DoraMac has a new website!
www.mydoramac.com
You will find Ruth's blog along with photo albums, a little history, the route they are taking and some information about the boat.
This will be the last posting on this blog. Hope you enjoy the new site!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Tana Toraja
August 29 around early afternoon
Skulls, bones, house roofs shaped to look like ancient boats, livestock markets where wizened men with skinny legs covered by colorful sarong skirts and younger men in jeans bargained for dozens and dozens of pampered water buffalo and even more dozens of fat, squealing, sad, soon to be slaughtered pigs. Colors, noises, calls to prayer from the many mosques, scenery, food; your senses are overwhelmed taking it all in. And each has its own Indonesian, Makassan, Buginese or Tarajan word to describe it. Learn one phrase and forget one phrase...that's how it went. But it was all very "biak!" which means good in at least one of those places.
It is 350 kilometers or about 210 miles from Makassar by the sea to Tana Toraja in the high mountains. The drive takes 8 hours but there are many stops along the way to see bamboo processing, a simple native home, local snack stops, to try sticky rice candy and not purchase dried fish preserved with formaline; lunch stops and scenic mountain view stops. All along the way, our extremely knowledgeable, warm, interested guide Rusli Amin taught us about the 3 distinct cultures of the area; Makassar, Parepare and Tana Toraja. I wish I could explain all that Rusli told us, but alas, it is a jumble in my head and will stay that way until I sort it out at a later date. But now I will be able to see what I read and that makes all the difference.
I took about 400 photos! I could have taken more and it would be an artist's dream to have time for painting. But with just a day to go, one to stay, and one back we had to pick and choose. Randal and I are already daydreaming a month here during our next circumnavigation. It is a tourist destination but it hasn't been Disneyfied yet. The people allow you to browse the small shops and bargain for that special one thing you just have to have. But no pressure, no begging. We stayed in a "resort hotel" with a 2 star room, a 4 star setting and depending on the meal, 2 to 5 star food! Combine all of that with cool, great sleeping weather and it is the perfect place to explore and just stay a while. I must admit I was starting to look for totem poles; you'll see why. Randal and I give it 2 thumbs up!
The photos I am sending now are ones Randal took. He focused on the highlights of the area. I'll start with those.
We were lucky enough to be in Rantepao for Pasa Bolu; market day. Each week men walk miles to town with their water buffalo. Pigs are trucked in too. Tana Toraja culture is based on the importance of the funeral ritual. Families save for years to buy water buffalo and pigs to slaughter for the funeral celebration. The more buffalo and pigs, the more honor to the dead person and his/her family. Until they die, water buffalo are treated as sacred animals and are pampered, fed, bathed. They are killed in the quickest and least painful way. Pigs are not so lucky and watching them caught, bound, tied to a carrier and hauled out for a funeral celebration, I found it disturbing and sad. I know now where the phrases squealing like a stuck pig comes from. It is not my culture and I am not a vegetarian; but I felt sad watching the treatment of the pigs. If a water buffalo price is not met or one negotiated, the animal is led home for more pampering until the next market day.
This little piggy went to market and it was not a pretty sight to see. Notice the blue plaid cloth wrapped around the man on the left and the purple/brown plaid on the right. Also the man with the gold cloth hanging from his shoulder. These are sarongs that are almost the size of twin bed sheets. Men wear them for warmth over their shorts. Rusli said the sarong indicates the man has not yet had time to bathe for the day. After someone buys a pig it is caught and bound onto a bamboo holder.
Families save for years to be able to have a huge feast for their honored family member. This may take place a year after the death. But bodies are mummified and preserved until they are taken to the caves for burial.
This family was hosting a funeral. July and August are the traditional funeral holding months. No rice harvesting I think so there is time. These women are drumming the news that people are welcomed to the funeral celebration to be held in the next day or so when the family has all arrived. The home is draped with the red bunting. It was the most amazing drumming sound, hollow and rhythmic. Wooden carved boat like structure is used to carry the body to the cave. The roof of houses and rice barns are also constructed with this boat shape. The mountains were once part of an ocean and the ancestors had taken their boats from the water and used them to build homes thousands of years ago.
This is the home of the dead person's family. Many buffalo horns indicate great wealth. The family could afford to buy and slaughter them for the funeral feast. Other families would donate buffalo or pig to the feast but then they must be paid back when there was a death in the donor's family. Pig jaws were along one home at another site we visited. Family honor is completely tied to these funeral ceremonies and generations save and contribute. The really elaborate funeral celebrations are mostly for people who have lived into their 70s. They may have saved their money but also educated their children who could then earn more money to help provide a bigger funeral. It is the main celebration of family existence.
A cave burial site. The people of Tana Toraja or Tarajaland are Christian, maybe from the Dutch colonizers. But they still follow the old burial traditions. The open umbrella shade those carrying the body also shades the body. It is assumed, I think, that the dead person is with them in spirit. Carvers come to the stone and carve caves ordered by a family. Apparently anyone can use stone anywhere, one doesn't have to own the property. Lots of things are abundant like these stone places, bamboo, bananas, and other fruits so anyone may take for free. One might ask the land owner, but permission is almost always granted. Rusli says here a man gets bamboo for free while in Makassar each man must buy his bamboo where it is not abundant.
Skulls, bones, house roofs shaped to look like ancient boats, livestock markets where wizened men with skinny legs covered by colorful sarong skirts and younger men in jeans bargained for dozens and dozens of pampered water buffalo and even more dozens of fat, squealing, sad, soon to be slaughtered pigs. Colors, noises, calls to prayer from the many mosques, scenery, food; your senses are overwhelmed taking it all in. And each has its own Indonesian, Makassan, Buginese or Tarajan word to describe it. Learn one phrase and forget one phrase...that's how it went. But it was all very "biak!" which means good in at least one of those places.
It is 350 kilometers or about 210 miles from Makassar by the sea to Tana Toraja in the high mountains. The drive takes 8 hours but there are many stops along the way to see bamboo processing, a simple native home, local snack stops, to try sticky rice candy and not purchase dried fish preserved with formaline; lunch stops and scenic mountain view stops. All along the way, our extremely knowledgeable, warm, interested guide Rusli Amin taught us about the 3 distinct cultures of the area; Makassar, Parepare and Tana Toraja. I wish I could explain all that Rusli told us, but alas, it is a jumble in my head and will stay that way until I sort it out at a later date. But now I will be able to see what I read and that makes all the difference.
I took about 400 photos! I could have taken more and it would be an artist's dream to have time for painting. But with just a day to go, one to stay, and one back we had to pick and choose. Randal and I are already daydreaming a month here during our next circumnavigation. It is a tourist destination but it hasn't been Disneyfied yet. The people allow you to browse the small shops and bargain for that special one thing you just have to have. But no pressure, no begging. We stayed in a "resort hotel" with a 2 star room, a 4 star setting and depending on the meal, 2 to 5 star food! Combine all of that with cool, great sleeping weather and it is the perfect place to explore and just stay a while. I must admit I was starting to look for totem poles; you'll see why. Randal and I give it 2 thumbs up!
The photos I am sending now are ones Randal took. He focused on the highlights of the area. I'll start with those.
We were lucky enough to be in Rantepao for Pasa Bolu; market day. Each week men walk miles to town with their water buffalo. Pigs are trucked in too. Tana Toraja culture is based on the importance of the funeral ritual. Families save for years to buy water buffalo and pigs to slaughter for the funeral celebration. The more buffalo and pigs, the more honor to the dead person and his/her family. Until they die, water buffalo are treated as sacred animals and are pampered, fed, bathed. They are killed in the quickest and least painful way. Pigs are not so lucky and watching them caught, bound, tied to a carrier and hauled out for a funeral celebration, I found it disturbing and sad. I know now where the phrases squealing like a stuck pig comes from. It is not my culture and I am not a vegetarian; but I felt sad watching the treatment of the pigs. If a water buffalo price is not met or one negotiated, the animal is led home for more pampering until the next market day.
This little piggy went to market and it was not a pretty sight to see. Notice the blue plaid cloth wrapped around the man on the left and the purple/brown plaid on the right. Also the man with the gold cloth hanging from his shoulder. These are sarongs that are almost the size of twin bed sheets. Men wear them for warmth over their shorts. Rusli said the sarong indicates the man has not yet had time to bathe for the day. After someone buys a pig it is caught and bound onto a bamboo holder.
Families save for years to be able to have a huge feast for their honored family member. This may take place a year after the death. But bodies are mummified and preserved until they are taken to the caves for burial.
This family was hosting a funeral. July and August are the traditional funeral holding months. No rice harvesting I think so there is time. These women are drumming the news that people are welcomed to the funeral celebration to be held in the next day or so when the family has all arrived. The home is draped with the red bunting. It was the most amazing drumming sound, hollow and rhythmic. Wooden carved boat like structure is used to carry the body to the cave. The roof of houses and rice barns are also constructed with this boat shape. The mountains were once part of an ocean and the ancestors had taken their boats from the water and used them to build homes thousands of years ago.
This is the home of the dead person's family. Many buffalo horns indicate great wealth. The family could afford to buy and slaughter them for the funeral feast. Other families would donate buffalo or pig to the feast but then they must be paid back when there was a death in the donor's family. Pig jaws were along one home at another site we visited. Family honor is completely tied to these funeral ceremonies and generations save and contribute. The really elaborate funeral celebrations are mostly for people who have lived into their 70s. They may have saved their money but also educated their children who could then earn more money to help provide a bigger funeral. It is the main celebration of family existence.
A cave burial site. The people of Tana Toraja or Tarajaland are Christian, maybe from the Dutch colonizers. But they still follow the old burial traditions. The open umbrella shade those carrying the body also shades the body. It is assumed, I think, that the dead person is with them in spirit. Carvers come to the stone and carve caves ordered by a family. Apparently anyone can use stone anywhere, one doesn't have to own the property. Lots of things are abundant like these stone places, bamboo, bananas, and other fruits so anyone may take for free. One might ask the land owner, but permission is almost always granted. Rusli says here a man gets bamboo for free while in Makassar each man must buy his bamboo where it is not abundant.
We visited a small village famous for its unique native architecture and for the burial caves and hanging graves sites. This structure is a pig shape. It holds the bones and skulls of women.
This one is for men and is shaped like a water buffalo.
These are tau tau, images of the dead who are placed in the cave. The wealthier you are the larger tau tau you have. This one family of the woman in purple were in one large cave behind a metal fence.
Caskets placed in caves. Our guide Rusli, sounds like Bruce Lee.
Another burial site. Each square is a carved burial cave.The wooden structure in the lower right carried the bodies to the cave.
Tau Tau representing those buried in the caves.
Tau Tau carver. He learned from his father. Families pass the skill to the next generation. He wants his son to get a good education so he can get a better job. The small carvings were amazing. He has been carving them for 20 years. That's me in the photo. I am wearing a shirt bought in K K that has sleeves. I did see many European women tourists sleeveless and no one was pointing or making a big deal. I guess because this area is Christian and not Muslim. Our guide Rusli couldn't eat with us at the recommended local "tourist" restaurant because they included pork in their cooking. Rusli is Muslim. We had some great discussions about the world and its issues.This is just a tiny tiny bit of what we saw. The mountain and rice field scenery was beautiful. The stilt homes totally unique. I will try to do another email before we leave here. It is 1 am Saturday, August 30. Our wifi is far too slow with many disconnections so that odd hours work better. I will try to send this now.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Makassar, Indonesia
August 26 6:17 am
Hi Everyone,
Our coodinates are 05 08 228 S 119 23 912 E. Maybe you'll see us. Off into the "supposed to be very scenic" mountains to Tana Toraja in about an hour. Homes there are built in the shape of boats or buffalo horns. Also famous for their elaborate funeral rites. Supposed to be a "must see" according to our Rough Guide. We have a driver/guide to take us there. Be gone 2 nights and back by Thursday evening. Not sure of the wifi situation. Hope we don't get altitude sickness after being at sea level for so long!
Makassar very interesting. Foreign and familiar at the same time since in many ways it reminds me of China. More when I can send an email from my computer.
Ru
Hi Everyone,
Our coodinates are 05 08 228 S 119 23 912 E. Maybe you'll see us. Off into the "supposed to be very scenic" mountains to Tana Toraja in about an hour. Homes there are built in the shape of boats or buffalo horns. Also famous for their elaborate funeral rites. Supposed to be a "must see" according to our Rough Guide. We have a driver/guide to take us there. Be gone 2 nights and back by Thursday evening. Not sure of the wifi situation. Hope we don't get altitude sickness after being at sea level for so long!
Makassar very interesting. Foreign and familiar at the same time since in many ways it reminds me of China. More when I can send an email from my computer.
Ru
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Indonesia - Arrived!
August 23 7:30 am is when I am writing this.
Hi Guys,
Randal wrote .....
Arrived safely at anchor 6:45 AM in Makassar at 05'08.228S 119'23.912E. Yesterday was terrible and the price for the boat got down to make an offer. We had heavy winds and waves just about all day. When we made our turn toward Makkassar we had in excess of 20 knots winds on the nose and building waves. It was 9:00 PM last night and it took us nearly 10 hours to work our way through the reefs and a million fishing boats.
I think both Ruth and I are wired and tired. Too wired to try to sleep but too tired not to want to. From the water front this place really looks interesting. Lots of bars and restaurants along the beach and just north of our anchorage is the ship terminal. We look forward to exploring.
Ruth wrote.......
Randal did a great job never complaining a bit when I woke him up during all but one of my watches so he had to be up part of mine as well as all of his. Last night coming here was beyond me except for about 2 and a half hours. Randal did all the rest. I was just too pooped and too scared of all the fishing boats surrounding us. Luckily I had driven more of the daytime. Now we are beyond tired and are just waiting for customs to notice us. If not, eventually we'll go find them. A boat taxi led us to an anchor spot. We thought he was customs. He saw us as customers. It does look like an interesting spot.
This passage was a lot like doing Outward Bound. I didn't love it and it was almost too hard and at one point I did say I couldn't do something. But in the end I was really proud that I had done it. Same with this passage. Now I know we can do it and know how to do it better.
Randal is looking through the binoculars at the people eating in the Dunkin Donuts! A big water taxi just went by and everyone is looking at us.
"This is what cruising is all about, I reckon." Randal, after hearing what I had added.
The end!
Hi Guys,
Randal wrote .....
Arrived safely at anchor 6:45 AM in Makassar at 05'08.228S 119'23.912E. Yesterday was terrible and the price for the boat got down to make an offer. We had heavy winds and waves just about all day. When we made our turn toward Makkassar we had in excess of 20 knots winds on the nose and building waves. It was 9:00 PM last night and it took us nearly 10 hours to work our way through the reefs and a million fishing boats.
I think both Ruth and I are wired and tired. Too wired to try to sleep but too tired not to want to. From the water front this place really looks interesting. Lots of bars and restaurants along the beach and just north of our anchorage is the ship terminal. We look forward to exploring.
Ruth wrote.......
Randal did a great job never complaining a bit when I woke him up during all but one of my watches so he had to be up part of mine as well as all of his. Last night coming here was beyond me except for about 2 and a half hours. Randal did all the rest. I was just too pooped and too scared of all the fishing boats surrounding us. Luckily I had driven more of the daytime. Now we are beyond tired and are just waiting for customs to notice us. If not, eventually we'll go find them. A boat taxi led us to an anchor spot. We thought he was customs. He saw us as customers. It does look like an interesting spot.
This passage was a lot like doing Outward Bound. I didn't love it and it was almost too hard and at one point I did say I couldn't do something. But in the end I was really proud that I had done it. Same with this passage. Now I know we can do it and know how to do it better.
Randal is looking through the binoculars at the people eating in the Dunkin Donuts! A big water taxi just went by and everyone is looking at us.
"This is what cruising is all about, I reckon." Randal, after hearing what I had added.
The end!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Crossing the Equator
Hi Everyone,
Randal sends out a noon report to our friend Nick Spence in Subic. Nick takes the readings and translates them into a projected weather report for us. We get sailmail weather, but Nick's is better. I am having Red Sox withdrawal pains not being able to follow the game or read every news bit about them. But I did help them along last night in my own way. Randal wrote this report of us "crossing the line," as crossing the Equator is called.
From Randal
8/21/08
12:00 Noon
01'01.39S 118'52.94E
SOG 6.0 Knots
COG 191 (COG is "course over ground" showing the line in back of you up to you and projecting where you will go. Heading is where the boat is pointing but maybe because of the wind and current pushing you around, not where you actually were or are going to go. Clear?)
Wind W at 3 knots
Seas Flat
Skies Partly cloudy
Temp 84F
Conditions Calm
At sunrise this morning we had 12 to 15 knot winds on our port beam with building seas. But by 0800 the wind had died to zero and within thirty minutes the waves disappeared as well. Now there is just a little side to side movement of the boat, the paravanes are hardly having to work at all.
Last night at 01:37 we crossed the Equator. I had asked Ruth to prepare (a ceremony) while we were still in KK. It happened ("the crossing") on my watch and I awakened Ruth 10 minutes early as per her instructions. She fetched a package she had prepared for the donation to King Neptune. The package included a piece of left over fruit cake Ruth had made from a mix* but Ruth never follows recipes and when it went in I saw the tide drop 3", a can of turkey Spam, some coins, a Dora Mac business card, a big sea shell from Clarendon Island, a piece of sea glass, Ruth's broken lucky Red Sox ring**, all wrapped up in an American flag bandana. I hope he is appeased.
Ruth also painted a commemorative document, worthy of framing, with all the necessary information and a drawing of Dora Mac. We have to fill it out yet though. I'm sure you'll see a picture of it on our web site when we reach wifi land again.
Just before the chart plotter read 00'00.000, I asked Ruth to take a picture of it. She tried several times but couldn't get the focus right. I got my camera but I couldn't get a good photo either. I stepped outside the door because I was feeling queasy looking at the camera I guess. When I came back in Ruth was still fidgeting with her camera not realizing the plotter now showed 00'00.135S.
I just took a shower after three days and it is beyond comprehension how much it has raised my spirits. I can tell when my spirits get low because I start fantasizing about someone offering me a large amount of money for the boat and me selling it. The large amount is directly proportionable to my low spirits, the lower the spirits the lower the offer. But now I'm clean and the offer is one million.
* This is not the Official Roanoke County Public Library Fruitcake. This mix bought in K K came with no fruit included though the picture on the box showed fruit included and it called itself Fruit Cake. Who would have guessed. The direction on the back show you adding a bag of fruit into the mix at step 3. Hope Neptune likes it better than Randal did. I added my own fruit and nuts.
** I bought a "Lucky Red Sox" red bangle and red ring in Subic Bay just before we left. The ring broke, bad luck, toss in ocean!
Ruth
Randal sends out a noon report to our friend Nick Spence in Subic. Nick takes the readings and translates them into a projected weather report for us. We get sailmail weather, but Nick's is better. I am having Red Sox withdrawal pains not being able to follow the game or read every news bit about them. But I did help them along last night in my own way. Randal wrote this report of us "crossing the line," as crossing the Equator is called.
From Randal
8/21/08
12:00 Noon
01'01.39S 118'52.94E
SOG 6.0 Knots
COG 191 (COG is "course over ground" showing the line in back of you up to you and projecting where you will go. Heading is where the boat is pointing but maybe because of the wind and current pushing you around, not where you actually were or are going to go. Clear?)
Wind W at 3 knots
Seas Flat
Skies Partly cloudy
Temp 84F
Conditions Calm
At sunrise this morning we had 12 to 15 knot winds on our port beam with building seas. But by 0800 the wind had died to zero and within thirty minutes the waves disappeared as well. Now there is just a little side to side movement of the boat, the paravanes are hardly having to work at all.
Last night at 01:37 we crossed the Equator. I had asked Ruth to prepare (a ceremony) while we were still in KK. It happened ("the crossing") on my watch and I awakened Ruth 10 minutes early as per her instructions. She fetched a package she had prepared for the donation to King Neptune. The package included a piece of left over fruit cake Ruth had made from a mix* but Ruth never follows recipes and when it went in I saw the tide drop 3", a can of turkey Spam, some coins, a Dora Mac business card, a big sea shell from Clarendon Island, a piece of sea glass, Ruth's broken lucky Red Sox ring**, all wrapped up in an American flag bandana. I hope he is appeased.
Ruth also painted a commemorative document, worthy of framing, with all the necessary information and a drawing of Dora Mac. We have to fill it out yet though. I'm sure you'll see a picture of it on our web site when we reach wifi land again.
Just before the chart plotter read 00'00.000, I asked Ruth to take a picture of it. She tried several times but couldn't get the focus right. I got my camera but I couldn't get a good photo either. I stepped outside the door because I was feeling queasy looking at the camera I guess. When I came back in Ruth was still fidgeting with her camera not realizing the plotter now showed 00'00.135S.
I just took a shower after three days and it is beyond comprehension how much it has raised my spirits. I can tell when my spirits get low because I start fantasizing about someone offering me a large amount of money for the boat and me selling it. The large amount is directly proportionable to my low spirits, the lower the spirits the lower the offer. But now I'm clean and the offer is one million.
* This is not the Official Roanoke County Public Library Fruitcake. This mix bought in K K came with no fruit included though the picture on the box showed fruit included and it called itself Fruit Cake. Who would have guessed. The direction on the back show you adding a bag of fruit into the mix at step 3. Hope Neptune likes it better than Randal did. I added my own fruit and nuts.
** I bought a "Lucky Red Sox" red bangle and red ring in Subic Bay just before we left. The ring broke, bad luck, toss in ocean!
Ruth
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Malaysia to Indonesia
August 19 12:23 pm
Just crossed from 4' to 3' 59" It was kind of exciting. 360 degrees around us is the Celebes Sea, sun, fluffy white clouds, some wind and some waves.
We're going 6.1 knots and the sea is more than a thousand feet deep. Pretty amazing. Will be in Makassa in about 4.5 days.
Love,
Ru
Just crossed from 4' to 3' 59" It was kind of exciting. 360 degrees around us is the Celebes Sea, sun, fluffy white clouds, some wind and some waves.
We're going 6.1 knots and the sea is more than a thousand feet deep. Pretty amazing. Will be in Makassa in about 4.5 days.
Love,
Ru
Friday, August 15, 2008
Malaysia to Indonesia
Hi everyone,
We are anchored off a lovely island just now and it's my favorite part of cruising. Just quiet and pretty and no noise and no karaoke. Of course, no wifi and no Sox scores! Last time they did well when I was unable to follow them on a daily basis. Hope that works again.
From Randal...
"Anchored last night in Kudat. Now have arrived just north of an island by the name of Palau Jambongan. Location is 06'45.404N and 117'24.368E. Real nice cruise today, never out of site of land. Tomorrow will be our first overnight passage with just Ruth and me aboard. It is 135 NM. We will leave tomorrow morning about 10:00 AM and at 6 knots should arrive at our next anchorage, Dog Nose, at 8:30 Sunday morning. This is a 22.5 hour passage. We have to leave late because if we leave early we will arrive before dawn and we want to arrive during daylight.
If you look at our schedule you'll see our next passage after that is 346.1 NM but we are thinking of running all the way to Makassa which is 677 NM and 113 hours, four days plus 17 hours. This is a little hard to plan because we're not sure of the boat speed. According to climate charts we will be facing a headwind but a one knot current going with us. We could plan on arriving at 12:00 noon but that would mean leaving our anchorage at 7:00 PM, well after dark.
There are a number of things we could do. I have anchorages laid out all along the west coast of Saluwesi we could duck into as we neared Makassa to hold up."
Me again
At some point very soon we will cross the Equator. Tonight we are 6.45 degrees north of the Equator. Each degree is 60 miles so we still have a way to go. It was my task to find out how cruisers celebrate the event called "crossing the line." We will take photos and make a big deal and I will tell you later.
Friday, August 15 3:44pm
We are anchored off a lovely island just now and it's my favorite part of cruising. Just quiet and pretty and no noise and no karaoke. Of course, no wifi and no Sox scores! Last time they did well when I was unable to follow them on a daily basis. Hope that works again.
From Randal...
"Anchored last night in Kudat. Now have arrived just north of an island by the name of Palau Jambongan. Location is 06'45.404N and 117'24.368E. Real nice cruise today, never out of site of land. Tomorrow will be our first overnight passage with just Ruth and me aboard. It is 135 NM. We will leave tomorrow morning about 10:00 AM and at 6 knots should arrive at our next anchorage, Dog Nose, at 8:30 Sunday morning. This is a 22.5 hour passage. We have to leave late because if we leave early we will arrive before dawn and we want to arrive during daylight.
If you look at our schedule you'll see our next passage after that is 346.1 NM but we are thinking of running all the way to Makassa which is 677 NM and 113 hours, four days plus 17 hours. This is a little hard to plan because we're not sure of the boat speed. According to climate charts we will be facing a headwind but a one knot current going with us. We could plan on arriving at 12:00 noon but that would mean leaving our anchorage at 7:00 PM, well after dark.
There are a number of things we could do. I have anchorages laid out all along the west coast of Saluwesi we could duck into as we neared Makassa to hold up."
Me again
At some point very soon we will cross the Equator. Tonight we are 6.45 degrees north of the Equator. Each degree is 60 miles so we still have a way to go. It was my task to find out how cruisers celebrate the event called "crossing the line." We will take photos and make a big deal and I will tell you later.
Friday, August 15 3:44pm
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