I left my Bra at Percy's

Big Seas and Storms on Horizon

I left my Bra at Percy’s

Well not really my bra although perhaps the residents of Percy Islands could have made some use of my bra as a wind turbine energy device with my cup size.

My quest to craft a coconut bra for Sophie (see previous blog) has had a minor setback.  It would not really be a quest if I simply had to anchor off a remote island and pluck a coconut. I left the half crafted coconuts to make the bra at Middle Percy awaiting to be sanded and polished, very sad and disappointing.

We had to leave the Percy Group of Islands in a hurry,  the bad weather conditions and with no suitable anchorage to the prevailing wind and swells to shelter and anchor in relative safety.

This was a necessary decision to seek shelter and safety in clam waters of Island Head Creek some 50 nautical miles away and await a change in weather.  This decision was made after a very tiring night been on watch and in awful conditions under anchor.  We were anchored very close to a fringing reef and it can be very disturbing when you hear the waves crashing over the reef.  A the big swell puts a lot of pressure on the anchor. In such a small Coral Fringed bay with lots of bommies we only have a small time to react if we come off anchor before we hit the reef.

Crazy Capt Teza- Loving the Big Sail

We left early knowing our journey of 50 miles was going to be arduous against big seas, some waves hit the 5 metre mark  but we managed to have a good sail with an easterly wind. Sens de la Vie performed well under these conditions and whilst the heart was pumping with adrenalin I was pleased that I did not experience any heart stress or anxiety.  Got a good cardio workout even managed to get soup cooked in the galley but not without more bruising. Arrived tired at Island Head Creek at 3pm to the comfort of no swell and sheltered sandy bay.

Wind is still howling at Island Head Creek and you can hear the big seas crashing on the entry headland.

Big Sail day

Trying to beat the storms

A Lone Coconut Tree at Island Head Creek

MY quest for a Coconut Bra for Sophie the Trumpet Lady (see previous post) continues but indeed this may be more of a quest than I first envisioned chiefly as not many isolated islands under the management of National Parks and the environment Govt Depts. have coconut trees left on them.  Govt departments in control and management of these environments have de-nude some islands of coconut trees deeming them not to be native Australian flora.  Many arguments from lessee and land owners adjacent to National park controlled areas of islands have resulted in some groves remaining with debates “part of our heritage of early colonial settlement” or “tourism draw cards” and so forth. It would not be a tropical island without the odd coconut palm on its shore line.

Some say Torres strait islanders also planted coconuts as sustainable food source on their sea faring journey’s up and down the coast many centuries ago. Certainly, the coconut tree provides a lot of uses such as fuel, shelter and food.  Indeed, some coconut groves have just evolved from coconuts floated onto to shorelines naturally.  Compromises have been made by landholders and lessee’s of some of these islands, so don’t be surprised on your next visit to the islands you see little signs on the coconut trees with warnings about falling coconuts. I suspect that debating over environmental issues has been replaced by liability arguments over the past 10 years.

Certainly, walking under coconut trees can be dangerous as the coconut does not make a sound when it dislodges from its branches only a loud thud as it hits the ground. I personally experienced this in the Solomon’s with a near miss of a falling coconut.

Cutting our time short in the Percy Island group and with A layover for a couple of days in Island Head Creek means that we will change our sailing passage now to accommodate the Keppel Islands , Heron Island and Lady Musgrave weather permitting and with favorable winds.

Entering the calm waters of Island Head Creek Bay