Indonesien – Gast Blog von Michael

Am Samstag, den 9.12. ging es dann endlich los, von München über Dubai nach Jakarta mit Emirates. Von dort sollte es dann noch ein Flug nach Sorong sein, aber falsch gedacht. Von Jakarta ging es über den “Sultan Hasanuddin”  in Makassar nach Sorong. Nach fast zwei Tagen bin ich dann am Montag in Sorong gelandet und wurde dort von zwei lautstark schreienden  “TAXI TAXI” abgeholt. Die Freude meiner Mutter war riesig und so war der lange Anreise schon fast vergessen.

Vom Flughafen ging es dann noch zur Imigration, Bank und zum Supermarkt. Dort war ich der “White-Guy”, was bei der Bildschirmbräune auch nicht abstreitbar war. Danach ging es in die Marina und mit dem Dinghy zum Boot. Dort war alles neu und ich musste mich erst einmal zurechtfinden. Der erste Tag war recht schnell vorbei und ich bin echt früh ins Bett gefallen. Geschlafen habe ich in den drei Wochen recht viel und vor allem gut. Die beiden hatten mir die große Kabine überlassen. Der zweite Tag begann mit Kaffee und Frühstück, anschließend gab es noch eine kleine Sicherheitsunterweisung und unsere erste kleine Segeltour nach Soop startete. 

Dort erkundeten wir die Insel mit unserem Reiseführer Martin, einem lokalen Fischer. Wir konnten zwar nicht viel verstehen, aber er versuchte sein Bestes, uns viel zu erzählen. 

Am nächsten Tag ging es dann auch schon weiter in Richtung Wayag mit der ersten ungeplanten 24 Stunden Tour, dabei konnten wir den wunderschönen sternklaren Himmel genießen. Die nächsten Tage erkundeten wir noch einzelne kleine Inseln und waren viel beim Schnorcheln, was bei fast durchsichtigem Wasser und sehr schönen Korallen traumhaft war. Weiter ging es in Richtung unserer “Lieblingsinsel” Kawe. Dort wurden wir zuerst weggeschickt oder hatten kein Glück beim Ankern, denn es war einfach zu tief. So entschieden wir, über Nacht in Richtung Wayag zu fahren. Leider war in dieser Zeit der Wind nicht auf unserer Seite und wir mussten sehr viel mit dem Motor fahren, außerdem waren auch sehr starke Strömungen gegen uns, was das Vorankommen massiv erschwerte.

Während dieser längeren Zeit auf See konnte ich ein paar Basics über das Segeln lernen, wobei ich oft sehr planlos war, aber gute Lehrer hatte, die mich gut anleiten. Im Morgengrauen konnten wir dann schon die Berge von Wayag sehen und als wir Richtung Ankerplatz fuhren, waren wir ein bisschen sprachlos von der unberührten Natur. 

Dort verbrachten wir auch über sechs Tage an einem Platz und erkundeten die Gegend mit dem Dinghy. Wir unternahmen zwei kleine Wanderungen, was bei der Hitze und der hohen Luftfeuchtigkeit schon nicht so ohne war. Der Aufstieg war meistens sehr steil und man konnte die 75 Höhenmeter recht fix hinter sich lassen. Oben angekommen empfing uns eine Aussicht, die schwer zu beschreiben war. Die beste Beschreibung ist: WOW!!

Wir konnten komplett über die Inseln, die kleine Boote und Riffe sehen. Einfach Traumhaft. 

Für mich war es auch sehr schön mal eine Weile “Offline” zu seihen und das Handy den ganzen Tag bei Seite zu legen. Die Tage dort waren so schön und vergingen wie im Flug. 

Ein Ausflug führte uns zum einzigen bewohnten Punkt, zur Rangerstation. Dort waren wir mit kleinen Black Tip Reff Haien beim Schnorcheln, was für mich schon ziemlich Überwindung kostete. Es hat sich aber vollkommen ausgezahlt, auch wenn das mulmige Gefühl nicht ganz verschwand. Die Haie waren so nah, dass sie dich teilweise berührten. Unbeschadet und mit niedrigerem Puls ging es dann zurück auf die Artemis. Wir hatten das Glück, dass wir mit anderen Seglern Weihnachten am Strand feiern konnten. Es war ein sehr schöner Abend mit leckerem Essen und bei Traumwetter.

Nach ein Paar Tagen mussten wir dann schon wieder den Rückweg in Richtung Sorong antreten.  Wir fuhren einzelne kleine Inseln an, bis wir in Waisai waren.

Am Silvesterabend fuhren wir den letzten größeren Teil von Waisai nach Sorong. 

Es war sehr schön das ganze Feuerwerk vom Wasser aus zu beobachten. Bei Nacht zu segeln war recht angenehm, da es sehr ruhig und vor allem nicht allzu heiß war. 

Am nächsten Vormittag waren wir dann schon wieder in Sorong und wir genossen die letzten gemeinsamen Tage. Wir gingen nochmal zum Essen und ließen den Urlaub gemütlich ausklingen. 

Am nächsten Tag gab es noch eine schnelle Dusche, bevor wir vom Taxi zum Flughafen abgeholt wurden. Die Verabschiedung am Flughafen war wegen des schnellen Check-In kürzer als gedacht, was aber vermutlich auch besser war. Dann ging es wieder von Sorong, per Direktflug nach Jakarta und von dort über Dubai nach München. Zusammengefasst ein super schöner Urlaub, den ich nie vergessen werde. Leider waren die dreieinhalb Wochen viel zu schnell vorbei.

Guest Crew in Langkawi

Hi we are Johanna and Kevin,

We are in Johor Bahru, Malaysia for 6 months on a work trip for Kevin. Been here for 5 weeks now and after a rough start in this country we decided it’s time for a holiday. And what could be more convenient? Heidi and Neill are still in Malaysia, so we don’t even need to leave the country to visit them! We booked a flight to Langkawi, which is located in the north of Malaysia – 99 islands, to be exact.

View from plane

Day 1. Arriving and settling in.

We landed after a short flight from Johor Bahru on Sunday evening, the 27th of October. Heidi and Neill were already waiting for us at the parking lot when we arrived with the taxi. The ride leaving the wobbly jetty with the dinghy to Artemis took only five minutes. I hadn’t been on her before, but Kevin had. He was in Johor Bahru in July when they anchored there, and he got a chance to have a look at the boat. Heidi and Neill let us settle into the cozy forward cabin. They made themselves comfortable in the salon on the two benches. It was hot and sticky—something that seemed to bother us a lot more than it bothered them! We were nearly melting from the heat, but hey, I guess you get used to it after a while, right?

Day 2. Let’s start sailing.

The day started with a very relaxed and amazingly filling breakfast (as every day). We all took the dinghy back to the jetty for a freshwater refill and a pleasant walk to the supermarket to stock up on food for the boat. Kevin was allowed to operate the engine and navigate us to shore and back. Then Neill briefed us on sailing and gave us instructions. We left the anchorage and actually started sailing downwind (heading in the direction of the wind). We sailed around the next island, Bumbon Besar, and anchored in a nice, quiet bay. But not for long! A few party boats soon arrived, bringing loud music and fun vibes, banana boats and jet skies. By sunset, they were all gone, and the water became perfectly calm. To put it in maritime lingo: “The sea was like a millpond.”

Day 3. First time tacking.

We left the nice, quiet anchorage with the motor running and headed towards the Langkawi landmark – the huge eagle statue. The full tourist experience. Neill navigated right in front of it so we could take some pictures with it. To get to our next destination, we now had to sail upwind (against the wind). We learned how to tack, which involves sailing against the wind in a zigzag pattern. We sailed all the way up to the beautiful bay of Singa Besar Island and anchored there. On shore and walked up to a mysterious black pipe lying in the sand. It was freshwater coming from a river. We hung the pipe up in a tree and had a jungle shower. That’s where my favourite picture of the trip was taken.

Jungle shower
sailing and tourist experience

Day 4. Sea sickness and the resort island.

We had a chilled-out start at high tide in the bay. The wind picked up right as we left the anchorage, giving us the perfect opportunity to practice some tacking. We entered the open ocean. Until now, we had always been sheltered by the islands, which protected us from the bigger waves of the open sea. It was so much fun. We spent long periods sailing upwind, so I asked if I could sit at the front of the boat to enjoy the rocking and the view. Heidi outfitted me with a harness for safety. In the shade, it was absolute bliss – the wind, the waves, and the endless horizon. Then it was time to tack, and they asked me to move to the other side of the sail. The sun was cooking me, so I decided to head back to the cockpit. Heidi had just started preparing a little lunch snack, but all of a sudden, it hit me: the dreaded seasickness. A mere thought of food and looking away from the horizon, and bam—I was hit with the full force of it! My mouth filled with saliva and I had to stick my head out the side of the boat. I spat three times, then laughed at the awkward situation. The others tried to eat their snacks, and just as quickly as it came, it disappeared. That was my grand total of three and a half minutes of seasickness. Now it was Kevin’s turn to feel uneasy. So, I was back to jumping around, assisting Neill and Heidi as they prepared to enter the marina of Reback Besar Island – a private island with a resort where we could use all the facilities as guests of the marina. We arrived just in time for happy hour and, of course, treated ourselves to a well-deserved cocktail.

“now she’s still smiling”-shot and the happy hour cocktail

Day 5. Oh no the toilet.

Early in the morning, Neill discovered that the toilet was clogged. Apparently, this happens to Artemis about every two years, and it seems the problem is well-known among sailors. One has to dismantle the entire toilet system and beat the pipes to remove the urine scale, which reacts with saltwater. They said it would take a whole day to repair the toilet, but they were optimistic because, in a marina, they had all the freshwater they needed and weren’t out on the open ocean. Heidi and Neill sent us off to explore the island. We felt like really bad crew members, but they assured us that we couldn’t be of any help and that it was so narrow on the boat we would just be in the way. So, we went for a long walk around the island in the jungle. When we came back, they were just finishing up with the goo and still cleaning the pipes. They kindly sent us off again, so we headed to the pool. As happy hour was nearing its end, we brought them two cans of beer as a little thank-you for their hard work. After seven hours of effort, they finally wrapped up, and we invited them for dinner that night.

island expedition

Day 6. Lighthouse bay.

We got ready to sail once more. Neill gave us a strict briefing on how everything should go as we left the marina—everyone is watching, and it’s very embarrassing if the crew is all over the place. It went very well, and the captain said we all looked very professional. I was allowed to navigate Artemis out of the marina until Neill took over as we approached shallow waters with only a narrow passage to navigate. We prepared the sails, but squalls (sudden, sharp gusts of wind and rain) kept coming, so we kept the motor on the entire way to the next bay. “Anyone who doesn’t want to get wet, get inside!” But we embraced the rain and were actually happy for the refreshing coolness it brought. We anchored in the beautiful bay near Telaga Harbour Marina on the main island of Langkawi, with a view. Just before sundown, Kevin and I took the dinghy to shore, walked along the sandy white beach, and found a few small but fresh coconuts to bring back to the boat. We enjoyed an amazing sunset and, as always, an amazing dinner made by Heidi.

hug-attack
sunset in the calm bay

Day 7. Jungle slide.

It started raining in the morning, and Kevin and I went for a swim. It was such a beautiful experience. The raindrops felt cool and refreshing compared to the ocean, which now felt like a warm bath. Around lunchtime, we packed our things and went ashore, taking a Grab (taxi) to the Seven Wells waterfalls. It took us about an hour to reach the top waterfall, called Blue Lagoon Waterfall. The water was crystal clear and so refreshing. We stayed in our swimwear and continued back down, where the rocks in one spot of the stream were so smooth they had turned into an 8-meter-long natural slide. Neill had already tried it before, so we knew it was safe. It was so much fun! The pool it flowed into at the end was surprisingly deep, and the strong current swirled me around until Neill grabbed my arm and helped me pull myself out. It was so much fun, I went down that slide another three times. After a muesli bar, we continued descending along the trail through the jungle and made one last stop at a very scenic-looking waterfall. We had a coffee and fresh coconut at the bottom, then walked to a place made for tourists visiting Langkawi, filled with souvenir shops and clothing stores. It was “the real Langkawi,” at least for those poor souls who can’t sail around the islands and experience the beauty of this tropical paradise the way we did.

lots of cooling down today
Expeditioners

Day 8. Last day.

After breakfast, we enjoyed a nice little walk around the marina. We went for a closer look at the scenic lighthouse. Our flight was leaving later that afternoon, so just half an hour before we left, we had one last swim in the ocean. I will miss that. H & N dropped us back at the marina, and we booked a Grab to the airport. Back to Johor Bahru and back to work for us.

bye bye Artemis, one last swim around you

It was so wonderful to be there with you two. I said, “The best thing about this holiday is that I have Heidi and Neill all to myself!” Usually, when they’re in Germany for a visit, we only see them for a few hours, and they have so many stories to tell that time just flies by. This time, we could talk for hours, and even this whole time, we just didn’t get tired of them.

Gast Crew – Michèle

Hier ein Bericht von Michèle Tiefenthaler , einer Schweizerin, die wir hier in Moorea kennengelernt haben. Um ihr unsere kleine Artemis – und somit ein richtiges Segelboot – zu zeigen, ist sie mit uns von einer Bucht zur anderen gesegelt. (Webseite: Mangata Yoga)

Bevor Heidi und Neill die schöne Insel Moorea mal für ein Weilchen verlassen, hatte ich das Privileg mit den beiden wunderbaren Menschen für einen Tag mitzusegeln.

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San Blas Inseln (Annalena)

Annalena & Daniel in Panama

Hier ein Bericht von Annalena die zwölf Tage, gemeinsam mit ihre Freund Daniel bei uns am Bord war.

Am 28. Oktober ging endlich unsere Reise zum Segeln in die Karibik nach Panama los. Daniel und ich flogen von München nach Panama City. Dort landeten wir um halb 8 abends, woraufhin Vidal (unser Taxifahrer) mit einem Bild von Daniel auf uns wartete. Daraufhin gab es eine abenteuerliche Fahrt durch den Dschungel, die ich komplett verschlafen hatte. Angekommen in der Marine in Port Linton suchten wir das Segelboot von Neill und Heidi, das mit dem Namen Artemis getauft ist.

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Two weeks in paradise (Daniel)

Daniel and his girlfriend Annalena visited us in Panama and spent two weeks with us cruising the San Blas Islands. Here is the blog post he wrote about it.

In August 2019 Dad and Heidi met up with us during their visit in Germany. Oh by the way, when I’m talking of “us”, I mean my beautiful girlfriend Annalena and me. We agreed that we would spend our holidays at the end of October 2019 on Artemis of Ileyn. We didn’t know where exactly it would be, but they could roughly tell us to book a flight to Panama. So time rushed by and we had booked our flight from Munich to Panama City via Paris. Yes! We were really heading to the Caribbean Sea just off the coast of Panama, to the San Blas Islands!

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Guest Crew – Curacao Days

Jill Venema

As mentioned in another post, we met Jill and Joop in Curacao and had a great time with them. Here is Jill’s guest post about our adventures.

It was Joop my husband, who first happened upon Neil and Heidi. He works as a maritime pilot in Curacao port and came across them as they were trying to get an anchor permit having just arrived here. They were suffering from the usual frustrations of trying to make contact with the right people in order to do this and not getting very far, so he offered to help. I believe he wasn’t able to do much for them  as it turned out so he did the next best thing he could and that was to drive them to a supermarket so they could at least stock up on supplies.

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Gast Crew – Karibik wir kommen!

Gertrud Klotz-French

Hier ein Bericht von unsere Freundin Gertrud Klotz-French die zwölf Tage, gemeinsam mit ihre Mann Jon bei uns am Bord war.

Nachdem Heidi und Neill nun schon über ein Jahr unterwegs waren und wir
schon beim Abschied versprachen, sie zu besuchen, wenn sie in wärmeren
Gefilden sind, war es endlich so weit. Juhu, endlich wieder ein Abenteuer!

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Guest Crew – Sailing with Heidi and Neill

Jon French

Our friend Jon French and his wife Gertrud visited us on board for twelve days. Here is the blog post he wrote about it.

Well we said that when they get to the Caribbean, we’d love to join them for a few days sailing, and that’s what we did.

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