Day Two - Lady Musgrave Island

Sunday 6^th May 2012

Day Two - Lady Musgrave Island
23’54.105 S – 152’24.278 E
Sunny, warm, windy – wind 15/20knt (this was not predicted) rolly at anchor – Full Moon

Who can sleep-in when there is a great sunrise to see? I stick my head out the hatch just in time to catch the sun’s magic in all its glory just peaking over the horizon silhouetting the yacht to out port side. The golden ray are small but the grow spreading a glimmer of light across the dark blue sea. The day has begun.

Sunrise at Lady Musgrave

The tidal waters are rising, rising and coming in over the fringing reef that surrounds Lady Musgrave Island. It is nearly high tide and breakfast time too. After sunrise, photos, exercise and a leisurely breakfast MrJ and I potter around AR doing some catch-up chores. Mines are to unpack a couple of lockers, clean them out and repack. I have decided to tackle a couple of lockers in the galley as I need to get some things out to do some cooking.

Shelly, off Neriki, shoots over in her dinghy to see what we are up to, she has left Ric onboard tinkering; time for a coffee break and a chat. We talk about our plans (theirs and ours) to go north and ours to go further. Neriki will not be making the trip to the Kimberleys this year; too many other things on their plate, maybe next year. We talk about the crocs, where to get fuel and water, where to get and who has the best information, which areas have a barge for supplies etc and other things like tides and weather patterns. So much information is needed by any boatie going anywhere.

After lunch MrJ and I drop our dinghy to go ashore; I love walking the long beaches of the sand cay islands. Shelly sees us and pops over too. The tide is low so the sea is not coming over the reef making the water rolly but now the reef is exposed we have to anchor our dinghy a fare way off the shore being mindful of the tide not coming in too much before we return. I have put my camera in a padded camera case and then into a waterproof zip bag; I really do near one of those small marine watertight bags like the one MrJ has for carrying larger things.

Shelly being attacted by "little Terns"

The three of us Shelly, MrJ and I toddle off along the beach anti-clock wise around Lady Musgrave Island. We have only stepped out a short distance when we are being attacked by some birds swooping down upon us. Shelly and MrJ nearly get their heads pecked off and I have one little bird make an eye to eye dart at me. I am too quick, duck to escape injury and get a great photo for my troubles. We are too close to a nesting area (they nest on the sandy ground) of some very upset “Little Terns”; we detour further down the beach and move away quickly.

"Little Tern" - headed straight at me

Around the next bend we come across some “Black Noddys” nesting in the bushes and trees. These birds are not aggressive like the “Little Terns” but we do not linger any longer than to get a couple of photos. The “Black Noddys” face is full of expression; I would say that they were giving me “the dirty look”. On the sand near the base of the bushes I see a couple of “Wood Sandpipers” scurrying along. One sandpiper darts under a log and the other just stands there to have his photo taken. How cute! The island is just full of birds!

"Black Noddy" with that look

As Shelly, MrJ and I return to our dinghies we meet up with some other boaties, a family, exploring the reef near the dinghies. One of the ladies, the grandmother, begins to tell Shelly and MrJ how “they own the big power boat out there, the 52’ (or something) Riviera which they have just recently up sized from a 44’ (or whatever)”. How nice! Meanwhile the grandkids and dad are having a ball in the water; they spot a small “Ray” and get so excited.

Back on board it is time for showers and to get ready to go over to Neriki for another Sundowners; the crew off Sea Mist are coming over too and I will take my Italian Hot Pot over for our dinner.

The sunset is brilliant!