Day 52 – Sail the Australian Coast

Another sea day meant more lectures for us this morning. Tim and I attended a talk by Guest Lecturer Captain Vikram Hede on “Strait Facts.” I knew nothing about the history, people, and culture of Thursday Island and the Torres Strait, where we’ll be in a few days, but I now have a better understanding.

Strait Facts - History and Culture of Torres Straits and Its People

Located between Australia and New Guinea, Torres Strait is an important international sea lane but is very shallow, with a maze of reefs and islands that can make it hazardous to navigate. Captain Vikram is a Reef Pilot whose job is to guide ships through the strait.

Torres Strait Islanders are ethnically distinct from the Aboriginal peoples of the rest of Australia and have their own flag. In fact, Australia has three official flags, the Australian National Flag, the Australian Aboriginal Flag, and the Torres Strait Islander Flag.

Australian National Flag, Australian Aboriginal Flag, and Torres Strait Islander Flag

I remained in the Star Theater for Nitza Lowenstein’s lecture on “Australia’s Unique Landscapes.” She introduced us to amazing places throughout Australia, and the beautiful images have only made me more determined to do a land tour here.

The Unique and Diverse Landscapes of Australia

There Are So Many Amazing Landscapes in Australia

Lunch featured another special culinary event, a Cobb Salad and Avocado Station.  This one was almost as popular as the Pizza Station several days ago.

Cobb Salad and Avocado Station

On earlier cruises, I would typically wait until the end to include photos of some of my favorite crew members. This time, I want to start earlier and include at least one photo every few days. Head Waiters Nasser and Michael are two of these special people. They always welcome us with a smile and see to our every need. I enjoy chatting with them.

Nasser, Sarah, and Michael

As we sail along the Australian coast, we can see land in the distance from time to time. Tonight, at sunset, was one of those times.

Sunset Over the Australian Coast