LWH - Week 18 -Seisia - Night Island

Sat 3 Nov - Seisia
We had a quiet day on board and had seen children swimming off the beach near the jetty. Around 4pm we joined the crews of the other boats and went in for a game of cricket. One of them had fashioned a bat out of a piece of wood. We all had a couple of goes at batting and while we were playing we saw one of the two resident crocodiles swimming past. He was around 4 metres. We then went to the Fishing Club but it was closed so that meant no dinner but they were happy to serve us drinks. Back to the boats before it got dark!

Sun 4 Nov - Seisia
We joined a few of the others on the beach on the little island off the anchorage (Red Island), which incidentally is apparently where the big croc hangs out. We walked around the island. Barbara off Casper is something of a botanist and knew all the scientific names for plants and trees. Another couple are bird watchers and photographers so it was an interesting exercise. It took us around two and a half hours - a good morning. Spent the rest of the day reading and waiting on a weather window to round the Cape.

Mon 5 Nov - Seisia
Went ashore and watched a large ship dock at the jetty - quite a feat getting in there as it is very shallow. Someone had caught a shark and tossed it on the beach and one of the workers told us that both crocodiles had been chased away from it a couple of times and it would have to be moved. This was just near where we saw a man have an early morning swim. We then headed up the road and a lady offered us a lift and we declined but then a resort bus stopped and offered us a lift to Bamaga so we thought why not. There is not much in Bamaga - we checked out the supermarket and had a pie at the bakery then headed back towards Seisia. We met the others a t the New Mapoon cemetery. It is so colourful with heaps of artificial flowers on the graves and headstones with a photo of the person and a rundown of their life. Then we went to the Art and Craft shop where the Indigenous people do paintings. They are not the dot paintings - they are a different style. We walked back to Seisia calling in at the butcher on the way back. In the late afternoon ten of us met on the cat, Easy Rider and had a game of dice. We have never played this before but it was a good game and we had a great evening.

Tues 6 Nov - Seisia
We went ashore and did last minute shopping and a water run then adjourned to Easy Rider for the Melbourne Cup. There were twelve of us as another boat had come in. The ladies all wore hats and Wayne off Casper did up a Melbourne Cup quiz and we had a sweep and had a fantastic afternoon. We then watched the race on delayed telecast on the computer but that was the least important part of the afternoon!!! A great afternoon with good company.

Wed 7 Nov - Cape York
10 41.248S / 142 31.474E
We left at 10am after the tide came up a bit. It was a good trip up the Cape and then beating into the wind and tide for an hour or so and we anchored on the west side of the Cape at 2pm. Casper, Easy Rider and Jasmin came in shortly after. It was really blowing but it was a calm anchorage. The weather forecast for tomorrow is 15 - 20 knots instead of 20 - 25 knots so we are going for it.
Miles: 19 TTT: 2,898nm

Thurs 8 Nov Day/night 1
We left at 8am and pushed current around to the Albany Passage. We followed Easy Rider and Jasmin through. A beautiful sunny day. Pushed a bit of current then came out into a wavy ocean and pushed into more current. The further we got from the passage the better it got. We had current against us and the waves were a metre with the odd two metre wave which stopped us in our tracks at times. We only managed to do 2.5 - 3 knots so it took forever and was most unpleasant. But we remember it being quite unpleasant on the way up here - its just not a nice part of the coast! At midnight the crew could see a ship on the AIS and it looked as though we were going to meet it at the narrow stretch between the reefs. As soon as we passed the reef we headed for the starboard side of the shipping channel and when we saw his red light we knew we were going to be ok. The wind blew hard all night.

Fri 9 Nov - Day 2 Portland Roads
12 35.629S / 143 24.432E
We didn't make it to Shelburne Bay till the early hours of the morning so continued on to Margret Bay and then made the decision to keep going. We pushed up around Cape Grenville and through some islands, one of which had a resort on it, and then had a lovely sail with current for most of the morning. A big ship went through the narrowest section of the channel just before we did and we passed him quite closely. The winds were about 10 - 15 so it was lovely. Shortly after we had to turn up to head towards Portland Roads. we had current against us and wind on the nose which had come up a bit. We tried to hug the land as much as we could. We thought about pushing through to the Flinders but it would have meant another two nights and we weren't sure we could make it before the next big blow came through and we were pretty tired so we pulled into Portland Roads and anchored at 5.45pm in 7m beside another cat. And fell into bed. We think the other boats stayed at Shelburne Bay.
Miles: 133 TTT: 3,031

Sat 10 Nov - Night Island
13 10.779S / 143 34.376E
We left at 5.40am and had wind on the nose till we were able to get up around Cape Waymouth and Restoration Island. A couple of ships passed us. We are staying just on the edge of the shipping channel. Apart from the shipping channel which is quite narrow there is reef everywhere. The reef provides good shelter so the seas are not too bad. We had a good run in the morning doing 6 knots but in the afternoon slowed down to 4 knots. We thought about the Flinders again but were afraid of getting caught out in 30 knot winds so pulled in behind Night Island at 2.30pm. The wind was really starting to come up by then. We had a little bit of rain after we anchored. The island is a haven for Torres Strait pigeons which are white with black under their wings and on the tips and are really pretty. We were able to sit on the deck (not quite so windy here) and watch them all coming out from the mainland in the evening. A very sheltered spot. No email or phone.
Miles: 41 TTT: 3,072

We are currently waiting for the big blow to come through thinking maybe we could have gone a bit further but this is a good place to sit out a blow. Hope to be on the way again around Thursday.

Love to all
Fair Winds and Calm Seas
Dell and Peter

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