Andaman sea currents producing a weird chop with no wind. Christmas Island political issues were not hidden from visitors Passenger looking for a rest in open sea. A tiny land bird appears 200 miles off Sumatra. And disappears soon after. A chinese rubber band does the job. Pity about the lack of pantyhose. The machinery extends out to push tonnes of dusty phosphate into ships. Christmas Island. The youth is same everywhere. The stereo of most important. Some girls would be welcome too. Crossing the equator produced a display of clouds, different every day. Some looked quite menacing but none had any puff in them. You're born. You live. You die. You're forgotten. Maybe not for this fellow though. Clunies-Ross will always live in the history books. On Ashmore Reef, the crabs were quite keen to pose for a photo. Australian customs appears almost every day. Low and close, they fly past every vessel they can find. Perhaps the most diligently guarded coastline in the world. I fill in your customs forms. You fill in my guest book. Ok? Australian customs scribbles in Aliisa's guest book at Ashmore Reef. A high speed customs vessel is permanently moored in Ashmore Reef. The 500-mile trip from Darwin takes a day and a half and crew plus vessel changes every two weeks. Christmas Island formalities are done in a relaxed atmosphere, by a picnic table on the foreshore. Other yachts in Ashmore Reef must have thought there was a problem. Every day customs parked their chaseboat alongside Aliisa, to enjoy a cup of coffee and a chat. Cocos (Keeling) islands were the paradise we thought. Lazy afternoons on the beach. The Dusky Dolphin seems more common in the open sea. They jump higher than the Common Dolphin, providing more entertainment. Usually in groups of 30-50. Minced fish, flour and colours. The Christmas Island Malays make fish cakes and prepare for Ramadan. Flying Fish Cove, Christmas Island. Cocos (Keeling) has the only international airport in the world with a golf course across the runway. Locals play inbetween arrivals and departures. A traditional Indonesian sailing vessel makes its way out of Asmore Reef The economy of Christmas Island can not rest on phosphate mining much longer. Will the space rocket launching facility fill the void? In the last ten years they've managed to put the sign up. Lauri is suffering. Self portrait in times of emotional stress Christmas Island Brown Noddy. Young birds turn out lazy. Looking for food but I've got nothing to give. Lauri G. sitting on the mooring buoy at Ashmore Reef Just arrived in Phuket. Relieved. Tired. Time for a rest. Prison Island in Cocos. Lovely spot. Private. Crossing the runway at Cocos takes us to a visit in the local Weather office Christmas Island still has plenty to offer for the occasional holiday maker. Rainforests and waterfalls among many other things. My childhood hero is still alive! In a shop in Christmas Island. Christmas Island Malays making colourful fishcrackers. A heavy duty clothing coveres Michael, a customs officer chatting to Paula in Ashmore Reef. Old mining sites in Christmas Island. The best thing I ever bought. Four solar panels keep everything running, as long as we keep cruising under sunny skies. The girls from Pangaea doing artwork while us adults chit-chat in the cockpit. Cocos. Patric Chan explains the phosphate mining principles Paula emerges from the aft cabin, a little cave at the back of Aliisa Paula helming the Andaman Sea. The weather wasn't bad but our bodies were getting saturated with salt and the wet-weather gear provided some relief. Paula's first trip up the mast, spraying silicone to lube up the mainsail track. Cocos. Yes. Phosphate. Pirates come and pirates go. Another opportunity for a good story. They only caught small fish, 100 miles offshore Sumatra. Prison island in Cocos. Ashmore Reef, West Island. A rusty old pump is still used by Indonesian visitors Silver City, up the hill in Christmas Island, offers nice views. Have lots of money? Want to retire? Try here. Just stay off the tarmac, I've been told by Cocos Customs, as we wait for an Australian Airforce plane to land. The Darwin copyshop has an interesting way to get around copyright laws The storm jib and inner forestay was put in for storms, of course, but it turned out to be a great help in winward work too. An old Indo wreck in Ashmore Reef A collection of Christmas Island photos below... Zodiac in Cocos. A great place for the ultimate paradise picture. Unfortunately I have no polarizing filter, nor a proper camera.