BATAVIA OFF HIRE

ELM volunteers were celebrating our arrival in Padang Tuesday afternoon completing a 106 day mission that departed from the same port on the 24th of January. The party mood continued despite Captain Wayan's decision to anchor in the middle of Bungus bay rather than go alongside at the wharf we had arranged for Batavia.

Without missing a beat, we launched our skiffs and called on the local fisheries work boat to help us unload our gear in the dark.

All of us are determined to arrange to purchase Batavia or a similar vessel so that we can select our captain and crew for the long haul. Negotiations will be much easier now that we are off the ship and able to continue our mission independantly.