We were asked to vacate the buoy by a big tourist boat so we anchored beside Whistle Down the Wind in 17m of water and could see our anchor chain hanging all the way to the bottom and along in the sand. We snorkelled off the back of the boat in the morning, again at lunch time and again in the afternoon. I was watching a manta ray further down when I looked up and the other one was right in front of me - certainly gave me a start!! One did a somersault for us and showed us its white belly - pretty special. It is like a great big fish wonderland with thousands of fish from tiny little ones to great big ones. In the afternoon the place was suddenly full of people off the tour boat - 2 big tinnies racing around directing people to where the mantas were, people snorkelling and people diving, all making a heck of a racket. I decided to get out if it and headed towards the reef near the shore. I wondered why everyone seemed to be following me. Peter told me later that the manta ray had been following me about 10 ft behind (I didn't see it) and so everyone else was following it!! I headed back to the boat and there was a diver just below me. I kept really still and the manta ray came straight toward with its big mouth(?) open and got about 2 ft away before it veered off and I saw its velvety back.
Day 143 - Saturday 12 September - Gili Lawa Lout
Headed around the island at slack tide and snorkelled between 2 islands. It was a drift snorkel hanging on to the dinghy. The fish (giant trevally and maori wrass) were huge and so many of them. As the tide started to come in the current got stronger and we shot out over a big canyon full of the hugest fish. From the surface the current looked quite scary but it was such fun we went back and did it a couple more times. It was the best snorkel we have had so far.
Day 144 - Sunday 13 September - Gili Lawa Lout
Headed to a big rock way out the front of the island and snorkelled it but it was more a dive site than a snorkel site and the current was quite strong so came back and had a snorkel off the back of the boat. Saw three huge turtles well camouflaged on the bottom. Lit a fire on the beach and sat around with Whistle Down the Wind, Wave Sweeper and Meridian. Cooked our spuds in the fire.
Day 145 - Monday 14 September - Gili Lawa Lout
Happy Birthday Greg and Ruth - hope you both had a great day
The swell has started to roll in and we had a very rolly night. Went back round between the islands for another snorkel but the divers had been in - there are no diving flags here and we went right over the top of them before we realised they were there! Anyway I think they disturbed the fish as all the big ones were on one side and all the little ones on the other side. We came to a big drop off and were watching a turtle when I saw what I thought were two small bullsharks and next thing Peter was in the dinghy - never seen him move so fast!!! I got in too and he said he had seen a bigger shark further down. Went back to the boat and Jean had been swimming with the manta ray so we decided to have one last snorkel - it was about 4pm and the water was a little murky but we had felt so safe in our little bay. Got about 50m from our boat when Peter saw a huge shark so we headed back to the boat - seemed like a long way. Dave was coming to rescue us but couldn't get his outboard started!!! Had another fire on the beach and then another very rolly night - time to go.
Day 146 - Tuesday 15 September - Gili Lawa Lout to Wera, Sumbawa Island
08°17.562S 118°55.679E
Upanchored at 7am with Whistle Down the Wind and Wave Sweeper - no wind so motored all the way. Anchored off the village of Wera around 3.30pm in 5.9m. The village builds big 100ft boats and didn't look as poor as other villages. The houses had tiled roofs and there were buffalo wandering around. It actually looked a very interesting village - black sand and a big volcano across the way. Very peaceful night.
Miles 42 Total 3,665
Day 147 - Wednesday 16 September - Wera to Kilo, Sumbawa Island
08°19.6S 118°23.3E
Upanchored at 7am and had a reasonable sail then the wind died and it was motor again. Arrived at Kilo at 3pm and Whistle was immediately surrounded by children. A young man with his family came out to us and he was an absolute character with a huge sense of humour. We bought some papaya, tomatoes and bananas off him and Peter had so much fun haggling with him. A young lady with a couple of kids came along to talk to us - she was going to uni and also teaching one day a week. What she really wanted was our Indonesia/English dictionary. Anyway gave her some stuff for the kids for the school and gave her the woman's weekly but she wasn't impressed because it was only in English!! Then a man named Mul wearing a trilby type hat stepped on board without invitation and sat down like he owned the place and smoked a couple of cigarettes. His mate stood on our duckboard and I could hear a wire twanging but couldn't see anything untoward. Mul said he needed to practice his English. Anyway when they left we realised that we were missing a gaff hook off the back of the boat and it wasn't taken by the children!!! It was a very still night and there were four people with lights dancing on the beach. Someone who shall remain nameless bought a coconut thinking it was a pawpaw!!!!(It wasn't us!!)
Miles: 37 Total 3,702
Day 148 - Thursday 17 September - Kilo to Kananga, Sumbawa Island
08°08.479S 117°46.00E
Upanchored at 7am and continued our way across the top of Sumbawa. Had a great sail in the morning - best for a while then the wind started to fade so we put up our spinnakers and then we lost the wind altogether and it was back to motoring for the afternoon. The scenery is starting to change and turn quite green and lush. Went past Gunung Tambora which is 2935m high and in 1815 was the biggest eruption ever wiping out 10,000 people then another 66,000 died through starvation or disease as all the crops and livestock had been wiped out. Arrived in Kananga at 3.45pm and anchored near the beach. There was a very pretty village there.
Miles: 45 Total: 3,747
Day 149 - Friday 18 September - Kananga to Medeng Island, Sumbawa
08°08.544S 117°22.401S
Left at 8.30 and were hoiking along at 7.5 knots for quite some time and then the wind died and we motored the rest of the way. Had to give Medang a wide berth as there was a big reef quite some way off shore. Anchored in front of a reef about 1pm. Peter snorkled to check we weren't too close to the bommie. The island is very pretty with a village on the other side and thousands of coconut palms. Saw some cows on the beach late afternoon. Jean and Dave had a canoe around but couldn't get to shore as it was low tide and the reef was exposed. Enjoyed sundowners on our deck with Jean and Dave.
Miles: 24 Total: 3,771
Day 150 - Saturday 19 September - Medeng, Sumbawa to NW Lombok
08°17.72S 116°39.80S
Left at 7am. Caught some good wind but then motor sailed. Peter queried on the net where and when we could get our passports - that started up the passport talk again!! The wind came up quite strongly and the seas got quite rough and we copped quite a few big waves over the deck - it was quite a shock to have wind and seas like that - we had quite gotten used to the flat seas no wind!!! There were quite a few fishtraps and buoys along the way. We wondered how they anchored them as it is over 1 km deep. It was overcast, squally and rainy by the time we got to Lombok at 4.20pm so decided to stay well away from the reef area and the other anchorage was 4 miles up the channel so we just headed to shore on the NW corner of Lombok. Got to 12m and it started to shallow up quite quickly so anchored in 8m. Whistle and Wave Sweeper came to dinner as Peter made Goulash soup for us all. It turned out to be a good anchorage and we had a steady night. Lombok Island has the third highest volcano in Indonesia - Gunung Rinjani - 3,726 metres. It is actually an active volcano though its last eruption was in 1901.
Miles: 45 Total: 3,816
Desperately missing our puppies. Hope you are all well. Currently heading around the top of Lombok which is the big island before Bali.
Fair winds and calm seas
Dell and Peter
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