Since leaving Cairns, we have been inside the Great Barrier Reef marine park. Actually, we have been in it prior to Cairns, however the passages through the reef don’t get ‘interesting’ until north of Cairns. Here the recommended routes take us through narrower passages and consequently, continuous varying courses. We have a compulsory GBR pilot with us. Any vessel over 70m in length has to have one and having joined us in Sydney, Gerritt will leave us in Darwin tomorrow, his work done.
This will be a relatively short post, its purpose is to give you some idea of what the east coast of Australia looks like. Most of the coast is devoid of any towns, excepting some ports. Along with photos of the landscape, there are some of the Electronic Chart display and radar, this, I hope, will give you a ‘flavour’ of what is involved. The video contains clips from various sections of our route; from south to north, finishing in the Torres Strait, this is off the north coast and in the Coral Sea.
A small-scale map of part of our route
A photo of our Electronic chart. The intended track is in the centre of our ‘corridor’, we stay inside the corridor, which is pre-planned, where we know it is safe. To the left is the coast of Queensland, the light blue is reefs and shallows, as is the light green. The magenta lines and arrows mark the recommended route
Now a radar picture, with the EC imposed on it. Land to the left and light blue and green, reefs; the dotted magenta, recommended route.
Similarly, this is part of our route through the Torres Strait, very shallow, we have, at times, no more than 25 feet/7 metres under our keel.
Now some photographs:-
Queensland’s coastline
One of the many reefs which are above sea-level
In the Torres Strait. We follow a Bulk-Carrier, matching its speed for a while, we are waiting for a Container ship to clear a particularly narrow section of the channel. Had we kept up our speed, all 3 of us would have met in that narrow section, not a good idea!
She passes us, the ‘Johannes Maersk’ heading south. (Maersk Line has the largest Container ship fleet in the world).
Not much, I know, however I’ll write again after we have left Darwin, providing of course that I can find time between Captain’s Dinners, the Bridge-work and the paperwork!
Dear Captain
Thank you for taking the time to write your blog so that we can travel along. We are booked on the 2020 World Cruise with Holland and I hope I have the opportunity to meet you. Karen
Thank you again for these wonderful and informative posts. Having done our share of navigating on a 12m sailboat we appreciate the challenge you face on a much larger scale.
If you have time we wondered if you could give a brief rundown on the role of each bridge staff especially the young cadets we encountered from time to time on the 2018 world cruise.
Cheers
Frances and Roch
So the charts are never in fathoms?
Also didn’t expect boulders at the shoreline in some of the photos…wonder why, geologically… is that the coastline face where the continent would have split along the geologic plate I wonder?
Nice variety to your photos . You are the Action Man
Go Pro was made for!
Captain Mercer, I have been enjoying your blog for several World Cruises; You make World Cruise future dreams for these Five Star Hal Mariners possible
Thank you Sir, for taking us along? Hopefully you’ll be the Master for a few more years.
You need to continue having a job that will support your all world “shopping cruise!”
We are off to Auckland early next month to embark the MS Maasdam for the Polynesian 24 Day Crossing. Coming up on over 360 Hal cruising days at sea so we are pretty much hooked on your company’s product all because of Great Crews!🛳👍🏻🥂
Sincerely,
Bruce & Sue
Wonderful info Captain. We have sailed this route 3-4 times on the Statendam & Volendam and love the scenery, especially around Cape York.
Should be nice & humid in Darwin. If you have the chance, look at the WW2 tunnels near the ship.
Regards & safe sailing.
Will do, thanks Noel. I’ve passed them but never looked in.