| Day 18: Thursday Island October 9, 2005 This was the last day at Thursday Island, and the last day for me onboard the makulu. Amie, Tonia, Jim and I went ashore one last time to walk around the town and then take a hike up to the gunnery fort built on the hill looking over the town during World War 2. (The Japanese were bombing the crap out of the Australian soldiers stationed there to block there advancement across the South Pacific.) It was a wonderful hike, and the mood was goofy and light considering I would be leaving the crew. We had become very close as a group over the course of our travels together, and we wanted the last day to be fun.     | Above: A nice-sized Skink caught on the hilltop Left: Getting in a few last hugs before the day's over. | | |  A Cockatoo sitting in a Mango tree A Rainbow Lorikeet The girls playing with guns! Click to play video: On the Hilltop Eating watermellon on the ferry dock Click to watch video: In the Dinghy |