08 30.190 S  121 47.262 E

Dropped anchor here at 4 pm amongst about a dozen other rally boats. This is NOT a rally location/venue but a bunch of us have ended up here somehow at the same time. I think the main attraction is an inland set of volcanic mountains/craters ….3 of these craters are like lakes and each of them have their own unique colour. It is about a 2 hour drive from the anchorage over a tough road but I think most of us intend to make it up there…probably the day after tomorrow…..departing here at about 4:30 am to take in the sight/vista at sunrise.  Tomorrow we will see what can be arranged.

This village was on the original Sail Indonesia Rally some 12 years ago but has not been an “official stop” since then. So the village was very surprised and elated to find that we had all stopped…..all quite by accident.

Mausambi is one of 4 villages close by where we anchored…all Catholic …and the 4 communities share one priest/one church. Mausambi was going to have a special event this evening with a feast, traditional dancing, music ….to which we were all invited as soon as we dropped anchor. We have found Indonesians so very friendly at every place we have been ….but somehow the people of this village (population 240 / 92 families) are very clearly more friendly than any other community so far. It is VERY VERY clean…yards and homes are kept up to a high standard; their main street is a paved road and there are a number of driveways and side streets (pathways) laid with concrete. We found quite a few of the residents…adults and children….could speak a little English…TERRIFIC for us!!

We got back to Sea Mist just after 8 pm; it was a long walk from the anchorage to the location of the festivities (perhaps 2 miles +) and so it was a bit difficult on the way back since at least half the distance was along a path out into the forest where everyone gathered at community grounds. Luckily, a couple of our fellow cruisers suspected whatever was going to happen might carry on into the dark….so they brought flashlights/torches…we didn’t …and it was so dark. No light from the moon yet in its new cycle.

We will try to follow up with a few photos to give a sense of our involvement with the locals.

Time for bed now…..until the next time, this is a sign off for the Seamisters