Sailing 650nm to the Pacific Island Nation of Palau

Clearing out of Sorong, Indonesia, required a day and a half of administrative processing before Sam Holmes and his partner Analyn hoisted sail aboard their catamaran for the 650-nautical-mile passage to Palau. Setting out on a beam reach in 20 knots of wind, the crew of Sam Holmes Sailing secured their dinghy high out of the water after taking knocks in the anchorage, steering directly into the island passages of Raja Ampat.

The departure marked the beginning of an offshore route across the Pacific toward Micronesia. With reefed sails already set from the sail bag, the catamaran tracked past coastal fishing platforms into open water, encountering dolphins running through bioluminescent bow wakes as night fell over the open sea.

Anchoring Against Tidal Currents in Raja Ampat

Navigating through Raja Ampat at night presented immediate hazards. The charted passages between the islands feature scattered fishing vessels and reefs, demanding continuous vigilance. Offshore currents quickly intensified as the catamaran cleared the lee of the high islands. With the boat sailing at 2 and 1/2 knots through the water, an opposing tidal surge began sweeping the vessel backward at 1/2 a knot directly toward an uncharted reef.

“Wow, the current is so strong here. We’re sailing at 2 and 1/2 knots, and we’re going backwards at 1/2 a knot.”

Sam Holmes

Facing a dangerous reverse drift in a 3-knot tidal current, Sam deployed the anchor directly into the channel amidst standing waves. The ground tackle dug into the seabed, securing the vessel in place overnight while the current rushed past the hulls. By dawn, the opposing current subsided to 1 knot, allowing the crew to recover the anchor and resume their northward passage.

Downwind Sailing and Ocean Passage Routines

Clearing the outer reefs of Indonesia brought favorable downwind sailing conditions. Sam hoisted both headsails simultaneously, flying the screecher alongside the spinnaker to stabilize the catamaran on a broad reach. The twin headsail setup trapped the breeze, pulling the multihull through rolling ocean swells without requiring constant trim adjustments.

By day three of the voyage, the catamaran was logging 4 knots of boat speed, boosted by an equatorial current to nearly 6 knots over ground in 12 knots of true wind. With 480 miles remaining to Palau, shipboard life settled into a steady sea rhythm:

• Watermaker Operations: The onboard reverse osmosis unit produced 25 liters per hour, running for 2 hours each day to yield roughly 40 gallons of fresh water without draining the lithium battery bank.
• Offshore Wildlife: Boobies patrolled the catamaran, and an exhausted land bird landed on the forward deck over 100 miles from the nearest shore.
• Galley and Navigation: Analyn prepared potato gnocchi to work through raw provisions, while Sam monitored satellite routing and read accounts of Swedish voyager Sven Yrvind.

On day five, as winds softened, Sam motored briefly to maintain headway before hoisting the parasailor for the final 120 miles. Approaching Palau, he swapped chart cards in the navigation plotter from the South China Sea package to the Pacific Islands and Australia database, steering clear of offshore barrier reefs.

Arrival in Palau and Harbor Logistics

Flying the yellow quarantine flag, the catamaran approached the channel leading into the anchorage. A customs patrol boat met the vessel outside the rocky reefs and provided an escort to the anchorage. Officials boarded promptly, completing clearance documentation in 10 minutes for an initial fee of $50 before directing the crew across town for immigration stamps.

“It only took about 10 minutes, so that was really nice compared to Indonesia.”

Sam Holmes

Operating in US currency, harbor logistics proved expensive. Refilling the boat’s propane tanks cost $288 after technicians overfilled the containers, causing overpressure relief valves to release excess gas. Sam noted that propane provided reliable energy aboard for cooking autonomy:

“These tanks last us over a year, year and a half.”

Sam Holmes

Ashore, the crew completed a 27,000-step hike through interior jungle trails, discovering an ancient cave settlement and spotting native snakes. Back at anchor, Sam addressed mechanical maintenance on the vessel’s air conditioning system, designing and 3D printing a flexible TPU adapter to reconfigure the cooling pump loop and eliminate air locks, securing the fittings with double hose clamps.

Diving the Underwater Cave and Harbor Shipwrecks

Equipped with backup underwater dive lights and a guideline safety reel, Sam and Analyn explored an underwater cave located near the anchorage. Penetrating the entrance chamber, they navigated through limestone passages to surface inside air-filled chambers adorned with overhead stalactites, relying on their safety line to trace their route back toward ambient daylight.

Subsequent dives along the harbor reefs revealed shallow shipwrecks encrusted in hard corals. Exploring an upright wreck, Sam followed an inquisitive dark blue reef fish and inspected the hull propellers, while observing eagle rays and reef fish feeding across the coral structures. Between dives, Sam replaced a punctured internal bladder on his wingfoil wing, maintaining his watersports gear aboard.

Ancient Monolith Stones and Rock Islands Cruising

Renting a right-hand drive automobile, the crew drove across the island to visit ancient monolith stones. Paying a $5 per person entry fee, they examined prehistoric basalt pillars featuring carved stone faces and deep vertical grooves. Continuing their passage preparation, Sam purchased a 5-day Rock Islands cruising permit for $120.

Before weighing anchor for the Rock Islands, Sam upgraded his dive setup by 3D printing custom TPU tank boots and securing straps for his four scuba cylinders, filling each cylinder to 200 bars. Under sail, the catamaran reached 10 knots while clearing the limestone islets of Ulong Island, famously known as the filming venue for Survivor Season 10.

Reaching Soft Coral Arch, Sam negotiated a narrow 4-meter pass. While anchored, he inspected synthetic shroud lashings that had logged 6,000 miles of ocean service, flipping the line to expose fresh bearing surfaces against chafe. The crew also explored Milky Way cove, applying mineral-rich white clay mud from the seabed.

Exploring World War II Shipwrecks and Aircraft

Palau’s waters shelter significant World War II historical wrecks. Anchoring near the buoy marking the Japanese cargo vessel Iro Maru, Sam conducted a solo scuba dive, descending 60 feet down a mooring line to reach the coral-draped mast structure and open cargo holds of the upright vessel.

Later in the week, dodging squalls in the outer bay, Sam and Analyn tied their dinghy to a mooring buoy over a sunken Japanese patrol seaplane resting in 37 feet of clear water. The airframe remained largely intact, with an undamaged propeller confirming that the engine had failed prior to ditching on the water surface.

Ocean Encounters at Blue Corner and German Channel

To access exposed offshore barrier reefs, the crew booked a day excursion with local dive operator Sam’s Tours. At Blue Corner, notorious for sweeping ocean currents, divers deployed stainless steel reef hooks to maintain position on the drop-off ledge:

• Pelagic Action: Whitetip reef sharks and grey reef sharks cruised within feet of the ledge, while a schooling barracuda tornado spiraled overhead in the rushing current.
• Wall Encounters: Along Barnacle’s Wall, sea turtles congregated along steep coral faces alongside tiny dragon nudibranchs and an eagle ray gliding in slow motion.
• Manta Ray Station: At German Channel, the team knelt on the sandy bottom as cleaner wrasse tended to arriving pelagics, culminating in car-sized giant manta rays swooping overhead.

“The first time I’ve seen one of these giant manta rays before, and it just did circles around us for like 10-15 minutes.”

Sam Holmes

Clearance Frustrations and Passage Prep for Yap

Preparing to depart Palau proved far more taxing than arrival. Fuel costs ranked among the highest in the Pacific, with diesel priced near $10 per gallon and gasoline at $9 per gallon, resulting in a $400 fuel bill to replenish boat tanks. Checkout procedures were plagued by administrative delays, conflicting instructions from immigration, and unnotified inspection schedules.

Initial estimates of port charges proved accurate as total clearance fees reached $900, with $700 paid on the final departure day. Despite administrative headaches and strict local restrictions on Starlink satellite communications, the crew secured outward customs clearance, stowed cruising gear, and set a course northeast toward the island of Yap.

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