Year 2- 13 August 2025 – Tifu Village -Island Buru -Indonesia

Tony and I were on the 8.00pm to 11.00pm shift. The wind was gradually dying and having taken down the main we were sailing on genoa alone.  We made the best pace we could. I spent the first hour doing the blog as we were sailing along. There was not a lot of traffic although we could see the odd light which we assume were fishing vessels which were not on AIS. We kept a good lookout and at one point we saw a boat with green, blue and red light and a flashing light. It seemed to be a disco fishing boat but we noticed it seemed to be with two other boats with very bright lights.  They appeared in front of us briefly and then they cut their lights.

We continued to monitor the horizon carefully but we could not see any other ships. We continued into the night and Adam and Jon took over at 11.00am and they continued until 2.00am. We took over at 2,00am and we decided due to the wind direction and strength to sail off course so we could maintain a reasonable speed. When Adam and Jon came on we were some way off course and the wind was light so they did the best they could whilst we continued to sail. It got light about 6.30am and at about 7.15am I got up as we were due on at 8.00am. The wind was still light so we sailed along as best we could and by about 8.00am we gybed and headed for Tifu Village which was on Island Buru. It was a sort of hidden right-hand creek which we could not see out at sea.  By 8.00am the wind was 15-18 kts and we were tanking along mostly 7.5-9.00kts. We sailed well and fast over our last 30nm and by 10.45am we were taking the sails down and motoring the last mile or so.

It looked like a large headland but as we got closer we could see a large rock on the right and there was a channel which went round to the right and was quite hidden. There was some swell as we came in and we came round the corner into a very beautiful lagoon where there were several yachts of the fleet anchored. It was like a volcanic crater now full of water with the steep cliffs covered in trees and jungle around. It was in short a beautiful location and we found a place to anchor. We made sure we were settled and I cooked an English breakfast which was just what we needed after the overnight trip. We had travelled 137nm from Ambon.

We had a rest and decided to go ashore. We knew from previous participants that there are a few crocodiles here. We did not see any and got the dinghy down and started the small engine. It soon stopped working. I almost dropped it in the water but bit my tongue. I assume the carburettor is blocked again. We therefore got the other engine out and it worked thank God. We went ashore to what looked like a beautiful but old-fashioned village.

There was an old quay and we moored against that and walked ashore. There was a welcoming party who greeted us and there were various flags fluttering in the wind. There was a walkway and a little store selling local stuff and Eucalyptus Oil originated from this Island. We decided to walk around the village and a man accompanied us and showed us around. It is the most primitive housing I have seen in Indonesia. The houses are mostly shacks with corrugated iron roofs. There were some made of breeze block some painted and a lot not. There were lots of stray dogs and wild boar type pigs wandering around.

We walked along the dirt street and were greeted regularly by young children asking our names and shaking our hands. It was a lovely peaceful scene and unique. The man showed us past a number of shacks and houses in different states of repair/disrepair. There was a lot of rubbish around. We then walked up the village and water as running round different ducts which flowed through the village. The locals were very friendly and wanted their photograph with us - see the photo of the day.

The tour round the village was fascinating and we met so many villagers. We came across a Dutch based church which was being repaired. They had collected wood from the jungle and cut by hand and were repairing the church. We walked through the village and then had a beer with our guide and we then returned to Stormbird. We were then visited by many young children in dugout canoes who loved to come on board. They had a good look around and we gave them a chocolate biscuit which they loved.

This is clearly a remote and special place which are very welcoming to people like us. How lucky we are to come to somewhere like this. We have signed up to a waterfall tour tomorrow which we are looking forward to.  

Need/Opportunity Year Three

In year three I will be going from Thailand to Sri Lanka, India, Maldives and then on to Chagos, Mauritius, Reunion, Cape Town, St Helena, Azores and back to the UK.  I am looking for crew from Mauritius/ Reunion Island to Cape Town and from Cape Town to the UK. If of any interest do email me.

The blog will continue as we continue the journey. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com