SPOTLIGHT: DOWN UNDER Dampier, anchored the first night off Depuch Island, then made a 32-hour leg to Broome. Overnighting is a bit tough on two people with watches three hours on, three hours off. Usually the symptoms are a bit like jet lag, but when we arrive we have a nice long crash in the cot. I suppose a cot is unfair on our beds as they are very comfortable with the owner’s stateroom a king-size with the best mattress available. The only company we had over this 32 hours were the fish, and we experienced (or nearly) one of the greatest thrills a fisherman could have: we hooked two sailfish. My line was the first to go off and I couldn’t stop the reel peeling off as close to 200 meters of line was paid out before it stopped, then this magnificent creature became airborne, and crash, the line became lifeless which allowed me to reel in a lureless line. I’m not sure Tony believed me, as he was in the head at the time, but in less than 30 minutes he had hooked up another one and was treated to the magnificent aerial display, only to be lost like previously. We of course didn’t have the right gear in place and vowed to get heavier line and wire leaders when at Broome. SKIE has an aft control pod, so when a fish goes on, the motor can be wound down to low revs with the boat just barely moving, but with the autopilot still keeping us on course, the stabilizers still working, and the use of the bow and stern thrusters to change direction if we need to. In the meantime, we were still taking Spanish mackerel on board, which are terrific eating fish. If we continue doing this we will have to start jettisoning meat out of the two freezers just to make room, perhaps as well for a giant trevally, mahimahi, and of course what we came for, barramundi and mud crabs. However, soon there will be six of us on board to lighten the freezer load. One of nicest things about boating is the great people you meet along the way. We spoke to Chris Wright who runs the VMR (Volunteer Marine Rescue) in Broome to alert him that we were en route, and our ETA. He also arranged for a fixed mooring behind Gantheaume 150
CIRCUMNAVIGATOR I 2010
Peter Sheppard, wife Margaret, and son James share family time together aboard SKIE.
Point, which belonged to the big tourist boat True North which was away in the Kimberley. Not only did he do this, but came aboard and gave us pointers not only where to go in the Kimberley, but many tips on dodging uncharted reefs and techniques on handling 10-meter tidal ranges. This will be our biggest navigational challenge as some of the tidal flows get up to 10 knots, and if not careful, can leave you high and dry with disastrous consequences, including breaking off our two stabilizer fins. I was very interested in the crocs we will be sharing the water with, and Chris’s son Paul said if they come too close when we are catching fish, just dong them on the head. Just as we were discussing this, Paul looked out and spotted a 2.5-meter saltie on its way towards the Cable Beach Resort for lunch. This is very rare to see a croc in Broome, so we called the police and rangers, and Paul followed him in his boat to keep an eye on his movements. We were told this is the only sighting they have had in five
years of a croc at Broome, and the last one was shot, but this one was ushered out to sea. If a croc takes a tourist on the beach, you will have a resort calamity like in the movie Jaws. We have invited Paul to join us to come up to the Horizontal Falls in Talbot Bay to show us a few things, and he can fly back on the float plane bringing Rick and Di in a week’s time. Margaret flies in this morning and we plan to take off as soon as she arrives. I haven’t told her that she has to walk into the water to almost waist deep to get on the inflatable, though. Paul has given us a gift of his croc donger, which is a rounded piece of heavy jarrah wood just like a skinny baseball bat. Just might take it for Marg’s pickup, but I could have it around my head when she finds out what I’m subjecting her to. IV For more about the travels of SKIE around Australia, visit www.skieadventure.com. SKIE, by the way, stands for Spend Kids’ Inheritance Early. www.circumnavigatormag.com