Head wildlife carer Herman parks the ute and we grab backpacks and start walking, following a mossy trail past coffee bean trees and banana palms into the jungle. Clambering over the buttressed roots of decades-old strangler figs, the haunting song of siamang gibbons..... . .
There’s a ruggedly waterproof camera for every adventure, whether you play on the waves or under them. Underwater photography used to be for pros. You needed a dedicated waterproof camera or a pricey housing for your DSLR, or you were left playing in the shallows..... . .
The night is almost over when we motor our dinghy across Namatote Strait, drawn by the glinting fluorescent bulbs of a dozen fishing trimarans. The lights that attract the nightly catch lure us in too, calling to fishermen as we draw alongside for “ikan besar..... . .
Have you ever slept on a beach? Or swam naked in the sea? Or spent an entire night fishing and foraging and cooking your catch over hot coals, watching the sun go down and the moon rise overhead? Maybe you’ve dared yourself to climb a coconut tree to twist off your own..... . .
The crayfishing dory came out of nowhere, our first sign of life in three long weeks at sea. We’d been on the helm since midnight, braving big swell off the mouth of the Escape River, and racing ahead of gale-force winds gathering quickly to the south. There was no..... . .
Cats have a long history of doing well on boats, and for as long as there have been sailors, cats have been going to sea. At one time the USA Navy gave them personalised passports, and since the early days of Egyptian trading, cruisers have taken cats on board. ..... . .
A favourite Aunt once told me that the boldest way to travel was to head to the furthest point and work your way back. “Giant leaps of faith”, she declared, “were always rewarded”, and that’s how I found my way to Garig Gunak Barlu National Park. This..... . .
It’s the far less sexy side of big dreamy sailing adventures. Before the campfire beach sunsets can begin, before whale sharks and surfing, and you get to immerse yourself in the colour and chaos of clashing cultures, there are endless boat jobs, massive..... . .
Crouched on the riverbank at Cahills Crossing, our spanking new fishing rods in hand and dreaming of big barramundi, the first cast of the day never even hit the water. Instead, my Dad’s line unspooled in a crazy arc, snagging on itself in a mindboggling mess. My..... . .
When sailors talk about safety, we tend to focus on the gear that might save us: life jackets, an EPIRB, flares and life rafts. All these items are essential afloat, but for me, the most important thing you can take to sea is a really sound boat. Filling your emergency..... . .