from Pulau Kali to Tanjung Lesung we have had a mixed bag of fortune. We sailed from Kali at 1730 on the 19th with the plan of a short overnight down to Krakatoa. Soon after we left and entered Sunda Strait the current kicked in and assisted us around 2 knots. We opted to stay on the Java side of the strait rather than what appears to be the more popular centre or Sumatra side. When checking our charts we noticed that the depths shallowed near Pulau Sangiang and also overfalls were recorded. In comparison, our electronic charts did not show the overfalls. Reading the blogs from other boats this was the area where boats found their bows buried under huge breaking seas. Our route saw us have to contend with many ships and large car carrying passenger ferries entering and leaving the busy port area. However, with AIS this was not a hardship - and we saw nothing of the breaking waves experienced during transit through overfalls. We may also have been fortunate that the wind had a northerly component rather than any south. We arrived at krakatoa around 2 hours before light, and not knowing the anchorage, opted to stand off until light. With light we saw we were in the cauldera of the volcano but we had a large 1-2 metre northerly swell coming right through all of the anchorages. Although very disappointed, we could see that the anchorages were just not tenable and so while we had visited Krakatoa we couldn't stop. We decided to head for our next intended anchorage - Teluk Carita on the Java coast about 27 miles away. Just then the engine stopped. Fuel filter blockage. Oh well, nothing for it but to get to work and dismantle the filter and then with a new cartridge try again - success. we then had our luck change, a lively northerly again sprang up and we had the best sail of the passage so far. Carita is very pretty from the sea, high mountains inland, palm lined white sandy beaches, obviously wealthy by the number of resorts that can be seen among the palms. We decided to try and tuck up into the northern end of the bay to try to escape the northerly swell that had followed us from Krakatoa. try as we might, we anchored in about 10 metres but the swell persisted. that began probably the worst anchorage for rock and roll we have experienced in the 15 years we have sailed Aquarius. The swell was 1-1.5metres every 6 seconds and Aquarius rolled to 14 degrees either way. Just walking around the boat was difficult, sleeping was a nightmare, and well packed stores managed to fling themselves about. We stayed and suffered because we had some repairs to see through - one winch needed stripping and cleaning as it was binding, the fuel filter repair needed adjustment, the forward hatch was leaking, and we wanted to see if we could get some diesel to top our tanks. late in the afternoon I went ashore and spoke to the two security men at a small very run down marina (6 berths) to see if they might help to get some diesel. They called an older man from a shop across the road and then they conferred for several minutes about whether they could help me. I should point out that at this time I was being a little naughty in that we had already cleared out of Indonesia and I wanted around 100 litres of diesel. I think the law in Indonesia is that you can only buy 20 litres at a time if putting it into jerry cans - if you can do that at all. They decided that yes, they would help me and that I should return with my 3 jerry cans at 0600 the next morning. So we rolled all night and had very little sleep. I went back in at 0600 and they didn't turn up. However, there was a new security lad and he through sign language, his poor English and my shocking Indonesian, that we should just jump on his motor bike with the 3 cans and go to a warung that sold diesel. OK I said and off we went. We were soon back with 60+ litres and he said that he would wait and do another run with me. The diesel was quickly put into Aquarius's tanks and back in I went. Approaching the dock I could see the lad was agitated, he indicated I should dock on the outside and to leave the cans in the dinghy and to go with him on his motor bike. When I got up to him he whispered Polisi and to shhh. We rode away on his bike to the main gate where, lo and behold, the older man from the previous evening was waiting. He asked me to sit down and then started by saying that all was well but the previous evening's price of 10,000 rupiah per litre (approx AUD$1.00/lt) had gone up by 45% and would now be 15,000 per litre. Ahh ha, I am being suckered. He obviously didn't know that the young lad had taken me to the shop earlier and that the actual price was 7,560 rupiah. I didn't let him know this fact as the young bloke was looking very nervous. I told him that my needs had changed and that I only needed 50 litres. Oh no he said, I think 100 would be better. No I said, cannot fit. At that point he said ok, we can still do it but we must first go and see his friend and organise the details. Off we walked down the adjacent main road, me thinking we were going somewhere nearby. The old man said to me "have you 5000 rupiah?" When i asked him why, he said we needed to catch a bemo (Local little minivan bus) to his friends house that was 5 kms away. Ok, lets go. We got out after 5 kms and walked into a modern looking office - OH NO!!! It was the local POLICE STATION and I am an ILLEGAL ALIEN trying to buy DIESEL ILLEGALLY from the POLICE. Too late, we are in. The old man calming sits down and seeks permission for me to buy 50 litres of diesel. He had obviously contacted them earlier and told them that I wanted 100 litres and they had agreed seeing a profit by upping the price. I steadfastly refused to buy 100 litres and maintained i only needed 50. The situation got a little tense and at that point one of the three plain clothes police to who we were talking pulled out a .357 magnum hand gun. Oh crap, not again I thought, all this way to be shot over 50 litres of fuel. The cop stared coldly at me, raised the pistol, cocked it, and then lit his cigarette with it - it was a lighter. I hope I didn't flinch too much, the bastard!!. Anyway, I said I wasn't interested anymore and left. PHEW bloody bloody phew!!!. Back to the dinghy as fast as I could go, out to the boat, and, still rolling as bad as ever, up anchored and left. The wind came up to a nice 10 Kt northerly and we settled into a lovely quiet sail toward our next anchorage at Tanjung Lesung, just 15 nms away and, more importantly, out of the sight of Carita. On the way we debated the pros and cons of stopping at Lesung or just going straight on to Cocos. We could take another night of rolling at anchor but a good sleep would be welcome. Checking the charts again we saw that we might get some protection from the cape at Lesung and decided to go and check it out. On the approach we were amazed by the hundreds of stilt huts in the bay for night fishing. The huts were all made on bamboo stilts in 10 metres of water and rose to around 5- 6 metres above the water. Each had a platform with a small hut for shelter/sleeping and had large fishing nets draped below. They were all unihabited but obviously used frequently. Once into the bay behind the cape the swell dropped right out and we anchored in 6 metres of cal, thankfully calm water. We had only just settled the boat when around a dozen small boats appeared and started dropping off men in ones and twos at the fishing huts. Then even more amazing, some of the huts were actually floating types and these they started towing out to a position and then anchored them with the men aboard the platforms. As dark fell, hundreds and hundreds of bright lights came on below the platforms to attract the fish into the nets. Last night was also a full moon and that added to the spectacle. Today we are going to stay at Lesung and rest up, enjoy the view, and perhaps even make some bread. Life is never dull is it??