Raine Island - Nature's Cradle on the Edge of the Coral Sea
Satellite Web Cast From Turtle Heaven and Hell
Journal Entry - 12-14 - 02 - Lockhart River Day Off
We awoke to a still boat and for the first time in two weeks, the sense that we weren't late for something or somewhere. Anchored at Lockhart River for the day, we waited for 28 cartons of supplies which were shipped up from Cairns on a coastal freighter two days earlier.

The morning was spent working on equipment in need of repair and generally putting our lives back together. The island, the wildlife and its schedule were for just one day not running the show. We didn't have to be up at dawn, on the island and then driven off again by the heat at 8:30 or 9:00. The day was ours.
We took on fuel at a barge stationed here. It would also act as our lighter for our supplies when the freighter arrived in the early evening. The fuel barge is operated by a nice guy name Peter who is reputed to be one of the best video/computer game players in tropical Australia. Frankly there isn't much to do. He is stationed here for two weeks every six with another guy. He did tell me that he had moved away from games and now spent his time exploring the web with a broad band connection.
A few of the team took the opportunity to run the Zodiac inflatable tender over to one of the islands and went for a hike. Ashton Ward the sound man on the film team went over with his digital recording equipment and brought back an incredible recording of Torres Straits pigeons in the mangrove forest. Click here to hear a recording. (316K)
We also sent Dr. Jamie Seymour home. The box jellyfish expert and acoustic tag guru had to return to Cairns "to pursue other interests. Integral to the turtle tagging team, he designed the data sampling protocols for the tags, ensuring that the team got the most useful data. He also has a loving family which calls, his daughter Amelia just graduated from middle school and he has to get ready to go back and teach all those adoring students who fight to get into his classes at James Cook University. Dr. Seymour really came away from the trip with a gold mine: an undescribed species of box jellyfish captured one night off the duck board of the Floreat. Scientifically describing the jellyfish should keep him happily occupied for a short while anyway. His good humor, technical skills and boundless knowledge of marine ecology will be missed for the second half of this expedition. It would be hard to tell you how many times I heard, " Hey, what's that in the water?" To which the reply was guaranteed to be, "Not a clue, where's Jamie? Jamieeeeee!!!!" - almost comical if we weren't always learning.
At 7:00 p.m., just after dinner, we pulled back along side the fuel barge and transferred the 28 cartons of supplies we were to receive. Of course, everything cannot go according to plan: one of the tiger shark satellite tags which was supposed to be in the supplies never made it. But other than that and a brief scare over a box of supplies and miscellaneous parts which Richard needed all went according to plan.
We loaded the cartons, stashed the food and drink and pulled anchor for Raine Island. If you read this on 12/14 chances we are somewhere between Lockhart River, on Australia's East coast, and Raine Island pounding into growing seas. The weather is suppose to grow ugly over the next few days and by Monday the north coast of Queensland should have heavy seas with 20 - 25 knot winds. Ugly! The question is will the weather pattern cover the area as far out as Raine Island (90 miles). It would be pretty cool if the coast was getting slammed and we continued to get the glass flat calm weather we have been having at Raine.
Just have to sea what the morning brings.
Don't forget you can email us questions at
raineexpedition@netcarrier.com
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Photo Captions:
• Offloading cartons.
• Marcus skipper Peter.
• Richard at work.
• Dr. Seymour.
• Offloading Dr. Seymor.