Looking for a boat from Timor to Australia

[egerke]

Greetings!

I don't know if this is the right place to post my request, I would appreciate your advice on the matter. I am a 36-old Croatian traveler (and linguist in my regular time, when I don't roam the world), currently doing an overland (and overseas) journey of a lifetime - going from Croatia to New Zealand without using an airplane. So far the things went smoothly, I managed to arrive to Java (I am currently in Bandung), and there shouldn't be many problems with onward island hopping by ferries through Indonesia, until I arrive to East Timor, which is basically a dead end. From there, the only way to reach Australia is to fly, which I don't want, because of compromising the whole idea of my trip. Since there are no regular ferries and not even freighters that would take passengers, I decided to come here and kindly inquire if there is anyone sailing in that region (either East Timor, although it can be West Timor as well, or some other place in East Nusa Tenggara) around mid-December, which is the approximate time I will get there (I can adjust to your terms).

To be brutally honest, I don't have any experience as a sailor, but then again, I didn't have any previous experience in many things I faced on my journey so far. I am ready for challenges and willing to learn. And this relatively short route could be a great introduction for future possible longer overseas journeys. I can, however, offer a pleasant company and a helping hand onboard, accepting whatever duty captain would assign me.

If you feel that you're willing to take a chance with me, please drop me a line here or in PM. Also, if there's anything else you think you should know about me (yes, I already have an Australian visa), and I forgot to tell, or if you have any advice (as long as it's not "forget it" )... I'm all ears.

Kind regards,

Kresimir

[Minggat]

Try findacrew.net

[egerke]

Originally Posted by Minggat

Try findacrew.net

Why do you think I haven't? That also goes to the category "what I didn't tell". I tried both Find a Crew and Floatplan. Find a Crew is pretty much hard to communicate with boat owners unless you are a Premium member. On Floatplan I haven't had any response so far.
Please, I came to this forum to ask specifically for help from the members of this forum, so I would appreciate it if you don't just try to redirect me to other sites. What goes on here, stays here. If I get a response from other sites, I would inform you here that I found the boat.

Sorry if I sound a little bit rude, but your answer sounded patronizing to me, because Find a Crew is the most known page and usually the first place someone wanting to hitch a boat would look.

[Minggat]

Wow!

OK, I will answer your question.

In your paragraph starting with "To be brutally honest.....no experience...".

Why would I think that you have tried looking there?

Your lack of experience, is showing up here as well. Compatibility is such a major consideration when it comes to being trapped on a cruising vessel. Most of the cruising vessels here are not mega yachts. They need someone they can count on not only to know what they are doing, but also someone who they can get along with in close quarters in uncomfortable conditions over days and weeks at a time with zero breaks.

As a member of this forum, I can tell you that what you say i true. It is not only the first place I would look if I were you, but it is the first place that I look for crew as well. In my experience, Find a crew is more focused on just that. But it is not easy for either. I can tell the you are frustrated. I have been there, as captain. It is a good idea to post here as well, but there are more chances of getting connected on Findacrew.

Try going premium. We have all invested years and major bucks in this. With no investment on your part, you may find that investment worthwhile. I avoided it for a very long time.. But life got much easier once I paid. With no experience, you will up your odds.

Good luck.

[Celestialsailor]

The OP does not seem to want to invest anything into finding a boat to "bum" a ride on. There are tons of experienced and pleasant people looking for boat adventures...neither of which this OP has.

[egerke]

Originally Posted by Minggat

Wow!

OK, I will answer your question.

In your paragraph starting with "To be brutally honest.....no experience...".

Why would I think that you have tried looking there?

Your lack of experience, is showing up here as well. Compatibility is such a major consideration when it comes to being trapped on a cruising vessel. Most of the cruising vessels here are not mega yachts. They need someone they can count on not only to know what they are doing, but also someone who they can get along with in close quarters in uncomfortable conditions over days and weeks at a time with zero breaks.

As a member of this forum, I can tell you that what you say i true. It is not only the first place I would look if I were you, but it is the first place that I look for crew as well. In my experience, Find a crew is more focused on just that. But it is not easy for either. I can tell the you are frustrated. I have been there, as captain. It is a good idea to post here as well, but there are more chances of getting connected on Findacrew.

Try going premium. We have all invested years and major bucks in this. With no investment on your part, you may find that investment worthwhile. I avoided it for a very long time.. But life got much easier once I paid. With no experience, you will up your odds.

Good luck.

That is a more friendly attitude. And I feel certainly more comfortable now.

I understand that compatibility is important, especially if you are sailing for several weeks across an ocean. But, then again, Find a Crew is a bit like dating site - you pay to get more access, you get some more information about the person, but the real click happens only when you meet a person. On the other hand, I've heard stories of people who just walked into a marina and caught themselves a ride - and a pretty long one, as well. So this tells me there are captains who will be willing to help a traveler even if he's a total newbie, and accept someone on a boat just on a base how do they look like, without knowing how that very person would behave in the middle of a storm.

That is why I posted this question here as well. Because I am pretty desperate, given the slimness of chances and rareness of private boats calling at East Timor ports, and I am trying to find a captain who will not scrutinize me for days and weeks before deciding I'm completely unfit for his boat. The last time I checked on Find a Crew, there were no boats sailing in that region whatsoeer. Whereas here, I found a post of a guy interested in sailing from Bali to Brisbane, I think, with recommendation that instead of planned departure in September, he should postpone it for several weeks. And I thought maybe he's still here. Or someone else who has the information about him. I am just fishing with more hooks, not keeping all the eggs in one basket, and all those proverbs.

Going premium is of course the last resort, but if there's no boat in my direction, then it's all in vain, isn't it?

[AiniA]

Not a route that attracts a lot of sailboats. You likely would have more success finding someone going to Darwin from Kupang in West Timor than from East Timor. It is also a shorter trip. I don't know if there is an Australian sailing site that you could check. Some Aussies do head to Indonesia and northward and need to head home at some point. Might also look at the Sail Indonesia site. It mainly deals with boats going north but you might find someone needing crew southward.

[StuM]

First: mid December is not the time that most sailors would travel South from Indonesia - you are in the cyclone season.

Second: East Timor is as you say a dead end - and one which few sailors visit.

As others have said, Bali would be a better end point and be prepared to wait for a few months.

[Tientos]

Toll run barges from Darwin to Dili and I thought they took passengers? Regrettably, there is not a lot of southward action at this time. Having said that, try posting on Sail Indonesia Facebook, for any late returns. We have helped 3 crew achieve this dream, so we wish you well. Track down Kym Miller in Dili.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Minggat]

Originally Posted by egerke

That is a more friendly attitude.

I can see where your frustratio might leave you feeling that I was being abrupt. I offered what I think is a great resource with very few keystrokes. But my attitude started out friendly. So "more friendly" sounds a touch judgmental.

As others have said, where you are can make a huge difference. I have found many more option for crew from Hawaii than I found in Mexico.. And Mexico is full of cruisers.

Good luck,... again.

[grantmc]

Very old fashioned I know, but you could try letters to Timor boat clubs and marinas. Include an A4 sized poster. And obviously request that they put the poster up on their noticeboard.

[egerke]

Originally Posted by grantmc

Very old fashioned I know, but you could try letters to Timor boat clubs and marinas. Include an A4 sized poster. And obviously request that they put the poster up on their noticeboard.

Given the speed of post in these countries, I'll be there before my letter.

Anyway, Sail Indonesia sounds like a good place to try, I will do that as well. The trouble is I can't afford to wait for several months, because of other reasons - I should be back home by March. I would also try a freighter, but the trouble is they are not willing to take passengers on that route, because of many illegal immigrants, I've heard. Although I have a valid Australian entry visa already, if that could help... There is one freighter, sailing for some Chinese company, that plies regularly between Darwin, Dili and Singapore and it actually leaves Dili for Darwin on December 11th, but I'm not sure they would let me onboard...

[billgewater]

At this time of the year, you just may snag it. The beginning of the NW trade winds usually govern decisions by yachties to head from that part of the world towards Australia.

It may help if you contact the Dinah Beach Yacht Club in Darwin as they usually know who is doing what. e.g. a local returning to Darwin.
email cruising@dinahbeachcya.com.au or website www.dinahbeachcya.com.au
Phone Australia +610889817816 (may need to delete the "0") Skype

There is another yacht club in Darwin at Fanny Bay in Darwin . Contacts
are admin@dwnsail.com.au or sailingmanager@dwnsail.com.au
ph +61089811700 fax +610889410580


I doubt that there is any yacht club anywhere in Timor but there is a large marina on Bali. Sorry I can't help further there.

The likelihood of a sailing boat heading towards Broome or further south on the west coast seems unlikely as the wind patterns usually don't readily allow this. There are many yacht clubs in Perth so it would be a big ask to enquire from them.
Hope all goes well. Darwin has always welcomed people just like you who do things differently. Darwin is also one of the very few places that nearly all circumnavigators visit so they understand your circumstances. Great city.
If it was not for our right wing nutter government, you may have hitched a ride with the boat refugees! You could end up in a concentration camp on some godforsaken tropical hell hole. LOL.
Ask around the water front where you are. There are barges that commute to Australia.
Najbolje želje.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by grantmc

Very old fashioned I know, but you could try letters to Timor boat clubs and marinas. Include an A4 sized poster. And obviously request that they put the poster up on their noticeboard.

Do you know how many boat clubs and marinas there are in Timor?

[billgewater]

"Useful Contact
Pedro Mesquita

pedromesquita2008@gmail.com
Happy to be contacted if planning a visit. A sailor who has lived in Timor Leste since 2005. "

(Apparently Pedro is a sailor and local in Dili. There are no yacht clubs as such in Timor. There are some moorings for the Darwin Timor annual excursion.)
From the Noonsite forum.