We return from our sea-trial to Batanta Island with mostly good news. There’s no more slipping from the clutches which is terrific, but the starboard gearbox is alarmingly noisy under load. We think Rieman may have made the washer tolerance too tight, so we’ll need to get it re-machined at some point. In the meantime we’ll just put our headphones on with the music turned up loud…
Continue reading “So Long, Sorong”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!
Continue reading “With A Little Help From Our Friends”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.
Continue reading “Gremlins!”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.
Continue reading “A Taste of Paradise – Friwin, Gam and Penumu Islands, Raja Ampat”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.
Continue reading “The Four Kings – Waisai, Raja Ampat”