Wednesday 2 September 2015

Apparently dynamite fishing wasn't worth the effort in the mostly sandy bits where we anchored at Serbete, but the main reef is smashed. Bottom is carpeted with shattered staghorn and, except for one lobster, only small fish were sighted on the dead coral. Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach him how to bomb them and he'll become a vegetarian. They also use cyanide. Let your mother-in-law try it first.

Motored in no wind to Tanjung Gedong, a well protected bay where the bottom is also dead. The one large fish sighted was flapping on the surface with its air bladder blown up. Had a dinghy raft-up at dusk with a few other boats to watch the sun set and see monkeys. Heard macaques (or local fishermen making odd noises to amuse us) after dark, but never saw them.

Next stop today will be North Hading, about 15 NM distant, or possibly further along toward Maumere where officials are apparently refusing to renew visas for some reason associated with poor rally management or local officials letting us know how important they are or baksheesh. Should have stuck to first plan with Darwin rally which is reported running smoothly.

Thursday

Unexpectedly strong south wind blowing into Hading caused us to keep trucking to Wodong anchorage in front of a dive resort. Dinner at the restaurant was great. Jan had sea urchin. No wait, she stepped on one. Low tide put dink on the rocks and darkness hid the offending echinoderm. As a nurse she knows not to have it looked at by a doctor, so she's put mashed potatoes on it and we're meandering slowly in little wind toward another resort at Maumere - you know, that place where visas renewals are bollixed up, but now slowly being sorted with much aggravation, but without rally organizer who is elsewhere. By the way, if we get the things renewed there instead of Labuan Bajo, originally scheduled location later in the month, they might expire before next scheduled renewal. Darwin has crocodiles.

Jack