Wind, Waves, Whales and Women in Wakatobi

Our journey to Wakatobi was far from tranquil, facing constant winds exceeding 20 knots ahead of the beam, making the voyage quite uncomfortable. It was the first time Karen's brother Russell and his wife Tania experienced such sailing conditions on Our Dreamtime, especially since meeting rally deadlines demands this kind of sailing. To be part of the action, one must adhere to the schedule, even when events are moved up to accommodate the frontrunners.

Upon reaching Pulau Buru's southwest corner, we were greeted by rough seas and strong winds, making movement below deck hazardous. We constantly reminded the crew to maintain balance using the rule "one hand for you and one hand for the boat."

We had moments of weightlessness followed by thundering down the other side of the waves. This was only one of our concerns as we came up on a pod of sperm whales, one larger than Our Dreamtime, from then on our senses were on high alert for any more, that could cause massive damage too us and them if we happen to collide.

Karen had anticipated this weather and had meals prepared in the lee of the island, thanks to the ShuttleChef. Its presence onboard is indispensable for us.

The relief of knowing it was just a one-night passage was shared by all. We sail for enjoyment, and battling unfavorable weather not only adds strain on the crew, but also raises concerns about equipment failures. One of our main grievances about this rally is its brisk pace, with long distances between stops leaving no room for maintenance or consideration of weather conditions. While Raymond Lesmana does an excellent job organizing events in Indonesia, we in our opinion feel that his partners, who promote the Wonderful Sail2Indonesia Rally, haven't planned a route conducive to a leisurely sailing holiday. In fact, they have no sailing experience in the region of Indonesia.

We successfully navigated the passage without any equipment failures, although the same cannot be said for our crew or others attempting the route. Our crew firmly agreed that they had no interest in anymore night watches. However, all concerns dissipated as we entered the safety of Wanci Harbour and docked against a floating dock – yes, you read that right. We just might be considering a longer stay here. Despite the docks lack of facilities and the need for repairs, stepping off the boat onto dry land in a decent pair of shoes is a refreshing change.

Wakatobi provides cruisers with essential amenities such as a night market, fuel, laundry services, smaller supermarkets, and a variety of restaurants and warungs. Given that this is a tourist destination, prices may be slightly higher. If you are here as part of the rally, the Tourism office is bustling with activity, offering free tour guides (University students studying Tourism and English) to assist you with various activities. They will accompany you to markets, shopping trips, and even take you on their scooters for more distant excursions (remember to cover their fuel costs despite their protests).

The name Wakatobi originates from the four main islands: Wangi-Wangi (WA), Kaledupa (KA), Tomea (TO), and Binongko (Bi), which are part of the larger Tukang Besi island chain.

The entire Wakatobi District is designated as a National Marine Park, covering a total area of 1.4 million hectares, with 900,000 hectares containing 150 islands and diverse species of tropical coral reefs. Renowned as Indonesia's largest barrier reef, Wakatobi rivals the Great Barrier Reef in Australia globally. Visitors are required to pay Marine Park Fees, with costs varying depending on activities within the park. Many of these fees are typically included in dive/snorkeling tour packages.

The waters surrounding Wakatobi are home to a diverse array of fish species, serving as a vibrant ecosystem for dolphins, turtles, and even whales to thrive. Wakatobi itself boasts an impressive 942 fish species and 750 coral reef species out of the world's total collection of 850. In comparison, the Caribbean Sea houses only 50 species and the Red Sea in Egypt has 300 coral reef species. Wakatobi's allure stems from the recognition that people are willing to travel great distances to witness one of the last remaining stunning reefs on Earth. While we didn't explore the underwater world firsthand, reports from those who did were positive, citing healthy reefs and abundant marine life. Notably, Wakatobi holds the world record for underwater marriages, currently standing at 2000. Go Figure!

While Wakatobi has long been known in the diving community, its terrestrial life remains equally fascinating. From the Bajo Villages with their maritime traditions to mountain villages preserving age-old crafts, and luxurious resorts for those seeking relaxation, there's something for everyone.

Exploring the island on motorcycles, venturing to nearby resorts for a break from boat life, and indulging in local cuisine were some of our Wakatobi highlights. 

Visiting Liya Village and witnessing traditional sarong-making as a main livelihood was enriching. You can read the full details of our tour to Liya here 🔽

http://dreamtimesail.blogspot.com/2024/04/liya-toga-village-that-has-rhythm-if.html

However, the pinnacle of our experience was participating in the Kabuenga Ceremony, fondly dubbed "Fisherman finds a Wife" by Rob. This event beautifully encapsulated tradition, culture, and romance as eligible bachelors sought their soulmates in a unique and meaningful way. 

You can read in detail about the Kabuenga Ceremony 🔽

http://dreamtimesail.blogspot.com/2024/04/traditional-courting-ceremony-that.html

You can see the moving pictures of our time spent at Wakatobi ▶️ https://tinyurl.com/DreamtimeSailEp91

A warm welcome from the Chief of Police and his wife in traditional costume 

Thanks for catching our latest Blog, cheers R&K 

You maybe interested in the following 🔽

We found paradise but we may never leave as our anchor is stuck solid. You can watch it here. 👉  http://tinyurl.com/DreamtimeSailEp87

If you are travelling to Indonesia by boat you maybe interested in the following guides.

It’s Time to set Sail is a guide to completing all of the required 

paperwork to leave Australia with your boat. 

You can find further details ▶️ https://payhip.com/b/oYr5h

All you need to know about Provisioning - if this is your first big adventure, provisioning can be a little daunting. This EBook helps you work out what you need, with a full interactive provisioning spreadsheet. Passage plan meals, with recipes. 

You can find more detail on this book ▶️ https://payhip.com/b/SvXry

This interactive Ebook takes from Brisbane to Horn Island without a night passage, discovering beautiful parts of the Queensland coast rarely visited. The EBook supplies all of our tracks and anchorage waypoints, with what anchoring conditions we were in. But it also gives you full details of what to see and do at each remarkable destination.

You can find out more about this EBook here ▶️  https://payhip.com/b/pxLMX

Is this your first time into Indonesia? This amazing country has so much too offer the cruiser. What we can say is sometimes paperwork can be overwhelming. This interactive guide is to help you wade through the 

officialdom and come out the other side without tearing your hair out.

You can find out more about this guide here ▶️  https://payhip.com/b/YEeQ7

If you would like to buy all 4 of the above EBooks to help your sailing journey you can at a discount. Because you have read to this far on our blog, as a thank you we say here’s 20% off the bundle price!

So head to our book store ▶️ https://payhip.com/Dreamtimesail 

and use this code at checkout  ▶️ WOTZCNM6JL

Other books you might enjoy 

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