FRIDGY BRAD COMES TO TOWN...

EVERY DAY LOOX LIKE THIS!

 G'day All,
                  Itz thyme to update you all on the effortz to get back to life aboard  with the yot being put through her paces on a trip to the Tiwi Islands 80 miles North of Darwin.
My good mate Brad haz arrived for an extended stay aboard. Bringing with him a pal for Jake dubbed Captain Ahab!
Darwin iz known for itz spectactular sunsets and I've taken heapz of shots they just seem better every day.
Brad iz taking a break from hiz troubles back in Perth so haz joined me for a mammoth trip North taking in the Tiwi's, Cogburg Peninsula and finally we made it to Port Essington where we were heading with Chris and Tara before the propellor and steering damage that sent us to the slipways for repairs.2 months ago.
Brad is a refrigeration mechanic so there's heaps of jobs needing hiz skills and knowledge.The list of machinery that needz work iz large but we've got a month to work through them. enough about work !!

It didn't take long for Brad to open his fish tally spending 2 nights trying to out smart some very clever Tarpon but finally success. these game fish are tough fighters once you get them to take a hook.
We filled the Yot with fuel, water and food loaded the dinghy and headed North  2 begin our adventure into the remote rivers of Melville Island. Chasing Mudcrabs, Barramundi and other pelagic species. No Barra unfortunately  but we did find a few mudcrabs for dinner on the first night at Camp Point on the South side of Melville Island. The rivers we are visiting are too far from Darwin for much fishing pressure but the fish still proved 2B elusive. Plenty of sharx made night fishing not so much fun.
The waterways we entered with the dinghy scream fish but we trolled and casted for many hours for very little reward. The outboard motor gave us heapz of trouble and a replacement iz needed urgently itz just 2 remote to not be able to rely on your outboard. I mean really remote we didn't see another boat the whole thyme we were there.
Thyme to spend 3 or 4 days chasing Barra and crabz B4 we set off for some blue water fishing chasing mackerel and hopefully a sailfish for Brad.
Our crabbing efforts yielded 1 trap with 5 big buck mudcrabs these become Brads pets for a few days B4 we gave them a hot water soaking. The power in the crabz claws iz obvious when you see the damage to our cans of cat food used as bait. We expected to find heaps of crabs but they 2 proved harder to find than we expected.
We did find heaps of tricky snapper in between the ever present sharx.
We decided after 3 days of generally relaxing and working our way through 5 liters of Fellixer Bourbon that it waz thyme 2 leave the rivers and mud behind and head off shore to a remote reef called Orontes Reef about 45 miles away from the top of the Tiwi Islands. we motored through the night arriving at the top of Cogburg Peninsula for a break in the journey and catch up on some sleep B4 heading up to Orontes.

Brad haz taken too the task of collecting bait with the throw net. mixed results but always lotz of mud to clean up I'm looking forward to some blue water fishing I really don't enjoy river bashing.
At last some decent fish!!!!
We dropped anchor and lines and got into the fish straight up with plenty of bottom species coming in just to be released as we had plenty of fillets to keep us fed.
The yot is in constant need of maintenance with the ever popular generator taking most of our effortz.
We need the genset to provide power for the refridge and air con both of which are neccessary 4 surviving the tropical temps expected in the next few months.
I have to decide whether to stay in Darwin or head West into the Kimberlies with stopz at Wyndham and Derby on my way through to Broome. Darwin haz the advantage of several marina's that can shelter the yot from Cyclones but itz not a very yot friendly town.
As many have noticed itz been a full month since an update.
The yot iz in a state of limbo with a broken generator and with no 240volt power the air conditioner won't work.
With day thyme temps reaching 35 degrees c the aircon is a necessity hopefully both can be repaired soon as just to make life more comfortable aboard.
Itz now crunch thyme as I decide whether 2 stay in Darwin until the Wet passes or 2 head towards Broome in Western Australia.
The journey to Broome should take 8-10 days, however there is only 1 place to buy fuel at Wyndham. This means the 2nd leg of the journey is about 550 nm I'm not sure of my fuel burn as I battle the massive tides and currents that make up the Kimberly region. The other negative iz the lack of Cyclone anchorages around Broome so itz really a matter of safety, if I remain in Darwin I have several marina's available during the cyclone season however it means I need 2 stay until March next year.
I don't handle the limbo very well so I'm leaning 2wards heading to Broome.
Fridgy haz expressed  hiz desire to re-visit the yot for this journey or I need 2 find a couple of backpackers to act as crew for the journey. Only thyme will tell which iz the safer/better option.
Darwin gives me the access to repair services for both the genset and the air-con unit. So for now itz a case of twiddle thumbs until these units are both repaired and functioning reliably.