11:04.52S 136:43.55E Monday 25th August AM, Wessel Islands, Arafura Sea, Australia
It was a rollercoaster ride across the Gulf of Carpentaria but other than that there were only a few memorable moments. Heike caught her first fish, a barracuda which was deemed safe to eat as it was caught in open water. After briefly passing through Papua New Guinea and Indonesian waters yesterday, we rounded a bleak and windy Cape Wessel and anchored in good shelter at Two-Island Bay. Many large Spotted Rays came and said hello by waving their fins at us. Apart from the fish and a few yachts the bay has no sign of life even though there are perfect little beaches all around, flanked by red sandstone slabs; a pretty but desolate spot.
We spent a pleasant evening last night aboard Kasuje with the crews of Northern Sky and Viva. Kasuje is a lovely boat but I'm starting to get an inferiority complex about the size of my engine room. How come everyone else seems to have space to walk around in it while admiring their polished machinery while my engine is squeezed into a damp cupboard under the steps?
Inevitably, most of this morning was spent with me covered in poo while unblocking the forward heads. Lime scale build-up in the pipes is a menace for marine toilets.
We are off now across the Top End of Aboriginal Arnhem Land to Darwin which is 350 miles to our west.
M