SCHOONER Expedition Indonesia to st. Vincent & grenadines

[Schoonerman55]

With the trade winds of the Indonesian Archipelago making their annual shift to the East and with Harlequin’s Properties “KLM Pearl” ready to get underway on this epic voyage to her new home at the Buccrament Bay Resort on the Caribbean Island of St. Vincent & The Grenadines, the first barrier to cross was simply clearing the narrow passage of Bira, Harbor, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

 

 

Located at the most southern tip of the orchid shaped island of Sulawesi, the entrance of Bira harbor faces East and sea conditions over the past three days have created 2-3 meter swells, crossing the Gulf of Bone, in to the mouth of this home port of the KLM Pearl. With the cost of good ballast priced at something like 12usd per KG and cheaper options such as river rock considered not acceptable, the pearl is covering this first sector of her long voyage to Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi, very light and without much needed weight in her massive hull.

Rather than chance the swelling sea, KLM Pearl waited till October 23, 2008, when the sea had calmed to an early morning glass like finish and she quietly slipped out of her berth place, rounded the most southern tip of Sulawesi, Tungung Bira and headed Northwest up the coast for a short 12 hour run to the historic spice trading port of Makassar, in the Province of South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

 

We have moved KLM Pearl to Makassar to do some final outfitting, load some bulky items that we preferred not to truck the 4 hour drive to Bira. In addition we have elected to implement her registration process in the provincial capital to avoid assured small village administration delays. KLM Pearl will proudly fly the red and white flag of The Republic of Indonesia on her trek from Indonesia, across the Indian Ocean, through the Arabian Gulf, into the Mediterranean and across the Atlantic and ultimately to her new home with Harlequin Hotels at the new Buccrement Bay Resort.

 

Today, KLM Pearls crew are busy installing the vessels sails and checking various systems before she makes her next planned move West to the island of Java and the port of Semarang, where she will under go docking for the first time since her launching. This process with call for re-caulking her hull, with fine bamboo fiber and re-antifouling before headed North to Singapore, out of Indonesia and one to the Kingdom of Thailand.

 

We have targeted taking the Northern route across the great Indian Ocean in January when prevailing winds should be directly on the stern of KLM Pearl as we set a westerly track to Sri Lanka and India.

 

As we all follow this epic voyage of Harlequin’s KLM Pearl, please keep in mind that interested parties are welcome to join this Adventure of a life time, from the screen of your computer or even aboard the Pearl as long as you are prepared to participate in the operation of this traditional vessel and to be responsible for your own costs and safety. Boarding points can be confirmed, by contacted the Expeditionary Administration at info@songlinecruises.com or following the vessels progress at:

http://www.songlinecruises.com/SpecialExp.php

or

http://www.harlequinproperty.co.uk/includes/stvincent/buccament/overview_070504.php

 

Book mark these sites and follow KLM Pearl to a paradise in St. Vincent & The Grenadines.