1830 (Indonesian time zone) 4/11/19 Position 00 07', 106 03' I went for an afternoon snooze and we were at 00 03'N, and came up to find that we were 00 06' S. While I was snoozing we crossed the equator. We are as you can see in Indonesian waters, which I might add are the most hazardous for obstructions
as anywhere I have been.It can be nerve wracking. We have only been out one and a half days and been through what amounts to a minefield of dangers. Not far from islands someone, fishermen, I presume, build houses out
on the water miles from the shore. That's ok if only they were lit up at night. You have to sneak slowly along for fear of running into one of these structures, and discover that some of them have a faint flashing light somewhere so you may be lucky to get that 100 metre warning.
Many of the tugs and tows have no proper lights and imagine running into their cable... Fishing boats too, either have no lights at all or some kind of weird 'take your pick' lights. That is multi coloured and fixed and flashing ones. Just as night fell tonight we sailed over a row of buoys which were
unlit in the dark and came to a fairly abrupt halt, dragging the whole line of buoys with us. We were under sail at the time and sailing slowly. What to do? Neither of us was inclined to get into the water. My plan was to lift one of the lines using the boat hook and just cut it. No doubt we would have some very irate fishermen
after us! So while we panicked a bit, shouted a lot and oh deared, it seems the line drifted down and off our prop and rudder. We held our breaths and started the motor and yay! the line of buoys did not follow us. Can't say that I have confidence that this wont happen
again in the night. It would be great if they could weight the lines so that you could sail safely over them. In every other place we've been this is what the fishermen usually do.

We spent almost a week in Batam Island at the Nongsa Point Marina. It is a lovely place to go to, with friendly people and great facilities. We had use of the resort pool and showers etc. Very nice. We met up with my brother and sis-in-law who live there in Batam, and
also went over to Singapore, a 35 minute ferry ride away, where we met my niece, Rebecca. On Sunday John needed to post an urgent letter to Australia and could not do it from Batam! So, he got on a ferry and went to Singapore and posted it registered mail. An expensive letter.
Factor in the return ferry ride, $50 US for yet another visa to Indo and the time. Batam not a very efficient place!

Need to stop and lookout for buoys which may or may not be lighted. Will write again tomorrow if able. Bye for now. John and Ginni