From: dxcoffee@bbs.alt119.net.remove-krd-this   
      
   Australian IOTA - OC-266 - as it was. Part one. Departure, arrival, awakening   
   ...   
   The expedition started ordinary. Preparing for it took away a lot of time and   
   nerves, but you have read the previous article, or you may read if now you   
   wish.   
   At 5:30 am on September 7th an SMS came to my phone reporting a taxi is   
   approaching and located 1 km from the house. It';s time to go. Jacket, shoes   
   (+12 C in Adelaide) and 3 bags are already waiting. Farewell hugs with Larysa,   
   kisses, and a taxi,    
   carrying a 60 kg of luggage and me, went to the direction of Adelaide Airport.   
   A farewell look from the airplane to the morning Adelaide - and went to sleep.   
      
   3.5 hours on a plane to Perth, 2 hours walking through the airport, and 2.5   
   hours prior to Broome passed quietly and sleepily in the chair.   
      
   Broome met me with luxurious airport and +35 C at noon local time.   
      
   Without any delay, slightly sweating, I got the luggage and walk about 20   
   meters to hire car company';s window, where a car was waiting for me already.   
   Derby can be reached by bus actually, but because of time schedule   
   inconsistencies it would require    
   another day lost for the radio (how naive I was planning this expedition).   
   As always, in spite of a paper map provided and GoogleMaps on the phone, I   
   wander through the surrounding streets for half an hour, trying to get on the   
   highway leading to the Derby. What to do, I can not be so perfect - so   
   topographical cretinism I have    
   developed quite well.   
   But I got to the end, and, without losing time to stop, moved towards Derby -   
   220 km of travel. I have nothing to say about the trip, except impressions of   
   termite mounds rocking on either side in huge amounts.   
      
   And occasionally encountered boabs. Occasionally - as this is the edge of   
   their area. And of course - where Australia without road trains would be...   
      
   At dusk I finally rode into Derby, stopped at the first available supermarket   
   (one of two there) and began to call Alan Gough, leader of DVMRG - Derby   
   Volunteer Marine Rescue Group. I knew he was waiting, worried, because we had   
   to get to the ocean very    
   early in the morning.   
      
   Announced the arrival and where I am asked how to find him. He just advised to   
   turn around and look at the service station across the street.   
      
   Hurray - he stood there, filling four jerry cans of petrol for me, what we did   
   not agree!After shaking hands, officially met and talked, he went to the DVMRG   
   base, leaving me to buy water, food, sunscreen and everything necessary, that   
   made no sense to    
   drag with me from Adelaide.Shopping wasn't long and in fulfilled car, I went   
   there too. To get lost was no chance - the entire Derby stretches for ten   
   kilometers along the main street, abutting the bay - but I did it.I turned   
   right at the end of the road,   
    but hesitated, turned around and drove on - immediately received a call from   
   Alan, with a question - isn't my lights darted erratically (it was dark)?Then   
   - again, I turned around and drove up to a huge, 20 meters in height, metal   
   hangar, where the    
   rescue base is located.   
      
   Looking around at the place where I suspected to spend the night before   
   shipping and drove the car inside, I was taken aback by Alan's categorical   
   statement that I will not sleep here, but at his home. Well, who would refuse   
   such warm hospitality?   
   Closing the hangar and strayed through the dark streets of Derby, 15 minutes   
   later we arrived to Alan's family place. I was meet and greet by Alan's family   
   - his wife, daughter and adorable granddaughter. Besides a delicious dinner, a   
   separate, very    
   comfortable room and shower have been offered. It was unexpected and therefore   
   more enjoyable. In general, I've noticed - Australians often say little and do   
   not promise much - but as a result you get a lot more than was agreed,   
   expected or even dreamed.    
   Time for radio stories elapsed quickly, and it was decided to go to bed at   
   midnight - to get up at 4.30 in the morning, load on a boat and go.   
   I didn't sleep well, full of plans, with full mind, how everything will be   
   assembled, what to do first, etc. We had a cup of coffee for a breakfast - and   
   got to the base. Dinghy (motorboat) was stored directly in the hangar standing   
   on the trailer, and    
   Alan and I started to load bags and boxes right there.   
      
   Two crew members came in almost immediately - Barney the skipper and Morris,   
   third guy Rembo the mechanic arrived a minute later. They did put the dinghy   
   in the water to deliver everything to the boat. After 2 trips, with first rays   
   of the sun everything    
   was handled on the boat, which stands 800 meters from the shore (remember the   
   height of the tide in the Derby to 12 meters!). We Dragged the dinghy onto the   
   boat and the adventure began.   
      
   Left - Barney, center - Morris, right - Rembo.   
      
   How real sea wolves run a boat ... At the chair - Morris. Rembo - left.   
   The travel took about 10 hours. Most of the time I was looking around - wild   
   nature, multiple reefs and islands, bright blue water and fresh breeze took   
   all my attention. Almost all the time the boat was weaving between the islands   
   and reefs, so that 200    
   km in a straight line easily turned to around 250-300 km.   
      
   To the destination point of our trip - Viney Island - we came at around 3 pm,   
   hottest time of the day. It was decided to go ashore at the same place where   
   the previous 2004 expedition, on the rocky beach. No information about other   
   possible locations    
   were available, GoogleEarth is showing island with low resolution. And the   
   crew didn't have time to cruise around the island to get something else.   
   Sounder displayed weird readings - even at a distance of 20-25 meters from the   
   shore the depth was still about 70 meters. And it is at low tide. The crew was   
   looking very carefully for a place where to drop anchor - and at the same time   
   not get on the    
   reefs. When found - we immediately began to launch the dinghy, unload on the   
   shore and climb up the shore closer to a rock in the shade. Unfortunately, the   
   boat could not stay for a long time - it was necessary to begin week-long   
   patrol, and thus have    
   the opportunity to throw me to the island and pick up a week later.   
   The process was not easy. The entire beach contains of well-rounded by water   
   stones in size of a fist to a head, mixed with rounded pieces of coral with   
   rigid needles. This sag at each step, it has to be done with caution, first   
   see where you step. Beach    
   is not smooth, about 30 degrees, and has ledges and stony waves; each of them   
   is overcome with great difficulty. On the other hand, this was a plus, as at   
   the hypothetical appearance of a crocodile it would make him almost unable to   
   climb up. Good news    
   to hear from people who live in the area for 20-30 years   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)