Our time in Darwin is coming to an end, and the preparations are now underway for the passage to Indonesia. We’ve been reading our cruising guide and planning the route. The courtesy flags for Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka have been purchased, the engine needs servicing, I need to reprovision and cook meals for the voyage, and we have to book a time with Australian Border Force to clear out of Australia. Busy times!

We’ve decided to set sail for Kupang, which is in West Timor. It’s approximately 400nm, so about a 3 day sail. There’s very little wind at the moment, and the currents are brutal, which might mean that we end up motoring. We’ll fill up with fuel, too.

While Angus had two weeks of work at the local chandlery, I spent some time with the fisheries officers from AFMA (Australian Fisheries Management Authority). I visited the office, we shared work stories, and I had a couple of personalised tours around Darwin. There are similarities in our fisheries’ compliance work, but Darwin’s proximity to Indonesia means that they spend a lot more time patrolling the Northern Territory border. The fisheries officers also spend a lot more time at sea than their NZ counterparts. The NT police are currently responsible for domestic recreational fisheries compliance. Thanks to Damian, Brownie, and the team for spending time with me. I hope our paths cross again.

We teamed up with Chris and Jody from Merlot to explore the outskirts of Darwin in their rental car. I packed a picnic, and we headed for Berry Springs Nature Reserve. What a beautiful spot! An oasis of sparkling clear, warm water and lush greenery in an otherwise scrubby, parched landscape. During WWII, a weir was built across Berry Creek to form pools as a place for rest and recreation for the 100,000 troops that were stationed in Darwin. Wildlife such as goannas, wetland birds, and freshwater crocs make Berry Springs their home.

The highlight of the week was having a beer at the Humpty Doo Hotel. It’s world famous, you know! It was a trip down memory lane for our friends. Chris swept Jody off her feet right here by proposing to her some 15 years ago. They had been touring through this part of the world on Chris’ motorbike.