LWH - Week 13 : Tual

Sun 30 Sept - Tual Channel - Tual
05 38.248S 132 44.360E

Best sleep in ages! So calm wouldn't have known you were on a boat. Put Bob in and headed to the small beach thinking to snorkel but it was rocks not coral so we had a very welcome swim off the beach. We then went to the next beach over which was lovely and walked to the end. Found a large starfish which we put back into the water but think it may have been too late for him. Also found a dead seasnake - black and white bands but we didn't put him back into the water - he may have been faking it! Saw a fisherman diving for clams. Lots of clam shells on the beach. It was starting to blow up. A big blow is due tomorrow for at least five days. We were going to head up to the channel to Tual tomorrow but a bit worried the blow may come in early and don't want to get caught in 20m. So we put Bob on board and followed the red and green markers up the channel and anchored in 12m opposite the town just before the bridge, beside a seaweed (we think) farm at 2.15pm. Very happy to be here and looking forward to exploring the town. There is a big cemetery just over the way on the hill. It seemed to be a ship grave yard on the way in - lots of rusting and sunken ships. A beautiful red orb sunset and a huge full moon rising!
Miles: 8 TTT: 1,988

Mon 1 Oct - Tual
Well the wind came in a day early. We are anchored beside a mass of small water bottles and floats which is either a pearl or a seaweed farm. Eddie came by in his long boat to see if we needed solar (diesel) so we gave him our jerries and he got our diesel. The skipper was not that thrilled with the quality of it though. Bit cloudy. We filter it before we put it in the tank and we are going to buy a heap of fuel filters (when we can find them!) so we should be ok. Other than that a quiet day on board.

Tues 2 Oct - Tual
Happy Anniversary Amy and Pete
Happy Birthday Ann
The wind drops off at night but comes back with a vengeance through the day. We are watching the weather via grib files and also listening to the HF reports and have Debbie on weather alert and we think we may be able to move in five days or so. Went ashore - took Bob in where there was a rubbly bank where the fishing boats are tied to the shore. It is very deep until you hit the shore - have to step out of the front of Bob! We struggled to get Bob up the rubbly incline and tied him up and checked with a fishing boat that it was ok to leave him there. Walked down the port road to the town. Most people said hullo though some people were a bit reticent. We walked down the street till we got to a police post where the skipper asked directions and the crew walked further up a side street. There were some school boys there and some other men walking towards me and I felt uneasy so went back. We caught a minibus to where we thought the fuel filters were and they werent. It was very hot so we walked back to the supermarket and picked up a few things then walked all the way back over the bridge looking for a restaurant. There really wasn't anything around. We found a little makan place and had a nasi goring freshly cooked. Most of the places had their food already prepared and all deep fried. We walked to the market and everyone said hullo how are you - it got rather wearing. All the same the town doesn't exactly have a friendly vibe. We went back to the boat. Eddie drives past in his boat most afternoons to check on us! Each afternoon there has been a game of soccer on with quite a crowd cheering. It is on a small soccer field specially set up near the port (bare dirt/gravel not lawn). All the fishermen who go past wave and are friendly.

Wed 3 Oct - Tual
We were going to go ashore around 10 but a tug bought a great big barge in and headed straight for the bank where we had previously left Bob. At the last minute the tug reversed out of the way and the barge kept going. It was a deft piece of driving! We watched for a while and finally went ashore at 1pm. The skipper took an ojek to Lenggur across the bridge looking for fuel filters while I went to the market to do some shopping having every single stall owner say hullo and I didn't feel like bargaining so walked up the street and up the hill to find an interesting looking building we had seen from the boat but after I copped an F you from some youths I retreated back to the main street and just wandered around. Happened upon a shop which sold beer much cheaper than the last town. Finally found the skipper again around 2.30 after he borrowed someone's phone to call me. I had walked back to Bob and met about six young school children, one of whom was Marga who were lovely. We got the beer and I chatted with the children while the skipper went on a further foray for fuel filters. One of the children asked for money but Marga said no. I think when people leave here they may give their small change to the kids but that then only encourages the kids to ask for money. We went back to the boat, both of us just not quite liking the place. There are heaps of mosques around and at 4am they all started singing at once - all different tunes and from different directions and many of them! They don't seem to do the Malaysian call to prayer - this is actually quite nice but not when it goes for an hour and they sermonise then sing all over the loud speakers. 4am to 5am!

Thurs 4 Oct - Tual
Went to Immigration to check out which took about ten minutes and the chap was lovely. We went next door to Customs but it wasn't open yet so walked down the street and saw another cemetery among the houses. When Customs opened there was no one from Customs actually there - they had gone to Ambon (we think) so we walked down to the Harbour Master but he wanted two copies of the Immigration stamped crew list so he sat me down to watch TV while the skipper walked back up the hill to Immigration. There was a National Geo show on about all the bull sharks in the canals on the Gold Coast and also in America. Dont even put your toe in one of those canals! The skipper meanwhile had an entourage of school girls follow him back down the hill! It took about 45 mins with the Harbour Master and that was it - didn't have to worry about Customs. Went to the market and bought our fruit and veg then back to Bob. But the tide had gone out so had to walk Bob along the bank and then put him in between the fishing boats. Good thing he has wheels! We were assisted by 3 or 4 small boys so we gave them a couple of bubble blowers. In the afternoon we had a very loud knocking on our boat and when we went up there was another yacht anchored next to us and its skipper had come calling. He came aboard and was after information on Indonesia. He was Swiss and his wife Belgique and they had come from New Caledonia via the Luissiades. He didn't have a visa or a CAIT and he also had a dog on board so not sure how he will get on with Immigration. Anyway we had a good chat and we gave him some info on anchorages etc so he was delighted.

Fri 5 Oct - Tual - Langgear
05 56.308S / 132 51.289E
We left around 6.30am and went up the channel and out around the island. It rained and got a bit rough but then it settled and we had a good sail for a while and anchored towards the bottom of Kai Besar. It was overcast so hard to see the reef. Anchored in 14m and went back to 20. A very pretty spot with alovely white sand beach. Saw another large fish leap four times out of the water today. Wondered if they were trying to get lice off themselves or whether it is just good fun. The wind came up in the afternoon and we had wind against tide and it wasn't the best anchorage. Wasnt too bad a night though.
Miles: 39 TTT: 2,027

Sat 6 Oct - Langgear
The grib files are showing a weather window so we have decided to try for Gove. We were of two minds of whether to go tonight or in the morning. The crew spent the day stowing everything and having a cleanup while the skipper cooked some meals for along the way. We decided to leave in the morning so had a lamb roast with roast veges and a bottle of wine for dinner - delicious. The wind howled all through the night and we rolled badly enough that we didn't get a lot of sleep!
Well thats the week - we are currently on the first day of our four day three night crossing to Gove. The weather window closes on Friday but we should be there by then.
Brett and Delphine, have a wonderful holiday. Love to everyone and special thoughts for Maureen.

Fair Winds and Calm Seas
Dell and Peter

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