THURSDAY ISLAND (day 49)

Thursday Island or TI is all of 1 &1/2 miles all together. It is one of the inner islands of the TORRES STRAIGHT which is a passage through the GREAT BARRIER REEF. We have been navigating along the REEf for the last three days, following Captin Bleigh's route after the Mutiny on the Bounty set him and eighteen of his men adrift in a long boat, with minimal provisions. All the while he was navigating the 3700 miles back to Temor he claimed and named these islands for Britain.

TI is laid back and extremely hot and humid and there is not much happening. We were on the island about 3 hrs. during which time we spent time in the Green Hill Fort. There were some pretty interesting artifacts in the fort, especially considering that it was built in 1890. The only parts of the fort that are visible above ground are the 4 gun turrets the rest of the fort was dug by hand and consists underground tunnels, which we visited. The interesting thing is that it was originally built to protect TI from the Russians, which was not necessary & never happened. The fort, however, was in a strategic position during both WW's I & II.

APPROACHING THURSDAY ISLAND AT 6:30 AM

TI WAS KNOWN FOR IT'S PEARLING INDUSTRY. JAPANESE DIVERS WORE THESE DIVE SUITS IN ORDER TO HARVEST THE PEARL  SHELLS USED TO MAKE PEARL BUTTONS. WHEN PLASTIC WAS INVENTED IN THE 1970'S PEARL BUTTONS BECAME OBSOLETE. 

ENTRANCE TO TI HARBOR FROM TORRES STRAIGHT. (where the guns from the fort are pointed) THE SIVER WHISPER WAS ANCHOREDAT THE ENTRANCE AND WE WERE TRANSPORTED TO TI BY LAUNCH.

At sea tomorrow, stay tuned...