Sens de la Vie- Port Essington Cobourg Peninsula June 2021

 

Sens de la Vie - Port Essington June 2021

Port Essington is an enormous, sheltered inlet on the Cobourg Peninsula in the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park, Northern Territory. The surrounding waters of the Arafura Sea and Van Dieman Gulf. Travelling these remote areas affords us a greater appreciation of the cultural history of Australia.

Indigenous, Macassan traders, maritime seafarers, explorers and European Pioneers have all left their mark on this land in varying ways. 

Some the oldest collected Bark Paintings and artifacts of our first nation peoples, displayed in Museums are from this area. Collected and taken back by Europe by early settlers and explorers.

The original and continuing inhabitants of the area are the Madjunbalmi clan of the Ngardigawunyangai First Nation people.  The Archaeologists generally agree that Aboriginal people have been living in this area in excess of 40,000 years.

From at least 1700 through to the early twentieth century fisherman from Macassar (on what in now called Sulawesi in Indonesia) were frequent visitors to Northern Australia.  They cam for Trepang,(sea cucumber), which they traded with China.

Strong relationships were built with the people of Arnhem Land by the Macassans, which resulted in some local tribes people travelling back to Macassar.  Some words from the Macassar are still evident in the local indigenous language.

Indonesia Cattle Banteng were also introduced in this area.

Able Tasman explored the area in 1644 as did Mathew Flinders in 1803.

The Early British Garrison Settlement of Victoria in 1938 only lasted 11 years. Fort Wellington only 2 years.

Victoria Settlement was doomed for failure and its history is confronting as you walk around the ruins imagining what life would have been like for these early settlers and convicts.  The harsh conditions of heat, cyclones, diseases, isolation, water shortage and a lack of support by the British government all contributed to the failure of this settlement.

It is reported by the indigenous shared knowledge and story telling,  that the local tribe wept when they departed.

Much has been written on the history of these early colonies in the far north and I encourage anyone who is interested in history to look up the many websites that retell the stories and research conducted over the past century of Port Essington.

A resource link below that I use has many articles of maritime history and general knowledge history.

https://www.pastmasters.net/victoria-settlement.htm

We checked in with the Park Ranger at Black Point via radio and visited the cultural center which houses artifacts and murals depicting life and history of the port.

Aerial Photo of Rangers Station

The Old Jetty Point Black

  

 

  

Fuel can be purchased at the rangers Station and a small camping ground is also located on the point. An old jetty is still in place and we made use of the rubbish disposal facilities.  A little general store is no longer operating. 

We did a short walk around the nearby lagoon at Black Point

The Bird life is amazing, dugongs, 6 species of turtles, crocodiles, rays jumping out of the water, lots of sharks and an abundance of fish.

Surprises await for travelers to this area

Saw Tooth Fish

One surprise was when Capt Teza was walking in the Mangroves to spear mud crabs, he almost stood on a Saw Tooth Fish, a protected species which is prehistoric.

We spent 4 days in this area exploring.  Words and photos are not enough. It is hard to describe the feeling and experience of being in an isolated remote area of beauty 

 We had plenty of fish meals in the freezer but fresh is always a bonus.  We only fish when we need to replenish food stocks on board.

We did go spearing for Mud Crab which is allowable in the National Park and on 2 occasions were successful.

 Capt Teza and Matt waded through the Mangrove Flats, ever mindful, of the large crocodiles that inhabit these coastal waters.

Matt and Lisa Cool Change enjoying their first Mud Crab

Sundowners - Lisa my Cocktail Buddy

Only one Crocodile was sighted at a distance.  Evidence of this crocodile was found on the shore, a large chewed up shark head in the mangroves that only yesterday Capt Teza was walking.

Anchored at Barrow Bay

Sunrise to another day full of adventure and surprises 

Victoria Settlement spent a day exploring the Ruins of the Victoria Settlement. Capt Teza very impressed with the constructions methods used and how straight the buildings made from local granite and bricks that were made in the large kilns on site.  These structures were built mainly by the convicts.

Victoria Settlement perched on the cliffs

The Settlement only lasted for 11 years and you get a overwhelming sense when walking through these ruins, that life was tough in this isolated area

remains of old stone landing jetty in the Bay

The British choose this area due to the abundance of water at a near by lagoon, which was full at the time they surveyed and the deep protected harbor was favorable to making this outpost a Port of call for settlement ships and for traders.

 Little Understanding of the wet seasons,cyclones and droughts of this Continent resulted in having  significant impacts on the living conditions and challenges in  crop and animal farming to feed a large settlement. 

Lack of support from the government and settlements in the  South also added to its demise. 

Malaria, sandfly bites leading to infections, in fact any wound in the tropics was bound to get infected and ill health and deaths were a way of life.  The large population of convict workers are not listed in the Memorial Plaque  and it is reported that ships passing by would bury their dead seafarers.

I find the history and stories fascinating and below is a link to a website I have been reading as we traverse this top end of Australia.   
https:www.pastmasters.net/victoria-settlement.html

The Cottages

The Kilns

 

Starry Starry Night.

It was completely still, what we sailors call "a glass out", with no moon light and no artificial illumination from a township, the water was like black glass that mirrored the night sky.

The Milky Way in all of its glory reflected and mirrored in the water giving the illusion that the yacht was floating in the night sky. 

A magical night in the good company of our fellow sailing mates Matt and Lisa from SV Cool Change.  

Many thanks to Matt fro capturing on his camera our yachts against the starry night.

Cool Change Left us and hauled anchor making passage to Darwin. We opted to stay a couple more days and enjoy the peaceful surroundings a little more before making our way to Darwin.  some light duties of washing making water and relaxing.

  

Al from "Never Die Wondering" cam into port and Capt Teza had some social bloke time with All and his crew on "Never Die Wondering"

Washing in Exotic Locations

 

We departed making our way to Darwin and found anchorage at Araura Bay Cape Don to launch the next day across the Van Dieman Gulf to Darwin.  Cap Don has an impressive Light House, the northern most traditional lighthouse in Australia constructed in 1915.

 Crossing the Van Dieman Gulf requires timing with tides, currents and wind. Tides against current and wind can cause the gulf to be a swirling mass of choppy sea.  As we left the bay in the distance we could see the white capes of waves in front of us indicating the convergence of the currents which was expected.  Not expected was the gradual build up on the wind from a predicted 10 knots to 30 plus knots.  

The tide and current was in our favor pushing us along at 10 knots but the swell from the wind again made it difficult and challenging and very uncomfortable.  Thankfully we knew that safe harbor was only a few hours away so we pushed on with determination to get to calmer waters. 

Gulf crossings seems to be our biggest challenge in the top end and we have already plan our passages back  for our return differently to avoid getting caught in these conditions of unpredictable weather in the gulfs as much as possible. Taking a longer route via islands and more coastal traversing around the edges of the gulf with the shortest passage across.

  

We Arrived at Darwin by mid afternoon and anchored just outside the seaway to the Loch as we had arrived a couple of days forward to our booking we had to wait until the next morning to enter the Loch into Cullen Bay Marina Berth.

It did feel really strange to be back in a busy port and a city after many weeks in remote wilderness but we were excited be at a berth and enjoy the delights and places of interest around Darwin.

We will launch from here to go to WA Kimberly coast which requires provisioning for 3 months, service on engines and equipment and getting our paperwork completed with Border passes and permits for WA.  

Best of all we have communications to contact family and friends back home.