Brisbane to Darwin - A pictorial summary

Our 2009 adventure begins in May with plans to circumnavigate Australia over the next 18 months. We are fortunate to have many friends and family joining us along the way. Gary started the adventure with us from Brisbane to Tin Can Bay. We met up with friends along the way, Margaret and Brian in the Sandy Straits, Trevor and Christine joined us in Bundaberg for a Lady Musgrave experience. In Yeppoon we were wined and dined by Kevin, Delveen and Frank, friends from our Louisiandes adventures in 2008. We sailed north to Cairns where Brian and Betty joined us for our journey around Cape York and down to Weipa where our niece Chloe was invaluable helping us reprovision and showing us the town sites. In Gove, Lionel and Dorothy joined us for the sail across to Darwin, with many good fishing tales to share. Below are some of our photo highlights!

Final maintenance being completed before a rushed departure.

Crossing the Wide Bay Bar on a good day with Gary on wave watch.

Brian & Margaret help with maintenance on the beach in the Sandy Straits

Mackenzie's Jetty, Fraser Is

First catch of the trip on route to Lady Musgrave from Bundaberg. That provided several meals.

Christine, Ann & Trevor enjoying a cooked breakfast at Lady Musgrave.

Reef & underwater life at Lady Musgrave Island.

Sunset on our first overnight sail of the trip. Yeppoon to the Whitsundays.

Ann on lookout duties coming into Dunk Is.

Finally underway after rigging repairs in Port Douglas. Low Isles

They put on a full moon & fireworks for us in Cooktown.

Ann, Betty & Brian doing the tourist thing in Cooktown at the James Cook Museum.

Finally made it to Lizard Is. Well worth the wait...!

Cape Melville, part of the diverse coastline of the Cape.

Betty & Brian enjoying a dip in croc country at Morris Is, Cape York.

Look at what we have scored for dinner. Now how will we cook it and the other 4 painted crayfish..?

Painted crayfish grilled on the BBQ with a kaffir lime pesto... delicious.

Lettin'Go crew Cran, Ann, Betty & Brian at The Tip, Cape York

Another Tip photo opportunity. Cran & Ann with friends Jan & Mick off the yacht Zoa Brunk

Gove Yacht Harbour, NT. A very different kind of place; friendly, laid back & carefree with forgotten boats.

Lionel with his first catch of their Gove to Darwin leg, a nice Queenfish.

Shooting through the "Hole in the Wall" at 12 Kts.

What a treat on the other side of the "Hole in the Wall", great white beaches on the western side of the Wessel Islands. Dorothy, Ann and Lionel exploring the treasures washed up on the beach.

Fresh smoked mackerel as part of a pre dinner snack.

The Arts & Craft Centre at Galiwinku, Elcho Is. A great collect of works.

Exploring the ruins at Victoria Settlement, Port Essington. NT's first settlement abandoned after 11 years. 1838 - 1849.

Cullen Bay Marina, Darwin. Finally made it but now we have to fit into the lock to the marina. 1 metre to spare each side but it looked much smaller than that on appoarch.

We have now just left Darwin for the Kimberely with friends Peter & Susan onboard. Blog updates will be via satellite phone until we get to Broome so it will be limited to text only. Photos will be posted once we are at Broome and have normal internet access.