Ian McHenry & Adam Wible: Adventures of the Air Gadis

Time: 1000 – 1500 | Engine hrs: 2213.7 – 2218.6 | Alternator on | 2,500 RPM

En route to Gili experienced maximum of 1 kt of current against us. Saw a sail fix surface near the boat, and took some video of the boat gliding over the sea floor in 10m of extremely clear water. Arrival in Gili was uneventful – ample mooring buoys and flat water, despite reasonable currents. We just grabbed the first buoy we saw, assuming these are free and public until we hear otherwise. We really need to get water as we are fully out at this point.

Time: 0700 – 1430 | Engine hrs: 2206.0 – 2213.7 | Alternator working | 2,500 RPM | Dead calm seas w/ 5 kts of wind. Swell from SE approaching Lombok.

Threw out all of the lentils etc. that came from TS Guruswamy in Port Blair, as this seemed to be the source of the bugs we’ve been seeing in massive quantities. Hoisted the dinghy for the first time in over a month – the bottom was very fouled.

Currents were against us for most of the way across Nusa Penida. Pancakes for breakfast. As we entered the start of Lombok Strait, current reduced to 0-1kt. We stopped off at Desert Point surf break and anchored to the south of it in 20m. Wave looked too gnarly for us to surf. No easy dinghy access to shore. There were a few buildings set up along the beach opposite the break. Had a delicious tuna fish and pasta dish for lunch, then pulled anchor and headed around the point to Gili Gede. Easy cruise in with no surprise reefs. Chart seems off – actual position is a decent bit north of chart position. Anchored in bay on W side of Gede in 20m. Fringing reef is marked by bamboo stakes and comes up suddenly. Dinghy to shore to get cigarettes for Payal. We were a spectacle, with women and children following us everywhere and openly staring. More muslim and conservative than Bali. Payals see through wrap went over well, as did her braided hair. Had some Kopi Lombok at a toko on the east coast of the island – a short walk via footpath from the bay where we anchored. Really charming small town island. Took lots of photos. Quick dinghy around showed mooring buoy on SW side by nice dock, presumably for visitors to small resort on SW side, just south of our anchorage. Scrubbed deck and installed the new zinc anode that Ben brought us after hacksawing an appropriate length of bolt off our meter long M10 bar from Langkawi (used to secure anchor windlass reinforcement). Ran out of water, and only managed to get 20L on shore (they were out too). Beautiful area with many small islands.

Time: 9/5 1145 -1500 | Engine hrs: ?? | 2,400 RPM

9/5: V-belt was burning before we got out of Serangan harbour. Prop still missing its zinc from the last time we made this trip in early April. Ben, Payal, and Janna on board. Turned off the alternator and the belt help up ok to Lembongan. Picked up the same buoy we had used when my parents were in town. Made a Massaman curry for dinner after Payal made potato and onion grilled sandwiches for lunch. Short surf session at Playgrounds on the first day.

10/5: Longer surf session (Adam alone) while Payal and Ben toured the island on what was apparently a terrifying motorbike journey. At the end, realized my surfboard was filled with water from several nicks in the fiberglass that I had neglected to repair straight away. Ian dropped Janna at the 3:30 fast ferry to Sanur – 250K rp ticket price. Sleeping on deck apparently gets you all wet with dew. No real dinner after late pasta lunch, just snacking.

11/5: Woke up, fixed the V-belt (put on an A42 instead of an A41, which we failed to fit without undoing more bolts, many of which were odd sizes or already stripped). Also noticed that we are leaking a small amount of diesel into the bilge. Tightened the bleed nipple, but suspect the problem is because the secondary fuel filter has not been adequately tightened. Didn’t want to take off the fuel line to get our bike chain style filter wrench around the secondary filter housing, we we’ve left it for now. Once again, thank goodness diesel is not flammable. Snorkeling trip picked us up and we went to Mangroves, Wall Bay, and Gamat Bay. We also convinced the driver to take us to the site of our brutal drift dive on the western side of the strait across from Wall Bay. Visibility was cloudier, but not as many jellyfish. Still current, but nothing like our dive. Snorkeling trip cost us 500K rp for the boat for 3 hours (4 people). Retrived my board from the surfboard repair guy at Coconut Beach – ouch a whopping 300K to fix it and it wasn’t a very good job. Went surfing with Ian in strong currents. Collided with an aggro aussie dude on one wave. Green curry for dinner after chicken fingers in the late afternoon. 1 more Jersey Shore episode. Not sure if I can stand another.

Time: 28/3 14:26 – 31/3 0956 | Engine hrs: ?? | Jakarta to Bali days 3-5

Squall hit with 23 kts of apparent wind (max), dead downwind w/ jib winged out to starboard and a preventer on the boom. Boat handled conditions well. Took in 50% of the sail area and still made 7.5 kts through the water at times, 8.5 kts over the ground given 1 kt of easterly current helping us on to Bali.

Several days of excellent downwind sailing in large swell before we had to turn the corner toward the Bali Strait, where the wind ran out and we were forced to start motoring. After threading lots of ferries plying the narrowest part of the Bali Strait, about a mile across, we ran into a huge trash flow and fouled the prop repeatedly. Eventually decided we could not motor, and bobbed around going 1-2kts until daylight as there was almost no wind. Wind picked up just before dawn and we sailed all the way down to Uluwatu before turning the motor back on and heading up into Bali Benoa Harbour.

Immigration was painless and bribe free. Bali International Marina is not as grand as the name sounds – actually pretty crap – but at least we could put the boat to rest. Bali at last.

Time: 1600 – 28/3 2400 | Engine hrs: ?? | Jakarta to Bali Days 1-2

Reached Karimunjawa at 1100 on 28/3 in very strong winds and swell. We were motoring so we had no trouble. Anchored in the harbour, well sheltered by an island in its mount, but wind continued to blow hard (12-20 kts +). 2 kts of current against us as we dropped anchor in 20m.

Went ashore and bought 60L of diesel at 5,100 rp / L. At some lunch at a local Rumah Makan and then went back to the boat. We had fast-ish internet when tethered, so we ordered a replacement fluxgate compass online from Raymarine as our existing compass is way off and causing the autohelm to “wander.”

Skipped the shark diving and resorts in order to get to Bali faster.