Gililawa

Hi everyone,
Yesterday we sailed from Labuan Bajo to the bay south of the small island of Gililawa Darat, on the north east corner of Komodo Island.  We had planned to sail in company with Kakadu but they had alternator problems which stopped them leaving.  It had been great fun sailing with them since Tangil Island and we hope our paths will cross again soon.

The sail from Labuan Bajo was fun.  Initially we motored due to light winds and to recharge batteries, then when the wind filled in a little we killed the motor and had a nice sail.  We were hard on the wind and used Kazi, our Aires wind vane.  The wind twice backed about 30 degrees as we sailed, lifting us up almost to our destination.  We motored again as the wind lightened off and the tide started pushing us north.

On arrival in the bay we found an Indonesian yacht on one mooring but the other free.  So we are now on a mooring for the first time since Dili harbour.  There are quite a few moorings placed around Komodo National Park to reduce damage to coral.  We are moored at 08 29.627S 119 33.083E in 28m.

Zen Again Track

This morning we had a fairly lazy time.  Early on we did some laundry and gave the saloon a good clean.  Then we swam a couple of laps around the boat, trying out some new swimming goggles (vice the diving masks we use for snorkelling).  The water is very clear and we can see the mooring line for at least 10m down.  It is a mini-reef in its own right, complete with orbiting (small) fish.  We spent the rest of the morning reading and listening to ABC radio online.

By midday the Indonesian yacht had departed and a number of Sail Indonesia yachts arrived in the bay.   In the afternoon we explored in the dinghy and snorkelled over the reef in the NW corner of the bay.  Visibility was about 15m and the corals and fish were great.  Best of all we saw and filmed a turtle feeding and then swimming away "into the abyss".  Here are some of the photos...

And here's Zen Again on the mooring...

Zen Again

Tomorrow we expect to move on to another anchorage on Komodo Island.