Double Island
|
Position: 16 43.41 S 145 41.08 E We rounded the eastern point of Double Island at 1600 where we started the engine and furled the jib (having sailed from Green Island under jib alone). The sea and swell was wrapping around the island which, while high with steep precipitous cliffs, was only six cables (about 1 km) wide. Consequently it only offered limited shelter from the one meter sea that was running with the fresh breeze. We motored carefully towards its jagged rock-lined shore, approaching as close as we dared in order to find a relatively smooth patch of water tucked in behind a rocky outcrop extending a little way north of its eastern point, Hhere we dropped anchor in seven meters of water. As I stopped the engine we were greeted by a peaceful scene with the bird life providing a melodic background chorus. While it is not the smoothest of anchorages and we are a little closer to the shore than I would ideally like, I have certainly had to anchor worse situations and the crew have been able to enjoy a peaceful night in this dramatic little spot. The plan for today is to head up to Port Douglas for one or two nights. I have not been into Port Douglas before but we need to kill a little time before Ada signs off in Cooktown on Friday. Unfortunately the weather forecast is for strong winds and rain over the next couple of days which means anchoring off coral atolls is not an option (and the snorkelling would likely be disappointing with poor visibility in any event). Thus the only viable anchorage between here and Cooktown is Low Islets, which we will likely visit on Wednesday by which time we hope the winds might have eased a little. It is 20 miles from here to Port Douglas. According to the chart we will need one meter of tide to cross the shallow mud flat at the port's entrance. This means that we do not want to arrive off the entrance before 1600 so we won't be getting under way until about 1230. All is well. |