23 August 2010
Voyageur's motion is sweet. In perfect timing as I listen to my Ipod music. We have not touched our sails since day one. These Amels really are the most wonderful low maintenance sailboats. With poled out genoa and full mizzen all we have had to do is take a few rolls in the genoa during the course of the first night. We have not even had to put in a jibe, just a tweak here and a tweak there, a few degrees to port or starboard and that is it. Having an extra crewmember, Peter, has made all the difference, giving David and I few more hours rest. Darwin is now just one day away. The approach is quite complex and it is essential to get the timing right for the tide to take you through the Dundas Strait. We have to get to Cape Don four and half hours before high water. If not, the back up plan is to anchor off Black Point at Port Essington to wait for the right tide. It worked perfectly for us before. Last night was just heavenly. I sat in my favourite corner in the cockpit, savouring a cool breeze in my face. It has become so warm and humid we are now all using the fans above our bunks. Without having to move my position I could see Venus fine on Voyageur's bow. I look to port and the Southern Cross is making its slow descent. The moon, now nearly full and round is directly over head and astern lies Canis Major, the Greater Dog.
A Brown Noddy landed aboard, or I should say crash landed. His first attempt ended in collision with the mizzen boom, and he fell into the sea. I was concerned lest he drown. Time and again he attempted to land but the rolling of the boat made it such that he could not coordinate his landing gear to the movement of the boat. Three hours later he attained the cross trees on the main mast. But it was agonizing to watch him trying to balance to the wind and the waves and once again he fell off into the water. At long last he settled on a more stable perch, the pole which we leave always set up ready for poling out the genoa. On this he managed a few fitfull hours sleep, enough to rest his weary body after all his exertions. It was with great reluctance that he took flight the next morning when David and I went out on deck to bring the pole in for a change of course. Our bird had flown......
Susan Mackay