Next stop Cooktown
1630 Position: 16 16.1 S 145 31.2 E The tourist boats began returning from around 7.30 and the coral cove was soon abuzz with craft ferrying day-trippers ashore. Meanwhile, back on Sylph, we had a minor catastrophe unfolding … the heads discharge had mysteriously become blocked. After a bit of pumping and playing around with valves, I determined that the blockage might be in the vicinity of the sea cock. The best solution under the circumstances was to break out the hooker dive gear and sea if I could unblock it from the over the side. As I submerged over the side a large fish, species to date unknown, swam around me, curious as to what I was up to. Despite the fish’s attentions, I managed to clear the blockage from the water, grateful that I did not have to dismantle the plumbing from inside the boat. Once everything was stowed and cleaned up and after a bite of lunch, Kate and I discussed what next. We not that keen on joining all the tourists snorkelling over the relatively small patch of reef so we decided we would sail overnight for Cooktown with a view to arriving at first light. So at 1530 I hoisted the mainsail and let go the mooring line. I set a little bit of jib to help the bow fall off the wind then altered course for the NNW to continue up the Queensland coast. We continue under full sail, wing-on-wing making good a comfortable six knots. Normally I would be vey happy with that but unfortunately this speed will likely have us off the entrance to Cooktown around 0200. Not to worry, we can always stand off for a bit to wait for the sun to rise. All is well.
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