This morning Putu and I were up at 06:00 and went down to
the rock bar to take photos during the magic hour. It was really spectacular as
all the canyon walls were glowing in the morning sun.
We fished for an hour or so and only caught a barracouta and
later we returned to Sirocco to check on the weather (as the wind had come up
quite strong) and to start getting Sirocco ready for the long trip to Darwin.
I filled up the tender’s fuel tank and we have about twenty
litres of outboard fuel remaining, so I calculated that well. I then dug out
all the remaining diesel jerry cans from under the spare room bed and pored
three of these into the main fuel tank and relocated the two remaining spare
jerries to the anchor well in case we need them during the voyage to Darwin.
Around 11:00 we called Bruce and Luke over to have scones
& cream on Sirocco so I could discuss the weather and our passage plans
with Bruce.
We were trapped in the river until at least Friday due to
strong winds created by a large high in the bight. We decided to stay here
another night, then move down to the river mouth tomorrow morning, crossing the
bar in the afternoon and anchoring at Reveley Island and maybe heading off
towards Darwin Friday morning or afternoon, weather permitting.
After lunch I spent a couple of hours writing up my blog
while Putu baked some lovely bread. Since she bought some spring measuring
scales that work on a boat (the electronic strain gauge scales don’t work on a
moving surface), her bread making skills have increased to perfection and I get
to enjoy toast for breakfast every day.
At two thirty, Harmony departed and we waved goodbye to Gordon
& Myra.
At three o’clock, we all headed off to the waterfall and
rock bar pools for a swim to cool off and to fish for barramundi. Once again,
we could see fish but none of us could catch anything decent. All we caught was
a couple of barracoutas. (technically a barra, but they don’t count)
We saw a two-meter crocodile sunning its self on a rock that
slithered in as we approached.
Putu found Bruce’s fish scaring lure he lost earlier on and
we quickly gave it back before it jinxed our boat. I drove the dinghy under the
waterfall so Putu could have a nice shower, using the motor to hold us there,
then it took ten minutes to drain a few hundred litres of water out, but it did
give the dinghy a good wash out.
Then we went down to the rock bar to do some washing and to
cool off, laying in the shallow pools and small waterfalls. The Berkeley River
really is a fantastic and very beautiful place and like the King George River,
it must be an impressive site to see in the wet season.
Rock walabies
Tonight, Luke cooked pasta and meat sauce and he and Bruce
joined us on Sirocco for another great meal and fun evening.
Track Sirocco’s
progress
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