Moana Kuewa

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		2010.05.11 - 2010.05.04 AUSTRALIA Lady Musgrave Island & Atoll Anchorage Location: AUSTRALIA Lady Musgrave Island Lady Musgrave Island sits in the corner of an atoll (a ring-shaped coral island surrounding a lagoon). There has been a channel chiseled through the reef’s wall that allows boats with drafts (depths) of up to 13 feet (4 meters) to enter and exit. It is a popular belief that the lagoon entrance was blasted out to admit vessels coming to collect guano (bird droppings to make fertilizer). MOANA KUEWA had to enter on high tide to assure that there was enough depth. Plus, we waited to traverse the channel until 1000 – 1400 hrs (thank you John Shuttlewood) to have enough visibility to see the coral walls of the channel and bommies (Australian terminology for coral heads). To our delight, George Brown and Melinda Lamb of the catamaran DEDALUS, arrived one day after MOANA KUEWA. Together, we were on “weather hold” for eight days in the lagoon. Luckily, we had our fabulous friends to enjoy – even if we had salt water in our hair after shuttling between each other’s boats. Mexican Train board game was entertainment central. Lady Musgrave is a Maritime National Park that denies trawling, spear fishing ,and coral and shell collecting. Ashore, there are picnic facilities and camp grounds. Between November and January, loggerhead and green turtles nest on the island with their hatchlings emerging as late as March. During the same period, over 75% of the Great Barrier Reef’s bird population nests! This includes birds that burrow in the sand. We were careful of their nests when walking ashore. We enjoyed the lagoon even in poor weather conditions, that included high winds, white-caps within the lagoon , and lots of rain! Even still, Jeff & Chris; then the following day Jeff and George; went scuba diving within the lagoon. NOTE: after Jeff and George went diving, Melinda prepared a Morrocan feast on board DEDALUS! During the dives, Jeff and George had a close encounter with a large turtle and the three divers saw following fish: Grey Shark, giant Queensland Groper, Blue Lipped Clams, Neon Damselfish, stripped Sergeant Major, orange juvenile Western Gregory, Leopard Coral Trout, Painted Sweetlip Bream, Gold Line Sweetlip Bream , Bridled Spine-Cheek, Thick-lipped Wrasse, Lizard, and juvenile Tailor. George and Medlinda; Jeff and Chris; finally got off their boats for an island walking tour…yes, it rained. Traveling Individuals Names: George Brown, Melinda Lamb, Jeffrey Cheske & Christine Bauman * Some of the descriptions & picture are taken from the Cruising the Coral Coast by Alan Lucas