At Sea - On route to Darwin

Hi guys, 

We’ve done 82nm since rounding the cape. The sea is flat and no wind so we have been motoring most of the day. The sun was in a haze as it set and made a beautiful golden highway for us to sail in. Sunset was pretty too. It is hot and very humid. Sea temp. is 25 deg. The water is a lovely aquamarine colour. There are fewer ships now and seem to be keeping about 5nm to our north which is good.

Arti & Dimitri

At Sea - On route to Darwin

Big day here, We have just rounded Cape York. We are going to go down the Endeavour Channel (yes, Cook used this route when he left Australia on his way to Batavia) and round the southern end of Prince of Wales Island, then will go straight across the Gulf of Carpentaria, over the top of the Wessel Islands and will stop for a break at Coker Island - 590nm till there.

Arti & Dimitri

At Sea - On route to Darwin

Hi from “The Top End”.

We have decided not to stop tonight as planned and continue on over Cape York and on towards Darwin. We will be at sea for the next four days while we cross the Gulf of Carpentaria and will stop for a rest when we reach Croker Island, two days out of Darwin. At present we are at 11 deg. 44’.036S, 143 deg 07’161 E.


Today for the first time we are seeing large flocks of sea birds and this afternoon I decided to go to the front of the boat to check the running lights and, to my delight, there was a school of around 12 bottlenose dolphins playing in our bow wake, with a tiny baby in tow. I do not know how long they had been there but they stayed another half hour. It is amazing how they swim so fast, without seeming to move any of their fins or tails!


We were buzzed by a patrol plane who radioed us to ask who we were and where we are going. I have been told that they buzz sailors regularly up this part of the world, what with illegal fishing and refugees…..

The creaking in the boat is driving me insane. I wish we could come up with a solution for it. Earplugs don’t seem to stay in my ears so my sleep is very fragmented. It worries dad too, but not as much.


Arti & Dimitri

Portland Roads

Hi Everyone,

Well, here we are at the little settlement of Portland Roads. 

12 Deg. 35’.601S,  143 deg. 24’.425 E.

There are about 15 houses here, a few little boats on a beach which is fringed with palm trees and we are anchored between two decrepit fishing trawlers, one of them which seems to be working, the other probably abandoned.  There are no other pleasure boats here, most of them seeming to go as far as Lizard Island, except for the circumnavigators.

The area is very pretty and we have come around two picture-book little islands to get into the bay.  We cannot see anyone on the shore but can hear a rooster crowing, so I guess there are people around.  It is probably siesta time as it is almost 1pm.

The last 36 hour sail was uneventful except that we passed and were overtaken by quite a few large tankers, around 750ft. long.  That meant that we had to keep a careful watch.  The nav. gear has been fabulous and reliable and so far has kept us off the myriad of reefs we have passed.   The shipping channel up here is very narrow so all the ships are concentrated along a small route.  We are keeping to the same route and I work on the presumption that the marked shipping route is the safe one as far as reefs are concerned.

The sailing all  up the East Coast is fantastic as the reef shelters us from the main sea swell.  All along the swell has only been 1.5m and the sea about 1m. – i.e. almost like in Sydney Harbour!

We have not seen much animal life at all, no dolphins, whales, turtles etc.  We  have only seen a few birds and heard a few in the night.

Arti & Dimitri

Whitsunday Island

Hi all,

We had a lovely dinner together last night (racks and ribs) and this morning the shipwright completed the fixing of the winch and we left around 11am.  Stopped at Turtle Beach on the southern shore of Whitsunday Island for a swim and picnic lunch and guess what?  We saw turtles!  We then went on to Whitehaven Beach which is famous for the beautiful fine white sand which squeaks when you walk on it.  On the way we saw whales and dolphins.  We tried switching off our engine in the hope the whale would come close but it was not interested. We are currently anchored off the beach and tomorrow will move on to Border Island to do some snorkling.

Arti & Dimitri

Middle Percy Island

Hope you guys are all well. 

We are now at West Bay, Middle Percy Island. Lat 21 deg. 39’.07 S 150 deg. 14’.57 E.

We are both well and travelling well. Having said that, the sea is as flat as a mirror, no swell and hardly any wind. We motored all night from Rosslyn Bay where we had gone to do some repairs. We managed to total the Genny inhaul winch. We decided to bring the rope from it to the big electric winch. Inevitably, as dad has always said, the line got a locking hitch in it and we bent the whole winch. 

We are at a lovely little bay, the beach fringed with palm trees and there is a little hut where passing boats leave mementos. We are not going ashore as we sailed through the night and will leave later today for Hamilton Island (again through the night).

Dimitri & Arti