This is the view looking out toward Frances Bay in Darwin. In the distance is the new LNG facility for exporting LNG. A second one is being constructed just a bit to the left in this view.
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Brian took us up to his office to give us an "aerial" view of Darwin. Brian is a Deputy Director within the Office Of The Chief Minister for the Government of the Northern Territory. This is the view of the central business district.
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Here are Brian and Mary Margaret during part of our tour of Darwin.
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07/17/2012, Fanny Bay, Darwin, AU
Today was Mary Margaret's birthday party. Using the rental car we are sharing with Jim of S/V Candela, I shuttled the folks from S/V Imagine, Kilkea and Sea Mist over the Buzz Café at Cullen's Bay. We were then joined by Jim and his crew, Jon David, who used their dinghy to get to the restaurant. It was great to see old friends again and they really enjoyed wishing Mary Margaret a happy birthday. Mary Margaret was beside herself as she was surrounded by friends, good conversation, and great food. A good time was had by all.
As a special treat, we were joined at the end of the party by the folks on S/V Salamander: Chris, Sue and Hilary. As it turns out, they had moved into the Cullen Bay Marina due to some unexpected repairs. Once in the marina, they turned off their VHF radio and that was the reason they never returned our hails. However, while we were having the birthday party, they fired up their email server and read the email we sent yesterday inviting them to attend. As it turns out, they were docked just a stone's throw away from where we were. What good luck.
As an added treat, as we were getting ready to go to the restaurant, Dana of S/V Northfork hailed us on the VHF radio. What a surprise! Only a few weeks ago they were down near Brisbane debating what they were going to do. They were thinking about spending another year in Australia with their new born son before venturing over to Indonesia. However, they ended up changing their minds and when they called us; they were just sailing by Fanny Bay. They were heading up to the Bay View Marina and had to meet a 1400 lock time. Due to the excessive tidal range in Darwin, all of the marinas are behind locks. Thus, they could not join us for the birthday party. However, we will be seeing them during the rally meetings and BBQ that start this Friday.
After the party was over, we were met by Brain Cann, our blog friend who lives in Darwin. He came over to wish Mary Margaret a happy birthday and to give us a quick tour of Darwin. As it turns out, Brian works for the Northern Territory Department of the Chief Minister, and is the Deputy Director of Gas Industries. We had heard that the liquid natural gas industry is now booming in Darwin in part due to the refocusing to LNG in Japan as its major energy source after the nuclear reactor fiasco they had last year.
After our quick tour, Brian took us to his beautiful house situated on a lagoon near the Bay View Marina. Here we met his wife, Gayle. Gayle teaches gifted 6th graders. The four of us plotted out a social calendar during our stay here in Darwin which includes getting together at the Mindil Beach Sunset Market this Thursday and a dinner on Leu Cat this Sunday.
By the time Mary Margaret's special day was over, we were bushed and returned to Leu Cat just as the sun was setting. The day was truly perfect because Mary Margaret heard from all three of her children, they all wished her a happy birthday as did other friends - that means an awful lot to her. Thank you all who wrote. Between the sunset picture perfect moment, the good times and warm "fuzzy" feelings (as MM would say) it was a perfect ending to a perfect day.
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07/16/2012, Fanny Bay, Darwin, AU
This morning I kissed my loving wife good morning and then hopped in the dinghy and headed to shore. On the way in, I picked up Jim and his crew, Jon David, of S/V Candela. Jim and I had agreed to rent a car together for our stay here in Darwin.
Once ashore I ran a very long line from our dinghy to the rocks that made up the riprap that lined the shore banks. There are up to 8 meters worth of tidal range here in Darwin and this morning it was low tide. Thus, to make sure that I did not have to swim out to get our dinghy, I wanted use a long line to pull the boat into shore at high tide.
Next we went to the Darwin Sailing Club to check in with them and to become temporary members so we could use their facilities during our stay. As I approached their office window, I was greeted by their receptionist, Di, who said: "Oh, Leu Cat, I have a couple of packages for you!" Di had seen our boat's name on the breast of the shirt I was wearing and recognized me from that. From her warm greeting I felt like part of the sail club's family
Di gave us a lot of great information and then sent us over to meet with the Sail Indonesia Rally folks, who also greeted us warmly. Soon we had lots of great information about Indonesia and the Rally and were headed off for downtown Darwin and our rental car.
We had a lot of errands to do regarding starting the clearing out process with Customs and Immigrations, getting our Indonesia Visas, checking out restaurants for tomorrow (it is Mary Margaret's 61st birthday... ah yes I married a younger woman!), checking in with the rigger who will be replacing my cap shrouds, and stopping by the Coles supermarket to get stuff for dinner so Mary Margaret would not have to cook tonight. After all, she allowed me three days of birthday celebration so I thought I would surprise her with dinner for tonight and start things off for her a little bit early.
By the time we returned to the beach to get our dinghy, it was 1600 and we were bushed! The tide had brought in our dinghy so I did not have to pull it in. It was just sitting there quietly at the water interface. How great was that!
This evening I called our new Darwin friend, Brian Cann, and he has offered to meet us in the late afternoon tomorrow to give us a quick tour of Darwin and then plan for another get together. We are really looking forward to meeting Brian and his wife while we are here. They are being so generous to take the time to show us around.
For Mary Margaret's birthday party tomorrow, I have made arraignments for John and Cheryl of S/V Sea Mist, David and Marian of S/V Kilkea, Stuart and Shirley of S/V Imagine, and Jim and Jon David to join us so we will be having a real wild party with such a motley crew. I have also been trying to reach our friends Chris, Sue and Hilary of S/V Salamander to invite them but I have had no luck. Oh well, they will just be missing the Party of the Year!!!
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