Sailing the Sunda Strait

[Epicurean]

Can anyone share their experience on sailing between Singapore and Sunda Strait and then out into the Indian Ocean? I propose to do it end of March to get to the IO and down to the SE trades, about 12°S and then head west to the western IO. Is there a preferred route below Singapore? I've been that far but not beyond. Are fishing nets a big problem so that I need to stop at night? I don't have a visa because they're $550/person and am just passing through. But it might be nice to rest at night and also not worry about unlit boats, nets, etc. I just don't know what to expect down there. And I gather there can be quite a tide rush through the strait. Where can I get the times? And during these viral times I wonder if officials are more likely to stop and check me.

[GordMay]

Two things to know about "barracks" (internet) lawyers:
1. They think they found a loophole ... They didn't ...
2. They think they know what they're talking about ... They don't ...

[AiniA]

Can't help you with the Sunda Strait, we entered the IO at Bali. The strait there was on the boisterous side but not too bad. What we found was that in the lee of the islands from Timor westward there generally was almost no wind but in the gaps it was often 25 to 30 knots and it would curve around land at each side so the wind on the eastern side was quite different than on the western side. I would imagine there will be lots of fishing boats to contend with. You would need to keep a good watch.

Where are you going in the IO? I would check Covid restrictions carefully. Oz (Christmas and Cocos-Keeling) would be a no-go I would imagine. No idea what is happening in Mauritius, SA, Mozambique, Madagascar. Noonsite would have some info but countries' websites best.

We crossed the IO in November. It was windy but in a good way with two+ weeks of 25 to 35 knots but broad-reaching. Originally we were going to go around the north end of Madagascar but it was too much ddw with slowish speeds and rolling (our boat was not a roller generally). We decided to go around around the south end of Madagascar via Mauritius and Rodrigues. We went about 30 nm a day faster and much more comfortable. No idea how January compares to November but I do know there is a heightened risk of tropical storms. November is the best month and we had to leave Maurtitius early (a shame!) because the first ever cyclone in November was forecast to pass to the north of the island.

[StuM]

Without a visa, make sure you stick to the Archipelagic Sea Lane and don't stop
See UNCLOS Article 53

[Paul L]

Sounds like you'll be getting to S Indian Ocean while still in cyclone season. Might consider waiting a little or taking your time in Indonesia. You can pickup Indonesian anchorages here
Terry

There is a lot of evening fishing traffic all over Indo. Completely random lighting, ranging from glaringly strong to small candle. There are a lot of tugs with large gravel barges. The tugs generally have often weak class B AIS installed and are lit. The tows barely,. Tugs can often only make 3 its. They may call on VHF. You can identify them because they will I'd themselves as Tango Bravo and a number. Tango Bravo for tug boat.
Plan on a lot of motoring. You can get fuel in Belitung.

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by Epicurean

I just don't know what to expect down there. And I gather there can be quite a tide rush through the strait. Where can I get the times? And during these viral times I wonder if officials are more likely to stop and check me.

I'm not up to speed - 2020 has been disruptive in so many ways.

Indonesia was scheduled to start implementing a TSS in the Sunda Strait about mid-2020. I don't know if the TSS for international shipping was declared or not (Indonesia had been 'enforcing' a TSS for domestic shipping earlier). See the attached graphic.

Chart agents in Singapore should be able to sell you BA charts. The charts to look for are Indonesian charts (more detail, usually more recent surveys). For the latest electronic charts, you might need to look for the sort of charts marketed to shipping (e.g. CMAP v 3).

Tide times should not be a problem. If your mapping/e-chart does not calculate the tide times for you, you should find websites that will do it for you (e.g. https://tides4fishing.com/as/west-in...uhan-sunda-str)

If you do not have a visa, then heed StuM's advice and do not go into coastal waters to anchor.

Indonesia has been establishing radar and VHF coverage for the Sunda Straits over the past several years. I expect, since you suggest you are departing from Singapore, that you'll have operational AIS. You will be monitored, although not necessarily strictly and closely.

The usual rule is that from Low tide to High tide, the tidal streams set to the Northeast. From Hign to Low, the tidal stream sets to the SW.

The tidal stream can run as fast as 4 - 5 knots. The seasonal/monsoonal wind modifies the tidal stream. In the NE Monsoon, you expect a stronger tidal stream.

Late March, depending on the date, is of course iffy, meaning that you may still have a NE Monsoon, or you may be in an Intermonsoon. Cyclogenesis in the S Hemisphere may be a big factor in that. March is one of the peak months for cyclogenesis.

What that means, to make myself clear, is that you may be motoring in low wind conditions. Or you might have 5+ knots of NE.

If you face calms in the Sunda Strait, the calm may extend a considerable way to your target of 12S, where you hope to find SE trades. With consequences for fuel etc.

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

Indonesia has been establishing radar and VHF coverage for the Sunda Straits over the past several years. I expect, since you suggest you are departing from Singapore, that you'll have operational AIS. You will be monitored, although not necessarily strictly and closely.

You should be able to search to confirm whether IMO has declared the TSS for Sunda Strait to be in operation. As I noted before, Indonesia has been incrementally increasing its use of the TSS channels (and crossing procedures) for Indonesia-flagged vessels over the past few years.

Indonesian shipping will communicate in Bahasa Indonesia. The Indonesian navy always insists on making calls in Bahasa Indonesia, on VHF 16, in territorial waters.

In the Sunda Strait, VHF 20 is intended to be used for communication between TSS control and shipping. So monitor both VHF 16 and VHF 20.

AIS is now compulsory for Indonesian territorial waters.

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

Late March, depending on the date, is of course iffy, meaning that you may still have a NE Monsoon, or you may be in an Intermonsoon. Cyclogenesis in the S Hemisphere may be a big factor in that. March is one of the peak months for cyclogenesis.

What that means, to make myself clear, is that you may be motoring in low wind conditions. Or you might have 5+ knots of NE.

If you face calms in the Sunda Strait, the calm may extend a considerable way to your target of 12S, where you hope to find SE trades. With consequences for fuel etc.

To demonstrate the difference a week or two makes in March, take a Captain Cook at these surface streamlines from March-April in 2004:

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

You should be able to search to confirm whether IMO has declared the TSS for Sunda Strait to be in operation. As I noted before, Indonesia has been incrementally increasing its use of the TSS channels (and crossing procedures) for Indonesia-flagged vessels over the past few years.

See the 2019 IMO notice:

[Epicurean]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Sounds like you'll be getting to S Indian Ocean while still in cyclone season. Might consider waiting a little or taking your time in Indonesia. You can pickup Indonesian anchorages here
Terry

There is a lot of evening fishing traffic all over Indo. Completely random lighting, ranging from glaringly strong to small candle. There are a lot of tugs with large gravel barges. The tugs generally have often weak class B AIS installed and are lit. The tows barely,. Tugs can often only make 3 its. They may call on VHF. You can identify them because they will I'd themselves as Tango Bravo and a number. Tango Bravo for tug boat.
Plan on a lot of motoring. You can get fuel in Belitung.

Thanks. Yes unlit boats and nets is my fear and why I might want to anchor at night. I believe cyclones after April 1 should be rare. I intend to stay around 12°S. I might check at late season cyclone history. And certainly I'll have weather radio (Predict Wind) to monitor

[Epicurean]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

I'm not up to speed - 2020 has been disruptive in so many ways.

Indonesia was scheduled to start implementing a TSS in the Sunda Strait about mid-2020. I don't know if the TSS for international shipping was declared or not (Indonesia had been 'enforcing' a TSS for domestic shipping earlier). See the attached graphic.

Chart agents in Singapore should be able to sell you BA charts. The charts to look for are Indonesian charts (more detail, usually more recent surveys). For the latest electronic charts, you might need to look for the sort of charts marketed to shipping (e.g. CMAP v 3).

Tide times should not be a problem. If your mapping/e-chart does not calculate the tide times for you, you should find websites that will do it for you (e.g. https://tides4fishing.com/as/west-in...uhan-sunda-str)

If you do not have a visa, then heed StuM's advice and do not go into coastal waters to anchor.

Indonesia has been establishing radar and VHF coverage for the Sunda Straits over the past several years. I expect, since you suggest you are departing from Singapore, that you'll have operational AIS. You will be monitored, although not necessarily strictly and closely.

The usual rule is that from Low tide to High tide, the tidal streams set to the Northeast. From Hign to Low, the tidal stream sets to the SW.

The tidal stream can run as fast as 4 - 5 knots. The seasonal/monsoonal wind modifies the tidal stream. In the NE Monsoon, you expect a stronger tidal stream.

Late March, depending on the date, is of course iffy, meaning that you may still have a NE Monsoon, or you may be in an Intermonsoon. Cyclogenesis in the S Hemisphere may be a big factor in that. March is one of the peak months for cyclogenesis.

What that means, to make myself clear, is that you may be motoring in low wind conditions. Or you might have 5+ knots of NE.

If you face calms in the Sunda Strait, the calm may extend a considerable way to your target of 12S, where you hope to find SE trades. With consequences for fuel etc.

Thanks for that! I'm leaving from Malaysia, next to Singapore. I intend to take extra fuel so I don't have to stop. Hope I guess right!
"Cyclogenesis" Now there's a term I haven't heard. I believe that cyclonic activity can refer to strong tropical storms or just the large scale rotation of winds in a certain direction. Is there likely to be squalls with thunderstorms?

Low wind and 5+ NE knots are similar.

That time of year I could go over the top of Sumatera and find possibly no winds or even westerlies.

When I transited the waterway between Sg and Indo I did it in a day. But I had friends who couldn't fight the tides and anchored on the Indo side until the current switched directions. Although illegal I'm aware of several countries allowing that, especially in these times, as long as it's temporary and the sailors don't get off their boats.

[Epicurean]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

See the 2019 IMO notice:

If that means no nets, FADs or boats without AIS in the Sea lanes that's good. I didn't find the Singapore Sea Lane difficult. The volume of traffic there was down substantially. I imagine it would be the same in the Sunda Strait, etc.

[Epicurean]

In the end to get away from Malaysia west I either have to go above or below Sumatera. I'm hoping to find out here enough info to help make that decision. Most people leave in February going to Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, and Chagos. but things are a little different this year. So I ap0preciate all the information I can get. And that route (Selat Sunda) was a mystery.

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by Epicurean

"Cyclogenesis" Now there's a term I haven't heard. I believe that cyclonic activity can refer to strong tropical storms or just the large scale rotation of winds in a certain direction. Is there likely to be squalls with thunderstorms?

In Indonesia unless the monsoon (i.e. the NE Monsoon or the SW Monsoon - thinking from the N hemisphere point of view) is stable, then you have a chance of squalls with t-storms. Warm moist landmasses create ideal conditions for high CAPE conditions.

Although illegal I'm aware of several countries allowing that, especially in these times, as long as it's temporary and the sailors don't get off their boats.

Indonesia has ideals. Those ideals include two categories of foreign-flagged vessels: (a) those with visas, flying the merah-putih flag as a courtesy, who can sail into coastal waters and anchor; and (b) those without visas who are following the Archipelgaic Sea Lanes; the ideal for those vessels is that they do not enter coastal waters and therefore do not anchor in coastal waters.

The whole point of Indonesia going through the process of setting up TSSs in Sunda Strait and Lombok Strait is about Indonesian control of their waters.

To take the Sunda Strait in particular, the waters west of the TSS are declared coastal waters. Sure, Indonesia will tolerate a cruiser sailing just outside the TSS, in coastal waters, in the same way that Malaysia tolerates cruisers who have not entered into Malaysia sailing in the coastal waters zone just inshore of the shipping channels through the Malacca Strait.

Indonesia has spent the past two years preparing for the TSS in Sunda Strait. They have cameras, radar, and AIS set up to monitor all vessels (including Indonesia-flagged vessels) in Sunda Strait.

Indonesia seeks to emulate Singapore in the sense that ideally no foreign-flagged vessel (with crew holding visas) will leave the TSS lanes and thereore will not anchor. Indonesia of course does not have resources equal to those of Singapore, but they will do their best to enforce their ideal. Sunda Strait is narrow enough, with narrow 1 nm sea lanes, that they can monitor your transit by camera, radar, and AIS.

I repeat, follow StuM's advice: do not anchor in Indonesian coastal waters without visas and/or approval.

[Epicurean]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

In Indonesia unless the monsoon (i.e. the NE Monsoon or the SW Monsoon - thinking from the N hemisphere point of view) is stable, then you have a chance of squalls with t-storms. Warm moist landmasses create ideal conditions for high CAPE conditions.



Indonesia has ideals. Those ideals include two categories of foreign-flagged vessels: (a) those with visas, flying the merah-putih flag as a courtesy, who can sail into coastal waters and anchor; and (b) those without visas who are following the Archipelgaic Sea Lanes; the ideal for those vessels is that they do not enter coastal waters and therefore do not anchor in coastal waters.

The whole point of Indonesia going through the process of setting up TSSs in Sunda Strait and Lombok Strait is about Indonesian control of their waters.

To take the Sunda Strait in particular, the waters west of the TSS are declared coastal waters. Sure, Indonesia will tolerate a cruiser sailing just outside the TSS, in coastal waters, in the same way that Malaysia tolerates cruisers who have not entered into Malaysia sailing in the coastal waters zone just inshore of the shipping channels through the Malacca Strait.

Indonesia has spent the past two years preparing for the TSS in Sunda Strait. They have cameras, radar, and AIS set up to monitor all vessels (including Indonesia-flagged vessels) in Sunda Strait.

Indonesia seeks to emulate Singapore in the sense that ideally no foreign-flagged vessel (with crew holding visas) will leave the TSS lanes and thereore will not anchor. Indonesia of course does not have resources equal to those of Singapore, but they will do their best to enforce their ideal. Sunda Strait is narrow enough, with narrow 1 nm sea lanes, that they can monitor your transit by camera, radar, and AIS.

I repeat, follow StuM's advice: do not anchor in Indonesian coastal waters without visas and/or approval.

Well, then, I guess that's what I have to do. There's another possibility I've been (unsuccessfully) trying to find out about: Several Australian boats left here recently to return home through the sea lane, I believe, between the two rows of Indo islands. They were told they had to have a visa and got one for a little over US$100, according to one boat I spoke to. For one month that's exactly what I need. As March approaches I'll see if that becomes available. Still, the path to Sunda is not clear.