New Crew - New Ocean - New Adventure
In Lombok, I welcomed Andrea aboard, commonly known within our sailing group as "one of the Italians". Tom and Andrea who have been with the ARC since Saint Lucia have crewed on several of the boats.
The following day, we set off on the 625-nautical-mile passage from Lombok, Indonesia, to Christmas Island, a small dot of land sitting rather conveniently in the Indian Ocean.
To Current or Not to Current
As we set sail, and by “set sail,” I mean motored out of Lombok, I had a decision to make.
There are some significant ocean currents running south of Indonesia. If I headed 60–100 miles south of the rhumb line, there was a good chance we could pick up a two-knot favorable current. The downside was sailing all those extra miles to find it.
The more direct route was shorter but came with weaker favorable currents and potentially about 15 hours of current working against us.
With an extremely light wind forecast, I chose the direct route. Sometimes the shortest distance between two points really is a straight line. Other times it’s a complicated sailing calculation involving wind, currents, weather models, fuel consumption, and eventually saying, “Ah, screw it. Let’s just go that way.”
New Crew
Bringing new crew aboard is always an adjustment. A sailboat in the middle of an ocean is a very confined space. You work together, eat together, sleep a few feet apart, and spend 24 hours a day sharing a floating home that you can’t exactly step away from when someone gets annoying.
Fortunately, Andrea brought plenty of energy aboard. In his early 20s, Italian, and with a lot of sailing experience, he quickly settled into life on Okisollo. We found our groove and were soon working well as a team.
More importantly, I was comfortable handing over plenty of responsibilities to him which meant I could occasionally relax without wondering what was happening on deck.
That is a beautiful thing.
Five Days of Easy Sailing
The next five days passed surprisingly easily.
No big winds. Slight seas. Hot, sunny days. And at night, an incredible sky filled with stars.
After some of the passages we’ve had across the Pacific, this almost felt suspiciously civilized.
Having another non-American crew aboard also comes with another benefit: food.
Andrea is a very good cook, although, as you might expect from an Italian, the menu is somewhat pasta-forward.
I have no complaints.
Christmas Island
Our arrival at Christmas Island was wonderfully uneventful, which is exactly how you want the end of a 625-mile ocean passage to go.
We were the fifth boat into the harbor, which earned us a prime spot directly in front of the wharf and, perhaps more importantly, a luxurious 45-second dinghy commute to the dock.
After clearing Biosecurity, Customs, and Immigration, we settled in and watched the rest of the fleet arrive.
That evening, with all but one boat safely in the harbor, everyone headed out for dinner at a nearby local restaurant. The restaurant even sent a van to collect us.
But after nearly a week aboard a boat, Andrea and I decided we needed to stretch our legs and walk.
This turned out to be an excellent decision.
Mostly because of my terrible sense of direction.
We took a wrong turn. After some hiking, a local stopped to help us. He offered us a ride and then casually asked:
“Do you want a bit of a tour before I take you to the restaurant?”
Obviously, yes.
Our new friend, Nick, proceeded to give us an impromptu tour, complete with some spectacular views over the harbor and a drive through the island’s small community of about 1,500 people.
Then he dropped us at the restaurant to join our friends.
As if that wasn’t generous enough, Nick also left a couple of bicycles for us at the end of the pier.
“Enjoy them. I’ll pick them up in a day or two.”
And that was that.
Sometimes the best parts of traveling are the things you never could have planned.
Four Days on Christmas Island
We only have four days here, and somehow, I already have more things planned than time available.
There are a couple of scuba dives on the schedule, provisions to find, and then there’s fuel.
The gas station is about a one-kilometer walk away.
I need approximately 13 five-gallon jerry cans weighing about 39 lbs each for a total of a quarter ton of fuel.
Another local has offered his truck to help with fuel runs. A generous gesture and more like critical infrastructure.
Christmas Island is one of those places I knew almost nothing about before sailing here, and now I already wish I could stay longer.
But four days is four days.
Then it’s back aboard Okisollo, point the bow west, and head for the next little dot on the chart:
Cocos Keeling Island.
Onward…
Sounds Good, Christmas Island? I think I'll look it up!
You make friends in every port. Too bad the whole world doesn't offer open arms to all. Sail on. Keep smiling for it is universal.