On leaving Bangka we had the wind behind us and an overnight great sail without much traffic and a just a steady rolling swell on a flat sea. Glorious sailing conditions throughout the night with just a headsail up and a reasonable but oh so comfortable speed. Continuing on the same the next morning. We don't have to rush so are enjoying the comfortable sailing conditions.

We sailed on in company with Kassoumay and stopped for lunch at Pulau Bujang. Into the hammock, had a couple of hours sleep and then we set off around the reefs and rocks towards Pulau Kentar. On route near Pulau Kongka Besar we approached 00 degrees, 00.000 minutes and crossed the equator with the customary celebration and recognition of King Neptune en route and finally into our destination at Pulau Kentar at about 3.15pm. On the way cleaned and cooked the fish the local fishermen had given to us in Bangka, the fish are small and fiddly but so much work has gone into them catching and cleaning etc we have to do them justice and make sure we eat them! They were so generous in giving them to us.

Pulau Kentar proves to be a great anchorage and we find a boat "Sandpiper" that we had sailed into Kupang with at the start of the rally and two boats from Sweden we don't know. So of course that night we have Kassoumay and Sandpiper both from the UK but with Kassoumay having a french family on board over for a celebration to King Neptune to celebrate the Equator Crossing and to make plans for the next few days.

We enjoy the evening and debate the merits of world important issues such as is it better to rally or go alone, is the rally worth the cost, the follies of the admin issues faced by the rally boats and the impounding in Kupang.

Generally I think the view was that if you are a rally person, or if you are not a rally person, the rally makes sense to visit Indonesia - BUT, heh, be prepared to roll with it and enjoy the benefits for as much as you want to and go it alone for as much as you want to - quite different experiences but both with merits.

This anchorage is very protected. There is a mass of fishing boats way over out behind us and numerous permanent fish traps in the area.

The next few days, who knows, we are all going in the same direction, maybe 25 miles per day maybe 80 - we will decide tomorrow but we are now close to Nongso Point Marina where we clear out of Indonesia. Kirsty has to be out by the 24th. Then to Sebana Cove and we have just received all the great information on this from Caroline THANKS, it sounds good.

Good night King Neptune! We now dwell in the northern hemisphere!