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Townsville to Palm Island = This is the last up date I think with pictures for 2 months! We’re off internet from tomorrow onwards, and can only send and receive text by satellite phone.

Ollie Cary arrived on Wednesday 7^th July to crew on board Kanaloa for our 2.5 month trip to the Louisiades.  He’s just finished his A levels, and looking forward to getting acquainted with many things Australian as well as the life style in the islands off  Papua New Guinea.

Next morning, fuelling up with 1,000 litres of diesel which should hopefully last the 2.5 month trip – just for the generator and not too much motoring we hope. 

We soon got Ollie working on scrubbing the decks down and generally getting to know the boat and where important things are – like safety equipment.  He’s never been on a yacht before, but has adapted very easily.

The Reef Aquarium in Townsville has the most fabulous live corals, straight off the barrier reef, it was a treat to be able to enjoy looking at a whole range of fish and corals I had not seen before without  having to get into the cold water!

This saw blade shark bor example, which lives in river estuaries was  a first time see for me.

Ollie trying himself at the helm on Saturday morning 10^th July, sailing over to Magnetic Island in perfect weather.  It stopped him feeling too queezy for the first time out in a lumpy sea, and he proved to be a natural.

Magnificent granite boulders seem to make up the bulk of Magnetic Island,

Ollie was amazed at the diversity of trees, plants and insects he had never seen... We were lucky enough to see the brush tailed rock wallaby at sunset, scampering about near the beach and rocks close to the private beach we had anchored close to.  The solitary man living there was most displeased we came too close to ‘his hut’ and made sure we didn’t come ashore!

Next day, Saturday 11^th July, we sailed 40 miles over to Palm Island, had a go at fishing, but sadly no luck!

It was a bit overcast, with ‘scotch mist’ hanging over the island.  It brightened up later to give us a warm up blue skies before the sun retreated behind cloud again.  The island seems to be hardly used as a resort, despite there being an airstrip here and several hotels.