We are sailing...again

ARRIVED!!! 🥳
Our Monday ABF check out of OZ, whilst very thorough (full search/ interview), was finished by 9:30, so with a strong 15-19knt breeze, we spead out of Darwin Port at a cool 8knts+. We travelled between the Tiwi islands as far as we safely could that night, ⚓️ down @ 9pm about 2/3 through the pass. A double-check of weather found it to be ramping up (swell/wind gusts), so we decided to wait it out for a day. Wednesday, up 5 am bright and sparky only to discover a big storm system passing between us & the exit track....so back to bed . Take 2 @ 7am we motored out between the reefs & started to sail away from OZ. 1st couple of hours were sweet, 15knt westerly= 8knt speed 😁 so we 🤔 trip will be speedy... then the breeze dropped 😞. Whist not ideal it did give opportunity fly new Code0 sail (big headsail... imagine if spinnaker & foresail had a baby), & this then carried us most of the way, average 6 1/2 knts. We luckily had a dream ⛵️ ...moonlight, low traffic, steady winds & seas (with a few visitors to keep us entertained). We sailed into Indo waters around 2pm, put up the Q flag (quarantine), & our ⚓️ down in Saumlaki Thursday @ 5pm. Knackered so arrival 🍻, quick tea & bed.
Friday, we met Higgins (our agent & saviour) @ 9am to start the check-in process....1st building-quarantine/ health clearance (1 hr) , 2nd - Immigration/visitor permit which Higgins did for us while we looked around (1hr)...then back to boat to sort replacement fuel (180ltr from Darwin). 3rd step- take Customs out for physical check of boat @ 3pm then up St to office for official clearance paperwork (1 1/2hr) then back to hotel (dingy tie up pt) for Bintang celebration (Q flag down/ indonesia courtesy flag up). 4th step, Harbour Master exit clearance and quarantine exit clearance , we did this Saturday morning (2 hrs) to be able to leave Saumlaki early Sunday.
So greatfull 🙏for Higgins help, without this, we would have taken at least a week to puzzle the process out 🤯 if at all. We are the only Aussies here, very little English spoken & we need to learn indo basics asap.
After our market visit, especially the 🦑🦈🐟 section 🤢, I quickly decide I will go vego options whilst eating on land...lucky we have a freezer full of protein 😅.

Next.. a week or so island hopping our way up the East side of Tanimbar in prep for a northern launch/sail to the Kai Island group.

We wish you all a wonderful, safe, and fulfilled Christmas 🎄 😊 ❤️ 🥂🍻🎁 xxxxLäs mer