07°39'6S 131°08'1E
We left Saumlaki at 8.30am with Cilentro and headed up the side of Yamdena island. Yachts were stopping at pretty villages along the way but we decided to keep going. It was supposed to be an easy day - about 25 - 30 miles, but someone who shall remain nameless worked the mileages on 5 mile measurements instead of 10 miles so it turned into a very long day indeed. We arrived in a channel just as the sun went down and anchored in 5.4m of water. The night was so still you would not have known you were on a boat - best night's sleep in ages!
Day 93 - Saturday 25 July - Batuputhi Village - Ngurbelck Village -
07°33'.056S 131°11'.591E
Caught the attention of a couple of blokes fishing and gave them the fillets of a fish Peter had caught plus some rice and a couple of apples. A while later five blokes came out in very long boats with outriggers each side (held by string). Jackey was a school teacher who had gotten the headmaster's permission to visit us. They all came aboard for a chat and we agreed to visit the school. We took both the dingheys in and it was a soaking wet trip a mile or two in to the village. We started walking in but you had to be very careful as the mud just sucked your feet down - nearly fell a couple of times (couldn't imagine being flat out in that sort of mud!!) Located Jackey and walked past the bigger school to the smaller Kristen school. (People in this area - Tanimbars are Christian). There were two classrooms and we visited both, took photos and videos of all the kids and gave them some exercise books and a couple of kiddies English books which was just as well as the only English book we saw was hot chicks (and we don't mean chickens!). We had a lot of fun and then Jackey escorted us around the village which is very clean. They sweep the dirt away so there is no dust. We saw how they made sago from the trunk of a palm tree. Had an 'exhilirating' ride back in the dinghy surfing down the waves and our yacht was doing circles in the wind and the tide - time to go!!! Headed off just a little way further up the island and dropped anchor at 3.10pm and had a bit of a two man party playing all our music!!
Miles 8 Total 2,713
Day 94 - Sunday 26 July Ngurbelck Village - Wotap Island -
07°33'.056S 131°11'.591E
Upanchored at 8.30am and had a great sail up the south side of Wotap Island. There were six yachts in the little bay and as we came in we could see the reef either side and in front and also the fish lines (all held up by plastic water bottles in a row - quite hard to see) also either side and in the front. Anchored in 18m of water. Four kids came to visit so we gave them tee shirts and books and pens (big mistake!!). Sundowners on Cilantro.
Miles 25 Total: 2,738
Day 95 - Monday 27 July - Wotap Island
07°19'.306S 131°14.195E
We were awoken by people in boats 'hey mister' and so the procession went through the morning. Some people were a delight and some not quite so. We gave away a stack of stuff - rice, made popcorn, sox (then they asked for gloves!!), books, pencils, reading books and one old man was very happy as we gave him a pair of reading glasses. Gave the soaps, shampoos, sewing kits we had collected from all the hotels Peter had stayed in over the years. They all wanted tee shirts - we were cleared out yesterday. It was exhausting so we went snorkelling on the reef. Very enjoyable but the people too much to bear. Have decided in future we will trade - even if it is a seashell off the beach. We seemed to have made a rod for our own backs so will be more careful in the future. Peter had given some tobacco to a bunch of blokes in a fishing boat earlier in the day and negotiated a price for some lobster. Late in the afternoon they brought us two - a big one and a little one so got them for about $3.50 & $2. Wotap was a beautiful place but the people too exhausting so decided to leave the next morning.
Day 96 - Tuesday 28 July - Wotap Island to Banda Islands - Happy Birthday Linda
Left at daylight in the company of Cilantro, Harmonica, Cookie Cutter (both Canadians) and Two Up (a cat). Started off with a nice sail but then the seas came up to 3 - 4 metres and it got downright scarey!!! We got shoved sideways a couple of times - terrifying. Depths were up to 6km deep so we had to turn our depth sounder off as it was very confused! Linda, was thinking how much I would have preferred to help you celebrate your birthday and not be out there in those seas!!
Day 97 - Wednesday 29 July
Early morning, nearly got taken out by one of the other yachts who came from our port quarter. We both veered away about the same time but rattled my chain a bit! Daylight came and the seas improved a bit and as we came towards the Bandas saw at least five whales blowing and saw one huge one travelling along. We sailed slowly around Gunung Api Island which is a volcano 666m high. We went between Gunung Api & Naira Islands to the anchorage but it was 70 - 90m deep in there and a dozen or so yachts had reversed in to the stone wall and tied up by the stern so we motored out again and around Naira Island and anchored at the bottom there in 8 - 10m with about 40 other yachts at 2.30pm - exhausted!! But Cilantro called up and said they would pick us up at 4.30 so we showered and went ashore. What a little jewel of a place this is - absolutely amazing!!! Walked through the town - all dutch colonial. Had dinner at a little cafe called Nasantara for around $5.30 per head. The beer however is around $4.50 for a bigger bottle but we are lucky to get it I guess because this is a totally muslim area. Great meal- we asked for 4 different dishes and ended up with beans in a chilli sauce, chicken, fish and eggplant with the local almond sauce - and rice of course - brilliant
Miles: 194 Total: 2,932
Day 98 - Thursday 30 July - Banda Islands
04°32'.149S 129°53'.625E
Went to town about 10am and walked up to the fort which was built in 1611 by the Dutch. There are 7 main islands in the Bandas. We are anchored in the middle of Palau Gunung Api (volcano) Paulau Niera (main town here) and Palau Banda Besar. The volcano last erupted in 1988. The town is full of old dutch colonial houses, the majority of which are in a state of disrepair. In 1621 the Dutch killed 14,000 of the 15,000 Bandanese inhabitants. Had a full Indonesian dinner (included a whole barbequed squid!!!).
Day 99 - Friday 31 July - Banda Islands
At 10am we headed up to the north of Gunung Api where the lava flow reached the sea to snorkel. There was a very deep drop off just 10 feet from the shore and bits coming up and down covered in coral, some with some very unusual shapes and it was just like a big garden. It wasn't all that coloured but just beautiful and heaps of fish, albeit fairly small. We were amazed that so much coral could grow back after just 20 years but then we were told that it actually grew back in 2 years. We then drift snorkelled one of the older corals . That evening we went to Aba's (a bit of an entrepreneur) guest house for dinner. He has an absolutely beautiful house with a waterfall and fish pond and lovely tiled floors and beautiful furniture. There were only 8 of us and the food was fantastic. Started with a potato, corn & nutmeg soup, a huge fish, ripe & green papaya salads, eggplant etc and then dessert - all for 60,000 rupiah each (about $10!!!). Aba also has a pearl farm apparently and sells pearls! For those people who would like to visit this magic place, you can stay at the guesthouse for around $20 a night including breakfast!!!! It is really worth the trip to get here as the whole place is enchanting.The water is absolutely chrystal clear even around the town
Day 100 - Saturday 1 August - Banda Islands
Went on Aba's nutmeg plantation tour to Banda Besar. We all piled on one of the local boats - we all sat on the roof! By the way the Indonesians are the best boat builders. Quite amazing really. We visited the ruins of another Dutch fort - went up and down steps all over the place. The Christian church was just a vacant block as it had been burnt down and no Christians live there anymore - it is totally muslim and every village has a mosque. The plantation had huge gnarled almond trees over 300 years old and about 40m high (different to our almonds but taste nearly the same) They protect the nutmeg trees. We had a demonstration of how they get the almonds and (tediously) shell them. The nutmeg is in a large round shell and when it is opened the nut is covered in red mace. The darker the nutmeg the better the quality. All very interesting. And then on the way back Peter finally saw his clove tree (out of season for cloves). Had a nasi goring special at Nasantara for lunch then wandered down the other end of town and found the ruins of the really old fort(!) and heaps of wonderful old colonial houses - big with colonnades etc. Some are quite well preserved but most in various states of decay. Bought some nutmeg (whole), mace and cloves in the local market. We found ourselves very tired at this stage so after pancakes at another cafe headed for an early night.
Day 101 - Sunday 2 August - Banda Islands
A clean up day today - Peter finally made the water catcher so we can catch fresh water and not rely on the water from shore. Did some washing and this afternoon will go ashore to the market for some fresh produce and dinner and then head off tomorrow for Ambon - it will be another overnight sail (I hate them). We will miss some of the festivities but this place has been worth it.
Hope you are all well. Badly missing our puppies. Have tried to phone but have to sort it out a bit more.
Fair winds (and calm seas!!!!!)
Dell and Peter
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