Bau Bau, Buton Island, South Sulawesi 31/8-3/9

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31/8-3/9 Bau Bau, Buton Island, South Sulawesi for anchor. We were going with a bus to oyster farm, pearl harvesting and a village that harvest and dry kelp / seaweed. The latter village people offer us delicious newly fried bananas and sweet potatoes with water. Later on we got traditional lunch, that was rice, chicken, fish and vegetables. On the way back to town we stopped at a family factory making chines concrete garden decorations. Also we passed beautiful rice fields.

1/9 Bau Bau for anchor. Bus tour to village were we could enjoy seeing mend dressed up as musketeers dancing handling swards and flags and teenager doing traditional sport and play using coconut shells and sea shells. Afterwords we got traditional lunch. We visited a village were women were weaving beautiful textiles. A very colourful village were visited and we got the story. If there were advertising on the house they got the paint for free from Glotex. We saw a little museum showing traditional ceramics while old men played traditional music. Also, we came home to two old ladies ceramic shop and could see how they, by hand, made traditional ceramics.

Up at the fort we saw Sultan houses and spectacular wedding dresses we could try. Up on the fort the guides surprised with a beautiful birthday cake to Lisa and we all sang accompanied by Salam on guitar. Street kitchen and, very important, visit a seldom existing bear and liqueur shop. We had our meal together with the other at the hotel. Sean, from Ireland SY Chevaldy, entertained us playing on our guide Salam´s guitar, after used some time to tune it. One of the lovely female guide could really sing! It was a nice evening.

2/9 Bau Bau for anchor. Bus to marked in Korea village. There is a sign written in Korean but when reading it it sounded like Indonesian. Strange. Afterwords the bus took us to Pine tree Park were we got lunch. Unhappily there was a lot of trash from people using the lovely park! Finally the bus went to a very popular beach. Not many of the local people went into the water and if they did they had the clothes on. The children loved to sob in the water. Some of us sailor went into the water. No reef but fish on some stones. Coming up we got nice fruit. After eating dinner at the Italian restaurant we sad goodbye to Salaam, Raymond and the photographer. We have had so many experiences sailing to Buton island, visiting many villages and a town on the island.

Buton South, South Sulawesi 27/8-30/8 2018

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27/8 We sailed to Buton south for motor 08-12:00. We drop the anchor but soon we had to re anchor because we were drifting. At 17 hour sundowner at Volo and Randivåg is suddenly drifting and Sven and Lisa had to go fast back to the yacht and re anchor.

28/8 We sail to Bau Bau after trying to anchor using fishing boats moorings that failed. We went for motor and jib and it took 4 hoers. We anchor close to Extrapol outside a hotel. They had arranged a dingy dock that was quite unstable and during evenings very dark and somewhat difficult stairs to come up on to the hotel. There we had a very nice place to meat with the other sailors, the guides and Raymond. We sailed in and went to the supermarket we new from before and find a restaurant serving quite good European food.

29/8 Bau Bau for anchor and bus at 8 a clock to south Buton with stop at a village with special houses on stilts. Underneath the house they store a lot of wood for cocking. We could get inside the little house. I got coffee sitting on the floor in another much bigger house. On the attic they store corn from 1960. Arriving to S Buton we got lunch but first all the lady’s have to learn a little about local cocking from the women in the village. The bus stopped at a boat builder that did not use nails and screws. At the festival place, beautiful situated on the beach, we herd speeches, saw a lot of dances and selfies were taken. They wanted us up dancing and of cause group pictures were taken. Along the schore we could see traditional fishing boats under sail. On the tour back to Bau Bau, when riding on a sand and gravel road, we noticed that the bus had to avoid a lot of obstacles, made of the local people, because they wanted slow down traffic to avoid dust coming into there houses. We came back to Bau Bau late in the darkness.

30/8 Bau Bau for anchor and bus to south Buton. The bus leaves 9:15 after repair. 11:30 we visit school for the youngest. We saw that they had a lot of new not used books on the shelf’s. We had good coffee and snacks at the house from yesterday and then the bus took us to the festival place at the beach. We got traditional lunch and then speeches and dancer entertained. Max talk for us sailors and we were al up on the scene for group photo and to receive gifts. On the way back we stopped at a carpenter that made traditional furnisher. Back in Bau Bau 19 hour.

Passar Wajo South Sulawesi 20/8-27/8 2018

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20/8 At 07:00 we sail out of Banua Banu after we have taken the canvas cover of the main, rain-cover in front, hoist the outboard motor onboard and the dingy on the davids. We had some very eventful days there and met so nice people. Now the coarse was to Pasar Wajo also situated on the island Buton. We sail very fast close hauled, 9.6 knots, out of the bay. We have Randivåg and Volo close behind. Time to make IKEA rye-bread on the way. The wind disappear later on so for motor. I got hold of a mooring in the large bay.

Nice dinner on board getting a fillet from the fish we got from the fishermen in Banua Banu. We were tired after a days sailing so early in bed.

21/8 Quiet morning. Get a hair cut of the captain. Nice! The dingy get into the water and we sail into the dingy dock to present us to the guides. They were on the bridge and welcomed us. They arrange very quickly a tour on motorcycle to the town for to top up internet and go to the market. I bought a cotton long-sleeved blouse on the market and we got some vegetable. Bread, toast bread, is difficult to get but after a couple of stops we got some. Lars had a very heavy rucksack on the tour back on the motorbike. We took a walk to the “swimming-pool” in the river and met Russell, Diana and Garry there. We decided that we should take a swim there later in the evening and eat there. After the swim we had, Mie goreng, fried egg noodles with vegetables.

22/8 We woke up a round 4 o’clock because of very load prayer from the mosque. It turned up to be the beginning of a very holy three days for the Muslims. Abraham did not kill his son because God interfered.? There were a lot of praying, calling and singing from the speaker the next days. A bus took us all to the Mayer’s beautiful house for a very nice lunch with desert. We could inspect the building that was used for representative purpose. Many selfies were taken and we were photographed together with the mayor and his wife. In the evening, at my 68 birthday, Raymond had arranged that there would be delivered local bintang beer to buy and karaoke with dance in the tent but the beer came so late that almost al of us had gone back to the boats. That was a strange birthday.

23/8 Tour with bus to arrack distillery in the jungle. Easy moveable. We had police escort. The bus stops at the supermarket in Bau Bau. Shopping was good with ham, cheese, chicken, coffee etc. The bus drove around the big famous fort, the words biggest they say, but did not stop. Later on we got to see it. We were back at the dingy dock at 15:30 very tired and hot.

24/8 Indonesian cocking class. First we had to see were some of the ingredients came from so Rusdi took us on a tour to his grandparents house. We used Parende (Berindi) green fruit a little taste of citrus, garlic, scarlet onion, tomatoes citrus grass, turmeric (gurkemaya), chilli, tuna, cassava. Lars and I, together with the nice girls Diana, Victoria, Amy and Kimi, had a great morning making a delicious fish soup, cassava top and cookies. We learned from Rusdi that “Anja Kamu” means only you. In the afternoon we got a ride in a car to a place were there were going to be a canoe competition. Must say that we were depressed by the lot of trash on the place. Lars practised his new drone there while waiting. There were no activities so the guide took us to see the little but beautiful fort from 1600 situated up the hill. Sultans and kings have lived there. 19:30 we all go by bus to the big festival place up the mountain. We get welcome by dancers and a nice buffet were served. Afterwords more dances. They wanted us up to the big scene and listen to several local rock bands playing. The mayor was there to. We made a tour around the expo and I got a very nice brooch made with a black pearl and “mother of perl”, perlemor in Danish. The bus went home with us at 24 hour.

25/8 Sleep late. A long tour with a bus to open asphalt mine. They process it and sell it as liquid asphalt. They were working on a new factory.

26/8 With the bus to Festival place up the hill. There were a lot of local people when we came. We saw weaving ladies. In a separate room we got sarongs to be dressed in. It was very hot when we came out of the air-conditioned room with extra clothing on. There were important people like the Mayor we met before, Bupati, parents with baby’s getting old fashion traditional “baptising” and boys dressed up in blue costumes to celebrate there circumcision. We sat on the floor eating food that the families have brought with them. Finally, after long waiting in the heat, we saw the “thousand dancer”, and it was spectacular.

North Buton South Sulawesi 15/8-20/8 2018

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15/8 Sailing to North Buton and the fishing village Banua Banu. Anchor up at 05:15 and out, of the beautiful bay, for motor.

16/8 Sailing to North Buton. We sail most of the day behind Blue Rodgers and Randivåg but at the last miles we got wind in the sail and were a head of both sailing in to Anchor in the afternoon. We took the dingy down and sailed in to the dock and met with an English teacher and his students. They told us about a fish and seafood restaurant and showed us the way. We could shoos an alive lobster each, in a large basin. We got one of the best meals in Indonesia there. The guides went of on the scooter to by local bintang bear to us with ice on the side to cool.

17/8 With bus to Islamic center because it is Indonesia’s national day. We were invited to sit with the important people to see the military parade. A lot of selfies was taken with us. After that the bus take us to the market in Ereke, the capital of North Buton. It is a very large and good market we so get eggs and vegetables. I rest my knee in the afternoon and Lars take a tour to see traditional games and a beach. He was chocked by the plastic pollution on the beautiful beach. In the evening we are going by bus to Ereke and a big hall were we are sitting for a long while waiting for something to happened. Some of us, not Lars and I, were going to a circumcision celebration of 100 children. Finally the hall gets filled up. There were speeches, mostly in Indonesian, from Bupati and other important people, like leader of tourism, we had to listen to. Afterwords dances by small children. At 21:30 we finally got local food, quiet good, in a room at the side of the big hall. Afterword they took pictures of us on the big stage.

18/8 Lars sailed in and went on a tour to see traditional sport in the morning. Neighbor fishermen came aboard with fish. So sweet of them. I made Coffey for them. Lars take care of the fish so we have file of fish in the freezer. We went a tour in the fishing village built on stilt with our lovely young guides, Yhus, Reisya Omar and little sister…and later on the English teacher joined us. It was quiet exiting to go on the boardwalk because there were many wholes but the young people took care of us so we did not fall down. There were time to talk about trash also. They came aboard on Alexandra a couple of time.

19/8 We and Sandy and Max met with teacher and students in the harbor. We talked a lot of plastic pollution and how imported it is to clean up your environment. It have to start with the children and young people, them! Good luck with that! The students made a presentation in English and we gave then questions to answer. In the afternoon, in Ereke, we so a parade with children that had been circumcised (boys, the girls get a prick with a needle they say, you like to believe that). The children were dressed up in gold and colorful dresses. There were dancer and speeches from Bupati and other important people in North Buton. Local food, made from the families involved, was served on the floor in a huge tent.

Tifu Village – South Buro Island

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Tifu South Buru Island 9/8-15/8 2018

9/8 We sailed early in the morning and we had a very changeable sailing day. We sailed with main up al day and sometime motor or jib. We had several rain showers and it was misty the whole day. Anchor down in the beautiful lagoon at 16 hour. Just after a heavy squall our Swedish fiends came in.

10/8 Lars clean the whose for salt water inlet to water-maker and the filter to generator. Now we can run the water-maker and make 60 litre water. We can have a long awaited shower. At 10 a´clock we sail in to the dock and Raymond is at the pier to take the line together with a lot of young local English students helper and of cause photographer. There were speeches and dances in the tent and Gert from Wind of Change was chosen to be honorary citizen and as such eat some special peas and have a traditional headlining on. The village lady’s have made local food for us like rice, fish, chicken, cassava, and vegetables. Some of the latter was to strong spiced for us sensible Europeans. We got bottled water for drink, that was room temperature, as much as we needed al along touring around Indonesia. A lot of bottles and straws that should be recycled!? It was possible to buy bear from the locals because they were Christian. We went a tour around the little village and up to the church. On the way we were stopped several times because the villager wanted to take selfies with us. Relaxed on Alexandra in the afternoon.

11/8 Relax on board Alexandra. Early morning we can here song and prayer from the church. They celebrate a holey day? There were boat racing in the bay and we so the woman race.

12/8 We meet at the pier at 9 o’clock and after a couple of hours there are arranged three pickup cars to take us on a tour to a fishing village. I sat in front of one of them together with Lisa and it was not much space but soft. The others had to sit on the hard fleet. They took it as a challenge and laughed a lot. Lars got very dirty in the but. After a de-rut to see a very beautiful view we arrive outside the village and the local old men met us dressed in there best clothes and the traditional head scarf. The whole village come with orchestra and we march with them into the village. Different group of women preformed with dance for us. Getting to the village we get interesting local food. We so the fishing technique to ketch small fish in the little stream by singing a special song close to the hole were the fish was hiding.

13/8 Lars got on a tour with longboat to a waterfall. I had different activity on board and rest my knee that still hurts. I sent an SMS to the sons because in Tifu we have no internet. Sun-downer at Blue Rodgers and afterwords sail in to the village for farewell party. Local food and afterwords speeches and handing over premier to the winner of fishing and boating competitions. Later dance to techno music. The local love it. I still had a good excuse for not dancing to that sort of music, my hurting knee, but Lars was high-jacked up to the gravel dance floor of a beautiful local woman. The locals just love to dance and no bad condition can stop them like heat, gravel floor, techno music etcetera.

14/8 Not a good weather window so we, and a lot of boats, stayed another day in Tifu. We could enjoy the 40´if birthday party for Franziska on Philocat. They grilled a pig. I made buns to add to the table but find out that the yeast is no good. Exposed for to much heat, that is 32C°. I have too by new and store it in the fridge. Great party with a lot of locals also. Grill a whole pig was something the locals did not no how to do so they were very interested. Also when fat was thrown away they picket it up and ate it happily. This was the only place in Indonesia we got pig meat.

Banda Neira and Banda Besar The spice islands.

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30/7-31/7 We left Debut and sailed to a little island Tayandu at 7:10. Not much wind so motor until later when we set jib and sail fast. On the anchorage at 13:20.

For anchor at Tayandu. Lars shift out old leaking cool water pump to Yanmar with a knew from the spare part inventory. Wau, no water leakage any-more. Sun-downer at blue Roger but I stay home because sour throat coming up, bad stomach and leg that hurt. Could it be worst. Later on I found out that almost everybody in the rally had sour throat at that time. I enjoyed reading Elisabeth Pisani´s e-book Indonesia Etc.

1/8-2/8 2018 Sailing to Banda Neira. The spice islands. Anchor up 09 hour. A fuse goes when there are 10 meter anchor chain left. Lars have to fix it and of we go.

Arrive in Banda Neira in the afternoon the second of august after seeing several whales and especial one beside Alexandra when we drop anchor.

3/8 Banda Neira. Feverish night! Woke up at 5:30, at a Mullah´s sung from the mosque, and made tea with honey for my sour throat. I had feather all day and was coughing. Laundry, three IKEA bags, was picked up by a local boat with man, wife and daughter. We by papaya and carrots for overprice and later more fruit. Lars check out the town with Lisa and went in in, the evening, to see a movie at a hotel that Abbas, local guide, owned.

4/8 Banda Neira. To the colonial hotel and Spice Island tour on Banda Besar. We were all packed in a local boat and sailed over to the neighboring island for to see were the spices trees grow. The village were very clean and with beautiful houses, schools and mosques. We went up a long stare-way to reach the inner island with the big trees. There were big high old almond trees protecting the nutmeg trees from the sun and there were also cinnamon and clove trees. It was a wonderful forest to walk around. We could rest in a house and was served local coffee and fried bananas etc. I was very happy to manage to go the long tour with my troubled right leg/knee.

5/8 Lars on diving tour with Susan Eri Spirit. I was resting my leg.

6/8 Banda Neira. With the dingy to the hotel and a tour around the town. We went up to the old Dutch fort from 1600. Everything seemed to be closed but the Chinese shop were open so we could by a bred, cinnamon roles, Pringles, dried bananas and cola. At the old colonial hotel we got a beer and freshly made pineapple juice.

7/8 Banda Neira Lars was sick but fresh enough to take me to the reef so I could swim for a short while after Ross´s instruction. It was a beautiful reef. We left Banda in the afternoon for sailing to Tifu making a pit-stop at Palau Ambelau the 8/8. After safely anchored we had a lot of teenager boys climbing up the platform and looking inside the boat threw port-holes in the hall. They wanted books in English and we had only some brochures to give them. Al literature is electronic on Alexandra. We were exhausted and had not much patient to deal with them. Some of the boats had problems with the anchor holding and did not sleep so well.

Debut village on the Island Key Kecil Indonesia 24 july to 29 july

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25/7 After visited the custom on the harbour we took a walk in the village. First the Christian part and later in the afternoon the Muslim part. We met a man at the church that could speak a little English. He was lucky being employed by the government after studied political science in Jakarta. He was waiting for his nephew coming from school. When the little boy came he took him on his motorcycle. Here in Indonesia scooter and motorbikes are the favorite transportation, we quickly found out. Back on Alexandra Lars find the fault with the generator. It was a relay that had contact problem. We made a lot of water and I could wash clothes. After some badges we made drinking water. We took the dingy in to see the Muslim part with the little mosque.

26/7 Welcome 2 wonderful Indonesia at the “harbour” with many officials from Java, South Mollucca regency, the island and the village. They entertained with music and dance. There were a lot of speeches so it took a long time. We got our first snack box also with water so we survived in the 30+ºC. In the afternoon we went with buses to a fishing village were the people had worked very hard to prepare for our welcome. There were music and dance and long speeches. The women had prepared local food and beverage for us and it was very special. We had to by coupons for 200000IDR- 88.42DKK for buying food on 6 different stands and the 7 were beverage like water or sweet water with jelly. Afterwords you could see the special local instruments and also the special fishing-boats they were using to catch clusters of small fish. We were quite tired when we arrived at Alexandra in the evening.

27/7 With dingy and Randevåg to the harbour 8:30. Nice fried bananas for 5000IDR=2.21 DKK. and picture taken with the local lady’s, one named Maria. We wait for a bus-tour for quite a while. Finally we arrived to a lovely beach and into the water for the first time in Indonesia. Only seagrass but there were fish to look at. We pay for the nice shed to change clothes as the only one, 50000IDR / 22.39DKK.

16:30 we take the dingy to neighbouring island and get it up on the sand. We had a long bus ride to a beautiful beach with big trees that gave shades for the hot sun. There were a lot of speeches, music and dances. “Gala dinner” later in the evening was special with local food made by the women in the village. I was unfortunate hurting my write knee when dancing with an old lady from the village. The old once are amazing, loving music and dance. Lars had too, almost, carry me to the bus because having weight on the knee hurt immensely.

28/7 Debut. Still hurting write leg and knee and also bad stomach. Lars with Randivåg to Langur after sim card.

29/7 Taxi with driver to Tual with Randivåg and Blue Roger. I wanted to see the town I had red about in the wonderful e-book Spice Islands Voyage, in search of Wallace, by Tim Severin. We visited the old city and there an “Arab” mosque, decorated very expensively with marble. We had a stop at a Muslim congregation around a mosque that was very colourful. All the houses around were coloured the same. Finding a restaurant was difficult but finally we came to the hotel we knew from before and got OK food.

Kristoffer comes to Sydney

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Lifou Loyalty Islands New Caledonia

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16/9-18/9-2017 Crossing to the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia with the ICA Pacific Circle Rally.

We started, early in the morning but after most of the others. When sailing out of the bay we met Lisa and Sven-Gösta coming in to Port Villa in there sailingboat Randivåg. We started out with two reef and jib and not like most of the rally boats that went for motor and full sail. The swells were up to 3.5 meter. It was not a comfortable upwind sailing and the speed was low (sometimes only 3.5) but a short distant so we did not care. Sometimes we changed the jib with staysail and during night we had only main with two reef. Once we had a sudden wind change from east to west. In shorter periods we had to use the motor.

Going with the rally meant that we could clear in to New Cal at Lifou on the 19/9 and that was a great advantage. Now we had a lot of the westerly island close by. The clearance took 3.45 min per boat and we were 30 boats so very good.

Sailing in New Cal 20/9-10/10 2017

Big bus arranged by the rally to village with post office for buying net and supermarket with nice French food like baguette and goat (chèvre) cheese.

Lifou minibus tour 21/9 with Mike and Glenda on Manuhaea, Jim and Linaire on Panthera and Russ Jane on Vivacious. The south island is beautiful with the sandy beaches, stone formations, cliffs, flowers etc. We had expected to see caves and finally Glenda managed to convince the driver to get a hold of a guide for to see a cave. An interesting old man had knowledge about the cave and showed us the way whiled packet in the trunk. Al of us had clip-clappers on and when we saw the cave we realised that at least the women could not go deep down into the cave. We enjoyed talking with the old man while waiting for our men to turn up from the deep. Lars got beautiful pictures of the inside of the cave.

Sailing Vanuatu 2/8-16/9 2017

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Port Villa Efate island

2/8-17 In the afternoon we sail in to “Waterfront” Port Villa with a fully packed dingy with Kirsten and Bjarne and there luggage. It is still a problem with the propeller and the tour back does not go much better when lighter. Lars found an extra propeller and will try it next day. We saw the aeroplane taking off to Fiji passing over the anchor place. Later we saw a chines news program in English on the TV. We had not looked at television for a long time.

3/8-17 Next day was busy with getting Digicel net, ATM, vegetable market but we also had time to get the best pizza ever at the Brewery (goat cheese and lamb meat) with the India pale dark beer. Lars took the jerrycan for gasoline and got it filled up. Finally, in the afternoon, we took the dingy to the big key for Cruising ships and cargo ships to visit custom and get our cruising permit for all the island in Vanuatu. We continued to sail with the dingy over to the “Waterfront” and provisioning at the supermarket.

4/8-17 More provisioning for goat cheese, vegetable, and fish. Lars downloaded photos and made series of pictures for Suva, Beqa and Pacific Harbour. Unfortunately the net was not good enough to download pictures to the web side.

5/8-7/8 17 We sail to Pelé Bay north of Efate. First 1.5 hour for motor and then jib out. The wind disappeared later on and we started the motor. We met Samoa SY JAMS and Murray called us on the VHF to tell that we had to visit Banan Bay and so we did later on. We anchor between Nguna and Pelé island in a large bay with some protection for the swells. The weather did not invite for a dingy tour to land or snorkelling at the reef. In the afternoon we had a beautiful rainbow to look at thought. We were the only boat in the bay having a relaxing two day stop over keeping up with administration.

7/8-8/8 Pelé Bay to Lamen Bay on Epi Island. It is raining 7:15 in the morning so reign jackets on, anchor up and launch the mainsail with two reef and jib. Shortly after we took out the reefs and shortly after that we start the motor because the wind disappeared. More wind is coming up and we have to get the main down. The wind gusts get lower so main up with one reef. Main down and start motor with jib out. Finally, after a very difficult day of sailing, we sail into a wonderful and calm bay without swells. We hear the children’s laughter while they are paddling around in there outrigger canoe. We enjoyed a beautiful sundown in the cockpit having beer, freshly baked bread, olive and papaya. No sight of the Dugong (Cow Fish, has a “whale” tail) but we got another trial later on. Turned in 18:15.

8/8-10/8 Lamen Bay to Banan Bay (Banam) on Malakula Island. It is raining at 06:00 but at 08:00 sunshine. Hoist the anchor and sail out of the beautiful bay. We launched the main with one reef and the jib at 8:25. Jibe when sailing into Banam Bay and the anchor is dropped at 14:45. We are getting visitor immediately. A boy in an outrigger canoe and a man in a bigger canoe asking for rope. Another one got a rope for two pompelmus (pomelo, grapefruit, citron-melon, shaddock) he came with later on. Two yang men sold two pawpaw (papaya), bananas and a bag of very large green beans for 600 VUV. The next day it is cloudy but the water is 25°C. Mobile is launched up in the mast to get net and gen-set and water-maker is running. Also the dive-compressor is taken up from the aft store room and two new capacitor, that Kirsten brought from Denmark, are installed. Now it is possible for the compressor to fill up the two tanks with air without problems.

10/8-13/8 Visit Banam Bay village

Cloudy morning. We took the dingy down into the water, mount the motor on and sail into the beach situated outside a village you cane hardly see because of the big trees. I wanted, and felt that I needed badly, a walk on the beach, because we had not been on land for several days. It turned out that we did not get the long walk because we were invited in to the village by the chief. He wanted to have a rope and so did some of the others. I was invited to come home to a beautiful young mother of four. She had the youngest one on her arms and he was a pretty one. The other children were in school were they came by walking 1½ hour each way. She cooked for us and so did the oldest man (boiled pumpkin leaf and spinach surrounding mashed cassava roll). They were wonderful people. Almost all of the men were involved in building a house for the women’s brother in law who lived in Port Villa. All the children were in school except a little “sick” one. Lars gave him a little red US football he could play with with the other children. As payment for the rope, school things and nips we got wonderful big papayas, that we like so much, and the old man came with a bag of cassava roots.

Back on Alexandra 13:00 we hurried on to get sailing to a bay further up between Malakula island and Uri island. We dropped the anchor in the dark 18:30.

11/8 Sunny morning, at Uri island, but very windy so no snorkelling. Instead baking ginger cookies and rye and wheat bred. Lars try to repair the propeller to the outboard motor. There is always something to do.

12/8 Uri Island early sunny morning but very windy and 75% cloud cover mid day. Lars find out that the 12 volt converter did not work so he connected a household extra converter that works very slowly. Later sunny again and less wind.

13/8 Aore Resort on Aore Island (pronouns Awree). Water temperature 25.6 sunny morning but a lot of clauds. Sailing towards Luganville, the one of second towns in Vanuatu, situated on the large island Espiritu Santos. We pass Uri and Uri Piv islands. Maria washes the deck while we are sailing out between small islands and the bigger Malakula island. We hoist the main sail, in up to 18 knots of wind and sail 5.5-6.6 knob. We get a cold coca cola. Lars feel bedder today and can get a nap. (We could go on messenger with Kristoffer who is moving out today of his apartment at Heimdalsgade, a little sad! He gets help by his big brother Frederik and his friends Mathias and Glen.) We decide to anchor outside Aore island, opposite Luganville, on the other said of Segond channel.

14/8 We take the dingy to Aore resort to talk to them about payment for the mooring and we got told that it is the neighbour, Paul White´s, Aore Adventure Sports, who shall have the money for the boy. We sail to Paul and Lars could make an arrangement to dive with him the day after. Afterwoods we take a tour by the curtsey ferry, cost one VUV per person, to Luganville on Espiritu Santo to buy net.

15/8 Aore Island. Lars had two amazing dive on President Coolige. They went down to 36 meter. Lars had not been so deep in resent years.

17/8 Lars dive on Million Dollar Point and on a beautiful coral reef with a lot of soft corals..

18/8 Aore island nice morning. Deliver to bags of dirty cloves to Paul’s wife and take the dingy to Loganville with gas-tanks to be filled up. It turned out that it was difficult to do with one of the tanks so the taxi driver had to take care of another customer and come back to us later. Lars tested repaired propel but it did not work. Nice bunns with tuna salad and French pâté. Lars shift impeller to gen-set and clean the filter. Make humus and boil kassava and mash it. It tasted like potatoes but more starch. Good with lam and Chicken sausages. Nice peacfull evening.

19/8 Aore Island. We went with the courtesy ferry to Luganville in the morning. The little ferry was packet because many people from the resort should go on bus tours. We went to the market after fruit and vegetables but it was not as good as in Port Villa. We had an ice-cream and a cola in the park. ATM and supermarket and back home to Aore island. We snorkelled on the reef outside the resort and it was fine because a lot offish, also big once. We took the dingy to White and paid for mooring and laundry and took a walk on the island. There were very quirt. We met a bull with his cows and calves.

20/8 We sailed from Aore Island to Palikulo Bay on Espiritu Santo. Lars had problems with the new version of Open CPN sent special to him. He had to ad an old version. When taking Dingyn up, there were problems with one of the screw to fastened outboard. I had problems to get free of the mooring boy so Lars came to help. Nice warm and sunny morning. Dead downwind out of the bay. 2 knots current so sail 6.1 knob with 11-12 SW. Free of Aore island at 09:52. We sail east a bit before heading strait north in direction of Palikulo Bay på Espiritu Santo. We past a rusty ketch wreck from the war. Beautiful bay with fore sailing-boats for anchor. A short time after anchoring we herd a bum and took the anchor up again and find another place to drop it. Nice lunch but disappointed not getting into the water to snorkel on the, for sure, fantastic reef, because of to much wind. Internet was not good but Lars managed to send an email to Pacific Circle Rally. Now there were time to bake a banana cake and a bred.

21/8-22/8 Pentacost island

Nice sailing, wind on the bow, with mainsail and stay-sail. We reached the south westerly coast of Pentacost island in the afternoon. At the 22/8 Maria’s birthday we herd kids playing on the beach and in the river mouth a family were fishing. We had a nice snorkelling to the reef close by. Lars discovered though that the anchor chain were around a “bummy” (coral head) so Lars got down, with diving equipment on, and released the anchor chain. Hamburger with freshly made buns for dinner.

23/8-2017 80% cloud-cover but nice morning with 8 knots of wind. Bistro coffee made of Vanuatu Aore coffee beans. Many birthday greetings came tonight on Facebook and messenger. Thank you all! We sail out of the bay 08:15 towards the island Ambrym and 13:41 we are in Olal on the north coast of Ambrym. Tuff sailing upwind with motor and staysail. Irritating swells on the beam. Wonderful to pass threw the reef and came in behind the Australian catamaran Tika with Russel and his family. They gave advise on the way in.

24/8 2017 Olal Ambrym island

We relaxed on Alexandra the next day. Cloudy and several rain shower but later on blue sky. A lot of wind up to 25 knots. A Cobra ship came into the tiny bay with fast speed and passed between Tika and Alexandra and sailed up on the sandy land with the front. And then there were a lot of activity emptying and filling up the ship from land. The natives came with bags filled up with cobra. A cow is bathing in the ocean. Lars is quick with the camera.

25/8 2017 The next day we went up to the festival place and had a nice afternoon enjoying old fashion traditional dancing that ending up with the famous Rom dance. There was a break in the middle of the show and lunch was served including fish, chicken, pie, vegetables and bread. We could learn about handcraft from the women and the sailors children could play with the local children.

26/8-2017 We are motoring the 2.42 NM, to Nobul village, situated at the north-west coast of Ambrym, early in the morning. Lars is very sick with lots of gasses in his stomach. We think it is a reaction of getting lactose in the food yesterday. Lars downloader GoPro film, sound trac and pictures from the festival and make copies to Russel. Florian and Martina arrange that we can have a meal together in a local hut. It takes half an hou to go there.

27/8-2017 Sunny morning in Nobul until NZ a lot of rain comes a short time. The guide from Ranon comes with a couple from NZ to talk a bout the vulkano tour tomorrow together with Florian and Martina from Esperanza. After making some bean salad for lunch we sail to Ranon. Rest a little when it is raining again. It is very warm up to 30°C. I bake bred and oaties even if it is very hot.

28/8-2017 Vulcano tour star of well. Up on the truck with Florian and Martinn. After a tuff ride up the mountain we have to get off the truck and walk up the rest of the mountain. We have a lot to carry because we have planed stay over night in a hut on the mountin. Half way up Lars get very sick with gases and when rest and drinking water doesn’t help the guide make a mixture with water and a herb find in the forest by his assistant. Lars get strength to walk down to the pickup place for the truck. After a while the truck come and drive us down to the place of our dingy. We get help with getting the dingy in the water. Lars can just drive out to Alexandra about 13-14 hour. During night Lars can throw up and the gasses get reduced. He can sleep the fever away.

29/8-2017 Ranon Bay. Lars is still throwing up but sleep a lot and the fever decreases over time. We are alone on the anchorage but I am happy to get contact with brother Stefan and our sons on messenger. Lars and I take a glass of mineral water against dehydration at 14 hour. I enjoy a cola and nuts at 17 hour and watch the cargo ship Vanuatu arrive in the bay. Bags with flour and rice are sailed in with a tugboat and bags with cobra are sailed out to the ship.

30/8-2017 Ranon Bay. Lars still not well but he could talk to Stuart on MagNet. He started taking medicine for ulcer in the morning before eating. Wish we had a doctor here. No wind and blue sky and 27.2 grader. I run the water-maker 1.5 hour and put isolation tape on the fridge. We drink a lot of water and other beverage. Esperanza sail up north today. Lars can eat spaghetti with vegetable at 17 hour. Internet so talk to the boys. The apartment is sold and paid for. One worry less but also sad.

1/9-2017 Ranon Bay. Sail to Craigs Cove village situated at the west coast of Ambrym at 08:50 after 6 night here not getting on land it I even is nice to get sailing. It clear up slowly after a misty early morning. We let the outboard hang on the dingy that hang on the davits because it is a short sail. 15NM 13 knots of wind in the nose, 3 hours motor sailing and anchor drop 12:30. There are a lot of activity on land. Peopel come home with small motorboats after shopping elsewhere. Two boys are passing by in there outrigger and said hi. Lars can eat a bole of rice. He is very weak also now with podagra in toe and knee and ibuprofen crème helps. Our sons in Denmark are going to a boat show in Ishøj tomorrow. Stew with rice and vegetable for dinner.

2/9-2017

Craigs Cove. Claudy 25°C the whole day. Magnet with Saroni Alison. Difficult to here. We get pictures from the boat show from Jeanne. Little Oskar enjoy the big Arcona boat! We rest and enjoy the bay and all the activity from the boat. Every morning women wash there cloves on lava stones at the shore side and dry them on the lava stones. They use a lot of energy banging the clothes on the stones. To women sit in an outrigger fishing every evening but they seldom get a little fish. Banana-boats are constantly running transporting people back and forth. Pickup truck transport wooden board away from the beach. The only other boat on the anchorage leaves today with to backpacker. We are alone again but both of us feel much better. Exercise in the cockpit. At 23:00 our I wakeup when a cobra boat comes in with a lot of noise from passengers. One our later another cobra boat comes in.

3/9-2017 Claudy with som blue fields. MagNet with Russel. Ten dolphins are swimming around Alexandra and make some low jumps. We put the dingy in the water and g to shore. A lot of children came and great us and we are guided around the village by Olivia one of the oldest child. They gave us fruit like pawpaw and coconut. When reaching for the dingy anchor I my left knee. scull looked and it heart a lot. After massage my knee scull came in right position and we could sail out to Alexandra. Five teenage girls came visiting us on Alexandra in the afternoon. They enjoyed finding were Denmark was situated inn the world and by looking in Jimmy Cornell’s World Cruising Destinations. Later on they came back with some eggs to us.

4/9-2017 Craigs Cove. 30 % cloucover wind from SE and a lot in the gusts so we stay unother day. Lars sign up to GoWest Rally. Lars clean the sea cuck to the gen-set and filled up with oil on the high pressure pump to water maker

5/9–2017 Craigs Cove til Lammen Bay searching for dugon. Sunny morning with only a few clauds. Sail out 8:00 for motor and it goes slowly upwind. 8:55 set staysail and sail 4.5 knots. Water 25.8, 25 in the air and swells 1 meter. At 13:30 we anchor at Lamen bay. Relax with books the rest of the day.

6/9-2017 Big turtle and dolphins around Alexandra. Dingy to land and shop. A lady sold her last tomatoes and salad. He sun had a little shop with mostly can food.

7/9-2017 A lot of wind but we get to swim and see several turtles, one very big, but no the dugon.

8/9-9/9 Over night sailing from Lamen Bay to Port Villa with start at 16:50 and sailed into the anchorage at 7 a´clock the next day.

9/9-16/9 Port Villa Efate Island

ICA Ralley

Provisioning

Tanna by air.

S/Y Alexandra

Smile! This is our best idea ever !

Bau Bau, Buton Island, South Sulawesi 31/8-3/9

Buton South, South Sulawesi 27/8-30/8 2018

Passar Wajo South Sulawesi 20/8-27/8 2018

North Buton South Sulawesi 15/8-20/8 2018

Tifu Village – South Buro Island

Banda Neira and Banda Besar The spice islands.

Debut village on the Island Key Kecil Indonesia 24 july to 29 july

Kristoffer comes to Sydney

Lifou Loyalty Islands New Caledonia

Sailing Vanuatu 2/8-16/9 2017

Follow S/Y Alexandra