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Old 08-11-2016, 16:38   #1
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Malaysia to Australia and east to Brisbane

We are currently in Malaysia watching the SW monsoon prepare to swing to the NE. This must be a good time to get south through Malaysia and Indonesia and then to the top of Australia, Darwin or Gove, but we have not heard/read much about conditions on the top of Australia in April or May. Received wisdom is to wait for that break in the SE trades in November on the east coast of Oz, but we have missed it this year and do not see ourselves waiting another year to get it.

What is the sailing like from Darwin to Brisbane in April/May/June? Thanks for any comments.

Jeff
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Old 08-11-2016, 22:44   #2
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Re: Malaysia to Australia and east to Brisbane

Dec to March is the best time to go to the top of Australia from Malaysia. The NE Monsoon becomes more NW the farther you go South and East putting the winds behind you.

Make sure you make the jump from East Timor before the end of March mid of April latest so that you do not get caught in the East/South easterlies that build up beginning in April. We timed it to late and had a bad trip over to Darwin.

The best time to come east from Darwin is mid October to November before the Tropical storm season but sometimes those easterlies take a while to lie down and you have no choice but to leave later.

If I did it again I would come south out of Ambon and try to come across to Gove or Thursday Island late in March. If you go to Gove you still have to cross the Gulf of Carpentaria and that can be nasty if the winds build up out of the east.

You could spend 3 years in Indonesia if you haven't seriously cruised there yet.
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Old 10-11-2016, 16:10   #3
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Re: Malaysia to Australia and east to Brisbane

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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Old 10-11-2016, 18:23   #4
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Re: Malaysia to Australia and east to Brisbane

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Originally Posted by Ivory Moon View Post
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
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
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