Change of strategy

The race is on. Two races to be precise. In a change of strategy we're now going flat out to try to make an anchorage in the Great Detached Reef, just outside the Great Barrier Reef before nightfall tomorrow. The other race is with Mata'irea who have been slowly catching us up and now are 3 miles to our south and about the same distance to the anchorage as ourselves. Originally we planned to time our arrival for dawn, but last night the wind picked up and this morning the option of a good night's sleep, before entering the coral maze beyond the Great Barrier Reef, was too much to resist. We expect Mata'irea to overhaul us, but assuming the wind lasts, which the forecast promises, we should make the anchorage before dusk.

I've been plotting our course through the coral maze beyond the Reef. I've close to filled our GPS with waypoints. Hopefully GPS, the waypoints and a good lookout should ensure we escape the fate of so many boats which came this way in the past. We enter just north of the unpromisingly named Wreak Bay. The landmarks are evocatively named - Sunk Reef, Mt Sorrow, Mt Poverty, Mt Misery but more hopefully there's also a Celebration Reef. To the south of our entrance the mark is "Providential Channel Captain Cook 1170" and further south is the "Bligh Boat Channel". The main entrance in the north of the Torres Straight is also the named, I presume after Captain Bligh (Mutiny on the Bounty), as the Bligh Entrance. Have to keep a close eye on Charlotta tomorrow for any signs of insubordination.

Three big flying fish on deck this morning, but still not tempted.

Position @ 19:00 (GMT +11): S11deg 53' E149deg 31'
Distance to Raine Island Entrance: 146
Daily run: 156