The trip from Darwin to Kupang, East Timor went smoothly and quickly.  At least half the trip being done with engine

And sails, we had been expecting to have to do a lot more motoring as we approached the equator again. We completed

The 460 mile in 3 ½ days, So  where  approaching the channel up to Kupang on Friday morning. I had noticed an Island

With a bay to our Starboard and after a look at the charts I decided we would stop for lunch and a swim and carry on to

Kupang in the afternoon as we probably would not get clearance in on a Friday, Kupang being mainly Moslem. So we

Pulled into the bay at 12 o clock, at 2.30 our swim and lunch being completed and with 12 miles still to go we pulled up

The anchor and started out of the bay, on our route in we had crossed a shallow area of coral so I decided to head straight

Out towards the channel in the centre of the bay.   So here goes, the confession we motored into some coral and became

Caught up unable to reverse or motor forward to get into deeper water, We were going to have another enforced rest

Whilst the tide went out and then returned before we would get enough water to float off and out of the coral.

 The next few hours would be very tense as Penguin lay further and further on her side  and would finally settle on the

Coral, during this time I spent my time putting pads under the boat and laying the boom down onto the ground to take

Some of the weight of the hull, The danger of laying on coral is that their would be pressure points against the hull

Which might break through leaving a hole for the water when the tide came back in,   At about 5 o’clock all the local

Inhabitants of the Island came out to the reef in their canoes. I am sure that a 44ft yacht laid over on the reef was a

Strange sight, a number of them  got up courage and came over for a good look around, they even helped me clear

Away coral from behind the keel which had been trapping us . The purpose of their trip was to take advantage of the

Low tide and collect food from the reef. As twilight came they all lit the primus lamps which they carried on the stern

Of their canoes and then spent the following 3hrs fishing using different methods, some spearing fish as they walked through

The coral some in the water Along side the canoe spearing the fish as they were attracted to the strong light of the Primus.

And although penguin was still on her side as the tide slowly came Back we experience a Magical scene as 80 lights floated

around us on the  reef and all the people being fully engaged in getting their food.

Time I got myself out of here!

At around ten Penguin was floating again we waited for another 40 minutes or so then reversed out from the reef  at 11 o’clock

We were safely at anchor, we made the decision to leave the bay in daylight the following day as we had all had enough excitement

 for one day. On inspecting the hull the following morning I found a crack in the external skin of fibre glass which I patched over

To keep the internal foam from getting wet. And then finally it was off at midday to make our official landfall in Kupang East Timor.

  Our experience of Timor was great the town was extremely dirty and run down but the people where absolutely brilliant very

Friendly full of fun and smiles. We managed to complete all clearing in with the aid of the very helpful local agent Napa Rachman

Our cruising permits were also ready for us. So all the running around in Darwin had paid off as after a couple of days we were

Ready to go off through the Islands on our way up to Singapore.  I am sure another week in kupang would have been great the

Cost of everything was so cheap, we could all four go for a meal for less than £8.00 each time you went to the ATM it would

Let you take out one million five hundred thousand rupee which was £88.00. Our trips to the local market were always a highlight

Good fruit and veg lots of colour and colourful characters all surrounded with a large amount of rubbish, The roads were full of

Mopeds and mini buses all driving with one hand on the horn, total sensory overload  Sea Front Kupang

Kids from the fishing village kupang.

Indonesia does not have the best reputation but we enjoyed an amazing 4 weeks cruising through these stunning Islands

It is one of the most volcanically active areas in the world so the scenery was stunning some of our snorkelling was better

Than we had experienced anywhere  especially around Komodo and Rinca Island, Then Bali Had superb surfing beaches

Beautiful temples and fantastic craftsmanship .

Volcano on Bali.

The infamous Komodo Dragon  Only the craft vendors are more deadly.

We had 4 days to experience a tiny bit of what Bali had to offer, You would think that travelling around the world in 3 years would mean

That time would never be an issue we would be able to take whatever time we needed to enjoy the most interesting places sadly this does

Not happen, we have certain destinations that we need to arrive at  certain times, I had arranged to meet up with a Friend from my School

Days on the 15 june and Jacky would be flying into Phuket on the 3^rd of july, I had better not be late for that Rendezvous.  So we left Bali on the 5^th june Sailing night and day up through the Java sea then into the South China Sea to end up in Batam 15 miles south of Singapore. The distance from Bali to Singapore being one thousand miles approximately  we cleared out of Indonesia in Batam, and arrived in Singapore on Friday 15^th at 13.30 perfect timing. Paul my friend was still at work but we had arranged to meet for a beer in

The evening.  Our Scottish backpacker Colin also decided that Penguin had now served her purpose in transporting him from Panama to Singapore and that he could now continue in his Globe trotting trek on terra firma. It was sad to see him go he had been fun to travel with,

And we wish him well with the rest of his trip. We had completed a further 5920 miles from  Auckland to Singapore and a total of 21720 miles since our departure from Lymington.So that’s all from Indo.