Passage to Indonesia — Part 4 Enu

Enu wasn’t on the plan.

It wasn’t a waypoint, or a penciled-in stop, or a place we had talked about in our planning. It appeared only after we began looking, not for progress, but for pause.

Passage to Indonesia — Part 3. When the Boat Objects

By the third day of the crossing, our world had contracted, not in distance, we were still covering miles, but in focus. What mattered now was how the boat was moving, how the sea was behaving, and how much attention everything required. Wind and current were no longer aligned, and the motion reflected that disagreement. The bow lifted, hesitated, then dropped, again and again. Not dramatic. Just relentless.

(If you missed part one or two click here.)

A few of the many fishing boats we passed. This time in daylight and they were visible.

Passage to Indonesia — Part 2. The Glow on the Horizon

 If there is one thing that became clear early in this passage, it’s that night changes everything.  (If you missed part 1, click here)

The first evening after leaving Australia gave us our introduction. The western horizon glowed, not like stars or constellations, but like a distant city at sea. A low, steady brightness spread across the darkness, far too expansive to be natural.  Based on the scale of the glow, we assumed it was a Chinese fishing fleet. There were more than fifty boats in that one area alone, with other clusters scattered farther west.

Passage to Indonesia — Part 1 Late Season, Open Water

I began this passage from Australia to Indonesia with more trepidation than usual. That alone should have been a clue.

There were reasons, of course. There always are. We were leaving Australia fully inside cyclone season, which officially runs from November 1 to April 30. By late December, we weren’t at the tail end or even the shoulder, we were squarely in it. Late enough that people paused when we mentioned our plans. Late enough that the weather patterns had shifted from helpful to unfriendly. Winds that had once been behind us were now firmly in our face. Currents, too, would be working against us. On paper, it was not the right time to make this passage.

Australian Wildlife: From Adorable to Mildly Terrifying

One of the great joys of our time in Australia was meeting an entirely new supporting cast of animals. Some were impossibly cute, some were loud and opinionated, and some existed mainly to remind us why Australians read warning signs very carefully. This is a mostly pictorial roundup, with just enough words to prove I was paying attention.

The Cute Stuff (Lulling You Into a False Sense of Security)