The ebb tide took Diomedea in her arms and carried us away back out into the Java Sea for the penultimate leg from Kumai to Pulau Belitung. Once out into the Teluk Kumai we found excellent breeze and sailed fast to a waypoint off the SW corner of Borneo. This area is infested with shoals, the Fox Banks, and one is obliged to do a big dog leg around them. The chart clearly states that there is no safe inshore passage to cut the corner. By nightfall the breeze was faltering and once we turned the corner our course brought the light wind dead astern so it was time for the diesel topsail. During this night we passed hundreds of squid and prawn boats all mostly anchored in the shallow waters of the Selat Karimata but some occasionally moving off at speed. Daybreak brought us to the end of this incredible armada but into the choke point of the strait’s ASL (Archipelagic Sea Lane). This is the corridor for large ships to transit into the Java Sea and beyond from the Sth China Sea. So virtually all traffic to and from Asia traverses the strait. A busy time for the watchkeeper. As before when we spoke to the masters of the big ships they were always courteous and our time in the Selat passed without further incident. The second night out took us along the northern coast of Belitung island after we turned the Pesemut light in the Momparang group. The final approach to the anchorage on the NW tip of Belitung was interesting as there were many uncharted or mis-charted features. An easily visible rock that was about 150 metres long and 20m high was indicated on the chart as a pinpoint “rock awash”, whilst an island with a very tall lighthouse tower that was visible for miles did not exist at all on the chart. Finally the hook went down at Tanjung Kelayang in surroundings of dazzling white sand beaches and granite outcrops. (02 33.379’S 107 40.557’E) My first reaction was that the anchorage was rather exposed and this proved to be correct. Most days a NE seabreeze developed and blew at up to 20 knots. With a large fetch the anchorage became extremely uncomfortable, with the boats pitching quite violently at anchor. Activity on board was quite limited and some people felt seasick.
On Belitung we took the 40 minute ride into the town of Tanjung Pandan for the excellent markets and some shopping as well as a visit to the museum and a local and very large primary school where we were entertained by dancers. Our agent, Joni obtained our clearance out of Indonesia and it was time for us to say farewell to the other yachts in our rally who intended to stay longer in country (why??). We enjoyed a nice party with renditions of the rally song composed by Elizabeth from Elonnisa and sung to the tune of “Bad Moon Rising”.
The overnight leg took us across the Sth China Sea toward the island of Lingga, to an anchorage just shy of the equator at Pulau Bujang (00 08.34’S 104 54.334’E) and boy was it hot. Cabin temp sat at 34 C all day. To keep cool is impossible other than by repetitive spraying of water over oneself from a spritzer bottle. The water dries rapidly. Even sitting still in the cabin, the sweat just runs off your body. Very little breeze in the aptly named doldrums and so the trip was once again all motoring. During this passage we hit a large log with rope on it. The rope went around the propeller, dragging the 10cm diameter and 4 metre log under the boat where it smashed and splintered around the rudder skeg. The log remained there banging on the hull and efforts from the deck failed to move it. The only recourse was snorkel and mask to free the wood feature from our rudder and then cut away the rope off the prop. No need for a wetsuit in this 31 degree water!
Neptune, King of the Seas, arrived on board as we crossed the equator at 00 00.000’ 104 54.195’E. David had previously been across the line twice by ship but Andrea was yet to be initiated. For Neptune’s visit, a trident had been fashioned and various deep sea jewellery was made from squiddy lures and sponges. Neptune came up the swim ladder and held court on Diomedea. Andrea meekly came forward as she had to answer to a charge of receiving goods stolen from Neptune’s realm (a basket of shells given to her in Belitung). She pleaded guilty and agreed to undergo “rehabilitation”.
To renounce the land she was smeared with egg yolk. To embrace the sea she was covered in tinned tuna. To pay penance for her crime she was obliged to endure two clothes pegs attached to her body. Finally Neptune was satisfied, so a quick swim followed at which time the King departed and Diomedea was free to move on. We headed up to a night anchorage at Pulau Mesenak (00 26.077’N 104 31.357’E) and then up the mighty Selat Riau to Pulau Buau (01 02.370’N 104 13.591’E). The strait between Riau and Batam has tide runs up to 5 knots so timing is everything. The last leg out of Indonesia was the very intimidating and intense 30 miles to Singapore, across the world’s busiest sea lane, the Singapore Strait. The chart plotter showed hundreds and hundreds of AIS symbols, each representing a very large ship - a target rich environment. We were definitely playing with the big boys. Diomedea ran SW along the north coast of Batam before approaching the traffic separation zone immediately south of Singapore. Here there are eastbound lanes, then westbound lanes all full of ships doing 10-18 knots. The crossing was about 1-2 miles wide. We timed our run with the engine going hard then slowing then gunning again and we made it across, much to our relief. It is like trying to walk across the six lanes of Military Road without the benefit of a pedestrian crossing or traffic lights, knowing that the traffic will take no notice of your presence (vessels under 20 metres have NO rights in these separation zones). Unbelievably we saw tiny on-man sampans out fishing in this frantic maritime autobahn as well as a 70 foot yacht tacking up the westbound lane under sail. The tanker bearing down on him indicated his displeasure quite assertively with the horn. The skyline of Singapore hove into view as we came into the Western Anchorage at Sister’s Island very close to Sentosa island. Diomedea was then anchored amongst about 500 hundred massive vessels so that Customs could come along and take our paperwork in a net for rapid processing on the spot. A final battle with 2 knots of adverse current in the Bulan strait and we entered One15 Marina on Sentosa ( 01 14.851’N 103 50.478’E). Diomedea was in Singapore.
Since leaving NZ in May we have done 5421 nautical miles (about 10,000km) and we had done a similar amount since leaving Sydney and sailing around NZ. Thursday Island, which we left in late July, is 2716 miles in our wake. Indonesia is a big place. We have done 468 hours of motoring which equates to three oil exchanges or about 2100 litres of diesel since leaving NZ. Water temperature has ranged from 10 C in Fiordland to a top of 32 C just north of the Equator.
Indonesian cruising is hard work and the trip is not to be taken lightly. If we were doing it again (god forbid), we would leave Australia at Darwin and go to Kupang in Timor and then either around the north of Flores or direct to Komodo. The east can be skipped altogether. For now we are enjoying some R&R here in civilisation but we will move on to Langkawi island in Malaysia over the next few weeks, via the famous and infamous Malacca straits.