Blue Hole Photo Post - Wayback Machine, Santo, Vanuatu

Espiritu Santo Island, Vanuatu
Oyster Bay
The Blue Hole
December 1, 2012

Why we do this...

Every now and again I ponder why we do this. Why we sold everything we owned back home in Seattle. We sold a modest yet lovely home, two nice cars, all our things. We left jobs and schools behind. We left friends and family back home waiting for us to return. We left it all for an adventure we tell ourselves. The adventure of a life time. And every now and again, after too many expensive boat repairs, passages that make one question the sanity of sailing as a mode of travel, and living for years in a space smaller than most zoo enclosures, we get part of the answer. . . to see beautiful places, to experience other cultures, to make new friends in distant lands, to see what is over the horizon. The Blue Hole in Oyster Bay is one of the most beautiful places we have seen on our little adventure.

I took over 400 pictures (from a moving dinghy) in an afternoon - to try to capture the beauty of a spring fed pool and the river that flows from it. Here are my favorites.  I hope they show you some of the magic we felt that afternoon.

Carrie

 

 

Numberala beach - Roti Island, Indonesia

So we moved on to a nice anchorage on the island of Roti a couple of days ago - a village called Numberala, which is apparently known for its surfing.  Big breaking waves to either side of our anchoring spot.  Tamsyn is missing her new friend Cleo from an Australian boat called Capricorn Dancer.  They should be meeting us here soon.

As we left Kupang, we left seven other boats, friends who all have more serious repairs that are still underway.  Two blown engines, electrical problems, rig problems, and so on.  A high percentage of Sail Komodo boats had repairs to undertake in Kupang; which is interesting since most of them are only 4 days out from Darwin when they arrive.  It only keeps happening the longer you're out from home.  We just felt glad to get our stuff fixed and get out of there.

All is well.  Moving west in a few days.  The wind is back! 

Owen

Indonesia scenes - Kupang Photo Post

So... we're still here.

Ready to leave soon (as soon as we sort out our outboard motor - it never ends).   When we first got to Kupang we were not impressed, as it took forever for officials to clear us in, and we had to get a local agent to help, but once we spent time in the town we got to like it.

While we've been here we dug into our steering problems again, and think they're sorted now.  Time will tell for sure.  Our local mechanical genius Matthew resurrected our windlass too. Need work in Kupang, he's the man.

Provisions are on board as is water and fuel, so we should be good to go but the wind is supposed to completely die for a few days.  I'm also finishing up a contract, so I guess we have to be somewhere with internet.  We certainly could use the silver.

Here are some images from our time here.  Street life, a couple of outings and some friends.

Griffyn in the Torres Strait; that's Australia back there!

Caving

Popular picnic site

Everything is better with monkeys!

This one stole Carrie's orange

This gentleman helped us with provisions and the Indonesian language

Making our lunch

Mother and daughter

Market scene

More of the market

The view from Madrona at anchor.

That's all for now.  Hope you like the pictures.  We miss all our friends and family; hope you guys are well.

Owen