08:16.607S 117:30.36E

Sunday 10^th September 2017

Distance run: 134 nm

We lifted the anchor mid-morning after an early snorkel on the reef at Batu Montjo and bade farewell to the Komodo National Park as we headed west towards the island of Sumbawa.  We passed between Sumbawa and the island volcano Sangeang, meeting a strong counter current for a while, which slowed us down, but once through the narrowest point the current let us go, instead pushing us along quite nicely.  As the light faded we moved offshore into the shipping lanes to minimise the possibility of meeting fishing boats, FAD’s or nets.  The big ships have AIS and lights and are easy to see and avoid.

Pulau Sangeang, an island volcano off the north east coast of Sumbawa.

As the sun rose next morning we moved closer inshore and had a great sail around the corner as the wind picked up and changed direction, putting us on a close reach.  Steve had a great time hand-steering as the auto-pilot couldn’t respond quickly enough to the gusts coming off the hills, and managed to hold our course almost all the way to the anchorage.  We dropped the anchor around midday. 

The sun just peeking above the horizon.                                                                By 06:14 it was completely up.