22 June 2012 (Eastern Hemisphere)
Dear F&F,
We traveled 71 miles today having left Cape Grenville at 0645 local time. The first 15 miles we motor sailed in what was the lightest wind day we\’ve seen. After that, we had a brilliant 40 mile spinnaker run with 13-19 knots of wind almost directly astern. When hoisting the spinnaker, Nikki had a quick time out to take the cake she was baking out of the oven!… We had 6 boats in our little flotilla today stretched out over 10 miles. New friends Zulu and Miri on s/v \”Shapirit\”, \”Kakadu\”, \”Obsession\”, \”Tin Tin\” and one other whose name we haven\’t yet heard.
We sighted Adolphus Island as we entered the Escape River (where we may head tomorrow?) and it is north of \”The Top\”.
We had a bit of a tricky time finding a good anchorage in here and the local pearl farmer and his wife came on the radio and gave us some nice advice. They also told us that there are two 12 foot crocodiles that live on the sand bar right in front of the boat!…
We asked the locals over the radio why this is the Escape River? They told us the famous cartographer, Matthew Flinders was stuck on a sand bank in the river and was glad to \”escape\” without much problem. Hence the name.
Jeanne Socrates aboard s/v \”Nerieda\” (single handed sailor) sent an email recommending we go to Adolphus Island and we\’re ahead of schedule, so we may do just that tomorrow which will be our shortest sail since we left Brisbane. \”Shapirit\” and \”Kakadu\” kept going to get there by dark, but I like to start dropping the anchor around 3:30-4pm in case of difficulties finding a nice spot. It took us till almost 5 pm today to get settled.
So KIT, Escaping the river tomorrow…:-)…. Scott and Nikki