▁ ▁The ▁leg ▁Sydney ▁- ▁Br is b ane ▁- ▁C air ns ▁- ▁Th urs day ▁Island ▁continued ▁in ▁rough ▁weather , ▁as ▁predicted ▁during ▁the ▁winter ▁months . ▁The ▁voyage ▁was ▁difficult , ▁though ▁spect ac ular , ▁ow ing ▁to ▁the ▁sail ▁along ▁the ▁Great ▁Bar rier ▁Re ef . ▁Navigation ▁was ▁critical ▁while ▁sail ing ▁through ▁the ▁numerous ▁re ef s ▁and ▁on ▁one ▁occasion ▁the ▁boat ▁ran ▁a ground ▁on ▁a ▁moving ▁sand bar . ▁Fort un ately , ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁damage ▁though ▁the ▁crew ▁had ▁to ▁wait ▁till ▁the ▁next ▁high ▁t ide ▁to ▁sail ▁the ▁boat ▁off . ▁The ▁sail ▁through ▁Tor res ▁Stra its ▁again ▁caused ▁anxious ▁moments ▁as ▁the ▁Stra it ▁is ▁only ▁about ▁a ▁mile ▁wide ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁challenge ▁navig ating ▁through ▁this ▁narrow ▁passage . ▁From ▁Th urs day ▁Island ▁to ▁Dar win ▁was ▁a ▁pleasant ▁sail ▁and ▁the ▁crew ▁finally ▁got ▁some ▁resp ite ▁from ▁ad verse ▁weather ▁conditions . ▁This ▁gave ▁the ▁crew ▁opportunity ▁to ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁communication ▁equipment ▁to ▁re - est ab lish ▁radio ▁communic ations ▁with ▁India ▁through ▁the ▁H AM ▁network . ▁Since ▁round ing ▁the ▁Cape ▁of ▁Good ▁Hope , ▁there ▁had ▁been ▁no ▁direct ▁communication ▁between ▁the ▁boat ▁and ▁India . ▁Maj ▁SN ▁Math ur ▁was ▁an ▁expert ▁H AM ▁operator ▁and ▁he ▁soon ▁established ▁a ▁regular ▁link ▁with ▁India . ▁ ▁Tr ish na ▁left ▁Dar win , ▁North ▁Australia ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁October ▁ 1 9 8