Oz Cirumnavigation
Geranium Harbour to King George River
We have now travelled 2400 nm (4800 km) since leaving Fremantle, and 4000 nm (8000 km) since setting out from Hobart early May, We have about 400 nm to go to complete stage 4, arriving in Darwin.
Stage 5 will be a pure transit leg of about 1000 nm going across the top of Oz, rounding Cape York, then down to Cairns. There is very little to see here unless we explored the Gulf of Carpentaria which has no special appeal compared to what we have seen, and of course the need not to be in this region too late with the cyclone season approaching.
Everyone goes back home at Darwin, and two new crew plus Rick will join us for the eight day passage.
Rick has had a lot of experience with the Great Barrier Reef which is somewhat foreign to me, so that adds some comfort.
Four people will make this non stop trip comfortable so we can space out our watches accordingly, and we will be traveling a lot in shipping channels from Darwin as we go across the top of the continent to Cape York, and wend our way SE inside the Great Barrier Reef, but may stop over at Lizard Is for a night if time permits.
We saw the beautiful and notorious King’s Cascade Falls of Ginger Meadow’s fame.
Yesterday we were hailed by a passing yacht heading south to Fremantle asking us if we could help him out with fuel which we unfortunately couldn't oblige with.
We have only run into two recreation boats on the whole trip, both sailing boats, and both under motor as the last few weeks have been completely devoid of any wind.
This boat, Pioneer, was on the home leg of a circumnavigation of the country, and the other was a catamaran with a couple on board with two young kids who were heading to Indonesia and Micronesia for a couple of years.
We have now been trolling since we left Hobart so many miles back, and two types have alluded us, GT's (Giant Trevally) and Mahi Mahi (Dolphin Fish). However this was about to change when Margaret's rod went off with a scream, then almost within seconds, Rick's as well. What we pulled on board were two GT's with Margaret's being slightly the bigger.
Marg had a real fight to land hers (see pic) but she was pretty pleased with herself after previously hooking up a large Lemon shark whilst at anchor in Talbot Bay with my light Barra rod, and busting off the tip.
