A Month of Thursday

Thursday Island, Australia

So keep in mind that sign, and the information contained thereupon, as we go though our entertainment options on Thursday Island for the month we were there.

First option was to check out the new Torres Straight Islander cultural center (neat and educational)

…or just skip the middle man and make like the natives by going swimming.

Now, to get the full experience you really need to go spearfishing spearfishing in the crocodile infested waters– they have to get the manatee and turtle meat somehow!

Also, if swimming is just a little too close to the relative safety of dry land for your sense of adventure to be quenched – you can always join the annual island to island raft race

And no, we didn’t crew for these guys.
As a rule of thumb, We prefer just a little more freeboard between us and the things that would make us lunch

To be fair, we aren’t much to talk, considering we abandoned ship 800 miles from shore to swim the equator and meet a shark.

And where did those zombie mangoes come from?  Well, a Japanese graveyard of course!

Because when Northern Australia was first getting started they had a pearl industry that the Japanese participated in…as divers.

not surprisingly, some of them died.

Mostly of old age, which actually was surprising.

 

There’s also an old fort here

and though you might think it was built to beat back the island’s giant mutant termite population…

or to protect Australia in WW 2 – being as that’s a thing here…

 

neither is accurate.  The base was built to check the potential Russian invasion…

Back when they were worried about Russia  invading…

In 1892!?

 

So, basically it’s the cold war base from back when before the cold war was cool.

 

And while dodging crocodiles, fighting off mutant termites, eating zombie mangoes and keeping a watchful eye out for the freaking Russian invasion (!?!) be sure to notice the flowers.  The flowers are really great:

[fgallery id=20 w=450 h=385 t=0 title=”A month of Thursday”]

 

Or if all that seems like too much, just grab some grog at the highest pub in Australia and call it a day –

We are beginning to understand why Aussies take the lethality of their homeland as a point of national pride.

 

About the authors

Greg and Tiffany are traveling around the world on sailing yachts and keep a video blog of their (mis)adventures.  If sailing to Tahiti on a 44 ft sailboat, 3-day delays for wine tastings, getting pooped on by seagulls, opening coconuts with dull machetes, sailing past tornadoes and ukulele Christmas carols are for you, then check them out at www.CoastGuardCouple.com!