Thursday Island to Darwin

Blue Hound
Phil Marks & Rosy Jensen
Sat 1 Oct 2022 09:58
22nd September 2022 Thursday Island to Darwin

This was an 850 mile trip which we planned to split into three stages.

On Thursday, 22nd September we weighed anchor in Thursday Island, heading through the gap in the reef into the Ellis Channel, passing south of Thursday Island. Initially we had the tide with us giving us an amazing SOG of 9 -10 knots. As we passed through the islands, there was a feeling of relief, good bye to the continuous hammering of strong wind, which had become very tiring!

We were leaving the Pacific Ocean after over three years and heading into the Arafura Sea – and the Indian Ocean. Approaching the shipping lane when we were joined by a large container vessel coming through the Prince of Wales Channel, north of Thursday Island. The shipping channels are narrow (2nm wide) & weave through this area, & through the Great Barrier Reef.

Big ships have to use this channel and with up to 12 metres draft and only a metre of clear water under the keel in an area of very tricky tides it’s a major pilotage challenge for them. All ships over 70 metres long are required to have a pilot on board.

Leg one was a 3 day passage, 350 nm, across the Gulf of Carpentaria, round Cape Wessel to one of several anchorage options on Marchinbar Island. The decision was easy – Jensen Bay! (even spelt correctly) A tranquil spot perfect for our BBQ.

Another 3 day passage in the Arafura Sea to took us to Somerville Bay on Croker Island for our next overnight anchorage. Fish was on the menu having caught an 8.6kg Queenfish, just under a metre long, another fighting game fish, which we again struggled to land!

This region is called Arnhem Land aka ‘The Top End’ and is almost all Aboriginal land. Supplies are landed from barges which ply the area and we got to recognise a few of the regulars such as ‘Malu Trojan’ and ‘Arnem Trader’.

Leaving Croker Island we decided to take the longer route round the outside of Melville and Bathurst Islands and not cut through the Van Dieman Gulf, which is 100nm shorter but it is difficult to work the strong tides without anchoring once or twice so there is no time saved. The anchorages are not good.

A young Noddy hitched a ride & it gave us an opportunity to offload some fish!

Photos: Leaving Thursday, passage through, Container ship, Jensen Bay reef, Jensen Bay & BBQ, Night sail, Queenfish, Young hungry Noddy, our route across the top of Australia.

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