Speedwell of Hong Kong

On to Belitung

Friday, August 19th, 2022

August 2022

The passage from Bawean to Belitung was rather a mixed bag. We had to cover a distance of 380 nautical miles with no possible places to stop en route which, at best, would take about 4 days (and nights, of course).

Getting some sleep was going to be a problem for me as a single-hander. The Karimata Strait between Borneo and Java is a very busy shipping lane with a lethal mixture of massive, fast-moving tankers and container ships, slow-moving barges, confused fleets of fishing boats and anything else that floats. I hadn’t been able to stock up with Red Bull or even Coke and would have to rely on strong espresso to keep me awake.

Four days would be pushing it. But, of course, it’s always possible to get the odd forty winks and I have become accustomed to sleeping in 20 minute snatches when necessary. So I set off optimistically.

The first two days went well with an easy following wind and we covered nearly 100 nautical miles each day which is brilliant for Speedwell. There was plenty of traffic, as expected, but it was avoided easily enough, although the constant, irritating alarm from the AIS was annoying. I had set it to go off if anything was expected to pass closer than 10nm. This was obviously ridiculous and I changed the settings so that it would only shriek at me for anything that might pass closer than 2 nm. A definite improvement.

After two perfect days the wind decided to get playful and for the rest of the passage we had a contrary light NE wind. The sea was still relatively smooth and we kept moving along at a fairly steady 1.5 to 2 knots with the occasional couple of hours motoring when all progress stalled. On one slow occasion I had a companionable visit from three friendly dolphins. Now and then a big bright fishing boat would come up close to get a look at us.

At last, after 6 days and nights we were sailing slowly along the North coast of Belitung Island having rounded the large area to the east, which was scattered with small rocky islands and shallows, at a safe distance. A large fleet of fishing boats was working near the anchorage and I held my position until the sun was up so that I could enter the bay in good light.

The anchorage off Tanjung Kelayang is famous for it’s magnificent granite rock outcrops which are surrounded by coral patches and there are many coral heads in the bay, so caution was required. I had planned my approach and anchoring spot using the Offline Maps app and motored carefully in. Just as I was about to drop the anchor in about 5 meters on a sandy bottom in the easiest recommended place, a local boat approached and signalled for me to follow him. I wasn’t all that keen, but followed obediently for a while, anxiously looking over the side at the bommie-scattered bottom. I realized that he was showing me to another of the recommended anchoring sites, closer inshore. It is snugly situated between two big reefs with smaller patches of coral at either end. I decided that in my almost hallucinatory state after so little sleep for so many days, the complexity of the situation was beyond my current capabilities and I gave him a wave and did an about turn to retrace my track back to where I had first planned to stop. I hope that the man understood my position.

Muzzi and Rob on Lalamanzi were anchored in a different area between some boulder islands and sent me a welcoming WhatsApp message. I grabbed a blissful two solid hours of sleep and then joined them for lunch ashore. As the day progressed I realized that the place I had chosen was exposed to the swell that seems to roll in every afternoon. Lalamanzi’s anchorage was better sheltered, but just too far away from the beach for me to be able to row myself ashore.

The next day I raised the anchor and carefully manoeuvred Speedwell into the gap in the reefs that I had previously chickened out of. It is still a bit rolly in the afternoons, but at low tide the sheltering reefs make it perfectly comfortable and it is within easy rowing distance of the beach.

The fine white sand stretches the length of the bay and there are big outdoor restaurant areas dotted all the way along. Popular with visitors from Jakarta, I was told. Many colourful boats are moored in the shallow water close to the beach and in the evenings the fishing fleet goes out at sunset for a long hard working night.

The main ‘tourist attraction’ is the fantastic collection of rocky outcrops. I have been able to paddle my kayak in and around them in the early mornings before the wind picks up and they are quite stupendous. The surrounding water is crystal clear and I float either over beautiful coral patches or snow white sand overlooked by the towering rocks. A very big turtle almost always makes an appearance as he patrols his territory. I would love to just float around in this area on my kayak all day, but it’s quite a long way downwind of Speedwell and I have to keep an eye on the conditions before it becomes just too much of a battle to get back.

My plan is to clear out of Indonesia from Tanjung Pandan, which is the main town on the island and an official Port of Entry. A few days ago I went in to town to have a look at the harbour and do some shopping. There is a very good fresh market and an excellent supermarket and I found the crowded harbour totally fascinating. The tide was very low as it was full moon and the hundreds of brightly coloured fishing boats tied to the docks were mainly sitting in the mud. I was thinking of anchoring in the harbour to be closer to the Immigration and Customs offices. It looked as though it would be possible but I wasn’t sure where I would be able to get ashore in my little dinghy. Something to think about.

Wednesday, 17^th August was a public holiday – a celebration of Indonesia’s independence from the Dutch who dominated trade in the area from the 17^th century onwards and occupation by the Japanese at the end of World War II. The red and white of the national flag was in evidence all along the beach and my friends Muzzi and Rob joined me for lunch on Speedwell.

Posted in Cruising, Indonesia | 4 Comments »

Bali to Bawean

Saturday, August 13th, 2022

August 2022

After two wonderfully relaxing days at Banyu Wedang, on the NW corner of Bali, I was ready to set sail for the island of Bawean about 200 nm to the NW in the middle of the Java Sea. The weather was perfect for the passage giving me some marvellous downwind sailing, at which the junk rig excels. Most of the time I reefed two of the 6 panels with the sail squared right out. We were doing a comfortable 4 to 5 knots over a smooth sea. What a pleasure!

There was quite a lot of coastal shipping running down from Surabaya and along the coast of Java heading for Bali and beyond. A sharp watch was needed and we had a number of pretty close encounters which made me grateful for the AIS information which helped me to judge whether it might be necessary to alter course. I still feel more comfortable using a handheld compass once the vessel is in sight and it seems more reliable to establish exactly how the situation is evolving. Many of the boats don’t transmit an AIS signal and then the compass really comes into its own. At one point after getting past some islands which were blocking the way and then turning NW up the coast of Java I spotted what I thought was a smallish uncharted island. The light was awkward and it was difficult to get a clear view of what I was looking at. It seemed that a boat was anchored nearby. As we got closer I realized to my shock that it was no ‘island’ but an enormous sand barge and the ‘anchored’ boat was a tug pulling it along at the end of a very long tow line. Not something I would want to unwittingly encounter in the dark.

On my second day out, I was surprised by a wondrous Javanese fishing boat which had come up behind me and passed close astern. I struggled to get my phone in hand to take a picture and just managed one before he sped away in the distance after a friendly wave.

After two moonless and sleepless nights at sea I was approaching the anchorage on the north coast of Bawean as the sun rose. This seemed to be a base for the barges as I spotted 5 being towed in different directions and there were 3 anchored in the bay. I motored carefully as far away from them as possible and as close to the beach as I dared, anchoring in 3 meters on a flat sandy bottom. A perfect anchorage.

I spent the rest of the day catching up with the sleep deficit and just enjoying the surroundings. There was an excellent internet connection from Telkomsel and I was glad that I had invested in the new tablet and sim card.

The next day I took the dinghy ashore, landing on a convenient sandy beach near the narrow, single lane, no-line, road that runs all the way around the island. I was hoping to find a shop or market stall for some fresh fruit and vegetables.

All the houses on the island seem to be alongside the road and as I walked along, enjoying the green jungly vegetation and wooden houses, I was constantly greeted by the friendly residents, who just wanted to say hello and find out where I had come from. There was the usual amazement that I was sailing a boat on my own. It was refreshing, after Bali, that no one was trying to sell anything. Just friendly smiles and chat.

I reached a small ‘supermarket’ and was able to buy some snack food, but there was no sign of any fresh fruit and veg. On the way back I was invited into one of the houses which was part of a small village at the water’s edge. They made me sit with them and were keen to practice their English. I was hoping to practice my Bahasa Indonesia. It was all very pleasant. Two freshly picked green coconuts were found and the top slashed off one for me to drink. The second was for me to take back to the boat. How lovely!

I would have liked to stay longer in the wonderfully comfortable anchorage but I needed to keep moving. Next stop Belitung about 380 nm further on.

Posted in Cruising, Indonesia | 2 Comments »

Leaving Lombok

Thursday, July 28th, 2022

July 2022

Life had become just a little too comfortable in the wonderful Lombok anchorages of Gili Gede, Marina del Ray, Gili Asahan and Gili Goleng. The SE monsoon was in full swing and it was time to shake things up and get moving again. My visa had been extended for another 60 days which was hopefully enough time for me to sail comfortably up to Malaysia. I planned to enter at Kuching in Sarawak on Borneo, making as many anchoring stops in Indonesia as possible along the way. Not being much of a forward planner, I decided to take things one step at a time. First stop would be the touristy beach town of Lovina on the south coast of Bali.

In order to get there I had to cross the dreaded Lombok Strait with its fearsome currents. The easy way to do this is to head up to the Northern Gilis and maybe a bit further on to Medana Bay or Siri Beach, staying close enough to the west coast of Lombok to avoid the worst of the wicked southerly current.

I made my farewells at the marina and set off heading north. It was a perfect day and I had a lovely sail, hardly noticing any adverse current. I had thought of possibly stopping overnight at Sengigi on the west coast of Lombok, as I hadn’t yet tried that anchorage, but the wind was more South than East and it didn’t look too promising. I carried on to Siri and anchored in 14m in the protected bay, surrounded by white beaches and tall palm trees. An interesting mixture of traditional fishermen’s palm thatched houses with outrigger boats drawn up on the beach and some rather exclusive resort establishments.

I had a cooling swim and enjoyed the sunset.

Next morning I rowed ashore early and had a walk all the way along the beach. The resorts all looked rather empty but the workers and fishermen were about and I found myself being shown a collection of beautiful locally produced pearls. Black, cream and pink. The prices were quite reasonable and I was tempted but I settled for some delicate macramé bracelets with tiny odd-shaped pearls involved.

After a couple of relaxing days I decided to make the leap across the Lombok Strait to the north coast of Bali and anchor at Lovina which many people had recommended as a comfortable place to stop. It was a distance of about 73 nautical miles which would mean 24 sleepless hours for me. With strong currents and lots of traffic, both big ships and small fishing boats. I would have to keep a continuous, sharp lookout. To add to the problem, there are numerous FAD’s or Fish Attracting Devices scattered along the coast of Bali. These are strange constructions of bamboo and palm fronds with underwater nets. They are not lit and quite impossible to spot at night. So it was with some trepidation that I bravely set off.

The crossing of the strait was easy with a useful breeze moving us along at a comfortable 4 knots, the full sail up and looking beautiful. It was great to be out at sea again. About half way along the north coast of Bali, the sun was getting low and the wind died completely. I had been expecting this and was ready to get the engine going. We were forced to motor the rest of the way. I was keeping a careful watch, sitting in the cockpit all night. A small bit of moon helped for a while but it was a dark night. I was about 5 miles offshore, hoping to avoid the FADs and had a beautiful view of the sparkling lights of Bali lighting up the mountainous coastline. There were many groups of small fishing boats out with very bright lights shining to attract squid, and were easily avoided.

By sunrise next day I was approaching Lovina. Perfect timing. I had recently discovered a wonderful app for my phone called Offline Maps which allows you to download satellite images of your destination and with GPS ability shows your exact position with respect to the reefs. A tremendous help in a place like this, where the sheltering reefs were not easy to spot in the early morning light and the Navionics charts give very little detail.

As I neared the entrance I had to negotiate a flotilla of outrigger tourist boats loaded with hopeful dolphin watchers. They crowded around, chasing about towards any possible movement of the dolphins. I could see quite a lot of churning about in the water where there was obviously a group of the creatures. I turned to avoid the crowds and suddenly to my absolute amazement and wonder a perfectly choreographed group of four big gleaming dolphins broke the surface in an elegant arching leap, lined up with military precision, looking straight ahead. It was stupendous. It seemed as if they knew exactly what was expected of them and were happy enough to oblige. But, just the once, and then they were off, duty done.

Lovina has a black sand beach which makes it difficult to judge the depth of the water by sight, but it was easy to find a good spot in about 9m of water and close enough for a short row ashore. The tourist industry is making a slow recovery after the Covid lockdown and one has to run the gauntlet of people trying to sell trinkets or taxi rides or guided tours. Many trendy restaurants line the colourful streets and the ornate Hindu temples make for an exotic scene. A tall column supporting a dolphin statue is a gathering place on the beach for locals and visitors to sit and watch the sunset before continuing with their more strenuous evening entertainment.

I was very happy to get the opportunity to meet up with Ruth again. She was anchored in the bay on her boat, Tropicali, and we were able to do some catching up.

Unfortunately the anchorage is a bit rolly and after 2 or 3 days I had had enough and moved 32nm further along the coast to a much more protected anchorage at Banyu Wedang. Again Offline Maps made it easy to navigate the reefs on either side of the fairly narrow entrance, but this time they were also easy to spot by eye. The anchorage is rather deep (19m) but perfectly sheltered with flat water. The wind had picked up and I decided to wait a few days for slightly calmer weather before setting off across the Java Sea.

Tags: Bali, Lombok, Lovina
Posted in Cruising, Indonesia | 2 Comments »

The Road to Mataram

Tuesday, July 12th, 2022

July, 2022

Due to the ill-timed problems with my ancient teeth I have been forced to make regular visits to a dentist in Mataram, the capital city of Lombok. It’s a one and a half hour car ride each way along a narrow, winding and busy road. Each trip from Gili Gede where I’m moored at Marina del Ray starts with a dinghy ride to the mainland where Hak, whom I have come to rely on over the months, will be waiting with his comfortable car, ready to do the driving.

The marina dinghy drops me off as close as it can get to the rough stone jetty, but sometimes if the tide is too low I have to jump off and try to reach the shore without getting my feet wet.

It’s not a boring drive. The road starts off very close to the shore where hundreds of colourful outrigger fishing boats are drawn up on the beach after a hard night of fishing in the strait. These are the boats that I had been so amazed at when I first arrived. It’s still fascinating to see them. Brightly coloured and well maintained with their crab-claw sails furled around their lowered masts. Most also have long-tail outboard motors but the sails get used if there is any wind. When all else fails, they can be paddled.

All along the road there are mosques placed at regular intervals. Sometimes there will be a man sitting on a chair in the middle of the road opposite the mosque holding a bowl or basket to collect donations from the passing motorists to help towards the restoration or upkeep of the mosque. A brave collector.

There is also a sprinkling of Hindu shrines with their very decorative stonework.

A little way along we come to the village of Tawun where there is a regular open market on Tuesdays. It’s a busy scene but much smaller than the market in Pelangan and easier for me to negotiate as being entirely in the open air it’s not quite so noisy and confusing.

Most of the traffic consists of motorcycles with every imaginable load. Fully draped women with hijabs and long skirts or sarongs flapping and one or two or three kids arranged front and back. Men with enormous loads of fodder which they have cut and are now taking back to feed their cows. The heavy green bundles extending for more than a meter each side. Then there are the snack vendors with their portable cooking arrangements strapped to the back seat of their cycles. Big square food containers. Crates of chickens. I haven’t actually seen this myself, but Neal Stephenson in his amazing book, Cryptonomicon, describes ‘Vendors with pushcarts loaded with boiling oil are not only keeping up with them but cooking fritters along the way’ which totally captures the scene.

All these motorcycles need fuel of course and informal petrol stations are scattered at convenient intervals. The blue tinted ‘benzin’ is sold in litre cool-drink bottles from small kiosks. Other small stalls advertise ‘cuci motor/mobil’ – cycle or car wash.

Chickens and laid-back dogs mingle at the side of the road. No one rushes. A dog will wander across the road, stopping half way for a scratch, and amble along to the other side, miraculously being avoided by the passing parade. I have seen a great big gas-tanker slow down to avoid a tiny chick struggling to keep up with mother hen.

Then there are the rice paddies wherever there is an open expanse which can be used. Wonderfully intricate water channels irrigate the fields as needed. The work of planting and taking care of the rice is all done by women wearing their characteristic pointy hats. The harvested rice kernels are spread out on tarpaulins next to the road to dry in the sun.

A little way along there is an area where salt is being traditionally processed from the sea water.

Approaching the harbour of Lembar the water is dotted with small bamboo huts on stilts which are used to attract fish. None of these are lit at night, which would make a night time approach to the harbour very challenging.

At one point the road climbs up a steep hill and winds down the other side. It’s a tricky section of road and all traffic slows down, either grinding painfully up or using low gear and brakes to control the precipitous decent. There are crash-bars along the edge of the road and these are a favourite place for monkeys to sit and spend a few hours watching the crazy humans.

All along the road there are small stalls piled with fresh fruit and vegetables for sale.

Its almost disappointing to eventually reach the outskirts of the city with its colourful welcoming construction of latticed arches. The traffic increases alarmingly but somehow or other we get through the chaos. Every traffic light has a platoon of hopeful snack sellers who offer roasted nuts, sliced pineapple or other strange-looking edibles. Then its a few hours of concentrated shopping or visiting the immigration offices before heading back to the peace and sanity of my little yellow boat.

Posted in Cruising, Indonesia | 3 Comments »

A Month on the Hard

Friday, March 4th, 2022

February, 2022

Since leaving New Zealand at the end of April last year, Speedwell had been through some rough weather and was looking a little the worse for wear. I had been putting off the thought of hauling out and doing a serious bit of maintenance but the move was forced on me after noticing a rather ominous looking hairline crack in the middle of the yard, where the halyard attaches. Something had to be done. I contacted Pete Hill who had made the yard for me back in 2005 and he suggested that a replacement might be in order. The lazyjacks also needed replacing and the anchor light at the masthead had stopped working. If I hauled out to repaint the topsides I could lower the mast and get all these jobs done quite easily. And so it happened.

Medana Bay Marina on the Northwest corner of Lombok has a haulout facility and had been recommended to me. It seemed like a good place to try. I needed to arrive there on a day when the wind was not blowing on shore as this creates problems with waves on the slipway. I waited a week or so for favourable weather before heading north from Gili Gede.

While I was waiting for the wind to change to a convenient southerly blow, I took a day to do a walk all the way around the island, something that I had been meaning to do ever since I first arrived. It was an interesting day. There are no cars or horse-drawn carts on the island and for most of the way there is a footpath. The path is also used by scooters and bikes and in some places the beach made a more enjoyable way to go. I love just paddling along the shore but have to restrain myself from collecting too many shells and pretty stones. Storage on board is very limited. The path goes through a few small scattered villages and some closed-up and empty tourist resorts. Lots of outrigger fishing boats are hauled up on the beaches, ready to head out to sea in the evenings.

At one point my path was cut off by a river that was too deep for me to wade through. A pont made of some planks of wood lashed to barrels was floating at the bank, but I wasn’t sure if I would be able to operate it myself. Some friendly picnickers gave me a hand and hauled me safely across.

A few days later the wind changed and I set off early to do the 30nm trip to Medana Bay. It was a slow day with a 1 knot current running against us which created an uncomfortable chop and really slowed us down. On top of which, I was a little concerned that the yard might choose this little trip to collapse. But all went well and we picked up a mooring off the Medana Bay Marina at about 5pm.

The next morning workmen were out early clearing the slipway of sand which gets washed ashore by the wave action. Soon all was ready and I was guided on to a long trailer hauled by a massive tractor. It took a bit of work to get the supporting arms of the trailer correctly positioned to safely hold Speedwell’s narrow hull.

All went smoothly and I left the team to give the hull a thorough pressure-wash while I went for lunch at the marina’s Sail Fish restaurant. Eating at the restaurant was to become one of my almost daily treats as the food was delicious and very reasonably priced. Much easier than walking to the village to go shopping and cooking on my hot little boat. Not to mention the icy cold Bintang!

The marina is owned and run by Peter Cranfield and his wife Ibu Ace. A rather lovely park-like garden and restaurant make the agonies of living aboard a small boat on the hard in a tropical boatyard reasonably bearable. Speedwell was given a site on a grassy field close to the security guards at the entrance. I was happy there and there was always someone ready to help when needed. Thank you everyone!

One of the first jobs to tackle was to lower the mast. A fairly easy job as the mast hinges in a tabernacle and can be lowered using a line attached to the base of the mast and another to the top and led back to the sheet winches. I have done this a few times now and it is almost becoming routine. Helpers were readily available and all went smoothly. Pete Hill did a wonderful job when he built the mast and tabernacle for me back in 2004/5 when I converted Speedwell to junk rig.

Peter put me in touch with a skilled carpenter who was able to make me a new yard using teak. We decided on an exact copy of the original but I did not replace the stainless steel U-bolt which I had used before to attach the halyard block, but opted to use a strop constrained by ‘thumb cleats’, or really just a little block of wood either side to prevent the strop from slipping out of position. The yard hauling parrel is also connected directly to this strop. I was tempted to varnish the new teak yard, but finally decided to paint it white as the old one had been.

While waiting for the yard to be made I kept myself busy sanding down the topsides ready for repainting. I was using my handy battery operated orbital sander which does a very good job and isn’t too heavy for my ancient old arms. I only have one rechargeable battery for it which will do about 40 minutes sanding before it dies. A recharge takes about an hour and a half which is just enough time for me also to recover for the next round.

Before putting on the new yellow paint I hired a man to do the awful job of sanding the old antifouling on the underwater part of the hull. A truly horrible job that I had no wish to do myself. It needed to be done before the topsides got their new coat of paint as it makes a dreadful mess of everything.

Work progressed steadily. Before long I was able to finish off the yard and fit it to the sail. All looked good. The mast was hauled back up, yellow paint and green stripe applied, two coats of antifouling rollered on. There were many, many more jobs that I could have tackled, but I could do those while afloat and was longing to get back on the water. I re-attached the battens to the sail while spreading it out on the grass and then hauled the rolled up sail-bundle aboard using the halyard.

The weather was kind and on 23^rd February, after just over a month, Speedwell was relaunched. The trailer was carefully backed down the slipway until we were in water deep enough for me to test the engine and to my great relief it started without any problems. Many thanks to Peter and his competent staff!

After spending a day at Gili Air to do some shopping I had a really lovely fast sail back to Marina del Ray. The new yard seems just fine and the patched up old sail was looking rather handsome.

Posted in Cruising, Indonesia, Junk Rig | 5 Comments »

A Short Break on Bali

Thursday, January 13th, 2022

January 2022

A few days before Christmas I took a slow ferry across the Lombok Strait from the port of Lembar to Padang Bai on Bali. Getting aboard involved a PCR test and mask and the enormous boat was nearly empty. I found a place at a table on the exposed upper deck and had a good view of the surroundings. I was interested to see the state of the water and how the ferry would handle the strong current. Needless to say, there were no problems.

As we approached the Bali coast I had a magnificent view of Mount Agung, the tallest volcano on the island.

Ruth was there to meet me when we docked at Padang Bai and it was a short, scenic drive to her house near the beach at Labuan Amuk.

It was low tide the next morning and we went for a long walk on the black sand beach. The volcano once again visible through the clouds and hordes of small spidery fishing boats moored in the bay. Ruth’s yacht, Tropicali, rides comfortably to a mooring quite near to the fishing fleet.

On the walk back we were lucky to reach a group of fishermen hauling in their nets. We had seen them start the job of pulling in the enormous net which had been set out in the bay, when we started our walk. Now, nearly an hour later, we could see that they had a good catch and the nets were heavy with fish. Crowds of people came down to help and carry their share away in baskets. Ruth and I bought 3 beautiful silvery ones for a BBQ.

Next day we drove up to Ubud to fetch Muzzi and Rob who had been spending a few days there. Ruth took the scenic route and it was a wonderful chance for me to see a bit more of the island. We stopped to have a look at a fish processing place where a traditional method of preserving small fish is carried out. It was smoky and aromatic and it felt as if we had been transported back to an earlier time. The fish are boiled in salty water on smoky fires to cook and preserve them before being packed in hand-woven baskets. I think it is called Pindang.

Next stop was a rather more touristy coffee place in Sanur. The coffee was good and it was interesting for me to walk down to the water’s edge and see, from the land, the part of the strait where I had battled so hard against the current. Today, all looked pretty calm.

After picking up the travelers we took a very beautiful and circuitous route back, stopping at some shrines and temples along the way. Acres of brilliant green rice paddies.

Christmas Day started with a champagne breakfast and gift-giving for the children of the family who share part of the property. The Hindu shrine was also suitably adorned with offerings. The main course was a very special roast pork affair, which I did not have to eat as there were many, many other interesting vegetarian Balinese dishes to sample. A great occasion.

Two days later Ruth dropped Muzzi and Rob off at Sanur, where they hired a scooter to do some more independent exploring, and then very generously drove me all the way to Ubud and helped me to find a place to stay. Although there are no tourists at the moment, finding accommodation needs a bit of forward planning, which is not one of my strong suits, as the ‘home-stays’ were not expecting anyone and so no rooms were ready for casual arrivals. I was eventually very happily settled in the luxurious ‘Honeymoon Guest House’ where I enjoyed a beautiful room with marble bathroom which included a two-person size tub. What a treat!

I spent 3 days in Ubud exploring the town which is reputed to be the cultural centre of Bali. The first day it rained heavily (this is the rainy season) and I took the opportunity to visit the Museum Puri Lukisan which has a collection of Balinese art. The brochure I was given at the entrance recommended a route that started with the earliest works. I mistakenly went the wrong way and went backwards in time. This was actually a good move as the more modern works totally captivated me with their incredible complexity and I spent far longer than expected, being totally absorbed by them. By the time I reached the more ancient pieces I was tired and was more interested in where to go for lunch.

The rain had cleared up and I spent the rest of the day exploring the interesting narrow streets and walkways of the town. I was disappointed to discover that the traditional dancing performance that is normally held every Friday evening at the Royal Palace had been cancelled due to Covid.

The weather was fine the next day and I set off after breakfast to do the Campuhan Ridge Walk. One of the rites of passage for a visit to Ubud. It starts close to town and a paved path takes you along a narrow ridge through jungly countryside and rolling hills. It was easy going and at the end of the official walk I carried on a bit further to a small village where there were some artists displaying their work. One of stalls really caught my eye and I was sorely tempted to invest in an exquisite miniature by the artist, Sumara. The detail was astonishing but, not surprisingly, the price was way beyond my budget. A refreshing ice cold drinking-coconut set me up for the walk back.

Day 3 was another fine day and I decided to explore a rice-field walk that started very close to town. This path was also used by scooters so I had to be a little careful as it was narrow with deep water furrows either side. The views of the rice fields were classic and there was a very good coffee shop at the furthest point.

Back at Ruth’s place for New Year, with Muzzi and Rob also there for the celebrations, and soon we found ourselves heading back to Lombok on a very crowded ferry. Hak, the trusty driver, was there to meet us at Lembar for the trip back to Gili Gede. What a relief to see that Speedwell was still safe!

Tags: Bali, Ubud
Posted in Cruising, Indonesia | 1 Comment »

Gili Air

Saturday, December 18th, 2021

December 2021

I left Gili Asahan early on a rainy morning heading for Gili Air about 25nm away on the NW corner of Lombok. I raised the sail before dropping the mooring ball, ever hopeful, but I had to motor away from the mooring.

Maybe there would be enough of a breeze once I was away from the shelter of the anchorage. A gentle North-running current was forecast so at least I would have this to help us along. Sure enough, once out in the channel, there was a little bit of wind and I switched off the noisy engine. We drifted peacefully along at 1.5 knots for about an hour by which time I realized that if I wanted to get in before dark we would have to do some motor sailing. And so it was until just 5 miles off when a southerly breeze picked up nicely and we were able to sail for the last few miles of the trip.

The anchorage at Gili Air is well protected by reefs on either side, clearly marked by breaking waves. I picked up a handy mooring and enjoyed the sunset.

The next morning a local boat arrived and I paid for the use of the mooring. While we were settling up Das, one of the men, pointed out that my prop was fouled with a bunch of plastic bags. He very kindly managed to clear it for me with the use of my boathook. That could explain why we seemed to be moving more slowly than expected while we were motoring.

For the next few days it rained heavily and I stayed on board quite glad to be collecting rain water to fill my tanks and do some washing. A bright pink tourist boat, moored nearby, brightened the scene.

As soon as the rain cleared I bailed out the dinghy and rowed ashore to the beach. There are no motorised vehicles on the island so pony carts are used for carrying any heavy loads. They were lined up, patiently waiting, near the shore where the small ferry boats from the mainland arrive.

I needed the exercise so went for a walk all the way around the island. Practically all the tourist bars and hotels were closed with just a few catering for the odd stragglers or local visitors. The rest were boarded up and mostly slowly succumbing to encroaching waves or jungle. Not a happy sight.

Back at the starting point I went looking for a shop, hoping for some fresh fruit and vegetables. I found the main ‘street’ that runs towards the centre of the island and a very good shop with all I needed. Plenty of ATM’s which was a pleasant surprise as there are none on Gili Gede and cash is still needed for most things here.

Unfortunately, the next day the wind strengthened and was blowing on shore and through the gap in the reef which made the anchorage very uncomfortable and almost impossible for me to get ashore in my light dinghy. I decided to move across to the mainland on the opposite side of the channel where there is another small bay which looked as if it would be much better sheltered.

It was only about 2.5 nm across and I soon arrived at Teluk Nara which was beautifully calm and sheltered. The water was rather deep, about 25m, and I don’t have an electric windlass so I motored around looking for a mooring. All the shallower water close to the shore was crowded with local fishing or dive boats. At last I found an unused mooring which needed a bit of untangling. I sorted it out and tied up then tested it by reversing gently backwards. It seemed OK.

There is quite a big dock to cater for ferries taking people across to the Gili islands but only small boats were using it now. I left my dinghy on the beach and went exploring. Everyone I spoke to immediately knew that I was from the small yellow boat. All very friendly. As usual, all very amazed that I was doing this alone.

There was a very pleasant bar/restaurant overlooking the bay and I treated myself to nasi goreng and a beer for lunch. I enjoyed a few peaceful days, just messing about, doing odd jobs on the boat and making use of the warung ashore for lunch as it saved having to find a shop and cooking and was super-cheap. But trouble was looming. A very strong adiabatic gust off the mountain had me out on deck to see if all was fine, only to realize that the mooring, which I had obviously been too gentle in testing, had dragged a long way and we were very close to another big boat anchored out in the bay. I dropped the mooring and motored closer in hoping for shallower water. The best I could find was 23m. Dropped the anchor and let out 60m of chain. I’ve done it before so it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

What was more of a problem was the dreadful toothache that had erupted. A dentist was essential. I won’t go into gory details, but it involved finding a driver to take me to the nearest small town with a ‘dokter gigi’ who did her best to help me and at least stopped the pain. Further treatment will have to wait.

It was time to head back to base at Gili Gede but now the wind was stubbornly blowing from the south which is the direction I needed to go. I managed to haul the heavy chain up and made the short hop back to Gili Air to do some shopping and was delighted to find a bottle of ‘champagne’ at a corner shop. Christmas is coming and I’ve been invited to join friends on Bali. I was also happy to stock up with some really good mangoes, papaya and avocados. What a treat!

Next day the wind was light and variable and I made it back to Marina del Ray. Mostly motor sailing but very pleasant. Rob from Lalamanzi came over to help me choose a mooring. He and Muzzi will also be going to Ruth’s place on Bali for Christmas. I’ll be taking a ferry across and leaving Speedwell at the marina.

Tags: Gili Islands, Indonesia, Lombok
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Second Jab and a Slinky Visitor

Monday, November 22nd, 2021

November 2021

Time was running on and I still hadn’t had my second Covid vaccination. It has become essential for any sort of travel and I decided to make an effort to get it done. Friends of mine had been told that foreign visitors had to go to a particular clinic in Mataram. I had been planning a trip there to get an extension of my visa so it didn’t seem like too much of a problem. However, when I mentioned it to Albert who was managing the extension procedure, he offered to make some inquiries and about half an hour later he had arranged for a friend of his in the police force to take me to a nearby village where I could get the shot. It seemed like a good opportunity and we roared across to the mainland in the marina dinghy where the policeman and his motorbike were waiting on the jetty. I climbed up onto the machine and we sped off down the narrow road that follows the coast. It was quite a long ride.

At last we arrived at a cluster of small houses and a group of nurses and medics gathered in a ‘pondok’ which is a little raised platform with a palm-frond roof. They were quite happy to give me the jab, but only had Sinovac which I had been told I should not have in combination with the Astra Zeneca I’d been given in Fiji. After some consultation, involving Google Translate on my phone, and a mere half-hour wait, a special delivery of Pfizer was made. What wonderful service.

The next day I was feeling a bit washed out due to a reaction to the vaccine and spent most of the day sleeping on my bunk. At some point in the afternoon I got up to get some fresh air outside and as I glanced across at the opposite bunk where I usually sit at my little table, I was rather startled to see a long silver and black banded snake smoothly moving along the top of the cushions and across the table. Wow. I grabbed my phone and took a picture, hopped into my dinghy and rowed ashore for help. One of the marina staff came back with me and very calmly and competently lifted the snake with the help of a broomstick and put it into my canvas bucket. It was then taken some distance away from the boat and released in the middle of the channel.

A beautiful creature but extremely venomous. I was told that it was a Banded Sea Krait and they are quite common here. Fortunately not aggressive. OK. So now I am supremely conscious of where I place my feet when I come below, and check before sticking my hand into the dark recesses of a locker. Awareness is all! Friends in the nearby anchorage at Gili Asahan have had one come aboard four nights in a row.

Tags: Covid, Krait, Lombok
Posted in Cruising, Indonesia | 2 Comments »

Getting around on Lombok

Thursday, November 4th, 2021

22 October 2021

There are a few tiny kiosks on Gili Gede where I am moored at Marina del Ray but major stocking up has to be done on Lombok itself. If I make an early start I can row my dinghy across to the beach on the mainland before the wind comes up and walk or catch a tuk-tuk to the small town of Pelangan about 2 kilometers inland. The main attraction is the big market for fresh fruit and vegetables.

I was there on Monday morning and the crowds were almost overwhelming. The narrow road absolutely crammed with motor bikes, most with 2 or more people and bags and bundles. The women modestly covered with flapping long sarongs and hijabs. The heat is intense. In the shade of the market narrow walkways separate the stalls laden with an amazing range of stuff from eggs, meat, fruit and vegetables, to clothing, kitchenware, machetes and tools. Herbs, spices, sweets, rice in open baskets. Everyone seems to be talking. I am trying to learn a little Indonesian and manage to catch an occasional word. Some wear masks but social distancing is quite impossible. Only cash is acceptable and the nearest ATM is in Sekotong about 20 minutes away by car.

The nearest supermarket is in Mataram about an hour away by car. I have been able to share the trip a few times with other yotties and it makes for an exciting day. The narrow winding road follows the coast and passes through a few small villages. Most of the traffic is 2 or 3-wheeled with a few carts drawn by ponies. Cars are the exception. The pace is frenetic. (And people think crossing an ocean is dangerous!)

On one of the trips, when our shopping was done, we visited a Hindu temple. A guide showed us around after tying yellow sashes around our waists. He kept up a running commentary which may have been very interesting and informative, but my hearing and his accent conspired to make it totally unintelligible.

No matter, I enjoyed just tagging along behind the others and looking about at the sometimes grotesquely weird statues guarding doorways and stairs and the elaborately carved and colourful shrines. It made a wonderful contrast to the vanilla flavoured shopping mall.

Another expedition was organised by Jürg whom I met in Savusavu on his boat Aurelia. This time it was to see a waterfall, or air terjun, Benang Kelambu, right in the centre of Lombok near the Rinjani volcano. Once again we had to have a guide and it was a beautiful walk through the jungle to reach the series of spectacular falls.

I had a swim in one of the pools at the final set of falls and the cool water was wonderfully refreshing. On the way back the path reached a track and a woman on a scooter was there and offered to give me a ride back to the entrance for a small fee. I would have been quite happy to walk but it looked as if it could be fun and I agreed. The track was steep and rutted and the ride turned out to be more exciting than I had expected, but what a thrill!

I waited for the rest of the party to plod their weary way back and we had lunch at a small restaurant in the park. Before we had finished eating, the clouds rolled over and there was a tropical deluge complete with ear-shattering thunder. Could this be the start of the rainy season?

But Jürg had yet another experience planned and off we were driven to Sukarara, a village where traditional weaving is done. Two women were seated at looms weaving busily away as we watched. Finished lengths of the intricately patterned cloth were displayed all round. We were whisked into a showroom and dressed up in fancy sarongs and sashes. The men all looked very dashing in their exotic gear. Many pictures were taken.

Another small island, Gili Asahan, is a short sail away. It is a better place for swimming and snorkelling with much less boat traffic. I spent a few days there moored near a beautiful ‘Eco Lodge’. The shore is crowded with outrigger boats waiting for visitors, but apart from a handful of yachts there is hardly anyone around.

I spent a few hours walking all the way around the island, deserted beaches, empty resort hotels, goats and cows. No roads or cars, just a sandy track. Quite blissful.

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