Saturday, 2 October
I got up twice during the night to look around, and for good at 0500, getting underway again at 0542. It was a beautiful clear day. The wind was now from the south, force 5 and the swell was also from the south and about 0.5 metres in height. Pulau Trewangan light was now on a SE’ly bearing, and some distance off, indicating I had been set to the north and west during the night.
I motored towards the light, and when closer in I altered onto a S’ly course to pass down the strait. I was able now to regularly fix my position using this and other navigational marks on the Lombok coast. My timing was good as the tidal stream was now setting in a S’ly direction and as the wind eased, I was soon making 6 knots.
As I headed south I passed through a large fleet of traditional Balinese fishing boats (Jukungs) sailing across the strait from Bali to Lombok. With their brightly coloured crab-claw sails they made a beautiful sight.
By 0900 I was at the southern end of the strait ready to make my approach to the marina. At 0930 I lowered the mizzen and rigged the ropes and fenders, and made contact with the marina. I then began my approach at 1030 heading eastwards through the outlying islands towards the marina.
The approach to the marina is very picturesque, and I went slowly taking time to enjoy this moment. A tender met me as I approached the dock and one of its crew jumped on board to help me with the lines. The marina consists of a T-shaped pier and I berthed port side alongside the end of the ‘T’; and was all fast by 1212. This was 1312 Lombok time (UTC+8 hours). I had kept the clocks on board on Batam time (UTC+7 hours), but now put them forward an hour.
The marina is in a lovely, very peaceful setting being a long way from any major town and on the small island of Gillegede. There were only a few other boats moored to the pier, but several on the nearby marina buoy moorings although most of these boats were locked up, their owners having gone home during Covid-19.
And so ended the first part of my voyage. In all, I had sailed 1424 miles to get here. Ignoring the times I spent hove-to, it had taken me 396.2 hours at an average speed of 3.59 knots. Of this time, 46% was spent motoring or motor sailing, and I had consumed 443 litres of diesel. As it turned out therefore, I did not need to take on extra fuel in Belitung and Karimunjawa but I am glad I did, both for the experiences I had there and for the peace of mind this gave me.
Now to relax, recover and repair!