It is already over two weeks that we left Darwin! Leaving midnight on the Friday was a good decision, by sunrise the following morning we were already passing the Vernon Islands. Going across the Van Deiman Gulf was slightly bumpy but not too uncomfortable. We decided to continue through to Saumlaki rather than anchoring around Cape Hotham as the weather seemed to be OK. By late evening on the Saturday the swell was quite big and with the wind a few breaking waves. The trip across was quite bumpy and uncomfortable but Molonga handled it all exceptionally well. We were very happy by Monday morning when we saw our first Indonesian Island in the distance!
To escape some of the swell we took the approach to Saumlaki from the Western side. As we entered the harbour we saw longtail fishing boats and bamboo fishing huts along the way. It made it all very exciting!
We were in by Sunset and enjoyed a hearty dinner of 'bangers and mash' on the boat, followed by a really good sleep. The next morning Customs and Quarantine Officials came on the boat to clear us. This process was made a lot smoother with some of Nanna's Slice on offer! It was then into shore for further processing - taking about an hour by the time just about every official in there had their photo taken with Indi - at their requests! Indi was quite over posing by the end of it.
We wandered around Saumlaki a while, it is a very busy little place, the streets a bit grimy with the smell of fish and scooters hurrying by. After sorting out a phone we then found a hotel selling Bintang and settled in there for the afternoon. Bintang is now our beer of choice!
While there we met a local called 'Mathias' who became our friend. He had a little shop front which we spent a lot of time sitting at. He also had a four year old daughter so Indi enjoyed a new friend to play with. Mathias makes a whiskey out of Coconut water which turned out to be really good. A few days were spent exploring Saumlaki, mostly with Mathias taking us to his special places. Anyone visiting Saumlaki, we recommend meeting up with Mathias.
After Saumlaki we ventured around the Western Side of Tanimbar Island, stopping at a smaller Island for a swim in clear water and play on a white sandy beach, our first since arriving in Indonesia. It was just beautiful.
Enroute to Banda we discovered a little bay at Selu Island. It was protected, a good anchorage and a few local villagers living in a couple of small huts on the beach. We anchored then went to shore to ask if they would mind us anchoring for the night in their bay. They did not speak English and were very friendly and welcoming, sitting us down while they cut down coconuts and then cut them open for us to drink the water and eat the flesh. Our one night there ended up being four nights as it was so beautiful. There was a small surf break which Youngie went on with the Stand Up Paddle Board and Indi and I enjoyed exploring the coral beach and swimming. A couple of times the local man and his son came out to the boat to sit and practice conversation. They were easy company to have.
It was about 190NM to Banda from where we were. We expected to have two nights at sea but managed to cut it down to one night and two days with reasonable winds and swell going mostly our way. As we approached Banda the volcanoe stood out and coming close to the Island we could see how green and lush the it is. It was amazing coming into the harbour here, the volcanoe just to the side of us. The anchorage is protected, we are tied up to the wall and there are a few other boats here. It is a bit like being in a Marina. Banda so far is lovely and we will spend a week or so exploring this beautiful Island.