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Exody - Days 238- 249: Lombok Landfall and Leaving- Asia in one week!



A very full ten days since the last log we posted on Friday 4th, then half way through the 950 mile,seven day passage from Darwin to Lombok. We emerged from the Timor Sea into the Indian Ocean, motoring a fair amount, emptying our tank, refilling from our own cans en route and also a mid-sea transfer of a spare jerry can from Ayama - good seamanship practice! We sailed in company with Ayama for last couple days closing the dramatic mountains of Lombok in the dawn light of 8th September close behind Wayward Wind and ahead of Luna Quest.



Only the multiple small fishing boats clustered near the finish line gave a hint of the populous habitation ashore that we were to discover. Foul five knot currents in the final few miles gave the chance to view the dramatic Lombok Strait and a surfer's paradise beach with giant rollers. Then past multiple pearl farms to the island anchorage of Gile Gede (Jilly G'day). Here we are based at the self-styled and yet to be built Marina del Rey (it's Australian Rey's project), moored off the Secret Island Resort - kind of chabby chic, think best exotic marigold hotel - this was American Peter's project of 13 years ago and now awaiting a new owner to take it 'to the next level'.



All about are 'spidercraft' - the local boats - central hull with four arms arched up then down to support bamboo pole outriggers, some with colourful sails, all with noisy gunwale mounted engines, long prop shafts trailing. Ferrying folk, many muslim-head-dressed, carrying supplies, fishing. These craft also serve as our water taxis, negotiating precarious pickups from our sterns or, more alarmingly, beams.



First stop with tour guide Tariq on Wednesday 9th is the nearby mainland village market- we are totally stunned by the sheer busyness of the place: teeming with people, buzzing with mopeds- many unbelievably loaded with passengers and produce, from bales of grass, three storey cages of eggs and even the odd large fish tied to the back. Few cars. We'll come back to the market later in the week. We are taken on local pony traps, visit a family pottery workshop, a multi-religious temple, a king's summer palace. We see rice paddy fields, produce of all kinds growing and hear of gold mining and potential oil - rich in resources though not well developed- it feels more primitive than impoverished. So this one island (of the vast Indonesian archipelago, population 250 million), with it's own populace the size of Scotland's crammed into an area the size of Trinidad is Asia for us! Here more than anywhere yet we are aware of the large unexplored cruising grounds to the north! It is a first for a World ARC stopover, having switched from neighbouring Bali, and we have appreciated the less developed aspects of Lombok that have given us a good flavour of Asia.



The tail of the week is taken up with running repairs, refuelling, re-watering and provisioning. All with a tale of challenge and none straightforward. We win our second third prize of the rally, this time for the last leg from Darwin, presented at the ARC dinner on Friday. Suddenly it's Sunday 13th and time to head early for the 09.00 start for Leg 10 to Cocos Keeling via Christmas Island.



The early timing delivers us a great tidal lift for the first few hours out of the strait together with good wind, but as we turn westward toward Bali and Java the current turns against us and then the wind drops. We start counting out the diesel fuel again as we motor across glassy smooth seas but the wind starts filling in Tuesday 15th. This part of the ocean is busy with Indonesian fishing boats and some unlit buoys - so we are all on the alert. As with the last leg, we seem to have company of other boats fairly nearby most of the time- our buddy for the last 24 hours being Wayward Wind. We have had dolphins, whale sightings and last night the 'looms' of at least eight fishing boats to negotiate.



Now, Wednesday 16th, we are two thirds the way from Lombok to Christmas Island, 130 miles south of the Java coast, 750 north of mainland Australia, and with 180 miles still to run out of the 620 mile first stage of Leg 10. Exody is bowling along, wing on wing with full sail in the classic tradewind conditions that have finally returned - white puffy clouds, 13- 18 knots wind from behind, and a gentle Indian Ocean with one knot of west going current helping to push us along mostly at over 7 knots. We expect to arrive tomorrow afternoon Thursday 17th at the tiny Australian outpost for a stopover of just 48 hours.



Peter (Skipper)


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