Thursday Island is one of a few small islands, just off the northern tip of Australia, in the Torres Strait. Two of the neighbouring islands are called Wednesday & Friday Islands.

The revised itinerary only has 1 sea day between Thursday Island and Darwin, so the original departure time of 18:00 was moved ahead to 12:00. Therefore, our time ashore is only a couple of hours, or little more than a quick walk around the harbour.

Based on the heat and especially the humidity, most passengers only lasted an hour or less, before heading back to the ship.

Temperature: 29C/84F

Wind/Weather: Partly cloudy with light airs

Sunrise/Sunset: 06:35/18:56

Clox: No change (Z+10)

Navigation

We anchored close to Thursday Island shortly after 07:30, with tender operations commencing about 08:00. We were due to sail at 12:00, but at least 1 tour was running late, so the final tender did not return to the ship until about 13:30. Once we cleared the islands, we set course for Darwin at a speed of about 16.6 kts.

Weather

Partly cloudy with light airs

Meals

Today’s special meals:

• Aquavit Terrace (12:00 – 14:00) – Caesar Salad Station

For lunch we joined an Australian couple up in Mamsens’. Judi requested roast beef on white bread, while I enjoyed a roast beef and prawn sandwich. We heard rave reviews on the apple pie, so broke down, finishing lunch with dessert.

At dinner, we returned to our usual table, where we enjoyed dinner with a couple that shuttle between South Carolina and Maine. The anytime menu changed this evening with T-Bone steak replacing the Veal Cutlet. Judi went for the steak. I started with Scallops in a red curry, which was excellent. Very mild curry that didn’t overpower the scallops. For main course, I had the Szechuan stir-fry beef tenderloin, which was excellent.

Activities

With an early arrival, I skipped my walk this morning, working on more photos until we headed to breakfast. Our included tour report time was before 08:00, but we were still enjoying a pot of tea in the MDR, so skipped the tour and headed to the Atrium, after breakfast. We only waited a couple of minutes, then were invited down to the tender platform.

Tour

• Tour type – Ship’s Included Excursion
• Tour Name: Thursday Island Independent Exploration
• Summary – This was really just booking a specific tender ashore, as once ashore you were on your own. No guide or activities.

We wandered around the bay, taking a few photos and purchasing a postcard for our grandsons. Nothing else around the bay was open, so after an hour of heat and humidity, we headed back to the tenders.

The above walkway was just as we exited the pier. It is most interesting as the pavement includes numerous historical facts starting in the 1600’s and going to the last century.

It was a very pleasant and scenic walk around the bay. We stopped at the tents above to purchase a postcard for our grandsons.

We walked to the other end of the bay, stopping at the hotel, but it was not open to dispense refreshments. At that point, we decided to walk back around the Bay and catch a tender back to the ship.

Shortly after we reached the pier, a tender arrived and once discharged we were requested to wait while they reset an engine. As usual, Viking customer service was exceptional, as the Finance Officer walked around with umbrellas for those needing shade and the ratings distributed bottles of water. Once aboard, we were then requested to disembark, as they were still experiencing engine problems. Yet again, they came around handing out umbrellas, bottles of water and cold towels until the next tender arrived.

 

In the afternoon, I attended an excellent lecture from Colonel Coutts-Britton. He discussed the preparations and deceptions used prior to the D-Day landings. His presentation also included the various armies involved and where they landed.

For dinner, the couple that joined us left early for the show, so we moved over to sit with Ron & Allison, enjoying another glass of port. As usual, we got chatting, so it was 21:45 before we left the MDR, way too late for the show, so we headed directly to Torshavn.

As another day closes, we bid you farewell, till tomorrow and hope for fair skies and following seas.