position S11 09.100 E131 49.300
Ocean Rival Journey Log
Adam Power Diana Power
Wed 24 Jul 2019 22:41
Turned in to the Dundas Strait between Melville Island and the Coburg Peninsular in the night and lost the wind and the waves in the lee of Croker Island. There was a little breeze for a while but now having turned south it is on the nose and so looks like the motor will be on for the rest of the journey into Darwin- about 110 miles.
The land looks low and uninviting with labels on the chart of Mangrove, Muddy bay and one which just says Shark. Lots of Military Exercise areas. Melville island is marked as Aboriginal Land, bringing to mind Paul Therouxs experience of dispirited unemployed Aboriginals drinking their government allowances in the back rooms of bars north of Cooktown. I wonder if their conditions have improved since he was there.
The Van Diemen Gulf today than theres a narrow reef strewn channel between Melville Island and the mainland to negotiate tonight and then across Shoal Bay into the busy looking channel of Port Darwin. I need to find the Cullen Bay Pontoon for check in procedures but then I reserved a berth at Tipperary Waters Marina which is further up Frances Bay which looks like a high tide entrance.