Quote:
Originally Posted by Ivory Moon
Thanks undercutter. We had not thought to go as far north as Ambon, thinking instead we would check out of Indonesia at Kupang then either continue up the N side of Timor and then S to Gove or maybe Darwin, or direct from Kupang to Darwin. Is Ambon itself worth a stop?
Jeff
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Don't know, that was our original plan but then the timing got late and we ended up checking out in Kupang and then heading to Darwin from East Timore.
Coming south we met up with an Ozzie on the south coast of Borneo that was going North and he said he had it on the nose the whole way. Worse experience of his sailing career. Unfortunately we left it too late in leaving East Timor the last week of April and had a terrible crossing. The last 3 days we had building ESE winds with 35kts plus. Beagle Bay was horrible with its shallow bottom and the seas were huge. I had figured this trip at 3 days and we were 100 hours +.
I think the benefit go going to Ambon is to get a better angle on the
wind by staying further North and sailing almost due South to Gove. You still have to cross the Gulf of Carpentaria though so maybe Thursday Island would be the best. We actually had looked pretty hard at Thursday Island but the easterlies are so predominant there that we decided against it. Weipa would be great but I do not think you can clear in there. We did the gulf in just under 3 days in November and the winds were SE/NE the whole way.
Paid a bride to facilitate exit from Kupang. Didn't want to wait an extra day.
East Timor was easy and you can buy
fuel delivered to the
commercial wharf. Harbourmaster is a good guy. We left our
fish there when we left to
head to Darwin as we couldn't take them there. lol