Friday 21 November
Checked the crab pots first thing, no crabs, again. Headed off and down the end of the passage was a large cruiser so I went over to him and enquired about the weather, as I couldn’t receive a reception on the radio. He informed me that the weather was going to be good for at least the next few days. That was good news, as the weather is just perfect. Leaving the flinders Group I picked up a Shark mackerel on the lure, he was a bit too big for me and I managed to get him off the lure.

Continued across Princess Charlotte Bay which is very shallow and the countryside is flat except for Jane Table Hill which stands alone above the flat mangroves.
Had a good run with the boat , by carefully tying up some yellow rope from the steering wheel [ doesn’t work] to the tiller[does work] I managed to get the angle just right and it stayed on course for 2 hours , I just sat in the back and read a book – auto pilot- who needs it.
Found the entrance of the Kennedy River that the Annie River runs off and promptly got stuck on a sand bar . Bounced for a while as the afternoon wind had come up but as the tide was coming in I was soon able to move across to the channel , which I marked on the tracker for future reference.
Turned off into the Annie and saw the old fishermen’s camp at the junction. Travelled up the river about 6 klms and just as I was about to throw out the anchor for the night I came around the next corner and there was a camp. This was the new camp that the pro fisherman were at. Craig was also there just pulling his boat out of the water. He had seen me over at Cape Melville; he had a small fibreglass boat that he towed behind his four-wheel drive. He had travelled up to the Cape and then across to New Guinea for a bit of a look. Customs wasn’t too impressed. I had dinner ashore with him, I supplied the steak and salad and he made damper, I must say he knocked up a good one.


Before dark Walter and Coleen turned up, Walter is a professional fishermen who has been up he many years . There is also Merv who lives and works out of here but he was away at the time.

Thursday 20 November
Slept-in and got away at 0630 ,was treated to a lovely sunrise though.
Had a good run across to Cape Melville on the way I saw the most amazing thing, a fish somewhat like a mackerel come out of the water and go straight up in the air about 15 metres . At first, I thought it was a bird leaving the water, sort of diving in but in reverse, he must have had something a lot bigger chasing him.
Arrived at Cape Melville and marvelled at the huge boulders that make up the Cape. Anchored and went ashore, it was just amazing, any place like this down south would be a huge tourist attraction. I found a fresh clothes peg amongst the flotsam, quite a find that gives me 5 pegs now.
Continued across Bathurst Bay to the Flinders Group of islands. Coming into Owen Channel between Stanley and Flinders island there is a huge headland and the small rock mountains stand like sentinels to the channel called Castle Peaks .
I anchored near the National Parks shelter and put the crab pots out. I could see down the Passage from me a large war like boat and soon I got a visit from a couple of Customs Officers, nice blokes, we had a chat and off they went.
Checked out the facilities ashore, very good, some of the work that National parks have done on the Islands is extremely good. This one had a large shelter with 2 large water tanks, a large table and chairs and a toilet.

There is a walking track starting there, I only went a little way on it and found an aboriginal water hole neatly signposted.
Fresh mackerel for dinner.

Wednesday 19 November
Headed off to Ninian Bay, on the way stopped at Watson Island which is where Mrs Watson ,her baby and their Chinese servant died. Found a great little sand spit at the back and went for a snorkel looking for a lobster but none were around today. The coral and fish life were great though.
Continued and hooked a big mackerel and a shark mackerel, l both got off at the boat ,thank goodness as they were a bit big, but great fun to catch.
Headed up to the suggested mooring site at the end Ninian Bay. Anchored and bid some work on the computer, by then it was quite bouncy. Decided to head back to the entrance of the bay and shelter behind one of the small islands their.
Put out a smaller lure ,a mad mullet made by lively lures in Caloundra. Picked up a mackerel pretty well straight away. At least this one was smaller, four meals for me, if that’s small enough. Anchored, still a bit rolly but not as bad as before.
Early night, just travelling a full day seems to bugger me pretty well , I’ll be asleep by 1900 hrs tonight but then I’ll be up at 0500 hrs in the morning and be away by 0600 hrs.
Sausages for dinner with fresh mackerel entree, not bad.

Tuesday 18 November
Decided to leave as the weather going to be good for the next few days. Dropped my rubbish over to a bin at the resort, it looked just lovely.The resort not the bin . Then over to the pump to collect some water and off I head north again.
Arrived at Howick Island and anchored beside some reef, had a fish but all I caught were sucker fish. They would hit the bait before it hardly got down. Bit of a rolly night.

Monday 17 November
Popped over to Robs and Gays for coffee and while there the seaplane from Cooktown arrived, that’s him passing Holly.
After he wended his way through the boats.
Went for a walk to see Mrs. Watsons house. It ended up quite a big walk. I started with the National Parks Camping area, it’s not very big but nicely done.
Someone has put a Pandora’s Box in an old wine cask and filled it with treasure such as goblets, bead jewellery and bangles it would certainly impress the kids. There is also a visitor’s book, so I left my mark in it.

I then walked around to the water point . What a ripper , primed it and gave it a go , yep it works.
Continued up the track to the remains of Mrs Watsons house . For those of you not familar with the story , Mrs Watson lived on the Island in 1880 with her husband . He went away with his partner and workers to collect beche-de-mer [sea slug] , leaving 2 chinese with Mrs Watson and her baby. While they were away the aboriginals attacked abducted on of the chinese , they found his pigtails on the mainland some time later .They then attacked the other chinese and he was speared twice but Mrs Watson drove them of with her gun. She then decided to escape the Island and she did this in a beche-de-mer boiling tub. They ended up on an island now called Watsons Island ,where they quickly died of thirst as there was no fresh water on the island . Their bodies were buried at Cooktown and her journal that she kept and the tub are in the Queensland Museum. I took a photo of the loverly memorial that was built to her in Cooktown in 1886 ,quite apporatiatly it has 2 drinking taps on it.

The lonely remains of a tragic part of our history.
I then continued up Chinamans walk, which takes you to the top of a ridge overlooking Watsons Bay and the saltwater mangroves and behind them the freshwater Pandanus Palm swamp. In the centre is the hill Capt. Cook and Joseph Banks climbed to find a way through the reef.
I the continued over to the other side of the island to Blue Lagoon, just stunning.
I had to get wet.
Then it was back to get ready for sundowners again, oh the hectic social life I lead. Great sunset

Sunday 16 November
Bad night’s sleep, apart from worrying about the steering I awoke with a massive pain in my left foot. It was all right when I went to bed but now it feels light my big toes broken. C.Not much sleep.
Left Cape Flattery and noticed a big boat heading my way on a collision course so the way my lucks been in the last 24 hrs I idled till he went past.
Had a shit of a trip to Lizard, Grey skies, bits of rain, sloppy sea and for the 2 day in a row my water jug has been knocked over, spilling water down into the cupboards. I took a couple of panadol for my foot, which is starting to swell up, and another happy tablet.
Arrived at Lizard and got a friendly wave from Rob and Gaye on Dancing Dolphin. I met them Gladstone and are the first people in my cruising friends file. Finally anchored, a bit hard as I’m not used to steering from the back and adjusting the power at the wheelhouse. The steering worked well on the way across, a least I can sit down now to steer.
Rob called over and welcomed me, they have been here for a couple of months and he invited me to sundowners on the beach at 1700 hrsWent ashore at the appointed hour and met some great people. That’s Rob and Gaye with me.

Saturday 15 November
Got away at 0600 hrs and the winds a bit strong but it’s from the south so I’m going with it . Passed Cape Bedford and lost all my instruments’, blown fuse, wonder what else will go wrong. Steering seems a bit funny!!
Arrived at Cape Flattery , there’s a silica mine and loading dock on the southern end , it had a ship in loading when I passed.

Moved around the northern edge to shelter from the wind. Just as I’m coming up to anchor I lost all steering. Quickly put out the anchor and investigated. First things first I put three beers in the freezer, no matter what happens I’ll need them.
Behind the steering wheel the cable that runs to the rudder has broken. I sit and look at the distant shape of Lizard Island. So close and yet so far.
Broken bits
The broken end of the cable.
NO, I’m not going to give up.

This is a low , low point.

Out with the tools and after 2 hours I’ve made a steering arm straight off the rudder. It seems to work, I’ll try it out to Lizard Island in the morning.

The new steering wheel

With an aluminium box rod that I was going to make a seat out of. I heated the end of it and flattened it with a hammer, drilled a hole through it and attached it to the top of the rudder shaft, a couple of hose clips help to support it.
I attached a broken anchor light pole to the top of the aluminium box pipe and used that to steer with.
Now for those cold beers.