Cape York to Seisia
Gaviota
Thu 23 Jun 2016 06:08
10:50.912S 142:21.745E
A
leisurely start next day and we re-traced our course back out, rolled out the genoas on the same side and
had a superb easy sail close hauled (almost!) on flat seas with a lovely 20
knot South Easterly. The Torres Straits
Islands looked their best with a crystal clear sea and pure white sand
beaches. We flew past Possession Island
(named when Lieutenant Cook took possession of the East coast of New South
Wales from 38 degrees latitude to ‘this place’.
A monument marks the spot where Cook raised the flag and declared the
east coast of ‘New Holland’ for England)
From here Endeavour sailed West.
We went into Seisia an aboriginal community to stock up from the one
supermarket and have a couple of days rest (boat repairing/laundry/shopping!)
Seisia
was a total contrast to ‘white Australia’!
And not in a good way. Red mud
dirt tracks, malnourished animals wondering about, litter – very reminiscent of
a lot of the poorer islands in the Caribbean.
The supermarket was pretty well stocked and people were helpful. We got a fill for the gas bottle (the most
expensive fill ever $85!!!!) but the owner of the service station an elderly
lady called Rosie with bright electric blue hair gave us a lift back to the
beach with it).
There
were 3 other yachts in the bay when we arrived and anchoring was tight. One of the yachts belonged to people we had
met at Lizard Island who immediately came over to the boat and invited us to
join them at Seisia Fishing Club that evening for ‘State of Origin’. Wow a rock band in Seisia (no such luck an
Australian rugby match between NSW and Queensland.) We went and were amazed to see a ‘bouncer’ on
the door who told us we did not have the
necessary dress code to go in . . . . maybe sandy sandals??? No we were wearing singlets. He suggested we approach Silver the
aboriginal who ran the place. Alcohol is
banned in a lot of the aboriginal communities and can only be consumed on
licensed premises. He looked us up and
down and said ‘no work singlets’ but did offer to sell us 2 t.shirts. We declined and went to explain to our
friends that we were not appropriately dressed for such an upmarket place as
Seisia Fishing Club. They all collapsed
in hysterics and told us to ignore it. I
looked around and counted at least a dozen people dressed in singlets – how
come they had not been barred???? We
were watched all night in case we caused trouble but the rugby was so riveting
that we opted to leave after the first half and return to the boat. A very weird evening!
