This sea day cruising the Timor Sea was one of the calmest seas any of us had ever seen. The ocean was glassy with an occasional ripple. We saw lots of flying fish, but just one at a time, and they flew really really fast, skipping once or twice, reaching up to 50 yards it seemed. The sunset was spectacular. We were sure we saw a green flash, but my movie didn't really show it.
We were entertained by an excellent Australian group called Back Tie. They are two singing brothers and their musician wives. One had sung at the Met and Australian Opera. The other had a great voice and entertained us with his comedy. This was one of the best evening shows we have seen.
Darwin from across the Fannie Bay
Off the bow at the Terrace restaurant
May 7,Thursday
We sailed into Darwin a little earlier than scheduled, but after the face to face immigration inspection which required each passenger to appear whether they were going ashore or not, it took us over an hour to disembark.
We took the shuttle into town and bought $30.00 tickets to the Hop on Hop Off Bus right there at the Visitor Center. Some of our passengers were already on board. One of the bus's stops was our pier! We enjoyed the open topped tour through town and out aways through neighborhoods and parks and along the ocean shores.
Bike path
Low tide
We returned to town and ate lunch at Outback Jack's where we had crocodile and kangaroo skewers and a barramundi lunch. The farmed Australian meats are delicious and mild tasting. The special barbecue sauce was very tasty. We asked for a non-alcoholic beer because it was nice and hot and humid out. The owner/waiter looked at us like we were crazy. He did offer 2.5% beer.
Back on the bus we stopped this time at the small but interesting Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. Darwin is also called the Top End.
Cookaburro (stuffed) I sang the Cookaburro song with an Australian woman the other night at the Bird Park. I don't think I had ever seen one before.
Sweetheart, the largest crocodile in these parts. She was inadvertently killed when they tried to wrestle her to shore for science. She will always be remembered by the town now.
Our ship seen as we walked back from town
I hope these were Australian birds. We saw trees and bushes and palms that looked just like ones from Hawaii. I was looking forward to seeing the indiginous plants and animals unique to Australia.
Darwin suffered severe damage in the 1970's from Cyclone Tracy. A section of the museum was dedicated to this destruction, showing before and after photos and displays.
There were very nice condos and apartment buildings all along the coast. Nothing extravagant, but the town had lost its tropical small town flavor that we remembered when we were here maybe 20 years ago when David was invited to participate and speak at an aboriginal claims and mining conference. Our hostess and chairperson of the conference was a half breed aboriginal, one who had been taken from her home and "re-educated" in a white family.
We were able to find a store that sells toothpaste and other necessities before returning by foot to the ship. On the way was a beautiful beach and bay very close to the pier where we could have come to swim and relax, although we were warned that there are dangerous creatures in Australian waters, particulary the box jellyfish.
May 8, Friday
This was another welcome sea day crossing the Arafura Sea aroung the top of Australia. The seas were windy. Two unusual lecturers - one from Captain Joh Foley, about the Torres Strait, Soldiers-of-fortune, head-hunters, sea slugs and pearls. The other from Australian Reef Pilot Captain Wel Gamble discussing the Great Barrier Reef.
We learned from Bob and Sandra, the ones who chartered our Sea Star boat tour to the Great Barrier Reef, that the Oceania excursion to the reef platform which cost $400.00 per person had been cancelled due to low participation. This is the only excursion we are doing that is not ship sponsored.
I'm obviously envious of the trip you're taking. But I'm also impressed with your dedication to document this voyage as well as your ability to use words to describe your experience.
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