If the aphorism, “a gentleman never sails to windward” is true, then there are no gentlemen aboard SY Esper. Because for more than 100 miles or so we did just that, in varying degrees of discomfort and difficulty.
In conditions like those we faced in the Molucca Sea off eastern Sulawesi (virtually no wind and the swell running straight at us) the only thing we could do was grin and bear it, with a fully-cranked engine.
Sailboats don’t need engines
There is a lovely old-fashioned idea of sailing without an engine. It’s an ideal, of course, but isn’t it just a romantic notion? As the armchair sailing corps like to remind us, in olden times there were no engines, mariners navigated by the stars and relied on trade winds, currents and luck.
This meant they took risks and if they didn’t end up at the bottom of the ocean, they weren’t able to leave harbour until the trade winds changed.
And this is our point. Sometimes, the only way for us to get somewhere is with our boat’s engine. Cruising is not the same as sailing: renewing visas, crossing borders or finding somewhere safe to leave the boat means that at times we have no choice but to meet a deadline.
Sailing to windward is bad
About that epigram, if it’s true that gentlemen “never sail to windward” do they only cycle downhill? And presumably they only run on a flat road?
We quite like sailing to windward because SY Esper sails pretty well with the wind coming at us. Two masts and a cutter rig mean she slices up the air nicely, allowing a good angle. Over the years, she’s given us some good speeds. And it can quite often feel like a more comfortable sail than being toppled down a slalom course of vertical waves.
A Journey of Necessity
You may be wondering why on earth we put ourselves in this ridiculous situation. Well, it certainly wasn’t our choice. Circumstances conspired against us, leaving us with only one option: to get to Lombok. There were two pressing reasons for this. Firstly, our visas were running out, and every day we overstayed would cost a million rupiah each. Secondly, we needed to find a place to haul the boat out. The rattle in our engine wasn’t getting any better, and it was a problem that needed addressing sooner rather than later.
Navigating the Southeast Monsoon
Our journey took us from the northeastern tip of Sulawesi, across the challenging Molucca Sea, and then south towards Lombok. We were in the southeast monsoon season, which meant we were facing strong winds coming up from the Flores Sea and the Java Sea. While this wind would eventually provide a good run from the bottom of Sulawesi to Lombok, the leg across the Molucca Sea was going to be difficult. The southeast monsoon curves up through this area, meaning it was going to be wind on the nose for this particular trip.
After a horrendous initial attempt to go south, we spent five days anchored at Pulau Buntu, waiting for a break in the dreadful weather. The weather forecasts in this region can be sketchy, but we saw a small lull and decided to go for it, knowing that the wind would likely pick up again during the night.
A Grueling Passage
The 97-mile passage that followed was, quite possibly, the most joyless we have ever done. It took us 27 hours, and we averaged a speed of just 3.6 knots. Everything conspired against us. After the sun went down, the current changed direction, and we found ourselves fighting it for the entire crossing. The sea state became incredibly sloppy as waves were being blown up into the bay by the prevailing southeasterlies.
For the first half of the journey, we had a little bit of wind, allowing us to motor-sail. However, as we progressed, the wind kept creeping around until it was right on our nose. We had to keep the sails out, even while motoring, just to make any kind of forward progress. It was a long and exhausting night.
Finding a Moment of Joy
Despite the challenging conditions, there are always moments of beauty at sea. As we continued our journey, we were greeted by a pod of dolphins playing in our bow wave. It was a welcome sight that lifted our spirits during a tough passage.
Finally, Calm Waters
After a long and arduous journey, we finally reached the protection of the islands at the bottom of the Molucca Sea. We dropped our anchor at Pulau Tiga (Three Islands), an atoll with three or four islands on its eastern side. The difference was immediate; the sea became flat and calm. The relief of being out of the relentless swell was immense. It’s a beautiful spot, and we were just in time to see the last of the sunlight for the day. It was a much-needed respite after a very challenging and ungentlemanly passage.
For the full story, watch episode 332 on YouTube…
https://youtu.be/5JAf2A4v1VU
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