[password] KUDZUU1114
[position] 10 43.268 S 139 18.800 E
[status] On passage from Thursday Island, Queensland to Darwin, Northern Territory, crossing the Arafura Sea. We departed Thursday Island July 4th (Happy Independence Day America!) in the late afternoon after having spent a fair portion of the day repairing our boom. The repair was accomplished only by the superb help offered by our friend Stedham Wood (mv Atlantis) for which we are very grateful. Thursday Island was quite interesting and worth the stop. The tiny community is at the very tip top of northeastern Australia and has a certain "feel" to it which reminds you that you are very far from anywhere else. The community is composed predominately of Torres Strait Islanders, ancient seafaring Melenesians who first came here thousands of years ago. They are not to be confused with Aboriginal Australians, who also live here in Thursday Island. Like Aborigines, Torres Strait people were dispossessed of their homelands by European colonists and only within the past several years has legislation been passed to right this terrible wrong. The community has a small tourist industry and Australians drive or fly in to holiday in what seems like the very end of the earth. The weather is gorgeous and the islands here are verdant rolling hills and craggy cliffs. The passage thus far has been perfect...a lovely downwind sailing delight with 15-20 knot winds and sunshine. All well on board. Robbie
[speed] 7.1 kts under Main and genoa, both with a single reef
[heading] 266 T
[weather] SE wind @ 15-19 knts. Swell SE @ 1.0m. Clear, starry night. Temp: 78 F
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