Lembongan to Gili Air and across Lombok to Gili Lawang

https://youtu.be/GdhHoGkNDkk

The crossing to Lembongan was uneventful , except for  the amazing current lines we encountered. The difference in a 50m width of the Selat Badung meant a speed of 3 knots or 9knots, all whilst heading in exactly the same direction.

Lembongan, only 12 miles across from Bali, from the anchorage looked ok. We picked up a mooring buoy for the evening and from there we could watch the surfers on two different breaks, and spotted some late afternoon stand up paddlers in the bay to our starboard side. The island seems to be chockers with resorts, and the whole area is supposed to be eco tourism orientated, although how that can be when one of the major thrills and spills is para gliding behind speedboats I'm not sure.

sunset at Lembongan 

Ours was only an overnight stop,but before we departed from which ever day trip boat mooring we had adopted for the evening, I checked out under the hulls in the once again, incredibly clear water. This was the first time, I've been in the water since the close encounter in the middle of the night with the bamboo pole. Both Bali Marina and Serengan were to my mind out of the question for getting in to the briny to take a look.

Damage count, thankfully minimal. Scuffing to the anti foul around the rubber boot of the sail drive and loss of antifoul from rudder blade. Amazing build up of duckweed but no barnacles, and some tiny wee little pippi like growths attaching themselves here and there towards the water line and particularly in the sail drive intakes.

After that we set off northwards to Gili Air. The Gili group sits just on the NW corner off Lombok.

We have worked out a series of potential anchorages, at what we now have deemed is a daily “do able” daylight distance, allowing for ferocious currents and no wind. Each anchorage needs to be made well before sunset, especially if there are fringing reefs to be negotiated. Once having arrived at an anchorage its easy to find ones way out again ,even in the dark if necessary just by following the inbound course in reverse, so I have no objection to early starts, its just late finishes which are to be avoided at all costs.

Having read all about the currents in the Lombok Strait, we set course back to the NW towards the coast of Bali, using the current to our advantage. Just about a third of the way from the top of the island we tacked again and headed across the Lombok Strait, judging that by then the current would be heading North . It runs South far longer and stronger than when it runs North, which it does for about 6 hours a day. The wind had increased substantially by then as well and we had a terrific sail into Gili Air, where we picked up another mooring for the night.

Track around the top of Bali on the way to Bali and track from Bali to Lembongan then back towards Bali before turning for Gili Air

Ashore the place was full of young mainly Europeans, either I guess ,divers or surfers. There isn't really a road, just a wide-ish path capable of allowing pony and traps to travel along. The other mode of transport is bicycle or foot. We had diner at a foreshore establishment ,watching the constant stream of movement as the tourists passed us by, coming or going from the bars and other eating establishments. What was noticeable (comment worthy in fact), was that there were groups of young women, there were couples, but oddly we saw no groups of young men . The information book we had ,says that of the three islands here, Gili Trawangan is the party island, Gili Meno the quiet island ,and Gili Air has a mixture of both, perhaps the young men prefer Gili T?

On the way to Gili Air, we apparently lost a shackle holding the anchor bridle on the port side. The only other shackle on board that would fit, was at Peter's brilliant suggestion, lying idle on the boom, where it should have been attached to the the now useless clew ring of the main. We removed it from the boom and installed it on the bridle and then moused both the port and starboard shackles. Mousing for those who don’t know, is the act of fastening the shackle pin in place with in the good old days of pre plastic, nautical type seizings and wires (depending on the size of the shackle).To be honest , electric cable ties work well, but they do perish, especially in the conditions up here. These shackles pins have been wired in with e a bit of handy fencing wire, I just happen to have packed into my suitcase on one of my return trips to the K'Gari. After all, a girl never knows when a small coil of fencing wire will come in handy!

Leaving Gili Air.
This is  the Eastern side of the island- just a few resorts as you can see.

The following morning we decide to continue on as it was a bit choppy in the bay , precluding a good chance to clean some of that damn duckweed off.

Sailed on to Gili Lawang, nothing to write home about , but an anchorage in a depth of about 8m in black sand. Once the appalling music being played by the local fishermen was turned off , the night was a peaceful one.

The island of Lombok on the way to Gili Lawang 

Anchored at Gili Lawang- comfortable anchorage for the night.