Date : 19-22nd February 2025
Travelled : 1200 NM from Cairns to Darwin.
Visited : Darwin, Northern Territory.
Stayed : Holland Americaโs Zuiderdam
As we depart Cairns in time for a final photo captured below. The sky looks threatening but little eventuates and itโs a smooth nights sailing.
For the next four nights and three days Pam and I settled into ship board life. The first day is particularly interesting as we pass numerous islands within the inner passage of the reef. The second day it rained heavily all day but we are rewarded with a lovely sunset. Passing around Cape York and Thursday Island we turn west for Darwin and spend a day and a half sailing crossing the Gulf of Carpenter.
Saturday morning we find ourselves in Darwin Harbour already tied to the wharf. We probably always imagined Darwin as a provincial town, but it has a very modern look from deck 12.
We have our usual double shot coffee at the Crows Nest before fruit and a walk (3 laps or 1 mile) around the promenade deck. Then itโs breakfast and down to deck two and the shuttle bus to the city centre. In reality we shouldโve have walked, it took longer to load the bus than it did to walk up the hill (itโs a sticks and zimmer thing).
Having walked the mall, Pam finds a little twin piece something that was just what she was looking for, then the chemist and Woolworths for a pair of black socks for me. Itโs just about lunch time as we wander back through the parks and waterfront back to the Zuiderdam.
Back on board for a light lunch and an afternoon of table tennis, swimming and writing this blog. Anyway that was our day in Darwin.
Michael + Pam
