The Adventures of Captain Ray Penson
Sailing Yacht Truce
There it is, the last Extra Strong Breakfast Tea Bag. Before leaving New Zealand I took a good stock on board and then managed to top up my stock in Australia. The last couple of months I have been on rations and today, early morning, I enjoyed the last Bag. Some people drink coffee to get going in the morning, but for me it’s a strong tea with milk and honey that does the trick.
With Truce doing a more reasonable six knots I was dozing in the cockpit when I was awoken by a clattering and banging on the hull. My fears were realised, we had run over some floating bamboo contraption all lashed together with bits of rope.
Only a few fishermen more and the sun rose as we closed the coast of Bawean. By nine in the morning we were anchored in Teluk Promahan, a bay sheltered from the SE trade winds on the north of the Island. It had been a long, busy night and no rest. I was happy and relieved to be safely anchored and cracked a breakfast beer. Well, it was five o clock somewhere.
We departed at a reasonable time in the morning after a proper breakfast. Once we passed through the entrance channel and were clear of the reefs a welcome breeze greeted us. The breeze became fresh from the SE, we romped along with just the yankee working well, no need to break out the mainsail.
I have had a great stay at Medana Bay, so good to have an air-conditioned room for a few nights. The treat is over, I am on my way again, departing in the morning after breakfast and heading out through the outlaying reef into clear deep water, Bali visible ahead.
Both the snake and I did double take for a fraction of a second then things got a little wild. The snake shot out from the quarter berth towards me, I simultaneously sprang up the companionway. The snake was moving fast and headed up to the forward cabin, it reared up and headed back towards me at speed as I retreated to the cockpit.
For my upcoming trip I have bought four large Jerry cans to carry extra diesel. I dislike carrying Jerry Cans on deck and certainly would not do so on an ocean crossing. But, in the equatorial latitudes there are fickle winds and more motoring than usual can be expected. Having a larger reserve of fuel on board reduces the chore of running a dinghy ashore to find fuel and fill jerry cans.
I had my birthday a couple of weeks ago. Not that I really celebrate birthdays anymore, they are sort of running out. As a treat I went to the Eco Resort for breakfast and I tucked into an English breakfast with real pork bacon.
It was hard to see anything through the driving rain, I was concerned about the boats around me dragging in the heavy winds. I had everything ready should we break loose from our mooring as I tried to monitor the boats around us. I saw forty-five knots on the anemometer and suspect we had a couple of fifty knot gusts at the height, but I wasn’t watching. The village ashore took a pounding, I could see lots of flashlights through the rain as the locals tended their houses and boats.
Last week I took a trip into Mataram to pick up the replacement toilet part which was being fabricated for me. The workshop said it was ready for collection so off I went. How stupid of me, I should have known better after all the time I had worked in Indonesia. Of course, when I arrived the part wasn’t ready!
The Adventures of Captain Ray Penson 