Photos from Sumatra

Slowly but surely we are loading some of our most recent photos in Sumatra, keep checking us out for the latest!

surf,sailing,sorry motoring Sumatera

Hi Guys, sorry its been a while,our HF radio and our sailmail system on the boat is on the blink so no 'onsite' communication.Havent posted for a month as we have pretty much been in the middle of nowhere with no towns with electricity let alone internet.We are now in Gunning Sitoli in Nias about 60 miles off the coast of Sumatera.We had to drop off Mike and Adi,friends from NZ to an Airport.They had a 4 hr delay(good for Indo) as the plane overshot the runway and got stuck in the mud!We have had a great time with them,apart from lack of wind(doldrums!!!) and doing a lot of motoring we have had lots of great surf,friendly locals,good snorkelling and parties and talking lots of crap.
My surfing has moved to a new level with coaching from mike and photos from Karin.A few scars though as reef is close and sharp as hell.
As always photos tell a thousand words so when we are in a place where internet is slightly quicker than the stone wheel you will see the paradise we have found.Only 9 private cruising boats on this coast of Sumatera all season.
We will start to make our way back up the west coast to Banda Aceh now and be back in Penang/Langkawi Malaysia by Early november.
If you read this please spend a minute to drop us a note on catmoonwalker@gmail.com.
out of everything ,hardest part is missing everyone at home           cheers  Russ

surf,sailing,sorry motoring Sumatera

Hi Guys, sorry its been a while,our HF radio and our sailmail system on the boat is on the blink so no 'onsite' communication.Havent posted for a month as we have pretty much been in the middle of nowhere with no towns with electricity let alone internet.We are now in Gunning Sitoli in Nias about 60 miles off the coast of Sumatera.We had to drop off Mike and Adi,friends from NZ to an Airport.They had a 4 hr delay(good for Indo) as the plane overshot the runway and got stuck in the mud!We have had a great time with them,apart from lack of wind(doldrums!!!) and doing a lot of motoring we have had lots of great surf,friendly locals,good snorkelling and parties and talking lots of crap.
My surfing has moved to a new level with coaching from mike and photos from Karin.A few scars though as reef is close and sharp as hell.
As always photos tell a thousand words so when we are in a place where internet is slightly quicker than the stone wheel you will see the paradise we have found.Only 9 private cruising boats on this coast of Sumatera all season.
We will start to make our way back up the west coast to Banda Aceh now and be back in Penang/Langkawi Malaysia by Early november.
If you read this please spend a minute to drop us a note on catmoonwalker@gmail.com.
out of everything ,hardest part is missing everyone at home           cheers  Russ

Sinky Sibolga

Got to Sibolga this morning, after an overnight from the Banyaks. Plenty of action at night, with boats, nets and a 30 knots squall. Managed to sail a good part of the trip which had Russ stoked. Sibolga doesn't look much from the water but what shocks is the smell... fish sauce mixed with garbage. Had to re-anchor as plastic bags on the anchor wouldn't let it settle. After all the awesome pristine spots we've been it's a bit of a shock to the system, but all yachties say it is better ashore with all the good shops, market etc. We will be finally clearing into Indonesia here, so wish us luck on dealing with the officials.

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really cruising

We are still in the Banyaks parked just off a nice left hand reef break.You really have to have your shit together as the wave,although peeling,beaks around a reef about a foot under the water. I have a couple of really good reef tattoos on my back through being a little to game or being a little silly.
I am very proud of Karin with her spearfishing,one day she asks me how to load the gun,next day she's bringing home dinner!
This anchorage is great as you can afford to take your mind off the boat and focus on real fun for a while.
All good here!

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Spear-fishing woman!

Just a quick note to you all that I (Karin) am the new provider of the boat! And Russ' spear gun is not as bad as we thought if used at (very) close range! After a short lesson the day before yesterday, I went out on my own to try and get something, came back with an Unicorn fish of about 1.5kg. While not the best eating fish, it was highly appreciated and good sport (he took my spear into a hole where I had to fight him out of). Next day I found a cray and couldn't resist but spear it... not fair I know, but it tasted just delicious! I am totally hooked!

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Bay of Plenty

We are having such an amazing time! Since our last post we had so many days of idillic surf, weather, clear water, jungle, monkeys and old friends! While at sundowners time, we got approached by a dinghy from a charter boat with some of Russell friends from New Zealand: Terry O'Shanessy, Andrew Mitchel, Hamish McCrostie, Chris Freeman and Mark Sharrock. Russ freaked! The boys seemed to be genuinely happy to see Russ out here, living the dream. What a blast of a time we had with those guys! Their charter skipper, Steve and his lovely Thai wife Anna, where amazingly generous having us for dinner one night. All the boys where having a great time, with plenty of coral scraps all over, but Russ had managed to escape that destiny, until yesterday... yep, good old coral tattoo for Russ the Mus. So one day of rest and pampering for the old man, but today he is ripping again. I can see him on the wave from where I am writing..oopps just got wiped out... We are in a place called by westerners "Bay of Plenty" (so much going on here - jungle, rivers, mangroves, coral, waves...) and by Indos, Teluk Mariabah. A little piece of paradise on the island of Tuangku in the Banyaks. Life is bliss.

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