13th September - Sumbawa to lombok - Medana Marina

Friday 13^th September

8 degrees South

116 degrees east

Might as well start with sunrise, as we left our slightly rolly anchorage off Medang Island, with its fleet of fishing spiderboats arriving home at dawn.

It was a very long day, and I for one found it totally exhausting… Not sure why – it wasn’t difficult, and in fact it was all very scenic and beautiful. 

Sumbawa is a very big island, and, as far as we could tell, very sparsely inhabited.

Ditto Lombok, just as beautiful, with steep volcano mountains, lushly forested, and a coastline fringed with palms.

We took turns at the helm, as usual – WHY is sailing so exhausting when it mainly consists of sitting??

This is a very rare photo of Pete actually reclining… He remained thus for at least ten minutes…

I don’t think he has had any sort of a daytime rest for many weeks; he is always so very busy, either fixing BoatFlaws, or gazing at info on the computer. 

We covered a lot of nautical miles because we wanted to get a berth at the Medana Marina, which operates in a first come first served basis.  No bookings possible.  Good thing we rushed; we got the very last available berth, off a dainty floating pontoon which holds maybe five boats… The other boats are on moorings, which look nice and strong – this is a very new facility.  But being on a berth means – dry land is at hand.  So to speak… Once we had tied up, with many ropes and many willing helpers on shore, I climbed off and found a most wonderful toilet and shower combo maybe ten metres away.  Oh bliss…as much cold water as I wanted pouring down on my hot hot head…

The fleet seems to be reassembling here already; I think the whole bay will very soon be thick with Rallyboats.

It is quite late and yes I would be fast asleep, as is Pete, but…there is a band playing, maybe twelve meres away… And they are not holding back!  We had dinner with some of our long-lost friends and listened to the band for a while but Sleepyboboland beckoned and we tiptoed away at 9pm, without even one single dance… True proof of exhaustion!

Many entertainments await… Tomorrow is the Lombok Cup – the racetrack is just across the way from the marina.  And Sunday  a cooking class!  I will need to get just a few zzzzzzs under my belt… Pete is fast asleep but the only reason he hasn’t been woken by a sterling rendition of Me and Bobby McGee, with many drums beating, is that he has closed the door and the hatch.  The sound is muffled but…there is not a breath of air to be had in our little room…