packyamamma and Silly of Sweden. An 800 foot long cargo ship, Pirramu, is approaching from astern.

Silly speaks English with a Swedish accent. Pirramu speaks an Indian dialect which becomes more pronounced as he gets annoyed.

Artemis and Packyamama are to the far starboard of the narrow shipping channel. Nicely out of the way of the approaching behemoth. Silly is in the middle of the channel.

The following conversation takes place on the marine VHF.

Artemis to Silly over.
No answer.

Artemis to Silly over.
No answer.

Artemis to Packyamama.
Artemis this is Packyamama.
Artemis. I heard you talking to Silly earlier. What channel can we reach him on. There is a large cargo vessel following us and I suggest he moves over to us.
Packyamamma. I will try to reach him.

Silly this is Packyamama. 
Yea! This is Silly.
Packyamama. There is a large cargo vessel behind you. I suggest you move to starboard to join us and let him pass.
Silly: yea I saw him. I don’t know. He could pass between us. He is only 40 meters wide. I could stay here but if you think I should come over there then OK.

Silly this is Pirramu. We heard your conversation. What are your intentions?
Silly: I could stay here or I could move to starboard. The wind is good to go to Starboard but also to stay here is good.
Pirramu: Then hold course and we will pass you on your starboard side.

Silly turns to starboard but stays out in the shipping lane. Pirramu catches up with Silly.

Silly this is Pirramu. What are you doing? Why have you moved in front of me? Why are you impeding my progress? Where are you going?
Silly: Hey! We can see you. You can get past. 

Pirramu turns to port and passes everyone with no further comment.

Did I mention that Silly had his anchor light on all the time?

Names of some vessels changed a bit to protect the privacy of the incompetent.

Menu

Often people ask what we eat as we sail along and if we can even cook at sea. As a short answer, we present the menu from the Great Barrier Reef.

Dinner: Noodles with tomato, ham and avocado.

Breakfast: Continental.
Lunch: Home baked apple cake.
Dinner: Rest of the noodles dish from yesterday

Breakfast: Ham and scrambled eggs.
Lunch: Fresh creamed carrot soup.
Dinner: Cheese and crackers.

Breakfast: Yogurt with muesli, nuts and apple.
Lunch: Avocado tomato salad and cheese on toast.
Dinner: Boiled potatoes with cheese and butter.

We have reached Cairns and are now far enough north that even Australians say “That is far up north.” The city is in the tropics so, despite it being winter right now, is a shorts and T-shirt place with lots to see and do outside.

We sailed the last few miles from Fitzroy Island at an extremely leisurely pace but managed to sail all the way up the ship channel in to the middle of the city where we anchored directly across from the marina. With the dinghy we can be on land in five minutes but have to time the river crossing to avoid huge ships, warships and ferries.

This is our first city since Hobart back in Tasmania so we had a nice long list of city jobs. Luckily we had pre-ordered some parts we needed and, thanks to Andrew Laming – our man on the ground, we already had an appointment organised with a notary.

We spent four days visiting the businesses that we needed and in between Andrew introduced us to a great breakfast location, a roof top bar, a trivia night, the Australia versus England ladies football game and an art gallery. For us two sailors, city life was a little exhausting and we slept well every night.

The trivia night was an evening of extremely difficult questions that were often impossible for non-Australians to answer – cricket, local television and politics are not our strong areas. But, with three Australian doctors in the team, we did fairly well and answered every medical question perfectly.

We watched the first half of the football on a huge screen in the park and the second half in a bar. We were amazed to learn that the ladies football game was the most viewed event on Australian TV – ever! We asked about men’s soccer but were told “No one watches that!” In Germany no one cares about women’s football and here the Matildas were bigger that cricket and rugby.

In the art gallery there was an exhibition called the Pillors of Democracy. Initially you think that there is a spelling mistake but the title is a play on words suggesting that the pillars are actually colonial inventions that hold the aboriginal people in pillory. A thought provoking work particularly as we have now reached the part of Australia where the aboriginal Australians are much more visible than they have been until now.

“Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest.” That is what the bible says but instead we went for a bike ride from Cairns out in to the tropical rain forest and along Freshwater Creek to the Crystal Falls. The route was only fifty kilometers but took us out of the city and deep in to the original forest. The canopy provided shade, the river kept the air cool and round every corner there was something new to discover. The route is at Alltrails. On the way back to the boat we diverted through the botanical gardens and then treated ourselves to a plate of prawns on a fishing boat in the marina.

Life is good!

“Wirlankarra yanama. Yurlu nyinku mirda yurndarirda”
“Go with a clear, open and accepting spirit, And the country will not treat you badly”

Aboriginal quote

Since we reached the Coral Sea we have been hearing sailors talk of the semi-mythical showers of Dunk Island. The stories tell of a granite island rising out of the azure blue ocean. Its flanks are covered with tropical rain forest and it is fringed by coral reefs. There is a sandy bay sheltered from the prevailing trade winds where a sailing boat can attach to a free buoy. There is a friendly cafe open at weekends and – so the stories tell – there are showers with unlimited, free, hot water. For sailors this is a mixture of eldorado and the holy grail.

We sailed behind the majestic mountains of the Hichenbrook Channel and then on across the Coral Sea to finally ghost round the edge of the bay and take a buoy just as the wind dropped.

The next morning we took the dinghy to the jetty and set off along the beach to search for the gap in the rainforest that marked the walk to the highest point on the island. The forest was still cool and moist from the night’s rain and we were protected from the sun below the forest canopy which made for perfect walking conditions

A viewing platform at the summit offered fabulous views across the neighbouring islands. Some rusting metal in the bush was identified as a WW2 radar station which explained the well made track we had just climbed.

We decided to take the longer route back and so crossed the spine of the island in the forest. Now that we are in crocodile country, we had forgotten about snakes. Until we found one warming itself in a sunny patch in the middle of the path. It was small but unwilling to yield its place so we gingerly side stepped it.

From Coconut Bay we returned via the mangrove trees and granite blocks on the sea shore. We rewarded ourselves with a cafe lunch and then made our way to the legendary showers. They were really hot, endless and free. Amazing!

As the sun set we dropped the mooring buoy and headed out in to the star filled night.

We have been chasing Neville and Sally from the yacht Hau Korahi up the coast of Australia since we reached Queensland, having met them last year anchored behind Fraser Island. At Magnetic Island we finally found them and before we were even anchored were invited to an evening on their boat with dinner and card games.

Our friends told us of a fantastic walk through the national park on the island so the next day we set off in to the bush. The path began by climbing over a pass with lots of steps. Luckily we met a variety of interesting people who all offered an excuse for a rest. Having viewed and photographed the beautiful Radical Bay, we climbed a huge staircase set in the forest to the top of a hill. On the way we saw a total of four koalas including a mother with baby. All the koalas were chilling in trees while a gaggle of tourists photographed them. At the top there were old fortifications and a stunning view back to where we had come from and out to sea. Our route is at Alltrails.

After another night of food and games, Sally and Nev then took us to Palm Island where the population is mostly aborigine. We visited the cultural center and learned about the horrific regime that sent people here for such awful crimes as cheeking a teacher or getting pregnant without being married. The first of those two was there at least ten years, the second never left and we met her daughter. The government deported aborigines who “wouldn’t fit in” to this island for 70 years before abandoning them to run the place themselves. Unsurprisingly the island has a lot of social problems but surprisingly we met and talked to locals who were convinced that things would get better. It was a very friendly island with a bad reputation.

Tom Morgan was sent as a teenage for cheeking the teacher of State School at Gordonvale. Placed in handcuffs at Gordonvale police station, he’s sentenced to Palm Island was for a two year period. Ten years later Tom Morgan was still on Palm Island.

Palm Island cultural center

More wine, more snacks and more games and then we were off to Orpheus Island where Sally organized an extremely knowledgeable guide to explain about the work of the Orpheus Island Research Station which is a part of the James Cook University. We could get a really close look at corals in a huge salt water tank and learn how they live, what stresses them and a plethora of other marine information.

A final enjoyable evening together and the next day we sailed north while our friends turned back south. But the world is round so we bid each other “until the next time” rather than “goodbye”.

Only a few days ago I was writing about the challenge of avoiding charter yachts and how we are heading north to get away from them.

The Australian and US military are holding training exercises in Queensland at the moment. A military exclusion zone has been established in one area and is full of US naval vessels. We re-planned our route to sail outside the exclusion zone and were following the northern border on a sunny day with perfect visibility. We had all our sails out so were a relatively obvious white speck on a blue ocean. We were constantly sending our position, speed and course via our AIS transmitter.

A US naval vessel was approaching us (obviously using his engine) and making no attempt to avoid a collision within the next 15 minutes so we called him on the VHF radio

Fort Charles this is Artemis. Over.
Artemis this is the US naval vessel Fort Charles. Over.
This is Artemis. We are the sailing vessel off your port bow. The current vectors suggest that we are going to meet shortly. Do you intend to take appropriate avoiding action or are you expecting us to take some action? Over.

Short pause …

Artemis this is Fort Charles. We will go hard to port and cross behind your stern. Over.
This is Artemis. Thank you and have a nice day. Out.

The question this raises is whether you can charter US naval vessels.

When in charge of a vessel at sea – everything from a canoe to a supertanker is a vessel – then you have to know and abide by the international “rules of the road”. These can be as easy as right before left when two motor boats meet but for sail boats they get a little more complicated.

If two vessels are under sail and approaching one another then the boat with the wind coming from the starboard side must keep a constant course and speed. The vessel with the wind coming from the port side must make obvious and timely adjustments to avoid collision. If both vessels have the wind on the same side then the upwind boat must do the avoiding. If one boat has its engine on then that boat must do the avoiding.

I admit that the above sounds complicated and it can be even more so in real life but I always thought that the fact some one was out sailing around meant that they at least theoretically understood the rules. But we are now among the Whitsunday Islands and surrounded by charter boats. Yesterday a sailor told me that the people in charge of these boats have no idea at all. I assumed she was wrongly informed so I just checked the Internet.

No formal boating qualifications or licences are required to charter with Whitsunday Escape. Some boating knowledge and experience is all it takes. 

Whitsunday Escape

To enjoy your bareboat charter you don’t need any sort of boat license, just some basic boating experience.

Charter Yachts Australia

Boating licences and qualifications are not a requirement for charter hire …

Cumberland Charter Hire

That is so frightening. Basically we have to assume that every charter boat we meet has no idea of how to safely interact with us. I would suggest we call them on the VHF radio and try to explain what should happen but we tried that once and they appeared to have the radio off (which is also not allowed).

The only sensible solution seems to be to head north away from this stupidity.

Addendum.

Within minutes of posting this blog entry I received the following messages.

• Anyone that claims to know “how to sail”, qualifies to charter a yacht. Indeed, stay clear of charter boats. Sail and socialise with the “live aboards” ….they understand the rules. Annie
• Oh so true – the charter yacht stupidity is beyond comprehension. Best way to avoid them is to head north! Neville
• “The only sensible solution seems to be to head north away from this stupidity.” You’ll have to go all the way to the Arctic and that might not even do the trick. It seems to me that knowing the rules is actually dangerous as well as a huge disadvantage (to your boat, your safety, and especially to your mental health). If you don’t know the rules, you won’t be expecting anyone to do the right thing. Rich
• I experienced this recently in the Ijsselmeer. A motor boat maintained its course to miss us (sailing) by maybe 20 metres across our bow. The guy just looked at us as he went past. Davo