Fast Track to Lombok

'To rush is to miss the experience' - Aniekee Tochukwu

Despite wanting to linger at Kroko, Lombok, and our friends Rob and Anne, were calling; we needed to make haste...
An overnighter (change of plans when the wind would not allow us to enter Maumere) saw us anchor at Mausambi behind the rock wall and then straight through to Labuan Bajo where we anchored in 8m just off the Eco Beach Resort. 

Sunset on passage

Got to love the entrepreneurial young guys in long tails; no sooner is the pick down they are alongside: solar? telur? roti? a veritable treasure trove of goodies waiting to be selected and returned by these guys. Obviously you are paying a little more but we didn't want to bother dropping the dinghy to go ashore (and we have to stimulate the local economy).
Big Bandicoot, a very large catamaran we had first seen in the Multi-Hull Association yard in Darwin, was anchored further in front. After a visit by Phil, the owner, it was agreed he would accompany us - he was also in a hurry. Given Phil was technically a solo sailor, we agreed to stopovers each night; mind you Big Bandicoot is fast!

Big Bandicoot can anchor closer

The wind was fickle (yes we are back in Indonesia Toto) so our sail configurations were mostly iron topsail. We anchored the first night at Gili Lawa Dawat. 

Missing more exploring

The following day we anchored just inside the entrance to Bima amongst the fishing fleet who totally ignored us. You would think a couple of yachts, one the size of a small nation, would cause a diversion in their daily lives.

Bouncy anchorage at the Bima Fishing Basin

We were planning on heading to Satonda but the south-easterlies kicked in with a vengeance so a 2 day layover was required at Kununga. The fishing vessels operating out of here are so colourful.

Kununga

The next fast passage saw us anchored at Karamat in 16m virtually on the sand; one of the most stunningly beautiful beaches anywhere. This is a tiny little island, just a dot on the chart without tourists or locals; just the occasional lonely fisherman.

Anchored off Karamat

Lea time

'we can't stay...' was our mantra, time was marching and so were we! Heading through the passage and across to Gili Lawang, we anchored on the Lombok side for our last night of the passage. Leaving at 0530 the following morning, we finally moored on our pontoon at Medana Bay Marina at 1315 on Friday 7th September. 

Tientos at the end

View from the starboard side is better

We had made it with 2 days to spare. So off to Immigration at Mataram to renew our visas and the supermarkets to re-provision. 

Lea has a chat with Ronald in Mataram

Rob and Anne arrived on Sunday 8th, just as the Rally yachts were arriving and the champagne started at 3pm. 

Rob and Lea preparing for champagne

 We were ready to slow down and enjoy the festivities.

Music with dinner

Rob and Anne check out the kayaks

Sailfish Cafe

Tropical dining

Life continues amid the Rally

 

May all your bars be wooden and well-stocked! 

Troubles in little Kupang

'There are no big problems, there are just a lot of little problems' - Henry Ford

Kupang had not changed since our last visit; bad holding, a floating parade of rubbish as it is all thrown off the cliffs and a lee shore. 
The normal clear in process for the Rally was fast and furious with 133 boats vying for the service. All done by dinghy with the CIQP officials (all 8 of them) coming to each vessel . But eventually it was done and we could go ashore for the next round of paperwork. In the meantime, a yacht had dragged toward the rocks but between the Customs boat and lots of yachties, she was re-anchored.

Customs to the rescue: but had to be rescued when they broke down

Yachties to the rescue: the owners were not on board

Going ashore is interesting to say the very least: being a lee shore it can be a little bouncy, then you have to navigate the traders tied up. The service of the dinghy boys takes away a lot of the stress particularly when you have a 'big' tinny. For the heady sum of about $4 a day, they haul it up the beach and return it to the water when you are ready to go home.
Along with the crew of 'Babar', we took a taxi to the Telkomsel office for some serious data and mobile phone packages. For about $10 a month, local calls are free and data availability about 1.2GB.
We met Dr Made, the Port Doctor, during our clear in and he was to become a good friend, often coming to Tientos for dinner. He had been posted to Kupang for 2 years but had to leave his family in Bali. 

Dr Made aboard Tientos

Keith was checking the motor ready for our departure on Saturday 4th August and discovered BAD NEWS!  Our fuel injector pump was history! Dead, deceased, expired! This was confirmed by Matthew, mechanic extraordinaire in Kupang, and he was unable to source another for our 80hp Perkins 4.236. Lots of phone calls later, a pump was located at Fremantle Injection Service in Perth Australia and flown to the Darwin Sailing Club. Now the fun began...there is no flight or barge from Darwin to Kupang, but we knew yachts who were heading to Kupang from Darwin. Keith's investigative skills in tracking down these yachts would leave Sherlock for dead. Finally, a yacht was found and the part would be here in about 10 days. 

Bouncy anchorage as we wait

We watched as the Rally yachts departed but enjoyed the company of other visiting yachts whilst we were waiting, waiting, waiting...watching every yacht that appeared around the headland. 

A deserted anchorage at Kupang

You know that adage about not making plans to meet a boat? We had friends booked to fly to Bali to meet Tientos; change of plans. We will collect you at Lombok and we will short-change our planned time around Komodo!
Finally the part arrived on 20th August; Matthew installed that morning ($200) and we weighed anchor at 1315.  An overnighter saw us entering Boling Strait at first light on top of the tide and a heady 9.9 knots saw us spat out the other end in time to anchor at Kroko, one of our favourite spots. Oh Bliss! 

Stress release

 May all your bars be wooden and well-stocked!