I take a tourist boat out to Green Island which is a typical resort island except that it has crocodiles. Crocs up close are very interesting in that they are huge and bring a whole new meaning to vicous. Their jaws have a capacity to exert 2,500 kilograms which, with huge teeth does not give you much chance. Given that they live in the sea all swimming has been cancelled...

The rally meetings are routine but it is clear that the Indonesian government are keen to make friends with the cruisers. A lot has been laid on for us and the whole trip looks interesting.

The manager of the resturaunt beside my pontoon is from Northern Ireland. His father owns the pub nearest to my appartment in Belfast. Small world. Everything here, especially resturaunts, is expensive. It will be nice to get to a lower cost base in Indonesia. I have hit a few more repairs such as the seal on my propellor shaft. Lucky it happened here and not Indonesia where a replacement would have been nigh on impossible.

I am almost ready to leave for Thursday Island. Most boats are going inside the Barrier Reef but the anchorages are far apart and night sailing is necessary. OK if you have a woman to put in the cockpit but I don't so the single handers are going outside the reef and due north for about 350 miles before coming in again at a point where anchorages will be about 20 miles apart. No swimming here either.

Everyone has warned us to be careful of the women at Thursday. I wonder why...