LWH - Week 11 : - Tifore - Seram

Sat 15 Sept - Tifore - Tidore
00 45.017N / 127 24.685E
We didn't lift Bob up to let the air in as we were not going to be there long which was pretty dumb as we were both so hot we didn't sleep so at midnight the skipper lifted Bob but it was a bit too late! We got up at 2am and left at 2.30am and motored through the dark. There was lots of pretty phosphorescence in the water. We could see storms forming on the radar and got through the first lot and it formed behind us. We heard a bang on the side of the boat as we gave something a nudge! Around daybreak we ran into a storm and it got quite rough but the crew didn't notice as she had fallen asleep and didn't wake till the tone of the motor changed. The skipper had been watching a water spout develop and had slowed down to miss it - gave him quite a scare. We cleared the storms but we didn't seem to have the current with us today and had to hoik up to 2200 revs with sail assist and did 6.3 knots. The day turned into a beautiful day and in the afternoon we passed a couple of fishing boats. We had seen these fishing boats with a great big square front on them and we could see at least 20 fishermen on the front with rods just pulling in the fish and swinging back over their heads - much like the tuna fishermen on tv. Very interesting. As we came closer to the islands off Halmahera we could see eight volcanoes. The volcano on Ternate is a live one and still smokes on occasion. We came through the channel between Ternate and Tidore down to 3.9 knots and the sea was very confused with whirlpools and waves as the tide rushed between the two islands - quite scary. Ternate city is huge and just as Aussie towns used to have a pub on every corner Ternate seems to have a mosque on every corner! With a big new green one off the point of the port over the water. We had opted not to go into the town as we had read reports of having to re-check in and it all looked very busy. So many people live under this live volcano! All the volcanoes had robes of clouds till halfway down. We anchored off Tidore Island in a little bay just across the channel from Ternate. The depths went from 60m to 30m to 6m and we could see coral so we had a bit of a search around and ended up anchoring in 5m and went back to 8m. Always a bit hairy coming in where there is coral and it was around 4 in the afternoon, so hard to see. The scenery is absolutely gorgeous with jungle tree clad hills towering up to the volcanoes. It is a small bay but we have a mosque either side of us! After a 13 ½ hr day we fell into bed
Miles: 79 TTT: 1,415

Sun 16 Sept - Tidore
How lovely not to have to go anywhere. The water is so clear so we snorkelled around and could see our anchor on a piece of coral and the chain around two bommies in front of us. Mostly it is just rubble with the odd bommy. We have minimal chain out as we don't want too much to wrap around. We actually tried to move off the bommy by pushing and kicking behind the boat but we probably made it worse. It was wonderful swimming around the boat in such clear water. The skipper fixed the wiring on the VHF which had got loose and we just worked on the boat. Anchoring is a little difficult around volcanic islands as it is either too deep or too close to land - or corally! We drove off the bommy then realised that it was holding us really well and now we were in danger of dragging. Around 2pm the skipper said it almost looks as if the volcano is erupting and a short time later he said it is erupting. A huge cloud of smoke like a big cumulus cloud went way up in the sky and came over our way and blanketed the sun. The city was also blanketed by what we took to be rain until it started falling on us and it was fine black sand. We heard a bit of a rumble. The boat was coated with this volcanic ash and was such a mess. The skipper snorkelled around until he found a clear space to drop the anchor in case we dragged and put a buoy on the spot. The crew said I think we are dragging, skipper - no we're good. Crew - I'm pretty sure we are dragging, skipper - no we're good but I'll have a snorkel to check. Back he comes saying we're dragging - I can see it moving back metre by metre and the boat was over the drop off. So we upanchored and went to the buoy and dropped in 5m again and held well. The ash had stopped falling by this stage though the mountain was still spewing a big black cloud. We got the deck wash pump out and sprayed the entire boat - dust was everywhere! The crew had intended to have another snorkel but by this stage is was 4.30 and the water was rather murky and then we realised of course it would be - its full of ash! The city must have been filthy. We think there is an extra knob on the mountain. Later in the evening we saw ribbons of phosphorescence floating past - really pretty. What a day!

Mon 17 Sept - Tidore - Kajoa
00 04.121S / 127 28.727E
Woke up really early as there had been some grinding through the night but our little buoy let us know we were still in the right place. We have turned our clocks forward an hour so it gets light a lot later. We upanchored and retrieved our buoy at 6.15am and motored out getting a magnificent view of Ternate, the volcano and the city at its feet. We had about 2 knots of current with us as we rounded Tidore - such a beautiful Island. So green and jungly although they are also covered with coconut plantations and the people seem quite well off. There was a big town beneath the volcano of Tidore but this volcano had a green top! There is a magnificent building half way up the mountain which looks like a Chinese temple but is probably a mosque. All the islands have mosques. Makan Island with a few villages along its shore has at least twelve, with six of them being big and ornate. It was a lovely motor down on calm seas past all the beautiful picturesque volcanic islands all with little villages (with mosques) at their feet. All the volcanoes had their cloud top hats on. We anchored quite a way from the island of Kajoa in the SE corner behind a reef in 8 - 9m. We crossed the equator today at 2.37pm - we are now in the Southern Hemisphere! And the crew didn't throw the skipper overboard as she wasn't sure she could get him back! A surprisingly calm night with the phosphorescenc sparkling like little stars in the water. This was a highlight day for us with all the beautiful scenery.
Miles: 53 TTT: 1,468

Tues 18 Sept - Kajoa - Tg Rotan
00 49.693S / 128 13.632E
We left in the dark at 4.30am. Never a nice feeling when it is pitch dark and you cant see anything. We have just passed the equator and it is chilly. It got light around 6am. We motored in calm seas through Selat Patinti. We had land both sides of us and it was pretty except it was an overcast and hazy morning. We came out through the channel doing 10 knots - over 4 knots of current with us. The sea was then a bit confused with whirlpools etc. Made you feel if you fell in you would get dragged down! We saw a huge marlin leap out of the water four times - amazing. We motored along the edge of the large island of Halmahera which was picturesque with green jungle mountains interspersed with plantations of coconut palms. The palms were all along the foot of the mountains as were a few small villages. They didn't look quite as prosperous as yesterday but that could also be because they are more remote. The skipper hooked a barracuda but it got off just as he got it to the boat. A long day. When we anchored, we watched and heard schools of fish sounding all around us then we saw something huge going through the water, we don't believe it was a shark. The skipper threw his lure in which startled it and a huge tail came out as it dived. We are thinking something like a huge yellowfin tuna. A few fishermen went past and indicated that we should go and anchor off their village. We are just pleased to find 8m depth here. The skipper was a bit worried about the current and did anchor watch till 9.30pm but it was all good.
Miles: 66 TTT: 1,534

Wed 19 Sept - Tg Rotan - Tawa
01 33.139S / 128 03.248E
We had coffee in the early morning light listening to the birds chirping. Such a peaceful place. We left at 6am. The excitement this morning was the skipper saw a whale blow and then we saw it again and a little while later we saw a huge body break the surface as it dived and disappeared. It was a beautiful day with lovely calm seas as we crossed the Halmahera Sea. The crew played computer games to pass the time! The charts were still out so the crew stood at the bow to check for reef. We went over a couple of bommies but still had 7m. Found the channel and anchored in 9m at 2.10pm just off a bit of reef. We had been expecting white sand beaches and palm trees but it is more mangrovey with not a lot here! We need some heavy rain now to wash off the ash. The boat is filthy. A local motor boat went past and we asked about crocs and he said many. Had a peaceful night. A few locals went past in canoes and waved. The flies are really bad!
Miles: 46 TTT: 1,580

Thurs 20 Sept - Tawa
A boat / rest day. The skipper did a service and oil change on the motor and scrubbed the decks.

Fri 21 Sept - Tawa -Seram night crossing
We left at 10.05am and followed our track out over the reef. There was a lovely white sand beach on the other side of the island but would probably have been a bit rolly. Passed the village at the end of the channel. It had a Christian Church and a rusty mosque. We hadn't been looking forward to this crossing and hadn't been sure what to expect. We got good wind straight away and were hoiking along under full sail up to 8 knots with the motor off. We didn't want to go that fast as we have to time our arrival in the morning. We had beam on sea and every now and then we would get a big one which would slew us around. We sailed with good wind until it got dark when we took the main sail down. We don't like to leave the cockpit after dark so best to bring it in, in case of squalls. Around 10pm the wind went on the nose and we motored through the night doing 4 - 5 knots which was good. The crew had put the MP3 player in a safe place and it was nowhere to be found so it was a very long night! It wasn't a terribly comfortable sea - it wasn't bad either - but neither of us slept. It was an uneventful trip which was just as well as the skipper admitted later that he had a very bad feeling about it! Glad its out of the way.
Miles: 121 TTT: 1,701

Well that bad feeling almost came to fruition on Saturday but we are happy to say that we are safely anchored in a very pretty, calm place and we and Pacific Express are fine! You will have to wait til next week to find out what happened!!! We will be staying here a couple of days.

Love to everyone.
Fair Winds and Calm Seas
Dell and Peter

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