We're not quite there yet, but we're close enough that we're receiving a 3G signal! Hopefully we'll be anchored somewhere in Ambon later this afternoon. Still not sure exactly where we are going, but we'll figure it out.
Yesterday while motoring, we ran the watermaker and topped off both water tanks, and Sherry did about 3 loads of laundry, while Dave worked on fixing things. We finally have the Port Engine starter problem solved. After finally swapping in our "spare" starter, we found it didn't work. Taking both starters apart, Dave found that he had put the spring in wrong when he re-assembled the starter after doing some preventive maintenance while in Samal. The "spare" looked new, but the solenoid was bad. Dave took it apart and PM'd it (putting the spring in RIGHT this time), and so hopefully we have a good spare ready if we need it.
We spent last night motorsailing close-hauled trying to get out of the 2-3 knot current on our nose. At one point our speed was down to 1.9 knots!! We finally tacked east and managed to shake the current, but the wind was so light (and mostly on our nose) that we kept the engine on all night.
On approaching the pass between two islands on the NW side of Ceram around midnight, we could see a big tanker approaching the pass as well, on AIS. We called him several times, and did talk to him, but never did make him understand that we were ahead of him going into the pass and would stay close in to stay out of his way. He kept saying "OK, we pass green to green", meaning he apparently thought we were coming OUT of the pass. It was a little worrying. Obviously he didn't see US on AIS and didn't speak English. But we hugged the coastline and he slowed down, probably trying to figure out where we were (as we disappeared around the corner).
Just after we went through the slot, we saw a French-registered sailboat also approaching. It turned out to be Va'a Nui, whom we met in Bitung. They are headed for Ambon too. And they had just seen our friends on Java, who are also headed for Ambon in a day or two. Small cruising world here in big Indonesia!!
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At 4/15/2017 1:28 AM (utc) our position was 03°41.53'S 127°53.19'E
http://svsoggypaws.com/currentposition.htm
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