01.42.4S 108.41.6E  November 5^th  We left Kumai early on the morning of the 1^st – there was very little wind, but a lot of fishing boats, nets and curious unidentifiable lights to keep us on our toes.  We agreed to check out a tiny island group on route – Cerutu by name with the co-ordinates above and it was so pretty with safe swimming, coral gardens, white sandy beaches and a little fishing village set on stilts along the shoreline we decided to stay two nights.

Little fishing village along the shore

  Initially we were the only two boats there but we invited Heidenskip, Marianne and Prew of Holland (the three Dutch contingent) to join us as they were hot on our tails…… which they did.  It was a treat to see each other again after over a month; they arrived at 2100hrs and we all got together that night for drinks, snacks and a lot of reminiscing late into the night and early hours…….

There were maybe 20 little traditional stilt houses in Cerutu, a mosque and shop of sorts which we visited – the children came out in tiny dug out canoes and sat in our cockpits fascinated with everything.

Children in our cockpit…… 

We played a few games like noughts and crosses and showed them books on fish in the sea which they loved – when not invited onto our boats they would just sit a distance away and watch us; we felt like the rare species then!  A crowd of men on a fishing boat asked if they could take photographs of themselves on our boat with us and a few were bold enough to ask for a beer……. they were very polite but had nothing to sell or trade despite quite a few bizarre fishing boats in the bay (like a klotok but with huge outriggers on each side which made them resemble an aeroplane straight out of ‘Those Wonderful Men in their Flying Machines).

Traditional fishing boat in the bay…

Rally boats in the pretty anchorage with islands all around 

The anchorage was calm, the weather perfect and the scenery amazing…..and we did get a lot of work done too….ten washing machine loads (mostly from our jungle trip), an engine oil change, battery top up, generator oil change and then at the last minute an impeller replacement (we had overlooked cleaning the water filter which had become blocked with expected consequences). 

The supermarket shopping in Kumai was only partly successful; we were able to replenish tins, bread, drinks and snacks but could find no fresh meat or fruit or vegetables……..our cupboard stores are gradually being eroded in time for the ‘sell by’ dates.

Anyhow, we are now on our way to Nongsa Point – our clearance port out of Indonesia - where Peter Seymour from Blue Water Rally will meet us and help us through the procedures….before flying to Singapore to assist our entry there.  Unfortunately there isn’t a breath of wind and we are motoring in a glassy sea towards our destination……..with three days of predicted calm weather Paul has made a start on sanding down all our newly caulked decks we had done in Bali which have now ‘cured’ and are ready for their rub down……..