SPECIAL EXPEDITIONS
Many of the vessels participating in The Traditional Fleet head off into some of the most remote parts of the Indonesian Archipelago. Often these expeditions are organized by conservation organizations that only market within there own memberships. Always feel free to check with us, for full details on any special expeditions planned during your visit to Indonesia.
POSITIONING OF NEWLY CONSTRUCTED VESSEL FROM
INDONESIA TO CARIBBEAN ISLAND OF ST.VINCENT & THE GRENADINES
THE VOYAGE OF THE PEARL 2010
OUR PLANNED ROUTE
In 2007, SongLine Yachts was awarded a contract to construct a Period Replica of a Caribbean Pirate vessel for the Buccament Bay Beach Resort presently under construction on the island of St Vincent & the
Well it has been a long time sence our last updated this project.............but be assured that a few things have happened and yes we have moved a long way. The following photo was taken in Singapore in early October 2009 as our lovely KLM Pearl was being hoisted to her 45 day berth aboard a cargo
L 2
We placed her in a cradle and sent her off into the night headed for New Orleans, LA where she presently is awaiting
her next movement which will be shortly to her new home at the
3 meters of Draft simply will not fit !
safe for the next few days !
January 2 , 2009, Semerang, Central Java, Indonesia
Today January 2, 2009 KLM Pearl arrived in the North Javanese Port of Semerang after about 8 days of smooth sailing from Makassar. We made a quick stop in Surabaya to have our GENSETS looked over and to load a little fuel to insure when we enter the dock her in Semerang we will be as light as possible. In the photo below KLM Peal is number 3 to enter the docking process and the crew is busy painting and sanding.
Our main reason for this port call is to Caulk and Anti Foul the bottom of KLM Pearl, while this location is not the most attractive spot of Beautiful Indonesia, but the quality of work in this yard is excellent. The Pearl has not been caulked since she was launched and the hull has now had time to settle and find her life long shape, the standard process is to caulk her. We are using a fiber, derived from bamboo, to insure long lasting a firm seal in her below waterline planks. We will anti-foul her with a local product produced by Nippon Paint and she will be ready for the next leg to Batam where she will leave her home waters of Indonesia for Thailand.
The Semerang yard PT Tanjung Mas Wiguna Agung, is a team of some 40 men of which most are from our Sulawesi village of Bira, where KLM Pearl was constructed. I was pleased to know that apparently they all already knew of KLM Pearl when one of the workers had returned to Bira during the recent Ramadan Holidays and explained to all his co-workers where this fine vessel was going, I was invited into the pit of this yard where all the men explained to me that we do not need to worry about this caulking process as they all want to follow the voyage to St Vincent and they plan to do a special job on this special boat from Bira.
December 2 , 2008, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
Today KLM Pearl was treated to a sunny morning, as we moved her from her anchorage to a point near the Pantai Gapura Hotel on the water front of the city of Makassar. This mornings event was conviened to wish our vessel KLM Pearl a safe voyage to her new home in the Caribbean Islands. This event had been rescheduled a few times to accommodate the city Mayor’s
(H.A. Herry Iskandar) busy schedule, but in as much as he had followed the progress of this project since its start he preferred to attend the event personally, rather than just sending his staff.
With considerable print and broadcast media in attendance and a healthy breakfast provided, the participants gathered on the water front dock for a flurry of diverse conversations and promptly boarded KLM Pearl via a local boat. The first boat with the VIP guests listed slightly as everyone wanted to be first to board. The Mayor’s brave character showed as he instructed everyone to sit down and those few who could be classed as overweight to move to the stern of the small launch. On arrival at KLM Pearl he continued to control the situation, by instructing his entourage to stand up one at a time to ascend KLM Pearl’s boarding ladder. As each person arrived at deck level, the smiling crew welcomed each aboard their immaculately cleaned and new home for the next year.
Along with the Mayor was the head of Makassar’s Tourism office, the local Tourism Police and various other local dignitaries. The Metro TV team and other journalists were well represented and the Public Relations objectives of this project are considered underway. The key media message, was to encourage the local population to follow this year long expedition through our updated internet portal.
While today was the targeted departure date, for our next destination, a few paper work delays have surfaced, which are being dealt with, combined with the fact that Mr. Mayor has asked if he can invite another group of Indonesian dignitaries on a short sunset cruise around Makassar Harbor on 5 December when the city of Makassar will host a major Mayoral Congress attended by Mayor’s form all the Eastern Indonesian cities. He promised to show each of them a Proud Product of South Sulawesi that is about to embark on a historical voyage to the Caribbean Island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The Major also promised to come to the new Buccrament Bay Resort personally when the KLM Pearl arrives there in late 2009.
October 31, 2008, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
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:
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HOT NEWS FOR YACHTS IN 2008
GAHAWISRI (THE INDONESIAN MARINE TOURISM ASSOCIATION)
&
POLASI (THE INDONESIAN SAILING AND RACING ASSOCIATION)
Will join forces in 2008, to create a comprehensive extention to the annual darwin-kupang race. Events at various ports and cruising permit assistance are to be arranged.
for inforation contact: songnyc@hotmail.com
CONTACT US FOR VESSEL DETAILS
