Crossing the Gulf of Carpentaria 2.5 days
September 2019
Crossing the Gulf of Carpentaria from QLD to the NT in 2.5 days.
The Wessel Vessels gathered at Boyd Point for sundowners to have a chat about the crossing the Gulf of Carpentaria and to grab a group photo. 8 vessels are crossing together, Ian off Humpy a last-minute addition. This is our first crossing and first continuous night sail and another milestone for Paradise.
We all set sail in light wind conditions at 0400hrs for what is expected to be a 2-3 day crossing. We did 6-hour shifts, John and I started off then Kim and Pete took over. Each couple worked out how they would run their shifts. It worked out well, and we weren't too tired by the time we got the other side.
The FLIR (forward-looking infrared) camera was great for the night time sail, it detects warm objects against a cooler background. There really wasn't anything out there to worry about, it really is an isolated area. I even caught John napping on the job, I guess that FLIR camera is boring to watch!!
Kim used an old line to make a mat which came out quite pretty; check out her handy work.
The third day was pretty slow with even lighter winds, and it was ideal for catching fish as we got closer to land again. We caught our first bluefin tuna and Coral trout. The tuna made excellent sashimi, and the Coral Trout was the best fish we have eaten.
It was great to see land again, arriving at Groote Eylandt NT at 1130hrs – a celebration gin and tonic was in order.