9th August 2013
Guruliya Bay, Raragala Island 11o 36.210S 136o
17.309E
The ‘Hole in the wall’ or Gugari rip is a gap between the
islands that saves going around the top of the Wessel islands. It is only about 60m across in the middle and
is subject to strong currents that can run up to 11knots. Reading Knight’s cruising guide was even more
confusing but, I ended up taking local advice and planned to arrive at the
Eastern end just before high tide and make the best headway up to slack
water.
The theory was sound for going through but, we still had six
knots of current against us in the middle of the cut and this was supposed to be
half an hour before slack tide? Charisma
pretended to be an eleven tonne salmon swimming up the river and we ploughed
on. We were able to make some headway at
full revs and working our way across the current. We were being pushed backwards for a few
minutes in the tightest part of the channel.
We did consider going back to the entrance to wait for a while there but it was all controllable and we just bashed on. It still took about an hour to do the 900m long passage. We skipped the first protected bay as we had been told to use the second one as it was more sheltered. Also there was a big catamaran parked there and we didn’t feel like being neighbourly after so much time at Gove, so we anchored in Guruliya Bay. After going through the rip at such a rate of knots we were still buzzing, so we rested for the afternoon and saved our energy for the next day. At dusk the Mustang dropped a line off the back to get some bait
13th August 2013
Still Guruliya Bay, Raragala Island 11o 36.210S 136o
17.309E
Got up with the sun and had a nice breakfast to get us going
before putting Merv into the water and going for a troll and a look at some of
the mangrove creeks around this bay.
There are some really good ones and a couple that are completely dry at
low tide, so watch where you set your crab nets. We had a fishing competition which the
Mustang won, catching four fish (one of which I lost for her) to my one. Seems the best trolling place around this bay
is on the eastern edge where the water is deeper. Does this count as a capture?
We’ve spent a few pleasant days here. The Mustang has become
a bit compulsive for the fishing but we did take time out for a walk up the
hill.
And we did find fresh water…
Over the last week the fridge has gotten progressively worse
and finally died. The condenser has a
leak and I can hear the gas gurgling as it escapes through the ice. Not much that we can do about it so it looks
like we will be trying to eat the freezer contents before it dies completely.
Serendipity: On the
Tuesday night a large cruiser (60ft) came in on their way to Darwin. The owners weren’t on board but the crew
traded some ice for rum. They had two ice makers on board! We may catch up with them at the Liverpool River
and get another load off them and cash in a dinner invite we rainchecked. Bit of a pain not being able to keep what we
catch so we’ll just have to eat as we go.
The Mustang has been really putting in the effort to catch a
big one. Trolling and live baiting most nights at sunset.
She has had some big
hookups of an evening but they have been just cutting through the leaders.
Eventually all this hard work trolling paid off…
A good 7kg Baracuda.
She is wearing a glove because this is what is in its’ mouth…
I think she’s up to 6 different species so far. There are mostly Queensfish and Grunter here
and they seem to lay off the sandbanks in the deeper water. Unlike us who just lie on the sand…
14th August 2013
Ganawa Point - Elcho Island
11o 57.412S 135o 31.203E
We left early this morning and went on a bit further than we
had planned. After the Mustang woke up it only took about ‘three hours’ to get
here… (Are we there yet?) Actually it
was 10 hours of motor sailing in light wind to do just over 50nm…
The coastline is very rocky here but we seemed to be on hard
sand. It was overcast when we anchored
but it looked all right. The Mustang was on the sprit talking with the dolphins
who led us in rather than using the polarized glasses.
The tide was dropping (4meters) when we arrived so only had
a quick look on the beach and an unsuccessful attempt at bait. We will have to watch the tides more carefully
for shore excursions from now on.
The wind picked up
for the first time today from the North (which is very unusual) when we dragged
Merv back into the water and headed back to the boat. The anchorage here is a little bit uncomfortable with the
swells reaching us from around the point.
On the beach there were some tire tracks…
After about 3 kilometres the track turned into road.
While we were sitting on the side of the intersection a car
came past and then stopped. “What are
those white people doing there?” They
were a cheerful mob who told us that around the point there was a community
with “Two takeaways!” So we are going to
head around there tomorrow to see if we can get some water, ice, an eski and
perhaps an ice cream. Hot chips is a given…
16th August 2013
Galiwinku - Elcho Island
19o 1.988S 135o 33.176E
I asked at the closest house to the beach to use their tap
and did three trips for water. We have
only used about 220L in the last two weeks.
The guy who lives in the house even helped carry a jerry can down to the
dinghy.
There are about 400 people in this community and an airplane
service that takes off about once an hour to somewhere and back. Seems like a different place each time –
apparently it’s kind of a taxi service between all the nearby communities. The refrigeration mechanic left the island
two days ago for a six week break so we will just have to make do. I was able to pick up an esky but there is no
block ice in town. Shame there’s going
to be no refrigeration room if we catch any fish, but again we will just have
to make do… We have thrown out all the
meat we had in the freezer as it had begun to turn green. Figure it’s good for burley if we feel like
tossing a line over the side tonight.
Got a few bits of meat at the local shop (which is at the top of the
hill of course) but really it’s only enough for about four days. Also picked up a few tomatoes, some oranges,
a very few apples and one lonely mandarin whose fellows all looked like they
had seen better days. Even the lettuce
was a bit pathetic (about fist size), but beggars can’t be choosers (whose
begging? You should check out the prices – a bag of chips is $7!) Given we now have to use a small esky and ice
bags for cooling it’s really all we can carry and keep good until we eat
it. Also managed to find some long-life
custard to use with the fruit once it starts turning and we need to hide the
greenish mouldy colour, but (wait for it) even though its long-life custard the
expiry date on it is tomorrow. If you do stop here don’t expect to be able
to do much stocking up.
Planning a big excursion into “town” tonight. There’s a motel (yes, a motel, though I can’t
imagine people coming here to holiday – maybe that’s what all the plane
movements are about) in town that does counter meals so we’ll try the steak
sandwiches and get some chips into us a last.
There is a sign saying “No Thongs” but really in this community who are
they kidding? I haven’t seen anyone
wearing shoes except the shopkeeper.
Well, we’ve just got back from our hot dinner date here in
Galiwingu. I really know how to show a
girl a great time. We started out from the boat at sunset…
How romantic…
Made our way through the community to the motel where there
is a restaurant...
It’s in the motel… it looks flash.
We were adopted by some other local orphans who took us
under their wings.
The orphans’ table
The first steak burgers we ordered were lost in the kitchen
somewhere but when I reminded them they only took two minutes to arrive… the lack
of the steaks in the bun might have had something to do with that…
Styrofoam crockery added something to the ambience I
think.
The bloke at the restaurant said we could fill our bags with
ice from the ice machine – apparently nobody uses it. Then some nice folks gave us a lift back to
the shore … and to finish the perfect evening the tide still hadn’t come in so
it was the 30meter dinghy drag
Who says that I have no class?
Now, how could we top that for a wild Friday nights
entertainment?
The Mustang is still chuckling while I write this...
The Mustang is still chuckling while I write this...
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