Torres Strait, Thursday Is. – Darwin, Australia (10 days)

2008.08.30 – 09.12

(translated by Laszlo, AA7UY)

2008.08.30 (day 685). New Moon

1017 mbars, 32°, Bf.4-5-3 SE

Steering 270° making 3-4-5-6 knots as the current changes.

But as I leave the islands, the wind weakens, so took the reef out, using full sails.

Breakfast: pork cuts, biscuit, onions.

Today I saw a large turtle several times around the ship again.

Put away the anchor and did some rope work, putting things in order in a ship never ends J

Passed Bobby Is. around noon, the last island in Torres Strait. The current gradually decreases.

Success! CARINA sailed through Torres Strait!

The ship traffic is increasing, saw 4 containerships within 2-3 miles of the ship. The reason: there are several shipping lanes in the vicinity.

Reading the Torres News in the afternoon, that also can be reached via the net: www.torresnews.com.au

16:00 POS(10-35S; 141-40E), 292nm to Cape Wessel (halfway to Darwin). Most sailboats drop anchor here for a day or two, a world of beautiful islands. I have no time for it (as usual).

No radioing today, I emailed my radio amateur friends, uncertain because of Torres Strait.

The wind weakens further, now only Bf.2-3.

ARC:

The ARC happened a week before on Thursday Island. 34 yachts started in January 2008 from the Caribbean, but now only 24 are still in the race. Ten ships gave up and most got stuck in the Pacific Ocean J.

There are those who plan to continue Round-the-World in the 2010 ARC. The yachts from Vanuatu sailed toward Cairns, Australia instead of PNG. The budget of the average yacht is 200,000 AUS dollar for the 15 months of the race. The largest yacht is Kealoha 8 (72 ft), the smallest: Northern Sky (38 ft). By the rules minimum length is 38 feet and there must be at least 2 persons on board. One of the most interesting ship: Brance, a 50 foot French trimaran. Many ships join the ARC Europe Atlantic 2009 race in May 2009.

My book for today: Reflex, by Dick Francis.

18:50LT POS(10-32.6S; 141-30.8E)

Using the AUS 2321 map nowadays.

Sailed by Proudfoot Shoal in the evening. I must still be careful!!

Birds landed on the ship again.

Dinner: noodles, canned chicken and chocolate for dessert.

At night: Bf.5 then strong 5, so reefed the mainsail to 2/3. Steering 260°, making 3.5knots. 270° would be unstable, the wind is fully from the rear.

The wind generator charges sometimes, but the batteries are weak, so using candles for lighting at night.

At 10 p.m. the jib was torn, the material fatigued, the tear is along the seam.

Used PannonSail’s jib all across the Pacific Ocean and it got torn for the first time. They must be using good material, because neither I nor the wind were sparing it J

Hoisted the strom jib instead. Course 280°, spd. 3 knots.

Trying to distance the shipping lanes that are shown on the map. Passed Carpentaria Lighthouse at midnight, sailing in Carpentaria Bay from now, using AUS410 map.

At night sighted several ships in the distance, frequently got up to check the traffic, but otherwise a calm night.

2008.08.31 (day 696).

The bird flew off at dawn, but left me a little souvenir on deck that I had to clean up.

1018 mbars, 29°, Bf.4E, sailing @ 3-4 knots on cse. 270°. Cloudy.

Morning: changed the storm jib to the one István Dénes sent me, using it for the first time. It’s smaller than the PannonSail jib, but very strong material.

Took the reef out of the mainsail, now making 4 knots on 270°.

Breakfast: last night’s leftovers, apple and multivitamin.

Wearing today the Quarantine polo shirt Joseph gave me J

Lunch: spaghetti (ribbed cornflour pasta tubes from Biopont) with chicken in tomato sauce. Dessert: biscuit.

Afternoon: four fishing boats approaching from ahead, altered my course 30-40°. They are towing nets and are slow.

16 LT (06 UTC) radio: 14.290 MHz POS(10-27S; 140-25E), 210nm to Cape Wessel, 74nm made good past 24 hours. No radio contact. Trying again at 07 UTC to no avail. The USA is very far now, so I shan’t be able to radio with Freddy and Pali anymore.

Wind is weakening: Bf.1, E, making 2 knots on 270°.

Several ships passed by me. They’re sailing toward Torres.

Dinner: lunch leftovers.

Birds are landing again on CARINA, so I’m not so lonely.

22:00 reefed the mainsail to 2/3. 22:30 lowered mainsail, winds are Bf.6.

At night: overslept, missed the 13:30 UTC radio sked.

2008.09.01 (day 697).

I left Hungary 2 years ago.

1017 mbars, 27° in the morning, BF.5 E, poor visibility in rain, making 3-4 knots on 270°.

Breakfast: scrambled eggs with onions.

Morning: hoisted mainsail to 2/3, later fully.

Steering as usual then reading a little.

Today’s books: The Aviator by Ernest K. Gann, Australian Hungarian Yearbook 1996.

Lunch: noodles, tuna fish, onions – cheap and simple.

P.m.: drying- and cleaning out the portside compartment, first time since the big keel-over.

Barometer is falling: 1013, cloudy skies all day, making 3-4 knots on 270°.

Wind weakening to Bf.2-3.

16LT (06UTC) 14.290 MHz radio: I can hear a few hams from Australia, but they do not answer me.

POS(10-35S; 139-11E) 73nm made good past 24h.

17LT trying the radio again to no avail.

Dinner: biscuit, butter, liver patè, onions and the last of the peppers.

Winds are significantly weaker on the Arafura Sea, where I’m now sailing, than were over the Coral Sea.

My favorite bird came again to sleep in the ship tonight.

23:30 14.290 MHz radio: heard someone very weakly, but got no answer. No radio connection today either. POS(10-35S; 138-42E)

Australian entry rules:

1. must have tourist visa before entering.

2. must fax a filled out form-paper to the Authorities minimum 4 days before arrival..

3. one day, or from 100 miles distance before arrival, must send an e-mail to the Authorities that contains the ship’s and passengers’ data.

4. in general, most countries confiscate fresh vegetables, fruits, eggs, meat. Here they confiscate almost everything. The rules are known to be looser on Thursday Island and they don’t confiscate all food, only the ‘usual’ ones. That’s why I entered the country there. They confiscated my bamboo shoots because they found bugs in them.

2008.09.02. (day 698).

1019 mbars, 28°, Bf,3 from 90°, making 4 knots on 260°

Put away a few Torres Strait maps and pulled out #1044. Then dried out the starboard compartment that filled with a lot of water during the big keel-over. Unfortunately I lost a few batteries. Morning: drying out my sand papers in the cockpit while steering the ship.

Morning: reefed the main sail to 2/3 for the strengthening winds.

Lunch: fish and rice - while fishing, it’d be nice to have fresh fish again.

The sun finally came out in the afternoon.

A bird slept on the stern last night and messed it up again. Afternoon: a large ship passed me.

16LT 14.290 MHz radio: Probably heard Freddy very weakly. Read my position in the blind in case somebody hears me. No contact today either.

Image the reality of radio schedules basically as: I hear a strong noise and in it there sometimes are additional, weaker noises that I know, are the amateur’s calls, and trying to understand them, of which I occasionally pinch out ‘something’, usually the numbers of the weather forecast. Often I can understand only either the direction or the wind speed.

And of the data covering several days only one or just a half. (similar on the other end/tr)

POS(10-36S; 137-41E) 88nm made good past 24 hours.

No radio contact at 17LT.

Making 3 knots on 270° in the evening, wind Bf.3-4/120°

My back is aching again perhaps I should improve my bunk.

Dinner: meatballs and rice in tomato sauce, dessert: pear and apple.

23:30LT(13:30 UTC) overslept again, no radio today.

I must get used to getting up at night to radio.

Passed by Cape Wessel at night.

2008.09.03 (day 699).

1019 mbars. 28°, Bf.2-3E, sea calm.

All dawns are wonderful. Sunrise is even more beautiful than usual because there are no clouds in the sky.

Breakfast: scrambled eggs with onions, biscuit, cocoa and multivitamin.

Sailing by Arnhem today already, true I can’t see the continent yet, but I know it’s there.

Let the main sail out completely at 08:30 LT.

Trying to fish again but the present Bf.2 and small seas are not favorable to fishing. They bite better when it’s windier and choppier.

Lunch: baked some cookies (recipe: use whatever is available in the ship), also made instant soup.

Meanwhile my fishing line broke. Big fish? Perhaps. That put me in a bad mood and gave up fishing for the time being – I have no more damil and hooks J

Afternoon: general cleanup around the port side coffin bunk, I keep foods, also thrash here and it’s important to regularly sort them out.

Today’s book: Deadeye by Sam Llewellyn.

16 LT: 14.290 MHz radio: POS(10-37S; 136-30E). Only 70nm made good past 24 hours because the wind was very weak last night.

Sailing on course 280° making 4 knots. A customs airplane flew directly over me, then turned around. Then I turned on my VHF radio. The Coast Watch called me on channel 16. They knew who I was because they called CARINA S/V J

We switched to ch. 72 and they asked the usual questions: Port of Registry, where from and where to. They could barely hear me because my radio output was rather weak. (I already knew that).

17 LT heard Feri, HA3MQ and he heard me as well. He was my first radio contact since the Torres Strait. My first contact with Hungarian amateurs since Fiji. Report: 5x4.

Late afternoon a large Coast Guard cutter came up behind me and we talked on VHF ch.16. The very same questions and answers. They keep a close watch on ships around here.

Dinner: noodles, canned fish; onions.

Evening: a ship passed about 2 miles on my port side. Getting close to Darwin and ship traffic is increasing.

The shipping lane is near 10-49S and I’m keeping to 10-37S latitude.

23:30 LT (13:30 UTC) 14.290 MHz radio: Heard each other with Feri HA3MQ weakly. This will be the scheduled time from now on. Forecast: 15 knot SE winds.

POS(10-36S; 136-03E)

3-4 knots on course 270°. 27nm made good since 16:00 LT.

2008.09.04 (day 700).

1017 mbars, 28° in the morning and 32-33° at noon, Bf.2-3 E-SE (early morning only Bf.1)

The trades are weak here because of the Australian continent, this effect lasts until Timor island.

Breakfast: cocoa, multivitamin.

Morning: steering. I can only steer by hand when the wind is dead astern,

the autopilot is unable to butterfly J

The sea was turquoise-green color after the Torres Strait and now it’s becoming blue.

The surface of the ocean is full of plankton, they say it’s tastier than caviar. Easy to collect with a plankton net, alas I don’t have one.

Breakfast: canned pork, biscuit, onions.

Cleaned my spear gun in the morning.

I’m trying not to make much speed because if I arrive during the weekend the ‘check-in’ costs extra. Basically this is true in every country, if a yacht arrives on a weekend it has to pay extra to cover the officials’ overtime.

Lunch: griddlecake.

Afternoon: sewing my shorts, drying out the sleeping bag and my wet clothes. These got wet during the big keel-over before Torres.

P.m.: another Custom’s plane flies over me, the watch is continuous!! Am I more secure? I don’t know, but they are keeping a close watch for sure. Am I suspicious? Everybody is here…

Hand steering in the afternoon too because a large, 1 meter ray is following my ship and plankton is all around, just like during the last few days. Then a few small dolphins swim across the stern but they pay no attention to me. That’s what the ocean is like around here…

Dinner: canned chicken with noodles.

Lost a plastic dish while dish washing, alas this happens from time to time.

1012 mbars, Bf.3, course 270, 3-4 knots.

23:30 LT (13:30 UTC 14.290 MHz, Feri HA3MQ from Siklós. Heard him well (5x5) He gave me a 5x5 report that I haven’t heard since Galapagos….

Forecast 15 knot SE winds that can at times be 20.

POS(10-42S, 134-45E), 77nm made good past 24 hours.

2008.09.05 (day 701).

1017 mbars, 29° in the morning and 35° at noon, Bf.2 E wind, 3 knots on cse. 270.

Made pancakes for breakfast, they’re similar to roti. Made part of them churry like. Today’s extra: also made a few from tavioca flour. Tavioca is a staple food in the South Pacific islands, a type of root they very rarely make flour of. I was able to obtain some for my ship, it is very special J

The wind gradually decreases to Bf.1-2, so making 1-2 knots on cse. 260. Sea state: 1.

Plankton all around again today.

Dinner: noodles, canned fish.

The wind died out by afternoon. It’s better than a storm. Of course it reminds me of my 40 day trip between Panama and Galapagos…

Here the situation is better because the following current is carrying me forward..

13:30 UTC (23:30 LT) 14.290 MHz radio: HA3MQ, Feri from Siklós. 5x5 reports.

The wind forecast is 15 knots ESE, then weakening and variable.

POS(10-37S; 133-45E), 50nm made good past 24 hours.

My red navigation light is out.

2008.09.06 (day 702).

1015 mbars, 28° in the morning, 33° at noon. Bf.1-2 E, course 260, spd. 2-3 knots.

Breakfast: fried eggs with onions. Biscuit, cocoa, vitamin.

Today’s book: Twister, a novel about nature’s most destructive force, by Jack M. Bickham.

Better than a movie.

Plankton all around again today.

Steering in the morning, hot sun, sultry air, hardly any wind.

Dinner: noodles, canned beans, fried pork patties (Bipoint), onions.

Afternoon: checked the tides for Darwin and Van Diemen bay on the computer in Maxsea. I have no detailed paper map of this area.

Late afternoon using candles for light in the cabin. I’m old fashioned and do like candles, also my batteries are weak.

Nearing the coast – I don’t like it…ship traffic is heavier and the wind is weaker here (effects of the Australian continent).

23:00 – 03:00 didn’t sleep at all, short naps only even afterwards. Traffic is getting heavier and I must keep a sharp watch.

At 4 a.m. dawn, the Coast Guard cutter came up behind me, lit me up with a spotlight and called over on bullhorn: Where are your lights? – they asked. I answered on ch.16 VHF radio that my mast- and red navigation lights are out, but wish to repair them in Darwin. They warned, that the ship traffic will increase before Darwin, and so night sailing is dangerous, then said good bye and left.

The battery voltage is under 12, this is not normal, there must be a problem in my electrical system.

2008.09.07 (day 703). Half moon.

The currents are usually weaker here after half moon. This isn’t true everywhere, i.e.: in Indonesia the tide currents depend on the monsoon, so they depend more on the season.

1014 mbars, 30-35° (peaked at 40°!), Bf.1 E, 260°, 1-2 knots.

Breakfast: liver patè, cocoa and vitamin.

Wind weak all day, even dies out at times, the sea is almost mirror. Very hot sunshine. Wearing hat, polo shirt and sunscreen – that way bearable.

Basically I’m tired and have a backache because of lack of exercise and a hard bunk.

The birds are very friendly and brave here, they’re not afraid of humans and let me come quite close, which for me is an adventure, especially in my situation…

Wind direction changes to 170° in the afternoon and I’m steering 240°. Motored for an hour early afternoon, because the wind has died out hours ago and I want to approach Cape Don in favorable current. There is a 2-3 knot current, even 4-5 knots in some places.

Then comes a light breeze, up with the sail again, making 1 knot on 260°.

Dolphins came and escorted me in the afternoon for a while, they’re playing and I’m watching them. I’d like them to tow me a little, alas our communications are rather elementary for the time being, perhaps later, if we could develop that…

Trying to repair the red navigation light, but irreparable, the metal has corroded completely away. Later in Darwin!

Passed the Peninsula WP (10-40S; 132-53E)

My planned route:

WP01 (11-03.4S; 131-47.8E)

Afterwards must watch out for Giles Shoal in the middle of the bay.

WP02 (11-49.6S; 131-31.9E)

WP03 (12-04.4S; 131-11.2E), this is by Roper Rock before the Howard channel

Howard channel:

WP04 (12-05.2S; 131-05.8E)

WP05 (12-04.6S; 131-01.6E)

WP06 (12-04.6S; 130-55.8E)

From there 21nm to Darwin Harbor through Beagle bay:

WP07 (12-20S; 130-45E)

WP08 (12-26.9S; 130-47.5E)

Search for the marinas from there…

18:00 started motoring because of the currents, traffic and total calm. My fuel won’t last ‘til Darwin, so shall use the sails whenever possible!

The current starts moving inwards from 20:00 in good direction at Cape Don. If I hadn’t caught it in time, then I would’ve anchored at Cape Don – like all the other yachts. (Good anchorage: 11-16.9S; 131-47.4E)

23:30 14.290 MHz radio: Feri HA3MQ, Siklós), report 5x5. Heard him very well.

POS(11-27S; 131-42E), 80nm made good past 24 hours. There are many North African amateurs on the band today, but we heard each other well regardless.

21:45 POS(11-18S; 131-43.3E)

After 22:00 the wind died, so motored all night in the Van Diemen Gulf.

Keeping continuous watch. Caught 20 minute naps between 01:00 and 04:30.

01:00 POS(11-34S; 131-40.5E)

2008.09.08 (day 704).

04:30 POS(11-34S; 131-37.4E). Motoring in dead calm, making 2-3 knots.

1015 mbars, 28° in the morning, 38° at noon. Bf.0 and mirror sea.

The Coast Guard vessel passes near by, then a few Navy ships. Feels like being in a war. Finally I spot a small civilian motorboat too!

Afternoon: Bf.1-2.

14:00 POS(12-02.7S; 131-13.1E)

16:00 POS(12-04.6S; 131-01.4E) Because of the favorable current and motoring, making 7 knots through Howard (see Rejtő J) channel. Unfortunately halfway in the channel had to lower the sails because of headwind.

Past the channel hoisted sails again.

Checking water supply: 35 liters used since PNG.

18:40 POS(12-13S; 130-53.3E)

Arrived at the harbor entrance at 10 p.m., but this is a very large harbor…where is a marina?

Motored coastal slowly, making 1-2 knots and tried to interpret the lights and find the masts.

The Coast Guard told me the way to Frances Bay where sailboats can anchor.

POS(12-28.6S; 130-51.1E)

Anchored at 01:30 in Darwin Harbor near a sailboat called Balaton. I felt like being at home, since I started sailing 19 years ago on Lake Balaton…On the other side was Africo, the ship of my Canadian friend and Boo (Denmark) were anchored. I have friends and acquaintances everywhere!

Arrival didn’t go easy – as usual – I had an expired, 25 years old map that did not show the marina and the anchorage. In other words, I was searching for the anchorage for 3 hours, almost deciding to stay with the ships of the Navy, because those I could find J Tidal currents are strong in the harbor because of the 5 meter difference between ebbing and flood tide!

Then, at 02:00 moved because I was getting too close to another ship. Here you have to watch carefully where to anchor, because the ships are facing the direction of the current, not the wind.

When the wind is weak at slack tide, the yachts are facing every which way, therefore must leave greater distance than usual.

2008.09.09 (day 705).

The frigate bird (hurricane bird) generally leaves the coast to 90-100 miles.

The captain of Africo (Canada) came over in the morning and we talked about things that happened during the past three months, since he left Fiji. Then Boo (Denmark) joined us, we met in Fiji also for the first time , and we had a long talk. His forward stay broke near Wessel Island, his mast almost broke because of it. These two captains are in their forties, almost my generation J. They charter their boats for a living, to paying ‘guests’ to sail ‘around the World’.

The customs boat stopped by to ask what’s going on…

Morning chores around the ship:

Packed up the garbage, dried out and cleaned the port forward and middle compartments. This is my first chance to dry out these compartments since the big keel-over before Torres Strait. I don’t want to do this while sailing at sea, because everything I own is stowed above them. Unfortunately my hand pump broke again, so about 40 liters of bottom water remained in the ship.

Boo took me ashore in his dinghy. First, I walked over to customs to check in, it was free here and took only 10 minutes. Then went to photocopy a map of the Bali area (3276) cost $5 AUS. Looked around town a little as well. Visited Christ Church Cathedral. It was damaged by Japanese bombs on Feb. 19, 1942 during the War, then tropical cyclone Tracy damaged it’s other half. I liked the rebuilt church very much.

There is Internet connection at the Library. Slow but free. I started to upload the pictures, videos. Also answered e-mails. Slow going… My hardest chore is typing and decoding the yacht log into ‘human’ language J.

Hitchhiked back to the ship in the evening. Ingrid from the neighboring South African 60 foot steel sailboat took me back to Carina. I showed them the ship and told them my ideas about sailing in a spiritual manner, and my ‘stormy’ experiences, that’s what people like to hear most. J

Mátyás Bognár, the owner of the 13.5 meter steel sailboat Balaton invited me to his ship. He showed me his sturdy and well equipped yacht and we had a few beers. He left Budapest, Hungary in 1956, and we talked about the great Hungarian situation J

2008.09.10 (day 706).

Recommended book: Vaka Moana, Voyages of the Ancestors by H.R. Howe

It’s subject: the sailing culture of the South Pacific and he introduces a few Polynesian, Microesian

made sailing canoes, their voyages and experiences. Hokule, Takitumu, Makali’I,taratai, Hawqaikinui, Te Aurere.

My favorite South Pacific ship types:

Te puke (Santa Cruz), vaka (Caroline Is.)

Early morning works around the ship: Checking the bow compartment: no water found! Then the re-insulated the battery cables as needed. The battery voltage is around 11.5V, something is draining them constantly, but I don‘t yet know what, so from now on will disconnect the main switch. I believe the wind generator and autopilot connections are good. What could be the problem?

Checked and re-packed the coffin bunks also, though leaked sometimes, they were now drier than usual.

Mátyás’ motor launch took me ashore in the morning to the nearby marina pier. Went to the city library right away to upload the pictures and videos. It was slow going, 6 hours went by like 10 minutes J

Ran into Boo and Ian in the library.

On the beach got acquainted with Mike, he owns a sailboat charter agency here in Darwin:

Sailing Adventures NT: www.sailint.com.au, he conducts daily tours in the vicinity in a 32 foot catamaran called Daymirri 2. He also takes on sea funerals. It was an interesting subject to talk about. He gave me the phone number of a good mechanic who might look at my inboard engine. Ian’s dinghy took me back to the ship in the evening.

Received great news today: my niece, Kinga gave birth to a daughter: Julia! Congratulations!

2008.09.11 (day 707).

September 11 in famous for several things…

Hugh Evans: http://www.hughevans.com.au/

Checked and dried out the after compartment in the morning. Dried the wet boards and poly-foams. Re-packed the second, 12 kg four fluke anchor to under the middle compartment. Said good bye to Ian and Boo then adjusted my anchorage, drifted a little last night. Three officers from Alan, a large charter motor ship took me ashore. They take passengers to the Antarctic for $250,000 AUS/week; the huge ship can take max. 12 passengers. The voyage lasts several weeks. For example: next month they’ll start from Argentina and Chile with passengers.

Neting and uploading videos in the library from 11 a.m. very slowly.

Afternoon: called Darwin Marine Engineer Spec. whose offices are on Fisherman’s dock. The earliest they can look at the motor problem is next Tuesday. Called another shop: perhaps at the end of next week. These sound like bad news, but not really…Went to Dinah Beach Cruising Yacht Association (68 Frances Bay Drive, 89817816 ), but unfortunately I was unable to speak with Jane, the boss lady, because she didn’t work today. Met Bruce, who gave me Choco’s telephone number and possibly he is my man for the engine…then Bruce bought me a beer and we talked some. This is the least expensive marina in Darwin J

Evening: walked back to the dinghy dock, where I met Mike and Alan. Alan’s dinghy took me back to Carina.

Works in the ship:

1. performed the three month service of my outboard motor: fuel filters, spark plug, propeller, screws, throttle and fuel tank checking and cleaning. Unfortunately the spark plug was black, incorrect mix perhaps.

2. painted the welding on the mount of the autopilot with rust proofing paint.

Then it became too dark to work anymore.

Strangers write to me sometimes and of course I answer. Received a letter from a couple lately, who wrote that my voyage gave them the idea to buy a sailboat instead of the planned motorboat. Basically, one purpose of this page is to popularize sailing.

2008.09.12 (day 708).

Nowadays I like to read Hungarian folk-wisdom from the calendar…

August 10: if Lőrincz day is sunny then the fall shall last longer.

August 24: Be careful: all the fall’s days will be like the sky on Bertalan’s day.

September 21: If Máté day is sunny, the fall shall last three months. If the weather is nice, you’ll like it ‘til December. And I dare predict: plenty of fruit will grow next year.

September 29: If thunder on Mihály day, expect a long fall and hard winter! Many acorns on the trees sees deep snow at Christmas.

Of course these aren’t too applicable here…

Morning chores:

1. varnished the tiller twice

2. glued two patches on the main sail

3. cleaned the engine compartment and inboard the engine. I simply can’t unscrew the spark plugs, I think they got wet and started to rust. The generator had too much water, I believe it’s irreparable.

4. Started to look for the reason my batteries are getting drained.

Mátyás took me ashore in his dinghy in the morning to the Dinah Beach Cruising Association’s yard.

I was too late to catch their yearly great race: www.darwinambonrace.com.au

Spoke with Bruce, but Jane, the manager was too busy, so I shall return in the afternoon.

Then bought fuel at the fisherman’s dock.

Target: the library! Read the local papers in the library:

The Sydney Morning Herald: www.smh.com.au

The Australian: www.theaustralian.com.au

Canberra Times, Darwin Sun…the library has newspapers from all the world’s large cities.

Alas there are no Hungarian papers L, but the Fiji Times was there.

Then correspondence and writing letters. Slow net.

I’m planning to move to one of the marinas next week to charge my batteries and other repairs. The Cullen Bay Marina is very expensive, perhaps I’ll choose the Tipperary Waters Marina or the DBYCA.

I’d like to have the original inboard motor repaired if I can find a good mechanic within reasonable cost.

I should fix the mast light and the radar reflector on top of the mast as well.

This is my ship’s song nowadays. Thanks to the sender!

Coconut Moon

Some day soon I go to Mango Lagoon on and Ocean swell,

Places on the seas there sweeter that the breezes on a wishing well

Admiral Nemo suggested that we go just ASAP,

He said that the good people there make

A tropical milk shake that will set you free.

So how do I get there and which way do I go?

What’s there’s the course to follow?

He just pointed to the sky and said,

Sail that Coconut Moon, do what other peoples do

Sail that Coconut Moon; navigate your wishes through.