July 23, 2005 - Darwin to Kupang Rally-Day 1
by George Backhus

Hi Everyone:

Sometimes the most difficult aspect of cruising can be saying farewell to friends we've met and places we've visited and come to enjoy along the way. This was certainly the case with Darwin.

We had spent just a little over two weeks in the lovely little Tipperary Waters Marina, just outside of town, and really enjoyed some of the locals we met, especially the harbour/lock master Peter Dermoudy. Peter was really fantastic, helping us in so many ways as we arrived into a new town and prepared for the rally to Indonesia. On the evening before we and a dozen other rally participants departed the marina, Peter threw a big barbeque farewell party on the large deck at the top of the marina. We also enjoyed the company of some of the Darwin Sailing Club members like Donna and David, who put so much energy into the rally organization, giving us lifts here and there, providing us with a huge bag of limes for our caipirhinas (they cost a buck each in Oz), and in general helping to make our stay enjoyable. Darwin exceeded our expectation: we were able to get almost everything done on "Moonshadow" that we wanted, we found the local stores excellent for provisioning, and there was even a bit of night life to be had in town.

Darwin has a tidal range of more than eight meters (26 feet), so all the marinas are kept at a constant level of about 7 meters above datum and are accessed through a lock. We locked out of the marina Friday afternoon, full of provisions, with two added crew, good mates Graham and Todd from Auckland, and a favourable weather forecast for the passage. We, and many of the other rally participants spent Friday night on the hook out in Fannie Bay near the start line, enjoying a quiet evening before heading out to sea. The afternoon sea breeze died and the evening was dead calm.

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology had predicted the southeast trade winds would fill in at about 15 knots for the start of the rally at 1100 hours Saturday. They got it wrong again!

We ran the start line on starboard tack and then hardened up for an excellent start under full sail in about four knots of breeze with an outgoing tidal current. We sailed for awhile while most of the rest of the fleet of sixty-odd yachts motor-sailed past us, with engines revved up and diesel fumes billowing. When the breeze dropped off to less than a knot, we furled the headsail, fired up the cast-iron genniker and started heading towards Indonesia with a bit of pace on. Within half an hour, we were enjoying the view of the entire fleet - from over the transom.

With the breeze hovering around the 1-2 knot mark, we were forced to motorsail for nearly five hours till the tradewinds filled in to about ten knots from the southeast. We equaled the engine-on time, flying the spinnaker till just after sunset, when the wind again dropped down to nearly nothing. The engine carried us on through the night on eerily smooth waters.

Just after I started watch at 0500, the breeze suddenly filled in again to about 11 knots. I woke up Merima and we set the kite again and have been enjoying some quiet (if not slow) sailing ever since.

The morning radio schedule showed us to be in front of the fleet, with the next yacht - our friends Pam and Tom on Imagine - behind us by about seven miles, but still in sight and biting our heels.

Just after the morning "sked" the silence was again broken by the sound of the fishing reel going off. We landed a nice wahoo weighing in at about 5 kilos, so we can put the chicken back in the freezer.

As of 1100 hours today, 24 hours into the rally, we've covered 181 nautical miles, and the computer says we have 288 nautical miles to go to Kupang which should get us there sometime Tuesday morning.

The weather forecast looks good, with more light winds ahead, the seas are relatively calm, and all is well on board.

George, Merima, Graham and Todd