Bounced Around in Krait Bay

leaving Freshwater Bay at Sunrise

Friday 14^th June 2013
Bounced Around in Krait Bay, Cape Voltaire – Between Admiralty Gulf and Montague Sound

Our next leg was a fast passage through Montague Sound, York Sound, Prince Frederick harbour and Port Nelson. MrJ and I needed to make up some time and miles to be able to slow down later through this adventure.

Hat Point Parry Harbour

off Parry Harbour

As soon as the radio sked alarm went off MrJ and I were up out of bed to get AR moving. In the predawn darkness we rolled the covers; I locked all hatches down, brought in my herb pots and MrJ started the engines. I had to use the big torch to be able to see to bring the anchor up and then we were away, under motor, under the cover of darkness. I would like to say that we quietly slipped out of the bay but I am sure that the motors would have woken our newly made friends on Tryphena and Murrundi who we were leaving behind to continue our passage, leaving them to enjoy more days in Freshwater and a slower cruise through the Kimberley’s.
It was just after sunrise that we put the sails up. What a glorious sunrise it was too! Starting out with a rich deep red sneaking into the darkness and then unfolded into dirty pinks and blues, ending in the soft golden tones of the sun’s light across the low clouds and the gentle rolling sea to silhouette the islands of the Eclipse Archipelago.

Institut Islands

AR was heading on a NW direction till we turned more westerly and then SW to get around Cape Bougainville past Parry Harbour which we had initially had marked as an anchorage but then decided that it was better to keep going and make some miles while we could. The tide was in our favour and stayed in our favour all the way to Krait Bay near Cape Voltaire. This SW passage took us across Admiralty Gulf right through the middle of the Institut and Montesquieu Islands then slightly more westerly till we came to the Voltaire Passage which turned AR more NW again to get through safely before heading SW for another 3n/m to get us into Krait Bay at 1500 (52n/m in 10hours). MrJ and I had calculated the tidal currents to be in our favour for the entire passage. This was not just good luck but very careful forward planning.

Krait Bay

rocky headland

After we had dropped anchor Krait Bay (14’25.788S – 125’35.852E) in 10.6mts of water at  ¾ HW, the stronger winds began to blow, the incoming tide was bring the swell into the bay from around the point and all this created a very uncomfortable anchorage with sloppy wavelets slapping AR’s hulls and making her rock untimely till late in the night. MrJ and I were very weary; it was too late in the day to be moving again so we just had to put up with the movement and noise. I was too tired! After making a chilli red bean and pasta for our dinner (no fish only seaweed on the trolling line) I had a deck-wash shower, ate my dinner, cleaned up, did some writing, fell into bed and was asleep not much after my head hit the pillow. I woke early the next morning to a calmer anchorage and another beautiful sunrise.

sunset in Krait Bay

Krait Bay was a pretty bay and in better weather would be fun to explore. It had many fringing reefs for fishing, a couple of sandy beaches with great sandstone rock formations to climb. We left the bay for someone else to explore.