Flores

We've spent the last week or so traveling across the top of Flores Island. One thing you learn pretty quickly when you enter a new cruising area is how reliable the cruising guides are and, if less than reliable, how to interpret the descriptions they give of places and anchorages. So far we've figured out that when the guides we're using say there is room for 4 boats anchored over sand with good holding, what they really mean is maybe two boats could fit on the light colored spot that is coral rubble, not sand with poor holding.

We've also seen how poor the people are here. They all have big grins and love to row out to the boat to try their few words of English. They they start asking for things. The kids want notebooks for school, and pens or pencils. The adults want all those things plus hats, shirts, fish hooks/line, whatever else they can think up. We enjoy giving the kids small stuff and some the adults are really interesting, but does get old getting inundated with visitor after visitor asking for something.

This guy came up and at least had something interesting to sell besides some small squid or a coconut. Chris bought this interesting carved bowl from him and pointed to his injured finger. He then asked for medicine for his clearly mangled finger. Chris is passing over in the plastic bag some antibiotic ointment and new bandages.

Lots of interesting local fish boats. These are squid boats.

We were passed close-by while offshore by a half dozen of these boats traveling together. I was pretty sure they were Indo-Viking invaders.

While traveling anywhere on the water here you have to deal with these unlit FADS, aka Fish Attraction Devices. Each area seems to have a different style. You might expect them to be in shallow water, but then you'd be wrong. These things are often anchored in thousands of feet of water. They're one reason we try to limit our night time passages.

The shelling has not been great so far. Our friend Judy on Fair Winds attributes this to he fact that if it moves they eat it. This is a nice cowrie shell that we found. Unfortunately it was still occupied by its original owner so after admiring it, Chris carefully placed it back on the reef.

The snorkeling hasn't been that good so far, but the water is clear and it sure feels good to get out of the afternoon heat. We will be heading off toward the Komodo National Park soon and expect to get in some top notch snorkeling. This lion fish, native in these waters, is showing off his angry look and protecting his turf.

Interestingly lit black sea urchin.

A starfish dressed so you wouldn't want to eat him.

We even got to do a little snorkeling around the mangrove edges. This is only possible here because they long ago ate all the Salties- saltwater crocodiles.

Scenic  underwater view.

A not so scenic view. One of the downsides of Indonesia-- being a relatively poor nation is the amount trash you see in the water. Plastics float by you on ever passage and here's a plastic cup underwater on the reef edge.

A healthy, large barrel sponge.

We are now int the big town on the NW end of Flores, Lubaun Bajo. Its a bit of a dusty, rough looking town, but the people are extremely friendly and you can get bread, groceries, functioning ATMs and we even saw a Starbucks with AC that stuck out like a sore thumb.

A couple of cruiser notes:
We anchored at 08*31.150S, 119*52.023E in front of what the guide books call the Eco Lodge. The Lodge seems to be closed right now with new owners. The hotel next to it, Sari Puri Beach Lodge, has taken over as the cruiser friendly spot. You can spot the dinghy landing area by looking for the green trees and flags on the shore. Watch the tides, as it is shallow in there. If the tide's going out we drop an anchor offshore a bit and wade in.

The hotel staff are very friendly. The upstairs restaurant has good food at very reasonable prices. You can use the hotel shuttle to go into town for  AUD$5 round tip. Make a reservation at the front desk. They will also help you with getting your jerry jugs filled with diesel at the near by 'solor' station. Have the shuttle take you and give the staff a small tip to lug your jerry jugs down to your dinghy. Fuel was about USD$2.50 a gallon and was clean.

Paul