Live from the base of the volcano: Ternate Indonesia, yo!

Ah salam gang, alive and well I be. Another 2 week stretch on the boat, north from Ambon, through the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, to Ternate, a city at the base of a volcano that last blew its top in 94. These dudes really do live on the edge haha. So heres how it panned out. We sailed from Ambon on the 7th, and dropped anchor the next afternoon out the front of a small village called Kelang. You should see this place hey. Tiny villages on the most incredible islands. Huge islands rising straight from the sea, covered in the best thickest rainforest. So remote too. That afternoon I saw A whale, breached like 20m from the boat. Absolutely epic. Also a mackerel at least 2m long jumping out of the water about 5 foot chasing a barracuda. The marine life here is so good.
The next day, some locals came out in one of their traditional longboats and gave me a ride into their village. A cool, isolated islamic community. About 300 people, and they all came around to have a look at me, I was quite popular. I got invited to the head-of-towns place, and we had a coffee and a few local smokes. Apparently, from what little Bahasa Indonesian I can understand, I was the first westerner to visit there in over 20 years. Really cool. Sailing is the way to travel, man.
Stopped at a few similar places on the way up here to Ternate. Along the way, some of the sights I have seen have blown my mind. Sailfish, dolphins that jump huge heights out of the air, volcanoes,  Real deal tropical thunderstorms, monkeys, albatross, fireflies lighting up the forest, sunrises, sunsets. Man I could go on forever. Sometimes my skipper gives me the shits, but hes a pretty good bloke. Cabin fever sometimes though haha.
Finally after 2 weeks we made it here to Ternate, the last of four perfect huge volcanoes in a row. The city here is at the base of it, 1720meters of smoldering fury that last blew chunks in 1994. 106,000 people living in no fear. The city is awesome. Heavily Muslim, the chants and prayers are constantly pumping on the loudspeakers. Really does feel like another world. You really do have to respect their devotion ay. Forget the extremist bullshit, the people here in Indo are really, really friendly and helpful. Islam is alright by me.
But anyways, I'm having the sickest time. Those of you waiting for photos are in for a wait, as my digi is flat as of aaaages ago and i cant charge it on the boat. Shot a shitload of film though, and as soon as I buy a mini laptop in Malaysia and a film scanner ill set to work in Canada.
Going to be here for a few more days then its off west to Manado on our way across the top of Sulawesi towards Borneo, Malaysia and finally Brunei Before i get off the boat, and head off solo.
Livin the dream, baby. Livin' the dream.

Hectic

10 days on the Indian Ocean. The hardest, scariest, most challenging, wildest thing I've done so far. Left from Darwin on the24th of July,arrived here yesterday,2nd of August. Average speed of 3.5/5 knots. I spent most of my time at the helm (steering wheel). Long hours, and hour of sleep here and there, nearly lost my mind at times, staring at a compass for hours and hours on end on a 24 hour shift basis with my skipper Ted. Beautiful at times,sunsets,sunrises, dolphins and all that. The ocean is a surreal place. Beautiful, eerie, uncompromising, timeless. At night in the blackness it is truly terrifying. You can definitely hear the voices of the lost souls out there,i am not even shitting you. The whole experience was the biggest test of endurance i have ever known. I wasnt always up to it. Lost my nerve at times, but I'm a better man for it. Brought me down to earth. Awesome experience, though. I made it. Andnow here Isit in sunny Amahusu, Ambon Indonesia. Its really fuckin cool here,sort of looks like south america here in tropical mountainous forest by the sea, the place is so chaotic and wild. Rabid dogs everywhere, people saying "mister, Mister!", cool people, fuckin bedlam. All  i can hear is roosters and constant car/motorbikes and horns beeping. I love it. Staying here for a few days then making the slow ocean crawl to Bali, via a few islands on the way. Exciting times!