Back across the line
Fleck
Sat 30 Apr 2011 09:50
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Saturday, April 30th
Recent anchorage, P Kentar 0:03.222N
104:45.659E
Just a quick report. I'm pootling along under
engine as usual, but the sails are up just now and adding about half a knot to
our speed. The strength of the wind, about 5kts isn't sufficient to move the
boat on its own. The upside is that its quiet and peaceful, despite some swell,
which suggests that there are thunderstorms about below the horizon. Last
night's anchorage was almost bang on the Equator, a good spot, pretty, but
rolly.Today we have made good progress, and we are already nearly a whole degree
South. Sadly it doesn't feel much cooler yet. I'm at sea tonight, as there are
no islands to stop at, and with no ports close by, maybe there wont be too many
trawlers around. Tomorrow I should be in the Bangka Strait, that will take
a day, then about two more to Jakarta, but I may need an overnight stop in
the 'thousand islands' in order to arrive in the teeming metropolis during
daylight. If memory serves my correctly, Jakarta is home to 8 million
poeple
It gets light at 06.00, so I was off early; about
07.00 I was buzzed by an Indonesian Customs boat. Was glad I had my
cruising permit, and all the other documentation.. I waved from the cockpit, and
stood up, realising then that I had no clothes on. Fortunately I had fixed the
spray dodgers yesterday, so they didn't get much of a view! Have spent most of
the day splicing a shackle onto a new rope to hoist the mainsail, and then
rigging it in place. It is bright red, very pretty, but it should be,
considering the price in Singapore.
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