Morris Island Lat 13 degrees 29.395' S Long 143 degrees 43.368' E

Well we had a sail and a half today. We left Stokes Bay (Flinders) at 0400 and motorsailed in light SW for the 1st 2 hours with a lovely full moon. SW was not forecast!! However, the wind direction suited us. Our initial course was almost due west across the top of Princess Charlotte Bay which is so large that the inner coastline is not visible from where we were. "Scorpio", "Marauder" and "Even Bet" had left the day before and headed south into the bay to go up the Normanby River to catch crabs and Barramundi! The river is full of crocodiles too and has a very shallow bar entrance so not for our boat. Anyway, we were on a mission.
The wind was fickle and never blew above 20 knots so we thought we might have a nice gentle ride. Alas, not to be. The next minute the clew ring on our genoa parted company from the sail. This is where the sheets are attached and suddenly the sail was flogging out of control. So, with great difficulty (because it is a big sail) we lowered it down the forestay, rolled it up and got it down below. All the while our trusty wind vane self steering was looking after the boat with a reefed main. Fortunately we have a spare but smaller genoa which we will bend on to the forestay in the morning. In the meantime we just carried on with main and staysail. The catamaran "Pedago" passed us after we had had our problem and looked great as she was probably doing 10 knots at the time - against our 7! There is no doubt that cats are the ideal boats for this coast with its constant downwind sailing. Then the wind piped up to over 30 knots - 36 in fact - and we were hooning along, even under our reduced sail. There were a couple of threading the eye of the needle situations where we had to pass between islands and reefs with about a mile in between and in 35 knots of wind the old girl takes a bit of handling. Concentration is necessary - watching the chartplotter to see where we are and adjusting the self steering to make sure that we miss all the obstacles. There are a number of places where the navigable channel is only 5 miles off a very shallow and reefbound coast so no room for error and all the while watching for north and southbound ships which share the waterway as well. One doesn't argue with them; one just keeps out of their way, although at times and in some circumstances that is easier said than done.
Once in the lee of Morris's reef we had a great sail at well over 7 knots in smooth water. Couldn't slow the old girl down!! Then we rounded up into the wind to lower the main and staysail and proceeded to the anchorage. We anchored in 20 feet of water in 25 knots of wind but put out 50 metres of chain plus the trusty Rocna, so we are secure for the night. It would be nice if the wind let up somewhat though; at the moment it's 1800 and still blowing over 20 knots. Always makes one nervous that we won't drag in the night! Still, we haven't so far and we've anchored in some dubious places both here and New Caledonia.
Well, that's it for us for now. We might get ashore tomorrow; the island is a lovely but windswept sand cay with an extensive reef system which protects the anchorage. A little disappointing from all the glowing reports we've had but no doubt that's just the conditions we have struck. We can just discern the mainland of the Cape York Peninsula in the distance behind us. None of this alters the feeling that we will be so pleased once we have rounded the northern tip of Australia, Cape York. Almost 2000 miles from Bundaberg; it will be a milestone.
Lots of love from us
Jim and Jean xoxoxox

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