We arrived about midnight and anchored in Flying fish Cove. The trip was a bit short on wind for the first day or two but it did give us thw chance to get the gennaker sewed and glued back together. We lost a day of good wind letting it dry but when it got up we were wing on wing all the next two days at a good speed. Waking up in the morning after coming in in the dark is always interesting as you're never quite where you thought you were at night and the shore is quite different too. There are heavily forested hills rising right up from the sea front. the buildings are shabby and old but the supermarkets have a huge range of good Australian food and the liquour is very duty free in a genuine way not like duty free at the airport. Extra large bottle of gin for $13 - got to be happy with that. Our supplies last well as we don't drink at all out at sea!
Oscar did the Jungle Tour on Friday morning and Huw haunted the info centre wifi. Pete and I stayed on board after the customs and immigration clearances as a diesel mechanic was coming on to see why we were getting water in the oil (there is always something!) There was a beach Rally BBQ on that night but unfortunately Huw and Pete only got cold left overs as one of the two boats rafted up on a mooring behind us panicked that we were getting to close to them and we had to move. We were on a huge drum mooring and very stable but you have to consider other people's panics even though unwarranted. Saturday was spent re mooring at a better spot and diving for the second anchor from the night before. by lunchtime we were all at the info centre wifi, then the supermarket and lunch at a Chinese restaurant. Oscar and Huw took the shopping back to the boat planning a shorkel later on and Pete and I did an island drive with the Rav4 that the diesel engineers let us use - very kind. There was a net grotto and blow holes. the place is filled with crabs of all shapes, colours and sizes. If you google "crab migration Christmas Island" you can see what we missed due to timing - an amazing natural event.
It is now Saturday afternoon and we will try to refurl the gennaker on the wharf so we can put it up when we leave. (it wasn't put away properly last time) Then Oscar Pete and I plan to go to the pub for dinner and buy the mechanics a drink. We leave at 8 am tomorrow as soon as we have cleared out with Border force, who are very much in evidence here due to the illegal immigration problems that Australia experiences from Indonesia etc. Big boats, lost of very obvious uniformed forces including the Navy and lots of checks on visiting boats. All handled very politely but firmly.
Pete's birthday tomorrow - I have a cake to make!
Have put up a few extra pics under leaving Lombok. The Christmas Island ones will have to wait till Cocos Keeling Island (should be there in 5 days) as I'm running out of battery and patience sitting in the car at the now closed info centre!
