E35 – SAUMLAKI TO NAMTABUNG
Checking In at Saumlaki…
We found the process at Saumlaki confusing as our agent had failed to show and without internet, we were unable to reach him. Checking in shouldn’t normally be delayed by more than 24 hours, so we took it upon ourselves to check in and went ashore when we still couldn’t raise him the morning of the next day. We went direct to Immigration and checked in there, they were friendly and helped. Customs were located just a few doors away and they were also helpful. Next we figured we needed to find the Harbor Master and this was located back near the jetty we first landed at. On the way there, we found our agent on the street and he told us that Quarantine were extremely angry with us for not checking in with them first. So we spent the next 4 hours placating the Quarantine people who also required us to purchase a ‘Health Book’ which we later learned was not required. We will never know if we got taken for a ride on that one but in the end, after Quarantine, we checked in with the Harbor Master (Who was having some kind of party that day !) and all was done. All in all, it was a stressful day that didn’t need to be.
Sailing to Namtabung
After some shopping in the street side market at the main jetty, we retired to Starlight and had a beautiful dinner with our agent and his daughter who just had to see the boat! Next day, we found a very light wind, but with only 20nm to cover to our planned anchorage, we sailed almost 80% of before the wind died completely.
Motoring into our anchorage, we stopped just short of the sudden steep reef edge and anchored in find sand with a glorious beach nearby.
