After what felt like not enough sleep, we awoke today to grey skies and 20 knots of breeze once again. After an easy breakfast, we lifted the anchor and set off on the 25nm leg to Thursday Island. After retracing our track out of the bay, we decided to motor all of the way, so we could charge batteries and make water.

Ken and Sharon took responsibility for the helm and for navigation and with multiple hazards, rocks, sandbars and a narrow channel entrance to deal with, they had their work cut out. After the 3 hour trip across we anchored in Port Kennedy Harbour.

It was blowing 20-25 knots along the shoreline, so dropped 90m of anchor chain in 10m of water and reversed up to dig it in well. Deploying the Silver Fern RIB with the engine attached is difficult in 20+ knots of breeze to Jess from Salt Lines once again undertook Uber Water Taxi duties for us. By the time we headed ashore it was 3pm.

As we came into the dock, I stepped ashore and proceeded to pull my phone out of my pocket, without realising my MasterCard was stuck to the side of it. The wind grab it as it dropped and blew it back into the water and I watched as it sank to the bottom in 1 metre of water.

There was much debate as to who (if anyone) was game to dive into these crocodile waters and grab it for me. Without hesitating, Paul from Silver Fern jumped in and picked up the card for me. Paul stood there laughing while the rest of us were urging him to get out of the water incase a big reptile was lying in wait under the pontoon. Much to our relief, Paul escaped with his arms and legs in tack and no reptile appeared.

We wandered along the foreshore to the local pub for a cold drink, while we figured out what to do. Some of the crew went off in other directions hiking, walking, exploring or otherwise wandering aimlessly. We agreed to meet at the dock at 5:30pm to give us time to move the yachts 2nm to a sheltered anchorage behind Horn Island for the night.

We found a supermarket and picked up another 70 pieces of fresh fruit, to cover the balance of the trip to Darwin, at surprisingly good prices. Thursday Island is cool! It’s different to any other part of Australia I have been to and the Torres Strait Islander’s are friendly people. Their skin tone and appearance remind me a little of the people of Vanuatu. The music in the supermarket was upbeat and there was a happy vibe amongst the people in store. 2,800 people live on Thursday Island and its a sweet place.

Once we were done ashore, we headed back to Silver Fern. Both yachts motored across the bay to the Horn Island shoreline and anchored in flat water and 15 knots. Junior took charge of the BBQ and the lamb chops were a piece of art. With some classic tunes playing on the stereo, we had a relaxing evening, before diving into some very flat beds for well earned sleep.