Di Fitzgerald

November 6, 2019November 27, 2019

With A Little Help From Our Friends

We’re back in the duck pond in Tampa Garam, Sorong. It’s getting crowded in here – there are 7 boats already tied up so we squeeze in down the end, with plenty of helping hands to take our shore lines. What a delightful mix of boats, nationalities and ages – we love this about cruising. There are currently Danish, Norwegian, American, Canadian, New Zealand and Aussie boats here, and Wes and Stine are very happy to have some young company for a change!

November 6, 2019November 6, 2019

Gremlins!

Just when we think we can relax and enjoy ourselves, we discover that gremlins have invaded Toucan. Some of them are benevolent, some are tricky, and others are downright nasty.

November 4, 2019November 5, 2019

A Taste of Paradise – Friwin, Gam and Penumu Islands, Raja Ampat

Our destination is Penumu Island, 30 NM east of Waisai, where we’re keen to do some diving. But there’s no need to rush – there’s plenty of great places to explore on the way.

November 2, 2019November 27, 2019

The Four Kings – Waisai, Raja Ampat

We’re heading to Waisai, the main town on the island of Waigeo, and the gateway to Raja Ampat. The name means “Four Kings”, for the four islands that make up the Birds Head Peninsula – Batanta, Waigeo, Salawati and Misool. It’s an archipelago of over 1500 islands with the richest, most diverse marine ecology on the planet and we can’t wait to explore it.

October 31, 2019October 31, 2019

Batanta and Back

There’s not much more we can do until the new prop arrives so we decide to head over to Batanta Island for the weekend, about 20NM north of Sorong. It’ll also give us a chance to do a sea-trial of the gearboxes and new oil seals as it’s unlikely we’ll get enough wind for sailing.

October 20, 2019October 21, 2019

Mr Fix-It – Sorong, Indonesia

Prior to arriving in Sorong we’d been in email contact with Warwick (Wick) Alliston, an ex-pat Aussie who owns Helena Marina, and also happens to be the OCC (Ocean Cruising Club) Port Officer (email: wick.eon@gmail.com; ph: +62811485371). Everything we’ve heard about Wick is positive, and our experience proves to be no exception – he’s simply a godsend, and one of the nicest people you could ever meet.