Black tip reef shark lurking with intent. One of at least a dozen within metres of the shore.
Bluff rock, spectacular scenery all around.
1/8/2010
Boys got away early but I opted for a late start and a bit more wind. Had a pleasant sail across to Curlew island just over 25 miles. Saw a few whales and as I approached Curlew and was passing Bluff Rock I thought I saw a mirror flashing, a possible distress call. I used a mirrir to "flash" back and was thinking of investigating when a call on the radio indicated to me that people indistress had been seen and were being contacted. Upon arrival at the anchorage I found out that there was a fishing boat on the beach, high and dry. They were however not responsible for any signals by mirror. Between Yabbie, Craig, myself and the people on the boat we managed to refloat it. they were very thankful having resigned themselves to an uncomfortable night on the beach. I asked them to investigate the island rocks where I had seen the signal and they said o.k. However after they left I decided to take my dinghy around to where I thought I had seen the signal. this became a circumnavigation of Curlew Island in the late afternoon. I arrived back at the boat after dark with little or no petrol left in the tank. I saw no evidence of wreckage or people on the rocks though a 24 ft trimaran had been reported missing.
2/08/2010
The next day dawned with increasing winds from the South East so I was prevented from taking the dinghy back around for another look. I decided to walk acros the Island and gain a vantage point on which to look out to the South. The vegetation on the Island varied between lantana, clinging vines, low scrub and prickles and in a walk lasting some hours I was cut and bleeding from arms and legs. I got to the highest part of the Island but saw little of any use. The walk back included an encounter with a bush turkey and a number of large spiders whose webs I occasionally blundered into. Around this time, Toy Room was arriving from Percy and they did not see any signals. I may have been seeing the reflection from a window on a fishing boat anchored near the rocks.
3/08/2010
Decided today to take the crew of "Toy Room" across to an Island nearby. However, conditions were rough and I decided to investigate a beach just around the corner from where we were anchored. At each end of the beach was a vast collection of plastic bits and pieces, both domestic and maritime. We found a length of nylon mooring rope which was about 300 metres long. It would have been a good score but we had no way of getting it back to the boats safely. As we walked back to the dinghy we noticed up to a dozen black tip reef sharks schooling just off the beach. We were able to wade to within a few metres of them.
4/08/2010
The wind was till strong and so after an unsuccessful fishing trip on "Toy Room" we opted for a bit of beach golf and bocce ball. I was lucky enough to get closest to the pin and won the golf and also the bocce ball and received a dried out starfish as a prize. It was however a bit on the nose so was consigned to sleep with the fishes.
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