We were ready to leave Darwin a few days before, but there was no wind, so remained and enjoyed the northern city for a few extra days. We ignored the superstition about not leaving port on a Friday, and left Darwin to head for the Kimberleys on 1 August. At first there was little wind, but we could see a band approaching from the SE and held on waiting for it to hit. With a few spots of rain and gusts over 30 knots, the front passed through, and promised us wind to carry us along the eastern shore of the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf down to the mouth of the Ord River.
Instead of the direct route to the Berkley River, following the coast line along the gulf adds a little extra distance, but allowed us to put the anchor down and sleep at night. This allowed us to relax and enjoy the sunrise and sunsets.
The weather soon developed the pattern for the northern Australia coast, with strong offshore winds in the morning and onshore winds in the afternoon, but with extended periods of calm between. After stops at Bare Island, Blaze Point and Port Keats, there was not going to be enough wind to get us across the base of the gulf in one day, so we had to have a calm night at sea to get across to Lacrosse Island in the mouth of the Ord River.
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