We continued from around the top of Flores Island yesterday, then took a "short cut" east of Saraya Besar Island to navigate through some fairly narrow channels between large expanses of colourful reef and the Island noting some great anchorages and passing by close to pristine beaches, palm tree shorelines, rocky outcrops and on the other side colourful coral reefs extending for miles. The channels were quite navigable and it was great going through them. Between this Island and Flores was quite a small channel also and the tide was running with us so then we decided to go in close and enter Labuhanbajo harbour from the north rather than the longer southern path. This would get us in at around 1600 and good daylight rather than 1750 and it is getting dark here at about 1800 - we are quite close to the Equator.

An interesting trip in as we pass steep rock islands close by but still in 40 metres of water! and make our way around to the harbour. The water traffic is increasing and as we round into the harbour we note a large rocky area protruding from the water but not shown on the chart! Good that it is low tide and we can see it.

In an anchored in a fantastic harbour by 1630. What a busy place! There are small ships and hundreds of little local ferries and dugouts plying the waters - reminiscent of Venice with busy wharfs and a plethora of water borne traffic. Some great tourist vessels here, sail/dive boats and some of the traditional style and well appointed.

Just before dark we decide to do a sorty to land to check it out! Launching the dinghy I find out why we have noses - it is to protect your eyes when your hand slips off the winch handle which spins under the weight of the dinghy to land a square blow right on the bridge of the nose! Golly gosh I say that smarts!! A little bloody later we go to the Harbour, have a quick look around and return. The wharf is crowded with hundreds or thousands of locals catching ferries and the local boats.

Flicking on the TV and scanning the channels we found that the one channel has what turned out to be the closing ceremony for the Olympics - wasn't it great? This is the only bit we have seen but it was fantastic. Thanks Lucky for the updates and yes I will be claiming from Tourism Indonesia!!! Incidentally they have set 2008 as the year to visit Indonesia - not sure if the rest of world knows about it though!

Today, Monday, had bit of an easy morning and went into town - a four minute dinghy ride - at about midday for what was going to be a couple of hours. Found a real mini mart (the local supermarket) that had all the things we are used to even electronic registers. Upstairs was a clothing floor and on top of that, yes an internet cafe we had heard was quite good. Tried it out, got to load half a dozen photos so there are some now on the blogs and on the gallery at book Indonesia - but don't get too excited - when we went to load the second six we crashed the internet cafe!!

Wandering nonchalantly back down the main street we were accosted by pearl selllers but enjoyed checking out the local shops and quite apparently this area is impacted by tourism (mainly for Rinca Island and Komodo Island where the Komodo dragons live and the great diving areas nearby). Stopped at a street stall for some pastry wrapped fried bananas, and then some of then some Tofu and sprout rolls that are lightly fried (there is a photo of us eating these on the footpath at Maurmere a previous stop. Then another batch of the tasty banana fries.

Wandering down further there are some hillside "restaurants" on balconies overlooking the busy little harbour and the surrounding islands and headlands - absolute picture postcard views. As we go on there is a property on the other side of the road with much work happening to its rendering and steps up to, the sign out the front says Yacht Bar and Bistro so we must go and have a look. Up the stairs we go, "buy some Pearls?" - "no thanks not buying anything today", and there is half a dozen yachties who had done the same thing. They are anchored in a bay a couple of miles away and had "chartered" a local boat to bring them to town for dinner. So we all went off to another restaurant for dinner. Robert and Tina were moored adjacent to us in Bayview Darwin - it was good to catch up.

Great meal again, fish for me - snappper cooked with tomatoes, garlic and accessories and served on a hot platter and for Dianne vegetables with a peanut sauce - another expensive night out with a Bintang Beer cost us about $7.

We see the others back to their "limo boat" where the driver was dutifully waiting and make our way back through the wharfs, past the open fish markets, out to our wharf and back to Charmar.

Kirsty finally managed to get on a flight and is in the air now headed for Bali. Next challenge is Bali to Labuhanbajo. There is one seat on the plane tomorrow at 0900 but we can't call her to tell her and seats on Wednesday - four left at present. There are three small airlines that fly here, again because of Rinca and Komodo and the tourism. Also from here buses and Bemos head out to all areas of Flores Island so it is something of a transport hub, as can be seen from the busy port.

We seem to have made a friend who is now following us everywhere, he is going to sell us pearls and a Komodo dragon carved in wood if he can but we have told him we are definitely buying nothing today. He needs to sell it to help his sister at school, he comes from Komodo Island. Not too sure about the story but he is a nice guy.

We are growing to like Labuhanbajo, our impression today is much better than last evening, but I guess in the dark, with a recently smashed nose, been up all the prior night sailing it did deserve another chance!! Tomorrow we will go up early and try to smash the internet again - this one almost works! Somehow here you can also buy prepaid cards for 3G that connect locally to the internet at local rates - great concept but try to ask for it in English!