Sunday 11th July.
Dropped Diana off with Raphaels help at the airport early (5am start) and then had a pleasant drive up to Varirata national park on the Sogeri plateau not very far out of PM.

The park has very well marked tracks through the forest and I enjoyed a good walk beside a stream, then along the top of an escarpment and back down to the main picnic area where Raphael was waiting for me. The vegetation is fascinating and I kept stopping to try and spot the numerous birds that I could hear calling. I think I can tick off a small Casawary dashing through the trees (might have been a turkey), some pretty russet coloured doves and a pair of very noisy cockatoos.  The birds of paradise and magnificent rifflebird eluded me.

Unfortunately the look-out points were white-out with low cloud.

We stopped for late breakfast/eary lunch on the way back from a roadside bar-b-q. Lamb flaps with sweet potato.

A few little jobs on board in the drizzle in the afternoon. Swapped the gas over and squeezed the big bottle into the gas locker. Worked out a schedule for the Darwin trip- if I leave  at 4pm I should reach the start of the straights in the morning of the day after, daylight sailing through the reefs, anchor up for a night behind Sassie Island, a 2nd day sailing, anchor near Thursday Island and the clear the straights next day. The tides which can be 4 knots against appear to be mostly favourable for the daytime sailing. What are the chances of all that working out?

Raphael has another trip planned for the morning so Tuesday pm is scheduled for departure. I am still not sure about insurance for Darwin but the lockkeeper at Tipperary Marina says he is also with Pantaeneous and has insurance through the  cyclone season.