August 12 (From Dave Bowden on This Way Up)
About 75 yachts anchored at Lembata (8° 22.2' 123° 24.5') for the 3 day event which were filled with a busy schedule of events and tours. The program included a welcome ceremony ashore where yachties were given a special blessing and then entered a set of gates built for the occasion, then followed a cavalcade of motor bikes and utility trucks which carried all the yachties around the town and surrounding countryside. This procession was lead by a police van and a troop of Timorese ponies and mounted traditionally dressed warriors. The reception by shopkeepers, school children, workers, farmers and home folk was over whelming. The 500 metre long procession was accompanied by much horn tooting, cheers, hand slapping and hellos. An evening dinner and reception was hosted by the vice Regent and included events staged by school children and traditionally dressed dancers. The next two days included local tours one of which is to a village which focuses on whale catching. Yachties watched as about a dozen long boats returned after a day's fishing. The main catch was 4 Manta rays which were shared around the village. More adventurous couples climbed the nearby volcano and returned exhausted by a full day of walking from the drop off village. There were two evening cultural events where yachties participated in the full range of dances, games and even some bow and arrow shooting at wooden discs rolled across the stage. The last day included a visit to a primary school. taking on fuel and drinking water and a visit to the markets for fresh food.
Yachties were just about toured out after this program and on departure took the opportunity to stopover at a nearby anchorage which included a pretty sand cay for a swim, rest and "Happy Hour" ashore. The Lembata experience provided another example of just how friendly, generous and hospitable these Indonesian people are. The flotilla is now moving slowly west along the north coast of Flores and enjoying protected anchorages in very clear water.

August 6
A total of 50 yachts went to the festival at Kalabahi on Alor Island, numbers were down compared to previous years as during the passage from Kupang the fleet encountered a 3 knot current against them and during the night stong winds made the crossing difficult, as a result many of the yachts went direct to Lembata. In Kalabahi the participants went on bus trips to the interior and the north coast. The anchorage here is well protected deep inside the bay with none of the anchoring problems that were experinced in Kupang.
At the evening function the local committee dressed some of the participants in traditional costume to the delight of the hosts and their guests at the welcome dinner.

August 3
All the fleet that have left Darwin are now in Kupang, some yachts have been delayed in Darwin for a variety of reasons.
There was some confusion among the fleet as each yacht arrived in Kupang the Indonesian Customs placed a sticker on each yacht preventing them moving outside the port of Kupang until the Duty Exemption Certificate was completed.
Again this situation was caused by the ongoing confusion over the implementation of the Indonesian Customs Duty for visiting yachts. The local Customs were unprepared for the arrival of the fleet with the regulations being interpreted differentlyl on different days, however on Sunday after each yacht had completed the single page Exemption Document and paid Rp50,000 ($5) all the stickers were removed and the yachts were then free to travel anywhere in Indonesia.
There was a lot of confusion among the fleet regarding these procedures caused in part by a language barrier and the "cruiser rumors" which were travelling faster than the Customs paperwork and as result a number of blogs and yacht websites were publishing information that was not accurate or correct.

August 2
Only 2 yachts are still to arrive in Kupang. Winds are up to 18 knots near Darwin with seas confused and uncomfortable. The official welcome dinner was held last night which was a colourful event, Rebecca Jane was reported as 316 nm to SW tip of Timor. List of reported positions.

July 29
Conditions remain fine but there is a still a lack of wind and this is unlikely to change based on the Australian Weaher Service forecasts. Almost all yachts are motoring. A few Indonesian fishing boats have been sighted on the shoal areas near the the oil rigs. Yachts in Kupang are Mata'irea. Next yacht is Good News near Kupang
Furthest yacht from Kupang is Dreamweaver at 278 nm to SW tip of Timor. Several yachts remain in Darwin awaiting spares/crew etc. List of reported positions.

July 28
Conditions remain fine but there is a lack of wind and this is unlikely to change. Most if not all yachts are motoring. Nearest yacht to Kupang is Mata'irea at 80 nm to run to SW tip of Timor and the furthest yacht from Kupang is Sandpiper at 340 nm to SW tip of Timor. Several yachts remain in Darwin awaiting spares/crew etc. List of reported positions.

July 27
At 4 pm all yachts reported conditions were still very light with the yachts streched out out over 260 miles, with Mata'irea only 170 miles from the western end of Timor and Muskatelle 260 miles behind.
On the 8am radio sched the fleet reported that conditions were continuing to be light with the upper wind speed of only 10 knots, while this makes for smooth sailing progress is fairly slow. The next report is at 4 pm today. List of reported positions.

July 26
The Sail Indonesia Rally was started on schedule at 11 am today by the Indonesian Consul to Darwin Mr Harbangan Napitupulu. As you can see in the photographs below the Rally began in ideal conditions under a picture perfect clear blue sky in a following 8-10 knot south east breeze.
The 110 yachts that made the start line made wonderful spectacle with one of the largest mass starts of yachts anywhere in Australia or South East Asia. Some of the fleet have had last minute technical problems and will leave Darwin in the next few days and rejoin the main fleet.