Arriving Gladstone
After leaving Great Keppel Island yesterday we motored out against the wind towards the reef until sunset, then brought the ship onto a southerly course and set sail. With just the courses set she rides well and makes about two knots. We are in no hurry. I wake at midnight to check on our progress and discover we are no longer in the tropics. At 2315 we crossed the latitude of 23 degrees 30 minutes south, the Tropic of Capricorn. I was sleeping so soundly I didn,t even feel the bump. Shortly after taking over the watch from Andrea at four, I find the flood tide is setting us in towards Curtis Island. We set the topsails to give Duyfken more power but it is obvious now we will not weather North Point on facing Island. We are on a lee shore with no prospect of being able to beat out. With no engines this would be a dangerous situation and this is an example of a place I would not have taken the ship if we did not have the luxury of engines as a backup. We take in all sail and start the motors. I still have a dilemma. Either we spend an uncomfortable five hours motoring against the wind to East Channel or we attempt the trickier North Channel, entering only two miles away under North Point. Some heavy rain clouds make the North Channel a less attractive option. If we lose visibility half way in we will be in trouble. The rain squall races past ahead of us and recedes to leeward leaving patches of clear sky. My mind is made up. I call the course to Jane on the whipstaff and Duyfken turns towards the leads under North Head. Once through the convolutions of North Channel we are in more open water. We set sail again for the last few miles in to the port of Gladltone. A boat comes out to meet us as we approach the town. I know there is a press photographer on board so we make a few superfluous manoeuvres back and forth across the channel. "Stand by to tack", "Stand by to wear ship" This is the busiest sailing we have done since leaving Mackay. Once the boat disappears there is nothing left to do but arrive. We take in sail one last time for this leg and head in to Auckland Inlet, tying up at O,Connell Wharf. By lunch-time Duyfken is set up in museum mode, her sails hanging loose from the yards, drying out after last night's rain. Though we were not expected to arrive until this afternoon there are a few people on the wharf already who want to come aboard to inspect the ship. It seems our arrival has been keenly awaited by some of the locals.
Peter Manthorpe
Master
