It feels like just yesterday, L'ORIENTals. A comfortable routine............wake up, breakfast, gym, boat work, happy hour, dinner, repeat. We lived in our comfortable Pacific Ocean marina near Brisbane, and had access to a nice comfortable life. We traveled extensively......Tasmania, Outback, Sydney, Whitsundays, the beaches, etc. But the cruising life is about saying hello and goodbye, and after a total of 18 months off and on in Australia, it was time.
Overnight we have turned from slow cruisers to people in a hurry. As we neared the northern most point in Australia and turned through the Torres Strait it suddenly struck us - we are leaving the Pacific. We entered the Pacific in 2020 and our first sail from Panama City to Nuku Hiva coincided with the start of COVID. Now, six years later, we were saying goodbye to the amazing Pacific with a bit of a lump in our throats. Ahead was a body of water we never thought this boat would take us - the Indian Ocean. Have we lost our minds? Probably. Is this fast pace making us tired? Yes. It is important to get to Malaysia before the allegedly favorable winds turn less than favorable. By the time we get there in November (God willing) we will have sailed close to 5,000 nautical miles since June.
Click to play video of Torres Strait
Back to the Torres Strait. You have to go through it to reach the remote north coast of Oz....gulp. Narrow channels, fierce currents, raging water.........this is a body of water that many sailors fear and all sailors respect. At this juncture, we decided that humans have nothing to fear from AI taking everyone's job. After extensive research on what time we should go through the various channels using AI and our weather forecasting service, we were routinely slammed by contrary current. ChatGPT, Gemini, and others were never able to provide us with correct answers. Often times the various models would get the location and direction of islands completely wrong. While it is kind of a thrill to tell a chatbot it is wrong and receive an apology, it also completely shakes your confidence in using these tools. Motoring into 5 knots of contrary current is both scary and dangerous.
Darwin.......a different experience
Darwin is crazy. As in the tidal range is 28 ft and there are lots of salt water crocodiles everywhere. Getting to Darwin involved a lot of distance and was quite the grind. Anchoring when the bottom of the ocean essentially rises 28 ft then falls 28 ft is nerve wracking. Then came boat troubles. As we prepared to leave for Indonesia and had a morning appointment with the authorities to clear out of Australia, we suffered both an engine failure and a generator failure. Dead in the water, so to speak. I was sure that nobody we had observed in Darwin was skilled enough to help us. Then, probably fearing that we were so beaten down as to be near quitting "the game", Neptune threw us a bone in the form of an Egyptian mechanic named Nafea. Magically, Nafea was able to change a relay (engine fixed) and provide me with an alternative way to start the genset (genset operational). In about an hour. Whew.
This unmanned military drone boat got our attention
The entire northern coast of Australia is prime salt water crocodile country. We stopped in several anchorages but did not get off the boat - the chance of getting attacked by a croc in a remote place didn't seem worth the risk. Darwin actively manages their salt water crocodile population and had removed over 240 crocs from the harbor just by September this year including two 15 foot crocs the week we were there. Nothing keeps you alert on a dinghy ride like the chance of encountering a curious and aggressive croc. Fortunately, we did not see a single croc anywhere in Australia (except a zoo).
The Australian Border Force checked us out of the country, and off we went. Nonstop to Kupang, Indonesia. Kirstin and I began thinking this Indian Ocean stuff would be easy. The favorable current out of Darwin was about 5 knots. We were hurtling through the water at an astounding 11 knots........for awhile. Then the wind lightened, the current disappeared, and it was back to reality. We motored more than we wanted but arrived in Indonesia in four days.
Indonesia customs......at the end they hustled us out of a bottle of wine
Arrival at Kupang was a shock. So much activity, so many people, so much commerce. We finally made the acquaintance of our pay-for-play fixer Mathew. Mathew is one of those guys who talks to you, scans his phone, looks over your head to see who's behind you, and is always on the alert for commerce. Mathew coordinated our clearance into Indonesia, found some high quality diesel we needed and gave us local intel.
Don't think we are in Australia anymore
Kupang is mostly Protestant, unlike the other 97 percent of Indonesia
Interesting use of English
Dutch influences are obvious here
Army base in Kupang - head to body ratio off a bit
Not sure about dreams coming true in Kupang
Knowing that Indonesia is 97% Islamic as a whole, we found it surprising that Kupang is actually 90% Christian........with a smattering of mosques and Buddhist temples as well. The tip off was when Mathew suggested a restaurant specializing in pork. Muslims don't eat pork and, in terms of this restaurant, that is definitely their loss.
Liking my Indonesian cuisine
The island of Timor has an interesting history - the western end is Protestant after being colonized by the Dutch while the eastern end is Catholic due to the Portuguese. After a very violent war that raged from 1975 to the early 2000s, Eastern Timor is now a separate country called Timor Leste. Quite the mishmash. It was in Kupang that we became acquainted with Indonesia's amazing food scene. Dinner for two with soft drinks routinely costs less than $10 USD. The flavors are amazing; in my mind, with the same flavorful pop as good Indian food but not as heavy. More on this later.
A critical find- clean(ish) diesel fuel
Mopeds buy fuel this way.....in glass bottles
If you have ever seen footage of a SE Asian country it probably featured streets clogged with scooters. We got our first taste of that in Kupang. Scooters dodging taxis, pedestrians and potholes. Lines of scooters are seen at every gas station here unless you stop at an enterprising kiosk off the road and buy a glass bottle of gasoline that you immediately fill your scooter with (leaving the bottle behind to be refilled) and you are back on the road. Outer islands have an even greater challenge with fuel - it comes in via the blue barrels shown below on a pretty rough looking vessel.
Nice people but glad we aren't on that boat
From Kupang, we needed to keep up the pace across Indonesia. We had about 1200 miles still to traverse before checking into Malaysia where we wanted to be in early November before the wind change. The idea of sailing in Indonesia had filled us with a bit of dread as everyone seems to have a story of a near collision with a local fishing boat or a FAD (fish attraction device). The acronym FAD makes this sound like some type of high tech device. In most cases you are talking about a bamboo raft with a bamboo structure on top. Some can be picked up on radar but many cannot.
You have to admire the creativity of these FAD designs
Some appear on radar but others do not
Due to these reasons most sailors try to limit their night time sailing unless they need to do an offshore jump between islands. Our first overnight jump was to the Komodo island group.
Getting Jurassic Park vibes
Afternoon nap time for our Dragon
Komodo is an Indonesian national park most well known for Komodo dragons. Some people go on hikes to see a dragon - we just needed to anchor. Within 10 minutes of anchoring we watched a couple in a dinghy go close to shore and sure enough, two Komodo dragons were running down the beach for a rotten squid from their freezer which was quickly devoured (you really aren't supposed to feed them). These are lizards you don't screw around with - they are the largest living lizards in the world weighing in at 60-200 pounds and generally 6.5 feet to 10 feet long. The park rangers that accompany the hikes are all armed and you do not want to be bit by one of these, not only due to the size of their teeth, but also because they are venomous. We took our own dinghy ride (minus the rotten squid) and got some good pictures. We would have liked to spend more time in Komodo but the clock is ticking and we need to make a move into the Java Sea.
They don't call it the Ring of Fire for nothing - volcanos everywhere
The other reason that sailing Indonesia is intimidating are the currents. We knew that but we were about to get a big crash course in adverse currents. Unfortunately our trip north between Komodo and Sumbawa also coincided with a king tide which results in increased currents and tidal ranges. We set off confident in our current timing and got slammed about five miles away from our anchorage with not only an adverse current from the north (which we expected) but a huge current from the west. Time to head south. We escaped that current but the added distance of going south caused us to arrive at our pass a bit late for the optimal current pushing us from the south to the north. With no good bailout options we proceeded through the channel with a bit of a push until the very top where we could make absolutely no forward progress. The current must have been around 5 knots in our face. Needless to say this was a very stressful situation and we breathed a huge sigh of relief when the current eventually let up and we could gun the engine forward into an anchorage. We learned a lot on that sail - Welcome to Indonesia.
Squid boats rule the night
Wouldn't you love these stinky squid next door?
Squid as far as the eye can see (and the nose can smell)
Indonesia is a country of 17,000 islands and 290 million people. At times it feels like every citizen has their own fishing boat. The variety of boats here is incredible. After our scary current experience we had to dodge around 35 squid boats to get into our anchorage. The squid boats have very bright klieg-type lights to lure the squid to the surface, and a superstructure for dropping lines all around the boat to catch them. With squid boats usually fishing in groups, it looks like a strange alien invasion. Making our way around the squid boats and dropping the anchor at night was quite scary because your electronic chart is frequently incomplete and your depth perception is impaired at night, especially in a place you've never been.
"local guy" fishing boats
.... of all varieties
Next stop was Moyo Island for some scuba diving. After largely staying out of the water in Australia due to the vast variety of things that can kill you, being back in the water has been amazing.
The coral health in Moyo was encouraging to see and there were vast clouds of fish in every direction. We dove the same site three days in a row and can't wait for more diving opportunities.
Local houses in Moyo
The local mosque with speakers that reach out into the bay
This is quite upscale for Indonesia
Moyo, like every community we have stopped in has a number of mosques. Throughout the day there are calls to worship that are broadcast on speakers across the community. The big show though is at night between 5-7pm. We now sit on the bow of the boat and listen to the call to worship echo across the water. Frankly, some are better than others. Ironically, our restauranteur in Moyo did an impression of a muezzin's call to worship for us during lunch that was far more melodic than anything we've heard. Many communities have more than one mosque and all do the call to worship at the same time so it is like listening to three overlapping songs.
"Swanky" restaurant on the water
Our spot in Moyo - you can stay here for around $30 a night
While keeping up our relentless pace, we also stopped in some interesting places to preview them for our anticipated return visit to Indonesia next sailing season. First up was Satonda National Park - this is a rather stunning saltwater lake inside of an extinct volcano. What we didn't expect is that it is also home to thousands of flying fox bats that you can see (and definitely hear) while hiking the park.
Great - a map that shows Kirstin every hike she can drag us on...
Peaceful spot - we were the only visitors
A lake in the ocean
Play Video for Thousands of Bats
Gili Air was a strange non-sequitur in this otherwise buttoned down country. Gili means small island in Indonesia. I guess the closest analog I can use is SE Asia meets Myrtle Beach. Gili Air is packed with tourists, restaurants, and beach type businesses.
Nice beach and very warm water
The amount of boat traffic coming in and out during the day was insane
Resort targeting western tourists
You could easily spend a month eating at foodie-type non-chain restaurants and never repeat one. Great beaches and no-cars. Transport is walking or using a horse-drawn cart (OK, a bit different than Myrtle). Anchoring here is a bit of a challenge - tight spot and passenger ferries pass the boat close by at over 10 knots with the resulting wave. Better to be off the boat from 9-5 and at the beach.
No cars allowed
The horse carts have bells that remind you of Christmas
Next up came Bali. We had no desire to be part of the "scene" in the southern part of Bali. Instead we anchored in the North. Lovina was a larger town (every Indonesian city has more people than you expect). More good food, an interesting walk, and a trip to see some Hindu temples.
Bali is largely Hindu
Traditional music at a Hindu temple
Temple grounds in Bali
Very different from anywhere else in Indonesia
The complex goes on and on
Definitely not in the Muslim areas of Indo
That face alone would definitely keep you out
As fashion forward as I consider myself, I fail to see the reason why every visitor (men too) must wear a sarong and a headdress in 92 degree weather. If I favored skirts, I think I have the legs to pull off something far more sporty, but our tour guide/host was having none of it. It was interesting nevertheless.
Tiring of wacky cultural experiences
Amazing artistry
This temple is the oldest in Bali and dates to the 1500s
Our next stop was in the NW of Bali. Much more my speed. Multiple resorts catering to sailors and tourists, a hot tub that was certainly the hottest thermal pool we've ever encountered and more good food.
We spent several happy days lounging by the pool after lunch
Another resort - another lunch and pool
Thermal hot tub......at the far limit of tolerability
More yummy Indo food
The resorts also had alot of curious monkeys - at one restaurant we laughed as a monkey sat on a chair like a patron waiting for a menu. We stayed a few days and will be there a month when we return. Five stars.
Monkey business at the infinity pool
Hold on to your stuff as monkeys move fast
The view from the pool - monkeys and deer
Leaving Bali for Karimunjawa
A different type of colonel... haven't tried it yet
Entering the island of Karimunjawa at night was not really ideal as we dodged many local fishing boats with incredibly bright lights and used satellite imagery to double check the location of the reefs. The entire area is a national park with 27 islands and a lot of coral - fun to snorkel on, not so great to hit with your boat.
Easier to see in the daylight
Indo flag - simple but effective
Perfect paddle boarding
The coral was truly stunning and we also committed to coming back here next season. It was a unique experience to spend the day at the beach surrounded by hundreds of Indonesian locals on the island for the weekend.
Port traffic jam in Karimunjawa
All Indonesians have a boat and some have a boat car
Get the red and white out!
The leaning tower of Karimunjawa
We felt good about ourselves as we pulled into the SW corner of the island of Belitung - only 370 miles to go to the Singapore Straits! And that is where the good times ended. After dropping the anchor we put the boat in reverse to set the anchor as we always do. Uh oh - the entire engine is shaking. Shaking to the extent that Kirstin on the bow said - "what is wrong?" Well, the damper plate on the flywheel just self destructed. We have no engine now.
Going over the equator (fourth time on this trip) and into one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world without an engine is never the plan. It is, in fact, a very bad plan. But that is what we did. 370 miles sailed to Nongsa Point Marina from Belitung - 0 engine minutes. It was a long, slow, hot slog that neither of us would ever want to repeat.
Sailing back across the equator
Time slows down when you are going 1.6 knots. I was driving when a large bird holding something in its claws came through the cockpit window at high speed. I screamed and the bird makes a quick U turn. It took us a moment to recognize that this hawk has just eaten a small black bird that has been on the boat for the last few days. The hawk is a beautiful bird - based on some AI research (which was likely incorrect), this thing appears to be a Japanese sparrow hawk as they migrate south in the northern hemisphere fall/winter.
Jackknife just after he ate another bird
A fearsome bird - until we found him slumped over on the cockpit roof the next morning. We initially feared that he was dead (another bad sign for this already unfortunate voyage), but he kept breathing and sleeping with his eyes closed. We eventually put him into a milk crate with a bowl of water and some towels and hoped he kept going until we could get to shore.
What happened to our fearsome passenger?
Maybe that bird snack was not such a great idea
Many fires have been raging in Kalimantan (a large island to the east) - this time of year the farmers and some companies set fire to the peat land. This is not great in years with normal rain but is positively awful in El Nino years with far less rain than normal - the amount of smoke and haze in the air here is quite incredible. We saw a 300 ft. tanker on our chart plotter's AIS system and on the closest approach of 1.5 miles away we could barely make it out through the haze.
This trip has taken several years off our life and that was before the smoke
Just waiting for a tanker to come out of that smoke
I can't describe the relief when we dropped the anchor in front of the marina channel just as the sun was setting. The next morning we were towed into our slip and the day ended with us in the pool.
Fortunately the dock hand at Nongsa Point Marina is also a bird fan so he immediately came onboard and picked up Jackknife - our adopted little hawk - and took him with his crate to shore for some air-conditioning and encouragement. As of this writing he is still alive but clearly still not well.
Singapore - so close but yet so far.
Our plan of attack is to pick up the new damper plate in Singapore (an hour ferry ride away) when it arrives early next week and then just pop it in. If only it were that easy. This project involves me taking apart the engine components. It is hot in the engine room and this project is intimidating. Man plans and God laughs. But we are safe and have just completed probably the most challenging single sail of our 15 years on this boat. We wanted adventure and we got our wish!
