LWH - Week 12 : Seram - Tual

Sat 22 Sept - Wahai, Serum Islands
02 47.616S / 129 31.019E

We went past the town of Wahai and came through the red and green markers leading in to where we were going to anchor. There was reef both sides of the markers and we motored in with the motor in neutral to where we thought the waypoint was which was supposed to be in mud. We were very close to the mangroves when a fishing boat came in behind us and started yelling at us to get out of there and then the depth sounder hit 7.8m and Pacific Express's bow was over reef and we had a big bommy just beside the cockpit! We reversed out of there very carefully and went around the jetty and anchored up the back in the mud very close to where the waypoint we had been heading to was. We just had to go around the jetty first!! Thats probably as close as we have come (except for once when the crew was driving!) to putting Pacific Express on a reef! Excuses and lessons learnt - both exceedingly tired, almost home so took the eye off the road; we always have crew up the front when coming in but because we thought we were coming into mud we hadn't bothered! Complacency kills so it has given us both a huge wake up! We anchored at 9.30 in 9m and went back to 4m backing towards the mudbank - at least its only mud! Anyway we are in the calmest place off a little village which is surrounded by mud at low tide. We can also see all the reef where we tried to take Pacific Express into! A little canoe with husband and wife laid a net around right beside the boat and then beat the water to frighten the fish into the net. They didn't have much luck that time but they are still out there trying. The fishing Boat Inkamina anchored beside us to clean their nets and asked if we wanted any tuna. The place is absolutely beautiful. The only blight is the big genny running on the big boat at the jetty. The couple net fishing came over with their daughter to show us the fish they caught. It was a fair size! She looked like she had on one of her father's holey t-shirts so we gave her a new one. So pleased to be here.

Sun 23 Sept - Wahai

We walked to town about 10.30 - quite hot and a couple of kms but we decided we needed the exercise. We walked through the town being greeted by the 'hullo mister' and 'hullo missus'. The petrol station was just at the end of the road at the port but it was closed and had been for quite some time. We went to the market which was just some sari stores and a few veges for sale on the street. The town is almost enclosed by reef. We bought some bananas and then ran into an Australian who knew where to get beer - of course! There were three Aussies working doing thermal seismic work in a plane and helicopter to find minerals - apparently a joint venture between the Australian and Indonesian Governments. Had lunch then caught ojeks back. An ojek is on the back of a motor bike. The tide was way out and if Bob didn't have wheels we wouldn't have got him back in. We did not locate any diesel. Around 4 we were sitting on the deck and there were some kids on the wharf whooping and waving so we waved back and next thing they had jumped in the water and were swimming out. We suspect they had under estimated how far it was to the boat! We told them to go to the back of the boat so the five of them stood there so excited. The skipper got the map out and showed them what we have done/are doing. Gave them some orange juice and biccies and they were full of boyish exuberance and just such a delight. They were high school boys and shook our hands and had their photos taken on the bow of the boat - so polite. The skipper took two of them back ashore in Bob - the other three were yelling that they were going to Australia. The skipper then took the other three in - it made their day and it made our day too.

Mon 24 Sept - Wahai

A fisherman stopped by at 8.30am so the skipper gave him some fishing line and hooks. We walked to the little village off which we were anchored. Too muddy to take Bob in and we watched a bloke making a dugout canoe from a tree trunk. We then did the long hot walk to town, got some eggs and more beer (it is a long way home!). The beer shop always seemed to be closed but the locals yelled through the windows and they then opened! Very funny. When we were walking through the markets a little girl started crying - she was scared of us! We gave her a bubble pipe but it didn't seem to help much. They dont see that many farangs, though the kids are all learning English as they now get around 5,000 tourists a year here. We walked right to the end of town and we could not find anyone to sell us any diesel. We ordered lunch and the skipper waited outside and the makan place was right by the police station and a policeman came over and told the skipper he had to fill in some forms so off he went. The police only wanted to know what we were doing and were amazed and they had a good old laugh and chat - no forms. Then the skipper came back for his lunch. We caught two ojeks back. We were sitting on the deck around 5 when we saw four heads swimming to the boat. We had already put Bob and Freddy on board so had no way of taking them back. This lot were aged 14, 16, 18 and 19. They asked for cigarettes - tidak!!. The skipper did a good job talking to them. It was starting to get dark and the skipper explained they would have to swim back and they asked if he would like them to go now and he said yes so off they went and swam back - it was still exciting for them to just stand on the back of the boat and even though sometimes we don't feel like it, to an extent we are a window to the world for them. And they are so polite. We had a little rain the previous nights, not enough to give us anything really so the skipper took the rain catcher down so of course it bucketed down! We caught enough in the buckets to do a wash at any rate.

Tues 25 Sept - Wahai - Tanjung Malakabo
02 59.207S / 130 07.965E

We left around 6.30 and all the guys on the big boat waved us off - bless em. Motored into a 10 knot breeze and current against us but it was a pleasant day. The scenery changed from mountains to rolling hills. Around lunch time the wind came up on the nose and it got quite rough. We got the main down and headed to the beach we were going to anchor off. We just got the anchor down and the rain hit and it poured. The other thing that happened at the same time was the height adjustment bolt holding the tiller up sheared off and the tiller collapsed! We anchored in 6m off the beach thinking we were going to have a rolly night. The skipper made some multi grain bread as we were unable to buy any in the last town. The skipper then went to his shed and just happened to have the right bolt with the right thread - he could open a shop with what he has in there! And the tiller was soon fixed. A pod of dolphins came in swimming not far from the boat but were very shy. Talk about an isolated spot - no lights, no cooking fires - absolutely no one here!
Miles: 42 TTT: 1,743

Wed 26 Sept - Tg Matakabo - Bula Bay
03 06.308S / 130 32.692E

A surprisingly comfortable night. Just a gentle rock at times or else calm. Got up at 5.30am just as it started to sprinkle. Upanchored at 6am and motored along on calm seas in the rain. Cleared and saw a huge tuna swimming along with its fin out of the water about 6ft long - at least thats what we think it must have been - it was not a shark. We sailed for an hour or so and then the wind went on the nose and the chop picked up a bit. When the tide changed the current went against us so we decided on a short day and anchored at 11.30 behind a sandspit off a beach quarter of a mile east of a big jetty. We could see the town of Bula right across the bay. It was a little rolly during the afternoon but once again it settled through the night.
Miles: 29 TTT: 1,772

Thurs 27 Sept - Bula Bay - Waru
03 24.044S / 130 40.616E

At 1am we awoke to the worst sewage smell ever. It was truly awful and really strong and lasted through the night. Smelt like they were emptying the entire town's septic tank!!! Apart from that we had a comfortable night and left at 6am to try to get around the Cape before the wind and the tide picked up. The swell really picks up around the Capes. The sea was flat but there was a large rolling swell. We had a pleasant journey around. The seas were flat with a slight swell. Anchored in 14m off a village at 10.07am. A very pretty place. Three boys in a rather large boat came to visit and the skipper spoke to them and showed them how to tie a hook and they went off happy. Two little boys came out in their canoe but weren't game to approach. Had a restful day. It was sunny and very protected. Late in the afternoon two boatloads of men came in to the village - we thought they may have been working on the outlying island. There was activity on the beach and a truck drove along the beach. We had a feeling they may have been dropping off firewood for the cooking fires which sprang up in the evening. We could hear the mosque but we could also hear what sounded like a disco - quite a contrast! A lovely calm night.
Miles: 22 TTT: 1,794

Fri 28 Sept - Waru - Night crossing
We left at 5.45am in calm conditions. Our original plan had been to island hop to Tual but the weather across the region is blowing up in four days time so we have decided to do an overnighter to an island 20 miles short of Tual. The islands on the way are reefy and deep and we would have to feel around to find somewhere to anchor and you need good light for that. The seas started out calm with a nice breeze. Full sails up with motor assist. Lovely day till we got to Gorong Island around 3.30pm and then the wind went on the nose and we had current against us with a choppy sea - not uncomfortable though - 2200 revs for 4.7 knots! In 600m of water a huge fish leapt out of the water five times - we think this one was a baraccuda. Passing Gorong Island with a few small villages and we can see four mosques - one with a huge gold dome. It looked a very pretty island but we kept going. We motored through the night with a lovely full moon and a slight chop on the sea and it was a very comfortably night and we both managed to sleep.

Sat 29 Sept - Crossing - Tual Channel
05 34.426S / 132 40.419E

The wind came up and the seas picked up a little. The fuel filter went so the skipper switched to the other one (dual system). We were heading into wind and current and the seas had chopped up a bit. About 10am they were calming down, wind dropping off when the motor stopped. Scary moment No. ???!!!! The other filter clogged as well so we floated around while the skipper changed both filters and the one on the motor and it was a heart stopping moment when he started the motor - and it went!!! We were 40 miles from Tual when a little sparrow landed on the deck. We fed him and watered him and he kept taking off but all he can find is us - no land so he kept coming back to us and made himself quite comfortable. We went through a bit of a squall but the sea state remained comfortable. We had both sails out for a time but then it went on the nose again. Our little bird found shelter under Bob and we fed him bread crumbs and water. He stayed with us for over 40 miles and left as we were coming into the island of Tual. We had intended to stop at an island 20 miles back but the angle of the wind and current just pointed us towards Tual. We tried to go around a little island to anchor but it was full of pearl farms so we came back and anchored off a tiny beach in 20 metres at 5pm. We couldn't get closer because of reef. It is very calm in here. In the whole two day and one night crossing we saw one tanker and two small fishing boats - there's not much out there. A boat went past waving and a huge tuna leapt about 10m out of the water behind hem - amazing. The crew actually put a cardigan on today!! Another night sail out of the way - so pleased to be here!
Miles: 186 TTT: 1,980

We are now anchored at Tual which is where we check out of Indonesia. So far we have been blessed with good conditions and good weather. But it now looks like blowing strongly for a week so we will probably be here for a while!

Hope all is well. Miss you all but we are making headway.
Fair Winds and Calm Seas
Dell and Peter

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