Kupang

Marita3
Mark & Helen Syrett
Fri 5 Oct 2012 12:58
10:09.629S 123:34.284E
At 0420 this morning we dropped anchor in Kupang having sailed up through Selat Semau---a good day's sailing after two day's motoring. All in all not a bad passage that is renowned for being windless.
The fun began this morning when Gunnar and Mark went ashore to do the clear in procedures with the Indonesian officialdom. Having tried to call the agent (Napa), named in the pilot book, without success they were met on the beach by Michael who offered to take them round the usual four authorities---quarantine, customs, immigration and port authority. All these were in different places so a patient taxi driver was required. Immigration went smoothly if not a little time consuming, port authority wanted Customs dealt with first and quarantine said that we should not have left the boat despite the fact they had no contact details and had no boat to reach us! At Customs we met a stone wall---the official said that he would not 'cooperate' (ie deal with our clearance) unless we used Napa, the agent who we could not contact. It was obvious he had a ''financial'' arrangement with Napa and he point blank refused to deal with us. He called Napa, who was on his knees in a mosque praying for the second time that day, and a meeting on the beach at 1300 was arranged. Napa took copies of all our papers, the quarantine officials gave both boats a clean bill of health without even seeing them and at 1900 we met Napa on Bligh steps to receive all our clearance papers in exchange for yet more Indonesian rupiahs most of which probably went as backhanders to the officials----how very surprising that the customs man had still been working and had been prepared to 'cooperate' and deal with our papers at such a late hour! There had been much discussion about the need to pay a bond based on 20% of the value of the boat, so called returnable on leaving Indonesia. This was threatened by the Custom's official but the threat disappeared when Napa was used. Over a million rupiah changed hands but to put it in perspective there are 16,000 rupiah to the pound! The moral of the story is to use Napa and enjoy a smooth passage through the officialdom! We now have his correct telephone number and contact details, the old telephone number in the pilot book having been superceded!!
Meanwhile back on the boat the wind had swung into the north and increased to about force 6 and Marita and Camelot were bucking about on a lee shore with Helen and Vibecke on board the boats wondering what was happening ashore----the pilot book says that it is most unusual to have a strong northerly at this time of year! The anchor (Manson) again held firm.
We, boats and crews, are now cleared into Indonesia!

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