Latitude 20.12S. Longitude 115.35E. Course N87W. Wind NE force 2 becoming light and variable. Under both steam and sail. Maximum temperature 89F.

0030. Sounded in 27 fathoms ( Sand and shingle)  Light northerly wind. Sounded at 0130, 0230, 0330. In 26 fathoms. ( Sand and shingle)

0615. Commenced steaming. Light north easterly wind.

0900. Observed land on port bow WSW which were the Monte Bello Islands and by the chart Ne 1055 Sheet 7 NWC distant about 30 miles and by Stokes position of the islands about 15 miles. The latter certainly appears correct as it is very improbable we should have seen them at a greater distance.

Noon. Assumed position of Ritchies Reef S86W 14 miles (latitude 20.15S.Longitude 115.22E) North point of Trimouille S12W. ritchies Reef latitude 20.16S. longitude 115⁰ 22’ 30”E.

1230. Sighted Ritchies Reef breaking heavily WSW.

[Tryal Rocks, sometimes spelled Trial Rocks or Tryall Rocks, formerly known as Ritchie’s Reef or the Greyhound’s Shoal, is a reef of rock located in the Indian Ocean off the northwest coast of Australia,] Bearings – hill Trimouille S11E. North extreme of land S5E. alatered course west.

1300 Hill Trimouille S30E. Sounde 24 fathoms ( sand, shingle). North breakers of reef S24W.

1330. Sounded in 20 fathoms ( coral, shingle) North breakers 1350. South breakers. Hill Trimouille S52E.

1430. Reef bore S86E. Longitude by chart 115⁰10’ 30”. Altered course to SW ½ W.

1445. Lost sight of Richies Reef. The reef, although known by the coasters and others to out of its position, there has never been a chance of verifying the position as given by Captain King in the Admiralty Charts and Directions; although a small note ( Volume 3 W.A. Directory- page 164) infers that Captain Stokes a few years later  placed the above reef and Monte Bello 16 mile to the eastward and whose positions have now been found correct as regards the reef and islands and placed by Navy Lieutenant E.O Hallett as Latitude 20.16S. Longitude 115⁰ 22’ 30”. Bearing from hill of Trimouille Island N52W 14 miles. Our  position on the night of 22 December 1971 on shoaling suddenly from 26 to 13 fathoms must have placed us within a short distance of the Ritchie Reef. For this day the least we  was 24 fathoms ( coral, shingle). From the masthead the reef’s appeared in two parts breaking heavily but nothing dry.

1620. Sounded in 40 fathoms ( grey sand). Longitude 115.14E.

1840. Sounded in 40 fathoms (rock). Lightning to south and east. Swell from south westward.

2100 exercised at  Night Quarters.

2315. Shortened and furled sails. Wind light from SW.