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)