Location: Thursday Island, Australia
We started the morning, continuing our passage to Thursday Island. The day started early for some and late for others due to the different watch team rotations. Navigating the narrow channels in between the Tuesday Islands early on in the morning was a great way to start the day. We arrived at Thursday Island at 11 am and had lunch on board. Following lunch, we had Marine Biology, where Carolyn taught us the importance of MPAs (Marine Protected Areas). This was particularly interesting because we had just spent the last few weeks on one of the largest MPAs in the world, the Great Barrier Reef. This class included an activity where we looked at maps of the different regions of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and determined the different levels of protection involved. We all spent a little free time either playing games, reading, or relaxing. After every completed passage, we celebrate with some BA (boat appreciation)! This involves keeping Argo in tip-top shape by polishing her brass and silver, de-greasing the engine room, cleaning off the deck, and organizing the saloon. While Thursday Island isn’t necessarily a bustling metropolis, this is our first stop at an inhabited island since leaving Cairns. We are all pretty excited to reap the benefits of civilization again.