We have now passed by our first major landmark on the journey. About 9pm last night we commenced the passage through Torres Strait and around the top of Cape York. We slowly worked our way past the group of islands that were once part of the land bridge to Papua New Guinea. Thursday, Prince of Wales and Horn Island probably the best known.

Tucked into the neck of Cape York is the small island that Capt Cook landed on and where he raised the Union Jack, taking possession for England of the great land mass up the east coast of which he had sailed. He named it Possession Island. Back then, the locals had a dim view of those events. Their descendants continue to harbour them today.

As the ship has sailed north from Brisbane the weather has warmed up and become more humid. Winter has been swapped for summer! We now head across the Arafura Sea towards Timor-Leste and then Komodo Island in Indonesia.

Shipboard life has been fairly uneventful. Allthego has found the days quite relaxing, interspersed with some onboard intellectual pursuits, involving a daily lecture dealing with Australian maritime history. Coastline mapping, ship wrecks and the WWII naval defence of the country. Some interesting stuff, not sure to make it to all nine. Slobro, has not attended, a little dry for him.

Homealone, is engrossed in Kindle books and has found a daily craft group. Then there is food to fill the day out before evening entertainment and bed.
The sea has been very calm, hardly a ripple. The coastline has been shrouded in low cloud, out to sea it has been sunny with some high puffs of cloud.
Making our way up Cape York past Cooktown the ship came closer inshore. The channel is much easier seen with markers here and there, islands and reefs become more numerous. Late in the afternoon yesterday we passed by Cape Direction and Cape Weymouth on which is Chilli Beach and Restoration Island offshore.

We had camped on Chilli beach in our van back in 2020 (we had escaped in the middle of COVID) on a trip up Cape York. Looks different from the sea side! Restoration Island was named by William Bligh when he landed there in the whale boat on his way to Batavia, after being cast adrift by the Bounty mutineers. He and his crew were ‘restored’ by eating the plentiful oysters found there. Also, named for the anniversary of the Restoration of King Charles II to the English throne on the day he landed.

Further along we passed Haggerstone and Hicks Islands. Not long afterwards the sun sank in a glowing sky.

It was time for dinner and the Elvis movie on the big screen out on the deck.