Hello from Indonesia,

We cleared Customs on Monday 7/10 and headed for Gun Point ( 25nm) and anchored to await the outgoing tide to pass the Vernon Islands. You have to use the tides up here or you end up going backward. We up anchored at 0600 and headed to Alcaro Bay (85 nm). The first 75 nm we covered in 10.5 hrs , but the tide turned before we reached our destination and the last 6 nm took 2 hrs. At one stage I thought the Cape Don Lighthouse was going to overtake us as our speed was down to 0.8 Knots with the engine cranked up. Alcaro Bay is nice anchorage to wait for suitable weather window to head north.

We departed  Alcaro Bay at 0900 on Friday 11.10.24 and headed for Saumlaki (200nm) which will be a 2 night sail. The first day the weather was perfect with 10 to 15 knots of wind and sea state less than 1 metre. But by day 2 the wind picked up to 18 to 23 knots and a swell of 2 to 3 metres beam on and stayed that way for  the next 20 hours.A very rough day and night with the weather easing the early hours of Sunday morning on the 13th. We anchored at Saumlaki at 1030 after a passage of 49.5 hrs. Sailing for 39 hours and motor/motor sail for 10.5 hrs. We rested up on Sunday to get ready for the formalities on Monday.

The process of entering Indonesia covers Quarantine, Immigration and Customs. We  had to pick up the Quarantine Officer by tender and ferry him to our for his Inspection. Then we walked to Immigration with more paper work and then finally Custom's which involved me being a pillion passenger (I have not been on the back of a bike for a very long time) on his motor bike back to our tender for yet another ferry trip for his Inspection. The whole process took 4 hours and they were all very friendly.


Departing Darwin


Passing Cape Don Light House


Alcaro Bay


Sunset Day 1


Approaching Tinibar Island


Approaching Saumlaki


Saumlaki

Immigration


Quarantine Boat Trip









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