(I started this post on the 6th, however did not quite complete it as I was waiting for photos from ashore.  These arrived, so I am completing it on the 7th).

Well, after 55 days since any of our feet touched dry land, I now have 172 ladies and Gentlemen from our Indonesian crew, ashore.  What a palaver it has been too.  In and out of anchorages, endless paperwork and more officialdom, the day eventually arrived.  6:30 in the morning and tender platform was prepared, tenders swung out so they were ready to ‘splash’ and then, of course, we waited.  Indonesian boats began to cluster around us; Coast Guard, Navy and Harbour authority an armada,  fussing around us like mother hens.

The first tender was loaded, 43 disembarking crew and their luggage and it left the platform, waiting for the 2nd tender to embark.

When that was complete, the Navy escorted them the on their 4½ mile journey from the ship to a disused Container dock, where there were facilities to test them.  If they were ‘clear’, (they should be), they will have 7 days in an hotel before being transported to their abodes.  (I didn’t go ashore to take these photos, they were sent by the agent, have no fear) 😯

All-in-all, after waiting for so long for this day, it all went surprisingly well.  Here are a few photos of our ‘armada’, taken from the ship.

We will now wait here a while longer, we have some ‘fresh’ provisions to get on board and we need to offload our sludge, which is a mixture of water, solid material and high viscosity oil.  This will be pumped into a dedicated tanker from Jakarta.

Once this is all completed, off to Manila for round 2, it should take us 5 days to get there and we will join the ‘queue’, there are literally ‘scores’ of cruise ships making their way there.  Depending when we get away, late 11th or early 12th of May.

Now photos of our men and women, going through the process.

More later, stay well……………………………