To Kumai 1
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Tue 27 Sep 2016 22:57
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To Kumai – Day
One
  Our last morning in Bali began with a
myriad of chores – Bear changed the oil filter, fuel filters and water pump, I
did the washing and tidied about the estate. Extremely sweaty we both took to
the water and found ourselves scraping weed and crabs off the girl and washing
her waterline. That done we showered and headed ashore for a very late lunch.
Once in, we had to nip in to see Nia who had our Passports, Bear now sporting
the same visa extension date as me (he had been given a week less and would not
have had time to get to the next extension destination). We went in search of
the internet data and phone top-up shop and finally replaced our clapped out
phone for a Galaxy mini for the princely sum of fifty quid. Opposite was a sight
that most would find unappealing – a snack bar sporting a rear end dangling by the
feet, advertising freshness clearly comes in many forms. After such
extravagance and a new phone all set up and raring to go we went for a shandy
and home to stow Baby Beez in readiness for a twenty-one hundred
departure for the three nights at sea to Kumai, Kalimantan or in old money –
Borneo.
 At nine o’clock Bali was getting ready to party as
we puttered off.
 An uneventful night it was odd for me to go to bed not in the dark.
 At half past eight Bear saw a working girl, nothing remarkable in that I hear you
say.
 But what seemed an
age later her tow came into view.
 Radiance 2 (at 1.38 nautical miles
off) was pottering along at 2.8 knots en route for Cilacap
(wherever that might be but she’s not due there for four days). To please Pepe I
took an AIS photograph of her vital statistics – length 30 metres, beam 9 metres
and draught of 4.1 metres. The distance between tug and tow illustrates the need
at night NOT to cut between lights but go around – just in
case.
 I got up to find us
mid islands and our reason for leaving Bali in the
dark – to cut between in daylight.
  Views left and right with a random
internet connection that let us read all the good wished we had received for the
journey – thank you all.
 A
local lady that we have become quite used to. I had a backgammon win and
fifty per cent of the Tri-omino games, marvellous.
 Then a rather stylish lady.
 The bane of sailing
through Indonesian waters, the unlit FAD (fish
aggregating or attracting device), they can be just about anywhere and it is by
random chance not to hit one, get caught up or find yourself towing one along.
All three have now been ticked as ‘under the belt’ for Beez Neez.
 Never mind enjoying the
sunset, look for the FAD.
 Bobbing closer, we do hope they
work...............
  No sooner than my
eighteen hundred shift begins than it is time to dodge the
squid fishermen who line the horizon, just powerful torches, no hint of a
red or green, so its a case of avoid and press on. I counted nineteen equally
spaced but with a sleeping skipper beside me and listening to the dulcet tones
of Alan Titchmarsh reading The Folly, my four hours shot by in a trice.
First twenty four hours = 133 nautical miles. Time for bed said Zebedee.
ALL IN ALL SO LOVELY TO BE
OUT ON A QUIET SEA
AN EASY SET OFF AND A PEACEFUL
START |