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Mischief - Up to Mischief : Final Log 76 Further adventures of S/Y Mischief through the eyes and ears of Chas Baynes



Sunday, 26th August 2018 - Approaching Darwin, Northern Territories

We were still motoring but hopeful of a bit more breeze would fill in, so Dave and I went up on deck at 3 am to stow the spinnaker pole, but the promise of wind soon rescinded. We have now motored since 9 pm last Thursday and looks like we shall be for the rest of the passage into Darwin.

We did however get a couple of hours of positive current and were making over 8 knots, but we went around our next waypoint which put us into a different tidal stream and we had it against us again! The nearer we get the harder it seems to get there, as usual in my experience. WE wont be in until gone 4 pm at this rate.

When we do get there, we are required to moor up against the fuel pontoon outside Cullen marina where divers are employed to go underneath each boat and squirt disinfectant up the through hull fittings to get rid of any unwelcome visitors - the boat essentially cannot be used for a period of 10 hours after being treated. Trouble is these guys don't work on a Sunday so we will have to wait until the morning to be done whereupon we will wait the pre-requisite time and move the boat 20 minutes around the coast to Tipperary marina where we are to berth. Its been 10,073 miles to this point from Galapagos so quite truthfully I can state it's a long, long way to Tipperary!! Even further for Dave and Wendy of course and that's without including the Transatlantic last November /December.

We are however not confined to barracks when we get there alongside the fuel dock and we can go ashore to discover the delights of Darwin. We need to find a bar as we have no arrival beers on board as someone drank them at the last port of call when we arrived there.

Thinking about those divers though, who would do that job in these waters? If a shark doesn't get you a salt water crocodile certainly will and these things are monstrous growing to 7 metres long. If not those then in the summer months my money is on the jelly fish having a say in matters. These guys are obviously mad and/or paid highly as their life insurance premiums must be sky high. I wonder what they put on the job description on the insurance form?
It is notably hotter this morning packing the spinnaker away and tidying up the decks. I was sweatier than a sweaty thing in a Turkish sauna.

Then at 1030 we saw WHALES!! One had a baby whale it was floating along with, so we went over to have a closer look without getting in their way. The youngster was waving its flipper fins around in the air and generally enjoying itself. Magical moments!

At 1230 we spotted Darwin off in the distance so a couple more hours at least to get there yet, still motoring as there was still no wind at all. We eventually came into Fannie Bay outside the Cullen Bay marina but couldn't get in as the tide was too low, so we dropped anchor and awaited the tide to rise whilst watching dinghies racing around us. When we got into Cullen against the fuel dock we filled up with diesel and went for a few beers and a curry, as you do.

Monday, 27th August 2018 - Cullen and into Tipperary marina, Darwin

We were up early to greet the disinfectant team, Tom and Drew really great guys. Tom was British, an offshore diver in the North Sea for years so these guys were very qualified. But they decided our boat did not need to be dived on as we had been anti-fouled recently but once they had finished we had to wait on the dock for 10 hours to allow the treatment time to work so we went into town and Wendy and Neen had their long awaited 'retail therapy'. We then found a tourist 'Big Bus; and went around the city and surrounds which killed some time before we took the boat around to the next marina, Tipperary where we squeezed into the lock with inches to spare on all sides! It was even tighter in the berth and the reception committee from all the ARC boats was nice to see but I think Dave was feeling the pressure a bit having all these sailors watching him - but as usual a perfect mooring and loads of people to take lines. It was like a reunion party on the pontoon, people we hadn't seen for a few weeks but seem almost like family now!

This then is the end of the line for me as I fly home on Wednesday. We have a few parties to do beforehand and then packing which is a depressing thought but friends and family (and a new grandchild!) await at home so can't wait - mixed emotions therefore.

So, I have been on board Mischief since the third week of February joining in Galapagos, crossing the South Pacific to the French Polynesia's, down to the Tuamotus, to Cook Islands, Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu and finally Mackay Australia from where we have spent a month cruising up the Whitsundays and other unforgettable places around the top of Australia to Darwin. Over 10,000 sea miles! It seems like only yesterday sitting here writing this, but it is over six months. Thanks to Dave and Wendy for putting up with me in their 'home' for so long.

As Neen said this morning after a fabulous party with Emily Morgan and Blue Pearl plus our 'Yellow Shirts Galen and Victor last night(Tuesday), "Oh, Charlie we did have a good sending off, I feel so bad I need a McDonalds" - that bad, eh! We even had an official complaint from the pontoon about making a noise late into the night - making Mischief to the last!!!

So that is me signing off. Standing by on channel 16 and 72. Out.

Charlie

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