The Hull Truth Sail2Indonesia

The South Easterly trades are in again in 2023 and started consistently since Mid-July as expected every year between 5 and 12 degrees south of the equator.

As I write, some amazing yachts and catamarans are arriving at Marina Del Ray reporting excellent fast sailing conditions.

It’s been a while since the yearly sailing flotillas began again since October 2019 when we first opened stage one when the plandemic started in March 2020 when sadly were forced to watch the captains and their crews having to sail home. It is lovely to see happy sailors and their children return once again.

Our pool is looking fantastic and my front lawn in front of the Yacht Club is still ok even though the Desalinator needs about $20,000 spent on it because we have had no income since 2020, my pockets have been drained but happy to report we managed to help keep the island’s 1200 inhabitants of Gili Gede healthy and happy.

We have managed to sail our path around that world hurricane ok.

Since our last webinar organized by my mate John Hembrow of the sail down under, we have grown from 1% occupancy to maybe 45% as the world stabilizes and gets into its rhythm once again. If you missed the Link here it is again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdhhPIgpP0k

The new course suggested sailing from the east coast of Queensland to Darwin then onto Kupang for clearance into wonderful Indonesia and onwards to Gili Gede Lombok, all reports have been great without the need to waste money on rallies.

I have witnessed tight groups of friends’ boats sailing together following the winds at their leisure without the need to adhere to time-restrained rally schedules designed to suit the organizers but not the participants.

We have good representatives in Timor if you want to save half a day on clearance or you can take a day or two discovering kampung.

We highly recommend Roti Island once cleared, it’s only 25 NM south, the island and the surfing and fishing is amazing and the people and the landscape are incredible.

Then a sail to Sumba, Sumbawa Flores, and onward down the Alice straight along the south coast of Lombok to turn starboard around the world’s best left-handed called Desert Point and then a short tack on the wind to Marina Del Ray where a cold beer and wine await, served around our beautiful pool and Beach club.

We are offering a 6-month wet season deal to encourage owners to slow down as Indonesia has the largest number of islands in the world and we don’t have cyclones or Typhoons and the sun shines year-round.

We are offering a wet season special 2023/24, Pay for 5 months and get the last month free.

Please visit: https://www.marinadelray.co/ratesservices

It was always my plan to offset the cost of the desalination by using the revenue we yachties bring and give the island access to clean drinking water as the government still has not supplied it but happy to report that my company has since 2019 been able to bring mains electricity to the local people.

I can guarantee your boat is the safest location in all of Indonesia halfway between Darwin Australia and Singapore.