07:37.887S 126:25.398E

Wetar, river mouth anchorage

Tuesday 7^th September

Captain’s Log: Tuesday 7th September - towards Wetar

Rained very heavily all last night and awoke to grey skies left at about 0630 another windless day with lots of drizzle and light rain.  By 1100 the sun was out and we were sailing along nicely with about 8 knots of true breeze making 6.2 over the ground.  As we approached the headland to Wetar Island the wind gradually built to 33 knots true from astern and we were surfing along then the island lived up to its name - it poured with rain for about an hour.

David taking it calmly with his foot up in the meantime, no big waves!

  By 1550 we  were anchored just off a river mouth in about 15m of m

muddy water.  The river mouth itself showed a depth of 100 Metres, but motoring just past it gave us a better anchoring depth of 20 Metres, with a very sharp steep shelving large pebble and sand beach to land the dinghy on.

  This place is deserted with no sign of life other than a white bellied eagle sitting on the branch of a tree, one of several which had been uprooted and dropped on the sand bank at the mouth of the river. 

Our electronic chart gave us little idea that we were anchored close to a river mouth, or that it was 1000 Metres deep as we crossed the mouth of the river!  But we were given the anchorage way point by another boat, so it was worth the try, and we were successful in finding it.  A couple of other small local boats with a cabin also came and anchored nearby for the night, as they had been unable to motor their boats into the 33 knots of wind we had around the headland, and had to turn back.  They each had about 6 people on board

A trip up the river into the mountainous valley looked intriguing, but after the heavy rain and the sight of a wrecked fishing boat at the mouth of the river was enough to signal that perhaps it was not a good idea, with tree debris no doubt cascading out of this deep river to clog up our outboard motor!

Position 07:37 {CHANGE TO AT} {DOT} 885s 126:25:.398e

Distance run: 58 miles average speed 6.1 knots