Chilling Out
09 July 2014 | Michaelmas Cay
David and Andrea
Cairns was a busy time for Diomedea, as well as being remarkably cool. 1-2 blankets on at night! A variety of boat jobs were done in preparation for Indonesia and we waited for our cruising permits and our Indonesian visas. And waited. And waited. And we are still waiting.
Experiencing a bad dose of marina fever we cast off the docklines and headed out to Michaelmas Cay, about 20 miles NE of Cairns. A frequent destination of tourist operators it is a drop dead gorgeous anchorage and we love it here. There are excellent coral reefs for snorkelling with the most impressive giant clams we have seen, amazing fish life, and fantastic water clarity. However, most spectacular of all is the sand cay itself which is a rookerie for many seabirds. The dominant species is the Sooty Tern, but others include the Crested Tern, The Common Noddy, the Brown Booby, and the Frigate Bird. The terns fill the sky with black clouds of chaotic squawking and wheeling. At night the activity continues – the noise does not abate. There is also a fourth dimension – smell.
Our two evenings here have been extremely restful with blazing waxing moon filling the ocean with light. The loom of Cairns is visible to the SW and a few other yachts are anchored nearby. We had a lovely dinner with Tim and Lea on Gemini Lady – thank you.
We may head back to Cairns today if looks like our passports will be returned….