Saturday, 23 April 2005
Space on board was not expansive , but neither was it cramped. Every part of the ship was scrupulously clean and crew efficient and friendly. I had a cabin to myself and enjoyed the ample and tasty buffet-style meals which were a bit heavy on roasts and stews and reminiscent of a country RSL club. "Don't forget to scrape your leftovers into the bin and dunk your plates in those suds over there," hostess Adrienne reminded us. It was a decidedly take-it-or-leave-it and clean-up-after-yourself atmosphere. In the afternoon we arrived at Lockhart River, our first stop on the northern voyage. Here we meet another Sea Swift vessel, the "Temple Bay" to which we transhipped cargo destined to the Lockhart River Community. The "Temple Bay" is a 23 metre landing barge which is used to carry the cargo to shore as there is only a barge ramp in this area and the surrounding shallow area prohibits access to the "Trinity Bay."
Three hours further north we passed Cape Grenville and the Home Island group, most of which were named by Captain Cook after members of the "Endeavour" crew. Occasionally the ship stops at this location to deliver cargo to a couple of the small resort islands but not on this voyage. There were small Islands and reefs that we passed on the way north. Some of these islands and sand cays are popular breeding grounds for turtles from all around the world. Every summer they converge here to lay eggs and breed. Each year in December the ship transports officers from the Department of Environment and Heritage to Milman Island to carry out research and gather information about the turtles, which goes towards a better understanding of their habits and needs and in turn helps to protect the species.
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On the high seas! The noise from the ship's engine took some getting used
last night and the ear plugs on issue didn't help but after one more night I
should have become accustomed to the drone.
After leaving the anchorage at Lloyd Bay we passed Restoration Island, which is significant as the first landfall
of Captain William Bligh after he and his companions were forced into the long boat during the mutiny
of the "Bounty" in Tongan waters. A few miles further on is Portland Roads which until the 1980’s
used to have a large timber wharf used by the allies during World War 2 as a jump off point for the
New Guinea campaign. The wharf was more recently blown up by the Navy because of its dilapidated
condition. Portland Roads is a safe anchorage used by the fishing fleet and the motherships which
supply them with fuel, water and stores, and unload their catch which is returned to Cairns for export.
The community ashore attracts people who tend to follow an alternative lifestyle, avoiding the pressures
of city dwellers.
Amongst the passengers were Wally, Andy, and Morris - and they were a laugh a minute!
From Melbourne and in their 50s, they had been mates since their days at school and
were on their way to Cape York from where they would drive back in Wally's PAJERO
which was stowed on board as cargo. They did everything together and had even bought
themselves identical digital cameras!
[This was the trip of a lifetime to be commemorated with a men-only initiation ceremony
involving secret handshakes with bent elbows and the muttered oath
"Bottoms Up!" and a ferocious crocodile encircled by the
inscription "Cape York 2005" (see picture on left) tattooed onto their upper arm. Wally had an extra piece of skin (rumoured to have been taken from a vital organ of his!)
grafted onto his already heavily tattooed arm to make room for this additional symbol of Australian manhood and all three can be seen around Melbourne
wearing only sleeveless shirts on even the coldest winter's day! Wally's crocodile, tattoed onto his skin graft, is said to become strangely erectile
when in the vicinity of pretty women! His doctor tells him this will fix itself as he gets older; in the meantime he's taking bromide
in his tea while his wife has joined the Country Women's Association where she makes scones and does embroidery.]
Also on board were two Germans: Klaus Herbert, a retired architect now living
in Cairns, and his old "Schulkamerad" from Nürnberg
in Germany, Ulrich Feeder.
We arrived at Horn Island just after midnight and the unloading of cargo began immediately. Horn Island has a population of some 700, a general store, hotel, museum, campground and resort and, most importantly, a modern airport with connections to outer islands and southern cities. A warm breeze fanned me as I sat on deck, looking at the lights of Thursday Island across the water, with the mooring lights of prawn trawlers and a full moon reflecting in the sea. I catnapped on deck as I watched the unloading continue well past breakfast-time after which the vessel shifted across the Ellis Channel to Thursday Island. |