There are different types of people sailing on a daily basis, I think of myself as a passage maker, trying to get from A to B, then there are the genuine cruisers, the occasional tourists and further down the order are the live-aboards, who don't move much. I had always frowned upon talk of wonderful anchorages, preferring to talk about great sailing, but since leaving Bitung I can at last relate to those who seek the secluded tranquillity of an anchorage with a view. We have enjoyed many days in unbelievable places, occasionally the positioning was a bit risky, often we had no choice, but to spend time in some of them was to realise many people's idea of paradise. The scenery was stunning, Beaches, volcanic islands, coral reefs and various types of forest. Occasionally we entertained the locals, Indonesian or Papuans, They climbed aboard Loggerhead without much of an invitation, but the smiles said it all, one or two had a few words of English, and they were all very poor by our standards.
We motored for 38 hours of the first 48 after leaving Sorong, on the third morning the wind at last made an appearance, 15-20 knots and up to seven knots of boat speed all day. We planned to visit Biak but we only managed an island call Supiori by early evening so we decided to stop there. We trolled lures as usual although the success rate was poor. Approaching the intended anchorage I began to prepare the boat, the main came down and we motored, watching the plotter and then bringing in the fishing lines, the first one broke as it was almost in. A crimp had cut through the line losing a brand new jig that I had made up that morning. I was disappointed. We were within two miles of our intended anchorage and I was just about to bring in the second line when we had a strike. I was determined to land what ever it was; I also prayed that it wasn't a shark. We throttled back the engine and I slowly began to reel it in, it felt quite heavy, or strong. I took my time, letting the fish tire, while Charley prepared the cockpit. The fish turned out to be a Trevally or Giant Kingfish, I noticed that the hook was in its gill rather than mouth, I expected to lose it but I passed Charley the rod and lifted it inboard with my homemade gaff. It weighed almost 6 kilos and was a welcome addition to the menu. We left it in the cockpit while we anchored as it was almost dark. Next morning we had a few visitors, Papuans who seemed fascinated by the sight of a yacht. One had a bit of English but most didn't. They were very pleasant. Most had red stained and rotten teeth due to the betel nut that they chew. I asked them for coconuts and within ten minutes they brought ten to the yacht. When they left Charley and I rowed ashore, the short distance did not warrant the outboard. We found fresh water seeping through the volcanic rocks on the beach, we had noticed a mixture of salt and fresh when we snorkelled earlier.
Next morning we left early and motored most of the way to Korim a small town along the coast. As we entered the bay, which was sheltered to all directions except north, there were more than a dozen men fishing in small canoes. Something took my lure but quickly freed itself, I fully intended to give whatever I landed to the oldest man fishing. I then tangled the fishing line with the wind generator. I cut the line in order to stop the mess increasing. I pulled in the rest of the line by hand and retrieved the lure and the leader, there was a good length of line in the cockpit so I waved at the nearest man and gave it to him, he seemed pleased enough.
We soon anchored in six metres, a luxury. A small group of canoes soon surrounded us; no one had English so the communication was poor, I did enquire about the availability of diesel, solar in Indonesian, apparently some was available.
Next morning we went ashore in the rib, apart from the fishermen we saw very few people, we left the rib tied to a tree, beside some canoes with out-riggers. The night before the men around us pointed when we asked about Korim, we assumed that there might be some shops and a garage. We followed a path which then became a road but all we found were a few houses and a church made of corrugated iron. One house had a very rough stall fronting the road; there were some local fruits and some beans for sale. Charley bought some green beans from one of the ladies and with no common language we gestured with our empty containers that we wanted diesel. We understood that we had to go to the nearest town, which apparently was five kilometres away. The lady suggested that we wait as a truck would be along soon. And so it was, a small truck laden with sand arrived. We waved our empty containers and the man bade us get in. An hour later, and I estimate after 40 kilometres we arrived at a town, the other side of the island because we could see the sea, the man dropped us at the only garage in the town and would take no money for his kindness.
We found one local with a bit of English who directed us to an internet café, in itself most surprising. After an hour on-line we walked back to the garage only to be told that there was no diesel. I found out later that they did have diesel but would not let it be bought in plastic containers. Fortunately, one of the many men just standing about recognised our predicament and led us to an unofficial garage, selling fuel by the ladle from a ramshackle site next to the official garage. We filled our two containers and then tried to hail a taxi to go back to Korim. None of the taxi's would oblige until one man helped by sending us to a nearby market from which busses would go to Korim. The people were very kind to us; one man led us to the front of a queue of vehicles when all I could say was Korim. The two plastic containers were tied onto the roof of the minibus, we were given the best seats and off we went. An hour, and a dozen stops later, we arrived back at near where we had left the rib. I was pleased to see the rib where we left it. I put the diesel containers aboard and immediately noticed that someone had borrowed half the petrol in the tank. At least they had been good enough to leave us with enough to get back to the yacht. We spent the afternoon preparing for sea, I went to the top of the mast to investigate an instrument failure, as I thought the anemometer was broken; I brought it down for repair. Just before dusk a squall from the north arrived, the anchor was firmly set and all the wind did was charge the batteries.
Next morning I returned to the top of the mast with the Raymarine wind instrument, having repaired the break with Spabond. I reconnected it and we had wind speed information again. We raised the anchor and quickly put out two lures. All the men in canoes waved as we weaved between them, we soon had a bite on a trolled lure, we stopped the engine and then another fish took the other line, I managed to bring my fish alongside, Charley played the other, I could see a barracuda, but the other fish escaped, as did the barracuda, I decided that the hooks are not suitable for mouths full of teeth.
We motored away and for the next fifteen hours the wind stayed below three knots, the sea was "oily", comfortable but again we had to rely on the engine. The grib file forecast predicted little wind so we were not surprised. There was plenty of wind to the south of the island but we were to the north. At 3.30 am some southerly wind did allow sailing and rest for the engine, at dawn I started the water maker and began filling the aft tank. The wind died mid morning and so the engine went on again, but only for an hour, a sea breeze set in and lasted all day. We were delighted with the sail. During the morning I changed the hooks on the Rapala lures, Trees in the water were a problem, we struck one or two but not heavily, many of the older ones had been eroded to large logs. At lunch time we caught a fish, another new species, a big mouthed queenfish, at four and a half kilos it put up quite a fight. The new hooks definitely made a difference.
Although there was little in the way of wind the passage was very pleasurable, the first night was almost as bright as daylight due to the full moon, and whenever we could we ghosted along under full sail. I expected to motor the whole way so this came as a bonus. The second night brought a few rain clouds with a bit of variable wind strength and direction, some of which we sailed to. By now we had ample diesel to get to Jayapura so it was a case of nursing the engine and its oil leak rather than the fuel.
It always takes a few days of watches before we settle down, when the weather is good we get enough sleep so most mornings we both look for things to do, Charley bakes bread and I play with my fishing gear mostly but a whole host of jobs do get done. When water permits we keep our washing under control. A lesson learnt a few islands back was that the husks from coconuts stain the gel-coat a red/brown which is difficult to remove.
We relaxed a bit more in the afternoons, Charley has taken up Soduko. I mentally list the jobs to be done in Australia. I am beginning to think we will not get there by the 1st of November.
The third day was mostly pleasant sailing apart from the trees in the sea. The evening brought no surprises and just after dawn we motored into Jayapura, there were four yachts at anchor, three of them we recognised as having been at Bitung, we asked for the best place to anchor, they all replied its 30 metres plus everywhere. We did a tour of the immediate area just in case we could find something shallower, without success. Then a stroke of luck, the crew from a moored wooden cargo boat waved at us to raft alongside them. The crew was soon peering into our hatches, they were also interested in the knots we use. I gave them a lesson on how to tie a bowline.
