Christmas Island Departure

Digiboat's "Product Testing"
Simon Blundell
Tue 10 May 2011 07:23
10°19.52S 105°44.57E
 
Dropped mooring at 0730 and left the rocky and rolly anchorage.
 
Clearance out was a breeze, this has to be the easiest - and cheapest - place ever for all the formalities. Only cost was $10 per day for use of the mooring! Apparently during trade wind season, they lay more moorings and the beach is accessible with the dinghy, this would certainly make it a more worthwhile destination. As it was the swell coming into Flying Fish Cove was quite uncomfortable, and some locals were surfing at the beach where usually it's like a mill pond.
 
Steve and Alfredo went snorkelling yesterday and said best coral and fish they'd seen, and remember they live on Gili Trawangan - a World reknowned dive destination!
 
Every one at Christmas Island extrememly pleasant and helpful. They all knew we were from the yacht as we were the only non-locals about town! The supermarket even loaned us their ute to drive our supplies back to the dock. Good to have a decent western supermarket, expensive though, but a big tub of Vegemite and some Spanish Olives are worth gold onboard!!
 
We also discovered it is a Duty Free island - NOW I understand its raison d étre. Smokes are about the same as Syd Airport nd there's a large range of Aussie wines and what looked very cheap prices.
 
Anyway, good to be heading "home" to Gili, but GRIB data so far is showing head winds for the next 48 hrs - drag.
 
SJB
10/1030