Wessel to Elcho Islands

9^th August 2013

Guruliya Bay, Raragala Island  11^o 36.210S 136^o 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. 

Choppy over falls at the approach to the Gugari Rip.

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.

 Sitting still in the channel at full revs.

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

Bottom Feeder (The fish!!)

13^th August 2013

Still Guruliya Bay, Raragala Island  11^o 36.210S 136^o 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?

 The eyes have it…

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.

 Barren landscape

 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.

Someone doesn’t dislike mudcrabs.

The Mustang has been really putting in the effort to catch a big one. Trolling and live baiting most nights at sunset.

Sunset at Guruliya Bay

She has had some big hookups of an evening but they have been just cutting through the leaders.

Hard at work trolling

Eventually all this hard work trolling paid off…

The money shot.

A good 7kg Baracuda. She is wearing a glove because this is what is in its’ mouth…

This is what has been slicing through her leaders of a night.

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…

Last day at Raragala Island

14^th August 2013

Ganawa Point - Elcho Island  11^o 57.412S 135^o 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.

 Ganawa Point

A Ganawa Rock Hopper.

The mustang hasn’t been able to tell me what sort of rock formations they are yet – maybe she is starting to lack imagination or, can’t be bothered making something plausible up.  Or maybe she genuinely can’t remember – she is over 50 after all….

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.

Ganawa Point anchorage

On the beach there were some tire tracks…

Following tyre tracks that eventually turned into a track…

 The Mustang sets a pace down the track. “This must go somewhere…”

After about 3 kilometres the track turned into road. 

Elcho Island main 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…

16^th August 2013

Galiwinku - Elcho Island  19^o 1.988S 135^o 33.176E

 Galiwinku anchorage

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.

Sebastian the Samaritan.

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...

Wessel Islands

3^rd August 2013

Elizabeth Bay  11^o 54.318S 136^o 33.921E

I spent just over two weeks in Gove.  The yacht club locals were friendly and made the time pass quickly while I day visited the hospital and waited for the Mustang to fly in. Met most of the characters who inhabit the bay in various forms.  They’re definitely an eclectic mix.

 Gove Yacht Club

 The yacht club view

Dr Colin gave me a head like a cricket ball (six stitches) when he cut a growth from my jaw.  Only took a few days to heal and I can’t even see a scar – even with my glasses on.  I won’t have any problem renewing the modeling contract.  Even he said, “Bloody good aren’t I?” 

When the Mustang arrived we hired a car and took in the sights.

The lookout on the only hill.

The refinery

The run off from the refinery. Fancy a swim?

The conveyor belt

The cement factory.

There has been so much to do that we were just exhausted each night as we took in the view of the sunset over the refinery across the bay.

Refinery sunset

Night light for those afraid of the dark – Refinery by night

Actually I enjoyed my time at Gove.  All the boat jobs went according to plan.  The anchorage is good and the facilities are basic but very welcoming.  Woolworths got a hammering for provisions in the last couple of days and we should want for nothing over the next month or so.

A huge Banyan tree at the Yacht club

One of the locals at Gove

 

Congratulations to Glen and the Bear!

 

It was an interesting day getting to Elizabeth Bay with a bit of everything happening.  There was no wind to start with so we motored along, and then the wind picked up to just under 30 knots as we entered the overfalls around Cape Wilberforce.  Just where we didn’t want it, but Navionics shows overfalls there where the depth goes from 31m to 20m east of Point William, so it wasn’t entirely unexpected.  The washing machine motion only lasted about an hour, but felt like more because it got progressively worse. 

Initial watch position…

The Mustang went from lounging on the front deck to a watch position in the cabin.  I don’t think she was enjoying it much around then.  We caught a tuna about 2 hours out as the wind picked up.  Just as I was trying to re-set the sails to the opposite tack – nice timing.  He didn’t want to join us on board, but I eventually got him with the gaff and dragged him in. 

The Mustang has limited experience taking fish photos. Creative composition used here…

To get into Elizabeth Bay we went around Point William and ducked between that and the small un-named island to the northwest of the point.  Once around the Point we tracked southeast towards the sandy section of the cove.  This was going directly into the wind, so we could only get up to 3.7 knots, even with the motor at full speed.  We anchored about 200m from shore as it gets very shallow very quickly in there.  Depth where we anchored is about 7m but within 20m it drops to 4m and less, so those of you with deeper keels will need to watch the gauges to get it right.  Note also that we were only in two metres of water at low tide, having initially anchored at 4m at high tide.  We were right on the eastern side of the Pearl Farm if you need a marker.  NOTE: Take care when anchoring at Elizabeth Bay – we stayed a few days and must have dragged anchor a bit because by the time we left the chain had wrapped itself around the rocks.  Eventually it was a hacksaw job to cut the chain and lose the anchor to get out.  So it might be safer to anchor out at about 300-350m from shore just to avoid this hazard, never mind the shallower depths at low tide.

Filleting table at Elizabeth Bay

Once at anchor we dropped Merv into the water and took a trip to shore.  The wind was still quite blowy and we were facing directly into it.  We took the tuna ashore to fillet on the rocks - he weighed about 8 kgs, and when we filleted him we only took about three kgs of meat off him.  There’s only so much fish you can eat, so we wasted a lot.  Anyway we’ve got lots of fish and crab bait for the next two days, and buried the remains behind the rocks.

Despite the maps showing a land height of 26m it was still quite windy on the beach, so we just took a short walk along the beach and did only one hour’s sun bathing before heading back to the boat.  We found some crocodile tracks going towards and away from the beach, as well as some bullock tracks.  The croc tracks were made by a small croc, only about 6-7 feet. 

 Let’s not follow these tracks…

There weren’t any sand flies that we came across, but a couple of March flies made their presence known.  Apart from that it was very pleasant to lie on the beach with nobody there but each other.  The Mustang thinks she could get very used to this.

 

4^th August 2013

Wigram Island  11^o 46.690S 136^o 33.428E

We were delayed leaving Elizabeth Bay as the anchor was stuck (see above).  Eventually had to cut the chain as it was too deep to dive on.  I’ve attached a release rope to the remaining anchor as we won’t be able to get a spare until Darwin.  It’s going to be a bit of a pain retrieving from now on with the almost certain tangles to come.

Had some more overfalls coming in behind the island but an otherwise pleasant short hop.  We have come further north to the next anchorage just past the pearl lines and made a bit of a camp on the beach.  We just followed the dolphins through the gaps in the lines.

 Wigram Island beach camp

The Mustang read and dozed the day away while I explored.  We both got out to the point for a bit of an explore…

The point at the entrance to the bay

We’re not that old and neither of us are looking at the moment but, we still kept on finding fossils. Who would have thought that the bay would contain so many prehistoric fossilized remains…

 

Dino foot prints!!!

A fossilized Diplodocus brain!!!

 Captain Atom-borough demonstrates how these Sabre tooth tiger claw marks were left…

What we actually found was a dumping ground for the pearl farm’s anchors, rope and buoys – otherwise known as scavenger treasure.  We now have a spare anchor and rode.  Actually I had to go back and get another one after dropping this one over the side before tying it on.  I call it practice… the Mustang just laughed…

Treasure! A spare anchor replaced within two days of losing one.

The wind is still blowing however and we will stay here until there’s a suitable break to cross to the rip.

The Mustang lands her first fish of the trip.

 A respectable little black tip that survived the process.  You will notice that this picture has both the full fish and human within the frame…

 

8^th August 2013

Still Wigram Island  11^o 46.51S 136^o 32.012E

 Captain Mustang…

Takes control by gender alone…

The Mustang took us around to the southernmost Bay where we might have some phone reception but, it doesn’t look like we do.  We went ashore and looked around an abandoned house and then went for a walk up the hill where we did get some reception (Telstra only and you have to stand directly beneath the tower).

The condition of this cement mixer gives an indication of how long this place has been abandoned.

Used drum salesman

 Oh what a feeling…

Telephone reception at the top of the hill…

Yes that is a boat in the middle ground.  Could this be Mount Etna? Where’s Noah? In the background you will see the Telstra tower complete with nests…

Over the hill there is an airstrip…

The Mustang waits at the airport security gate.

The view from the top back to the boat.

 Last sunset at Wigram Island