| PORT DOUGLAS TO COOKTOWN |
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| The Low Islands are within sight of Port Douglas, so just a short motorsail had us anchoring by lunchtime among 5 other yachts we already knew. 7.00am next day we set off for the Hope Islands past some spectacular scenery, the mouth of the Daintree River, Cape Tribulation, and near the spot Captain Cook ran the Endeavour up on a reef! Fabulous sailing in bright sunshine, 16 knots up our bum, hardly any swell. Neither of us had been past here on land, so we were entering uncharted ground and agree the adventure was really beginning, as the scenery became less tame, with mountains and forest coming right down to the waters edge, and little evidence of habitation. We shared an over-night anchorage at Hope Islands protected by their coral reefs, with 4 other yachts we knew, and re-traced our steps on the GPS through the tight exit in the dark at 3.00am to reach Cooktown on the high tide at 9.00am. Had a great sail and got there at dawn, so dawdled around till we could get over the sand bar, and were delighted by what we saw. |
| We dropped Destiny's anchor right opposite the spot Captain Cook beached the Endeavour for repairs. Cooktown was a thriving and notorious place during the gold rush, with heaps of evidence of it's colorful past still around. The museum was good value. Jude admired an ancient Burroughs L2000 accounting machine, she was later told was NOT an exhibit, but had only just been de-commissioned and was waiting to be thrown out!! It was a long hot walk to the cemetry but the graves of every nationality were represented intact, especially a chinese section, evidence of the hard life of gold prospectors, a tribute cast in bronze above. This was the first place we'd seen aboriginals in numbers, and most we met were very friendly, not drunk and surly as we'd been led to believe! After a couple of nights we were eager to sail out to Lizard Island, so left at 6.00am on a glorious sunny day, with the SE trade winds truly kicking in at 15-20knots, and consistent 1 metre swells We had a great contest with Eve and Ray in Fontana, a Swan 44, who left 15 minutes behind us, and only anchored half an hour ahead at 1.00pm in clear clean water in Watson Bay with Shine, Chatti and Iola. |
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| Jude in the pilot seat, checking our progress against Fontana as we approach Lizard Island |