One of the 3 surfbreaks off Lebongong
An installment on the wanderings of Tribute: BUH, Hutch and I meandered from Gili to Senggigi, the main tourist resort on Lombok. We played to our strenghts in this foreign country by eating more nasi goreng and drinking Bintang. The water, already filthy with plastic and other debris got even more so after a short deluge which washed the sewers into the sea. Next day to Bangko-Bangko near Desert Point where on the arvo there was no swell, in the morning it looked frighteningly big with a four knot current sweeping past the point. Gave that a miss again.We headed West for Bali. The fast current swept us Southward where we saw an endless line of big breakers- overfalls in 200 m of water. I don't know how high they were because it was hard to judge distance but it looked very nasty out there. I was quite tense for the next couple of hours, there was not enough wind to sail out of trouble if the engine were to conk out. BUH and Hutch shrugged their shoulders, draped themselves over the couch and closed their eyes, only to awake near Nusa Penida.
The Southern coast consists of 50 or 100 m high vertical limestone cliffs. Deep, dark blue water, upwellings and whirlpools around the cape and no sign of the usual little fishing trimarans all morning, it was a bit eery.Made it into Benoa without major dramas where Kate was waiting for us. We waved to a fellow cruiser in a dinghy who shouted back 'Zat was ze WORST anchoring ever! I vill tell ze Harbourmaster'!
Granted, it wasn't slick or elegant but what is it to a grey and grumpy German?
A good reason to drink Bintang and eat nasi goreng in the excellent marina restaurant. A day of provisioning in Kuta was next (Mate! You Aussie? I can get you Billabong shirt cheap!) and I write this on the calm seas off Bali. The plan is to sail to Gili Air again to await Peter's arrival. But Tribute can't do much in 6 knots of wind, and 2-4 knot of headcurrent. Aiming for Nusa Lembongang instead, we may have to sail to lombok to get a favourable current because there doesn't seem to be one off Bali.
Update on the update: Lembongang is GOOD! There are some permanently moored docking stations for the day-cruise boats- complete with waterslides and live music- and one of the charterboats offered us his mooring. I gratefully swam over with a sixpack of 'real Aussie beer!' and got a batch of hot loempias in return. The water was clean and clear, there was coral onder the boat and by midday a grommet surfbreak suddenly appeared a 100 m away. Great fun!
With a couple of local kids and some laid back old tourists on the waves, the kids shouted someting that sounded like'Yagibolobolobohoo!' when a wave came through, six people took off at a time with most or all falling off again. Lots of little restaurants ashore- this comes recommended, it is only an hour by ferry out of Benoa.The Trades haven't started yet. It is hot, and there's hardly any wind at all. By night the sea is glassy. I've been sleeping on the trampolines and sticking my head through the hatch into the cabin to watch the nights' movie- we stocked up with 30 of them in Kuta. When there's a bit of swell, there's a vertical airflow trough the tramps as the boat goes up and down which is better than none at all.
I've been grilling the 2 passing cruisers that we've met for info on the Northern route to Komodo and what I've understood is that good anchorages are few, the scenery is stunning, and nightsailing is hairy but sometimes necessary. Looks like it is going to be a suck it and see affair. Peter and Kate will need a crash course in boathandling soon.
Anyway, all is well on Tribute. My fondest to everyone!
Bait is attached to a small kite which is then flown over the reef.
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