Darwin to Hunter River

[Each day has been top-posted so it reads from the bottom of this section]

Careening Bay to Hunter River, 13; Hunter River 14 - 17 July
The Hunter is the end of the journey for Kirrily and Darren, where they will get picked up by helicopter and Peter and Kim dropped off, along with fresh supplies. That’s not until the 17th, but given the vagaries of the weather, we elect to head there a few days early and to spend some time exploring the area. Regrettably, heading back in the opposite direction to yesterday, we again have a headwind. Motor sailed in, past Naturalist Beach where the helicopter will land and anchored in Porosis Creek. Happily, we have the whole place to ourselves, except for a couple of crocks, who slide over from the bank to visit. One takes a shine to the float on our anchor trip line, repeatedly trying to drag it back to the bank. Great entertainment for the sundowner drinks.



Next day we move up the Creek and troll and cast for some fish, none of which eventuate. Not sure what the go is with this barra fishing, but Shark Bay fishing is certainly poor training for the patience required for it. Kirrily and Dad bake a ripping loaf of bread. Late that afternoon we drift back down the creek to our anchorage for the night.



Up again and this time up the Hunter River to the shallows before boarding the dingy for another few miles upstream looking for some aboriginal art that Dad found eight years ago. Unfortunately it is elusive and we drift back down doing a bit of trolling. Good sized croc on the bank and in the water. With three in the dingy there is about 100mm of freeboard…







Kirrily manages to land two nice esturine cod which will do for dinner. Dad is a bit jumpy filleting them on the back step, but no problems in the end. We stay another night and the croc line is taken over by another hammerhead, making off with the cod carcass at about 20 knots.




Early in the morning a charter boat arrives, think this is the one that we are taking a crew member off tomorrow morning when we fly out. We head back over to have a go at getting up to some caves that we spied on the way in, but the going is dense and we have to hack our way up the slope with a machete (Darren soon to resemble a spanner crab from all the swinging). However, it was worth it, as we get to a seldom visited spot with middens and art, and a great view.





The helicopter / plane arrangements worked like clockwork. Peter and Kim brought in the full set of supplies and Darren and Kirrily flew out the rubbish from the past three weeks, as well as a letter to Kay, written on the beach while waiting for the chopper.

All in all a great trip in a magnificent part of the country.




















Bigge Island to Careening Bay, 12 July
Our favourable winds have deserted us, and the trip to Careening Bay is into the tide and the wind, light though it is. We spend the whole day on one motor at about 4 knots, conserving the fuel supply for the next part of the trip to Broome. 240 litres left.

A Customs vessel takes an interest in us for a while, but realizing that we are not smugglers, moves on. Later we catch up with them in Careening Bay, where we anchor for the night, but not before going ashore to see the boab tree that HMC Mermaid carved her name in 1820. Amazing that it is still there.



Inland we find some fresh water and take a few buckets back to the boat. Spag bol and red wine for dinner, must get back to that fishing thing sometime.



Krait Bay to Bigge Island, 11 July
Sailed off the anchor at 6:30am, light Easterly breeze. A long morning sail to Wary Bay on Bigge Island to view the rock art. Lots of interesting pieces, but don’t manage to find the off the beaten track examples that Dad discovered eight years ago. More time required, and shoes better than thongs are required in the hinterland. And we have to beat the sun down at the next bay to find an anchorage. In the evening there is a fantastic sunset, complete with the glint of sunlight of B747 wings heading to Dubai.

Parry Harbour to Krait Bay, 10 July
Today we wait for the wind to ease before we start, aiming for a crossing of Admiralty Gulf in the middle of the day. Turns out to be a great day to sneak down the narrow Voltaire Passage and around to Krait Bay for the night, arriving at a much more respectable 3pm. Krait Bay is named after the WWII vessel that snuck up to Singapore to mine Japanese shipping. An amazing feeling to sail into the bay that has such significant history, can almost feel the ghosts. The Queenfish carcass hanging over the side attracts a large hammerhead shark at sundown for some entertainment; the shark wins in the end. Kirrily has a shower up an extra step tonight. Off to Bigge Island tomorrow.



Freshwater Bay to Parry Harbour, 9 July
We were hoping to get around Cape Bougainville before the wind came up, but it was in by 8am (~30 knots) so we ducked into another bay until it eased off a bit. Caught a small bronze whaler off the back of the boat, but gave up fishing after a few more lost hooks, too many sharks. Have got the baitcaster untangled though, and now, after some technique adjustment, could be considered proficient. The wind eased at lunchtime so we continued on around the cape and into Parry Harbour by (about) sundown(well, maybe a little later).



Near Jar Island to Freshwater Bay 8th July
Up early to search for a crashed DC3 on shore, but despite extensive bush bashing, it remained unfound. Geoff’s forecast indicated that today might have some wind and he was right. A howling South Easter sees us running under staysail only up to Freshwater Bay, the last freshwater for the next two weeks. Bottomless mud in the bay so end up tied to a mangrove tree as well, wind bullets dying out by the afternoon. There is a beautiful freshwater spring to fill waterbottles and to do some spring cleaning.



Governor Island to Vansitartt Gulf (near Jar Island) 7th July
Late start today (7am), but it doesn’t matter, the tide is with us and we make a steady 12 – 13knots into the gulf, despite light winds (boat speed over the water about 6 knots…). This is the way to travel. Down to Jar Island where there are some good examples of Bradshaw style rock art. A bit of an adventure getting back over the rugged ground to where the boat is anchored. The sea breeze prevents us getting up to Freshwater Bay for the night so we stay near Jar Island, sitting on the sand for a couple of hours at the bottom of the tide. Nice fish for tea, at the price of some lost tackle. Barry rings Peter Merett with a shopping list for the next leg of the journey, including some more hooks.



King George River to Governor Island 6th July
Another early start, we left the river mouth before six, about 15 minutes before another cat that was also heading north, we must have started a procession as three other boat soon headed out of the river. The Orion (a boat that Geoff and Alison cruised the Kimberly on) was just arriving. A nice run with the tide up the cape, where there are some spectacular tidal overfalls. The other cat doesn’t wing the jib, stays out to sea too long, jibes too early at the cape, and consequently is a couple of hours behind at the end of the day. We make it into Circular Cove a couple of minutes after sunset. Thankfully Phil has left his FSC book on the Kimberlies, which steers us straight to the anchorage. Don’t know where the other cat spends the night, it isn’t seen again.
Berkley River to King George River



The South Easterlies are back, making the bar crossing at the mouth of the Berkley a little uncomfortable. We left as early as the light would allow, but it was a long way down river. Called past Seaplane Bay, where a couple of German aviators crashed in 1932, would have been a lonely spot then, and it’s not too different today. Onwards to Koolama Bay and the King George River. Going against the tide for the last part of the day, resulting in some large steep waves to surf down. Magnificent cliffs all the way up the river to the waterfalls, which we backed right up to just for the hell of it, and then found a spot in the line of boats for the night. Fresh water showers again. Next day Kirrily and Darren went for a climb to the top of the waterfall, meeting some bushwalkers that had legged in from Faraway Bay, a hell of a walk. In the afternoon we sailed back down to the mouth preparing for an early start. Kirrily caught a nice Tailor just before dark. A SatPhone call to Kirrily’s parents (Geoff and Alison) for a much needed weather forecast shows that tomorrow is a good day to go around Cape Londonderry. Special thanks to Barry Edwards for the loan of the phone and for Phil for organizing it!, yesterday we rang Mum (Kay) to give a position report.



Darwin to Berkley River
Left Darwin on the 30th, one day before fireworks were legal to purchase and set off. Considered delaying departure but with the light winds, we needed all the days we could get. Despite forecasts of 15-20 knot SE’s, we wafted across the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf on a zephyr and a Yamaha. Forty eight long hours later we made landfall at the mouth of the Berkley River, and having found a great anchorage, sorted the fridge out, had lunch, we promptly went to sleep. Did some trial casts with the new baitcaster with the braid line in the afternoon, and will probably get around to fixing the birdsnest next week. Two other boats in the River, one was an ex Windrush sailor, amazing who you meet in unlikely spots. Kirrily did a good job on watch over the past two nights, including rousing crew to make more sail when the wind changed. Might stay here another night, just to have another waterfall shower.