position S12 27.100 E130 49.200
Ocean Rival Journey Log
Adam Power Diana Power
Thu 5 Sep 2019 12:28
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Arrived
back in Darwin at around 2am on Tuesday morning worried
that no taxis would be available. I exercised my Uber app
that I must have downloaded in an idle moment and it
worked a dream- car arrived within 5 minutes and cost
quite a bit less than the taxi out to the airport. Uber
is fairly new in Darwin- taxi companies and drivers must
be worried.
The boat
was floating well and seemed nice and dry. I always worry
that I will return to find the water lapping over the
floor boards because I forgot to close a valve. There
probably hasn't been any rain since I left but the locals
are waiting for the wet season to start any day. It feels
warmer now and it was quite warm before.
On Tuesday
I saw Gary and collected the genoa that he had repaired. I
fitted the new thermostat and the water spurted out of the
pressure cap even faster than before. I didn't buy a new
cap because the web site had 2 sizes an I forgot to take
the old cap with me. I couldn't see how the cap could fail
- it seems to just rely on a strong spring to generate the
pressure and the spring and the seals seemed fine. I
cycled over to Repco who do car parts and they found a cap
to match and the helpful salesman was surprised when the
computer told him it was reduced from $15-$5. I didn't
complain and feeling no optimism cycled back, put it on
and fired up- amazed and grateful that no water then
emerged.
On
wednesday I hired a car for provisioning and a trip out to
look at some billabongs. I also took off one of the mast
stays that had a broken strand and took it over to Gary
who had offered to make up a new one. I shopped in
Woolworths -they seem to have the monopoly of supermarkets
around Darwin, and may have bought as much as we usually
do for two or may have only bought nice treats and no
staples-I am not sure as Diana is the shopping expert. I
booked a sunset trip on the billabong and with time to
spare I drove out along deserted straight roads and turned
off where a sign offered a trip to see jumping crocodiles.
Unfortunately I just missed the boat after a long drive
along a gravel road but instead had a nice walk through
rainforest and over smart boardwalks alongside the Dam. I
am not sure what the difference is between a Dam and a
Billabong. Platforms at intervals gave views over the
water which was thick with every sort of wading and
swimming bird you could name and several I couldn't.
The wetland
tour was guided by Ian from Lowestoft (via New Zealand
where he had been running Dolphin trips). Thats our 2nd
Lowestoft guide- the lady on the post boat in New Zealand
was also from Lowestoft. There must be an agency in
Lowestoft recruiting tour guides- training up school
leavers on Oulton Broad.
Ian had a
powerful flat bottomed punt to skim around the Billabongs
finding crocodiles lazing on the banks (no jumpers), white
breasted sea eagles viewing us from on high and numourous
other birds that are rapidly escaping my sieve of a
brain. A darter I recall, kingfishers- very like ours,
wagtails feeding newly hatched chicks, whistling kites,
whistling ducks, Ibis.
Kites have
taken to the city like pigeons at home. You can't look up
with seeing several circling.
Talking of
pigeons there was one perched somewhere around the marina
last time which cooed a tune that I immediately thought
fit to the phrase 'thats not my problem'. Once in my head
and repeated every few seconds it became more and more
annoying as I struggled to overcome my array of problems.
It is still here with the same tune- so far with engine,
genoa, spinaker pole and waterpump all sorted I can coo
back 'no problems here matey'.
Actually I
do have a couple of problems- On the way back from the
billabong a Wallaby jumped out in front of my car and I
bumped into it! Everyone I tell about running into a
Wallaby says Oh yes I did that. If I had know it was quite
so common I might have taken out the extra insurance which
would have protected me from the cost of wallaby damage
which looks minor but will no doubt generate an horrendous
bill.
The other
problem is that my satellite contract was cancelled after
the last trip and I hadn't realized. Helle at Mailasail
says I need a new sim and contract and now I have to fill
in forms and send them back. It may delay my departure
which was planned for tomorrow.
Today I
called in at customs and got my Zarpe for onward travel, I
fitted the mast stay, fixed new ends on the original
spinaker pole cleaned the decks and filled the water
tanks. If not for the satellite I think i would be ready
to leave on tomorrows high tide- around 11.am.
Pics will
have to wait while I sort out the forms.
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