We are here! 2023 trip underway

 

After a quick change of plans due to a flight cancellation, we left Adelaide at 10.00pm on Saturday 15 April (instead of 8.00am on Sunday 16 April). Well done to Aaron for this amazing re-scheduling work all day yesterday -  a marathon phone effort. 

We arrived in Darwin at 1.40am on Sunday morning and all were in rooms in H on Smith by 3.30am. We met for breakfast at 9.00am and then went on our first historic walk along the Esplanade in Darwin. Here are some early photographs.  Tonight we head down to Stokes Hill Wharf for dinner. All going well after an unexpected start to the tour!



Our first history talk on Darwin Harbour at the USS Peary Memorial.

The USS Peary was a US destroyer sunk by enemy air attack in Darwin Harbour on the 19 February 1942. 92 (although the information at the site says 88) servicemen died aboard the ship, the greatest loss of life on any of the ships sunk in the attack. Today visiting US naval ships still pay tribute to its fallen. Survivors have their ashes scattered over the wreck, finally returning to their ship and fallen comrades.  

Arriving at the Novotel


Walk to the Cenotaph and dinner at Stoke Hills Wharf















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