Margaret Bay, QLD > Possession Island, QLD (2015-07-08 08:00 UTC - 10:43.581S 142:23.310E)

Aquamante
Vries Peter Pons
Thu 9 Jul 2015 04:30

We left Margaret Bay at 04.00h local time to ride the North setting flooding tide around Cape York, a 100nm trip and fortunately we had our timing right. In the late afternoon we raced through Albany Pass, a bit of a challenging short cut with 4 kn of favourable current and because of that quite some confused waters at the rather narrow entrance. After rounding Cape York we clocked a max of 10.9 kn SOG (actual speed on basis of the GPS) with another 3-4 kn of favourable current. We have now passed the most northerly part of Australia’s mainland and will be heading West from now on. Next destination is Darwin, some 750nm from here, ETA Tuesday 14/7, depending on wind and tides. The tide difference in Darwin can be up to 8m, so tide is an important factor in sailing up there. To enter Cullen Bay Marina, where we have booked a berth, we have to negotiate a lock, it is just like sailing the IJsselmeer. At Darwin we join the Darwin-Indonesia Rally, projected to depart from Darwin on 25/7.

 

No internet connection during our passage, only our satellite phone.