Over the Top! Cooktown to Gove

     We finally left Cooktown about 2 weeks ago, provisioned, laundered and our ripped foresail robustly repaired by "Shakey Pete" using a maxiyacht sail offcut. Strong wind warnings were still current with gusts up to 35 knots, buffetting us as we made our way towards Cape Bedford, a very shallow, sandy bay, surrounded by silica sandhills. On our beach walk we met Terrence, an artist who lived in a beach shack, his self-made 'twocanoes' catamaran with hand painted sails out front.

    Next stopover Cape  Flattery, another beautiful bay complete with indigenous 

people spearing fish in the shallows.

 After a rough trip north-east, Lizard Island was interesting and exhausting, as we trekked all over, checking out Mrs Watson's house, over Chinaman's Ridge to the resort and tiny airport, but as it was very overcast and very windy we didn't climb Cook's Lookout Hill.

the blue lagoon and other inviting bays,

     Our Flinders Island stopover was eventful, having to dinghy ashore at low tide through coral, rocks and mud, Bill having to drag it through the shallows, watching for crocs, beating off with a paddle dozens of small stingrays darting about. But it was worth it to see the magnificent paintings of early ships, animals and fish in the caves in an area inhabited up until only 60 years ago.

Morris Island, a long days sail on, was a tiny coral fringed sand spit with several coconut palms and overrun with spiky succulents with tall central spears apparently planted by admirality to save shipwrecked sailors by providing coconuts and poles to harvest them! We were not alone...A fishing trawler spawning 4 smallrunabouts taking off in all directions towards the horizon kept us company here until dawn. Bodi was delighted to have unexpectedly startled some pelicans into flight.

     Now we have really experienced the trade winds. Making the most of them, we were using only sails to reach our destinations speedily, with little use of fuel. We progressed up the coast, passing many reefs to Portland Roads, a strategic base during WWII, now inhabited by about a dozen people.

    The Cape Grenville stopover was memorable, we found the largest and tastiest oysters and a small barracuda leapt up onto our side deck. Bodi thought he'd caught it and guarded it all night!

    We had our first aerial surveillance check by Coastwatch and watched a 'mothership' providing supplies and fuel for the gathering fishing fleet. 

    Via radio we witnessed an efficient rescue drama with a helicopter eventually plucking 3 'english challenged' people in strong winds and darkness from a yacht which had collided with a small reef near the outer fringe. Thank goodness for EPIRB's!

     Further north we entered Escape River guided by a fishing boat through the sand banks to an anchorage amongst pearl rafts and croc swamps.

     The next day we were propelled through Albany Passage then over the top to round Cape York, anchoring alone in the bay beneath with camera- clicking land tourists silhouetted on the rocky track leading to the tip. Of course we headed up there and found ourselves alone for a short while sipping chardy to celebrate, a great thrill but very windy.

For the next few days recovery time, we anchored further south 50 metres off the beach at Seisia, the delightful little port for inland Bamaga community and took a ferry day tour to Thursday Island as quarantine restrictions would've made it too difficult in our boat, 

while Bodi was minded by a new fan who ran the ferry office and caravan park.

 It was a great experience, like a remote island. Most of the population being of islander heritage were very friendly and the historic fort and cultural centre were fascinating.

     Seisia was also mainly populated by islanders, the arrival, loading and unloading of of the cargo ships from Cairns the main activity. The fishing club on the foreshore provided delightful live island style music nearly every night.

View from Gove Yacht Club

    After extra safety lines and equipment and weather checks, we set off across the gulf on the Friday the 5th of September without much help from the wind. All was going well until later that evening when Fred, our autopilot had an electronic malfunction, and despite Bill's efforts (he does fix mostly anything!), we were forced to manually steer the rest of the way - 320 nautical miles, taking turns at the wheel, compass steering for the next 50 hours with only short breaks. Finally we land ahoyed about 6:30pm Sunday evening but by the time we entered Gove Harbour it was 8:30pm so we anchored well out in the harbour, full of boats, mostly unlit, dazzled by the huge alumina plant and wharf lights.

      We have been lucky in Gove, where there is nothing at all but a sadly declining yacht club,heaps of red dust, with Nhulunbuy, 12 kms away and no public transport. By chance Bill made the acquaintance of the Commodore, Roger, seeking help with the autopilot repair. He suggested a few possibilities and took us on a tour of the town and shops. An ex Port Mac boatie Greg, a customer in our marine business days, then lent us a vehicle for the duration of our stay. As this entire area is Aboriginal land, there are many limitations and issues (we had to go to the court house to acquire liquor permits to buy supplies)  which we have learnt about from Roger, married to the daughter of the traditional aboriginal owner.

    Well this has been a huge post .but so much has happened and once we leave here there will probably be no more internet or phone until Darwin which is 1-2 weeks away. We will have to do without Fred but Bill has rigged up a joystick which will make steering much easier and as there are plenty of anchorages along the way, we will only be doing day-hops.