Karen and Trisha left Lizard Island yesterday with a light wind forecast on an overnight passage for Cairns. Unfortunately, it didn’t go as planned. The actual winds were way different from the forecast and she ended up making only 35 miles south. At that point the winds had reached 25 knots on the nose (coming from almost due south), with corresponding waves, and she was making very little headway. Karen diverted to Cape Bedford (just north of Cooktown) and spent the night there.
Meanwhile, I woke up asking the hotel to extend my room another night or two. But, they said they were full. There’s a symposium having to do with the Great Barrier Reef and over 2000 people have moved into town. All the rooms are booked. Fortunately, our friends on m/v Oso Blanco are still here and offered to put me up tonight. They plan to leave to do some diving tomorrow, so I still need to find a place to stay tomorrow night.
Tahina should be able to leave tomorrow (if the weather forecast is right) and be here by Friday morning at last. Trisha has to get to Brisbane by Sunday to catch a flight home to the US. So, we’re cutting this close.
Hope all goes well. Our thoughts and prayers are for all three of you.