5th June - Horn Island to Possession Island

Wednesday 5^th June

And yes we did get away…with just a few hiccups and doubts re tide and wind.

We are now anchored off Possession Island, where Captain Cook (Our James) took possession of the entire continent on behalf of les anglais.  He did this in the nick of time – if he had failed, les français would have been the proud possessors of this entire continent.   And yes indeed…nobody paid any attention at all to the people already inhabiting this wide brown land at the time…

We took the dinghy in to the Wongai Hotel and happily asked for a slab of XXXX Gold.  Well that would be $68, said a kindly barperson.  Pete blanched and took a few steps back and within seconds we were tugging the dinghy back out from the mudbank.

Earlier, we had gone to the Sea Swiftoffice to ask about getting fuel and water.  I had very efficiently carried our most recent bag of rubbish to put in one of the wheeliebins – always so nice, so satisfying to get the rubbish OFF the boat.  (I always felt the same at work, getting files OFF my desk…and onto Allan’s…He did not share my joy.) 

We got lots of information from the helpful office person and went back to 2XS to make a few phone calls about quarantine etc etc.  And oh deary me…we found out that I should NOT have thrown out my receipts, from the Ibis Supermarket, and the butcher on TI.  Our kindly quarantine officer, Abai, said he would meet us back there so…into the dinghy again, and chug chug against the waves, back to the Sea Spirit wharf.  Pete filled in copious paperwork with Abai while I – oh yukerellarama – went through the rubbish bags until right at the bottom, there were my two receipts, almost as good as new.  (No photo exists of this less than charming part of my day…)

We had decided not to get fuel on Horn Island, because the wharf looked so forbidding, but at the very last moment Pete decided to chance it because the fuel truck was there and another boat was just pulling out.  So we tied up to the ferocious looking black metal pylons and…all was well.  And in case you need to know – the diesel was not exorbitantly priced.  NOT like the XXXX Gold!

Steve the kindly fueltruck man passed over a big fat water hose as well, so we now have full tanks.  As I was handing the hose back to him I held onto it for just a minute longer than necessary and held it above my head – oh the bliss!  Gallons of pure fresh cold water!!  He looked a bit startled but probably realised, once he saw that 2XS came for Hobart, that it is all very hot here, for a True Tasmanian…

And along the way…another brave little boat up on the beach.  I am not sure how this tubby little thing got itself up and over a great big rock on the beach, but there it sits…

We got to our anchorage safely and happily in spite of quite a strong wind against us (28 knots.)  Pete somehow had contrived to catch the outgoing tide so we had the sea with us again - wee her!

This morning we are upping sticks again and going to Seisa, only about four nautical miles away.   This is just a small community, with maybe a shop or two.  Some of our friends are already there – Andrew and Sue from Settlement

and Jenny and Irving, from Backchat – they are waiting waiting waiting for a part to arrive to fix a broken gearbox coupling.  I gather we are going to have a BBQ and watch the State of Origin game on the beach.  No crocs will dare approach!

Birthday Greetings

And today, 5^th June, is James Headlam’s birthday.  Last year he had his 30^th birthday party on 2XS.  It was very cold, and lots of fun.  This year he is back in Hobart, working very VERY hard on his Assemble Anything business.  But he will always be an integral part of the 2XS Team – always fun, always creative, clever, hardworking but…up for anything.  I reckon, if he were here he might even brave the crocs and go in for a swim…