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Archives - 2003
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New Zealand and passage to Australia It was with sadness we left New Zealand, a beautiful remote but friendly country. Comparing Australia with NZ is like comparing city life with town life. That is actually a compliment to NZ where one never feels a stranger and there is comfort in the isolation. It is probably why so many visitors decide to live there for part of each year or even immigrate if possible. Just as a Canadian doesn't want to be thought American one must not confuse a kiwi with someone from Oz. They are very proud of their heritage although not from so distant a period in time. Farming is still their major occupation but the larger cities are very much modern sophistication. Don't confuse the accent of a kiwi with an Aussie accent either. They aren't the same peoples although they both drive on the left, cling to many English customs especially the kiwis and are avidly passionate about their sport teams such as cricket and rugby. The Australian rules game is another sport not played in New Zealand. If I want to have a healthy life style then New Zealand is the place to be with its wonderful walking trails, kayaking, snorkeling, climbing, skiing, horseback riding and golf. I was surprised to see so many horse farms and trail riding available. As well, one could take a golf holiday there and find courses close to every town at very reasonable prices. One thing more, the Maori in New Zealand seem to have much more autonomy than the aborigine in Australia. There are problems but not for this journal to elaborate. After our long stay in Gulf Harbour we felt the boat was now ready to go offshore. Her bottom was cleaned and painted with anti-fout, all systems checked and repaired if necessary, a thorough rigging inspection and new varnish on all her topside wood. The America's Cup from our perspective showed a stanch support for Team New Zealand from the kiwis we met and from the newspapers. At the beginning of the final challenge races hundred of craft from all over Haraiki Bay including Gulf Harbour piled high with friends and goodies motored out to the race area. A few hours later for most of the races they returned with sober and confused faces. As many times the boats returned after waiting for a couple of hours because the race had been cancelled because of too little wind, too variable wind, or too much wind. Of the best of 9 races there was one truly competitive race where Alinghi won on the last 7 seconds, showing everyone who the best skipper truly was. Team New Zealand just had a boat that kept falling apart. So now the cup goes back to Europe where it had originated in spite of the fact that the very talented skipper, Russell Coutts and many of the crew were kiwis. March 15: We finally left Gulf Harbour, untying all our umbilical cords, electricity, water and phone, sold our car and headed out to the few islands in the Haraiki Gulf. We then began checking our gear and getting the feel of water under the keel. Our favourite island was Great Barrier Island, great for hiking, fishing and a few wild life such as the small brown teal duck which is almost extinct. New Zealand has a serious problem with its indigenous wildlife slowly disappearing. First the kiwi is only found in sanctuaries or remote islands. The introduction of possums was a fatal error and now you see them hunted down to protect the birds and vegetation. Other mammals such as the stoat introduced to kill the rabbits, also introduced , are a threat to the birds as well. How wonderful it would have been to see this country before man arrived and when only the birds were there and the huge kauri trees were still standing. March 22: We left Great Barrier Island reluctantly to head over to Tutukaka on the mainland. There is a small marina here and also Amoenitus and Sojourner , who we me in the Caribbean had been in the marina, since arriving in NZ. There was a pot luck going on that night which gave us a good evening for catching up with the news. Dave and Di were staying another year but spending the southern winter in the islands like Fiji. Sojourner with Pete and Julie who we last saw in Tonga was also heading for Fiji. It could be we wouldn't see either of them again. Unfortunately that is what cruising is about. Julie very nicely gave me a ride to a store to buy some groceries. We miss our car already. March 25: It was very 'choppy' outside this protected harbour but we decided to go a few miles further along and find a sheltered bay to wait out a weather system that would prove to be gale force conditions. The winds were 25K from the NE and with 3M waves it was a bumpy ride to Whangaruru bay. After moving far into the north end in quiet waters we dropped anchor although we had no shelter from the north winds which quickly went to 35K accompanied by heavy rain. We ended up in this bay for almost a week until the winds diminished and the rains finally stopped. It was impossible to see beyond 50'. Our fresh water pump that we had just bought in Gulf Harbour stopped so we gathered up lots of rain water in buckets. It was too cold to swim or shower on top. March 30: With the winds down and the seas calmer we finally left our 'shelter' and headed up to the Bay of Islands. It became so calm we had to motor most of the way. It was exciting to see Cape Brett always mentioned in our weather reports and the 'Hole in the Wall' , a popular tourist excursion to a large rock with a small passage through it. The beautiful lighthouse there at the entrance was a welcoming sight. March 31: Al talked me into a 5 hour hike around this large island with many precipice climbs up and down but finishing in a bay close by where we could buy lunch and take a $1 shower. I couldn't resist but the knees weren't working too well at the end without a walking stick. There were many historic Maori sites to observe. April 1-10: We entered Opua this day and had a good stay in the new marina here. Free Radical from Peterborough was here and kindly drove us into Pahia to shop and we would then take a taxi back with our groceries. Al finally had his tooth out in Keri Keri after many treatments since last fall. Opua marina was clean with good services. The Opua Yacht Club held all the social events and one could eat their reasonable tasty meals. We met old friends who were gathering there for their trip north to Tonga, Fiji or New Caledonia. Hallelujah from Ottawa who we saw last in Vava'au Tonga was planning to go to Australia at the same time as ourselves. Now we were ready with a 'repaired' fresh water pump, diesel tanks filled, water tanks filled, food lockers filled etc. for our passage to Australia. I checked weather fax and found a Low of 994 coming down our way so we had to wait for that to pass. We sat tight through the gale warning at Brett with rough seas. Des on Russell Radio would help us find the right time to leave. April 10: Time to go. Only 3 boats leaving today. All the others were waiting into May for different destinations. We left Opua and the Bay of Islands and started our routines with an organized schedule of each day. 1. check with Des on Russell Radio twice a day 2. chat with Julie on Free Radical in the mornings . They are meeting us in Australia after they sail to New Caledonia first . 3. talk with Hallelujah in the afternoon to check each others position 4. get 2 weather faxes from the computer daily, and 5. listen to voice weather each day from Brisbane. Weather was an important priority and letting someone know where we are and that we're doing OK. Hallelujah took our same route each day and we were never far away from each other. Our winds were from the right direction and we could head 280 degrees True most of the time. We did 3 hour watches at night so it took some days to get use to the lack of sleep at night. Often possible to catch up during the day. Since this was a 12 day passage we knew that perfect weather wouldn't stay with us. We had to take what comes. On the 13th we met our first front ( a front brings lots of wind and often heavy rain) just behind a Low heading for New Zealand. This made the cold front more vigorous and one to try and avoid if possible. The day before we had 20-22K from the east with 2M swells. In the evening the wind went to 25K with 2-3M seas. Our weather fax prepared us for this change and Des also warned us about the front. On my radio report to Des the next morning we were getting 30K from the SE but with heavy rain and poor visibility. We had gone down to triple reef main and a stay sail - a good combination giving us a steady ride and also speed of 7.5 knots. Des suggested we head more west and sure enough we saw some blue sky in that direction. April 14: The winds lessened, the seas still lumpy but behind us all the way. We expected another front in a couple of days but we carried on as usual. Al was always hungry so meals had to be prepared. What I served depended on conditions at the time. We hadn't sailed as a couple for more than a year as we had taken on crew for our Pacific passage. We both had more work to do but again became a team. Being stronger, Al did the heavy stuff and I helped with the sail trim, sail changes and watches. Our self-steering vane did the helming. Our boat handled well, moving into the high swells and riding down the waves. Looking back sometime I felt we were on a sleigh ride 20 feet up and 20 feet down. After passing that 'hill' another was approaching. You can't imagine how immense the seas are away from all the land mass. These waves were coming all the way from South America. Every wave is not the same size. It's the frequent breaking waves that one doesn't want crashing over the boat with a force big enough to cause damage. Our 'head' stopped working a few days out. A pail seemed to be the best solution at the time. In these waves to take it apart seemed too much a chore and a stopped toilet wasn't life threatening. So our cosy cockpit became a temporary head. April 15-16: The winds died down to 10K and we began motoring to keep our course as the winds were fickle and hard to read. This usually happens before a change of weather and we knew another front was approaching. Adriatica, an Italian boat going to Sidney and who left Opua at the same time, asked Des to relay a message to us about this front. They were getting 35-40K winds from this front as it hit them before coming our way. Since they were 4 degrees south of us we expected they would get hit harder which turned out to be the case. By the 16th the winds changed from NW to W then to SW and went up to 22K. We were sailing again. On the 17th the second front arrived. The winds went over 30K but didn't last long and we were above 30degrees south and almost into the Coral Sea. We started listening to the Queensland coastal weather report which was experiencing strong SE trade winds due to a High in Tasmania. In spite of all our weather we were able to sail close to Hallelujah and take each other's picture. Neat! April 18, Good Friday-Day 9: Our 3 hour watches are working and the winds are back to 18K. We had a third front before reaching Australia but coped with that. We're needing more sleep but only have 300M to reach the entrance to Hervy Bay and Bundaberg. Looking out for ships going to Australia was a constant exercise. One day a huge tanker passed us so close we could hear their engine (100 Metres). I called them on our VHF and a Spanish voice said "Don't worry we're not going to hit you". We wondered if they had seen us before we saw them. They came up so quickly and disappeared just as fast. Des called for lighter winds for the next 3 days but we thought differently from our Brisbane weather report and our fax. April 19, Saturday- Day 10: Seas are very choppy but the winds a pleasant 12K from the SW. We're getting tired of our 'pail' head, and must also use up our fresh food as otherwise it will be taken away from us. Today we went on EST in Australia giving us 2 extra hours today. Chance to rest. April 20, Sunday - Easter, Day 11: No Easter eggs, forgot to buy some before leaving NZ. The winds have come up to 25K with 3-5M seas and we're 80M to our entrance at Sandy Cape, the entrance to Hervy Bay. April 21, Monday-Easter Monday, Day 12: Last night we took 2 hour watches because of conditions and knew we would be landing soon. At 05:00 we entered what we thought would be quieter waters but we had to sail right into 33K of wind and 3 m waves for 60m to reach Bundaberg harbour. We also had a strong current against us. The boat was getting swamped and the heavy rain gave no visibility. We had to motor most of the way. When Al contacted the authorities on VHF they said it would cost $200 extra dollars on top of the $120 as the entry fee entering Australia because it was a holiday. If we stayed out in these conditions until 5pm we could enter and anchor in a quarantine section until morning. You'd have thought they would let us anchor earlier because of the weather. So we hove-to, tired and wet near to the entrance, we thought, and then would come in at 17:00. The winds and current drifted us out an extra hour away which meant we didn't put our anchor down until 19:00 that night but really glad to go to sleep after 12 hard days. |
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Queensland coast The next morning we had to go through customs, quarantine and immigration. All the canned pork including newly purchased pork and beans from New Zealand was taken away. All the fresh food had to go before reaching Australia waters or given to the agriculture person to take away. Eggs and honey especially. I couldn't replace the nice honey from NZ in Australia later when shopping. Any souvenirs made from natural products had to be 'sanitized' but I had taken those back home last fall. The Bundaberg Port Marina was quite new and clean. It was cruiser friendly with a free twice daily shuttle into town 14 km away. The local bar at the marina drew locals from afar but also catered to the boaters with a weekly movie, tasty meals and a book exchange. The town had its usual central main street with a lovely treed boulevard down the middle. It is an agricultural town lacking the sophistication of Brisbane further south. We had a week here to recuperate but also to wait for this wind warning to pass. We had to replace the fresh water pump after supposedly getting it fixed in Opua and the distributor in Auckland not willing to replace the one purchased in Gulf Harbour. I felt like giving it back to them and putting it where the sun doesn't shine. Unfortunately NZ was too far away. Bundaberg is noted mainly for its sugar cane production which is sent all over the world. It also produces rum and ginger beer, both very good. Put the two together and you get a real nice drink. We had planned to visit friends in Brisbane but the weather improved and Al felt we should start moving north the 2000 miles to the top of the country. Tuesday, April 30: The night before leaving we celebrated Keith's birthday, a single-hander who sails around Australia and one of many men alone that we see often on our travels. I always feel sorry for them. There are many reasons why they are alone but usually hook up with another person on their travels. I made a small cake and the local restaurant, the 'Boulevard', showed its weekly movie and Keith kept an open bar for the cruisers. Thursday, May 1: At 06:00 the next morning we reluctantly left Great Keppel for Port Clinton another long day sail but a river anchorage and guaranteed to be calm. Entering rivers can be nerve wracking because of sandbars in their entrances and timing entries by the tides. We had a decent guidebook to help us in but the light was poor and our first guidepoints were difficult to find. The plot charter on deck was helpful showing where our boat was in the entrance and all the shallow parts we had to avoid. The seas outside were beginning to rise so it was good to be in a sheltered spot. We dropped anchor in 6' which was too shallow for us but the tides being 12' we would be in deeper water later since we were at the maximum low tide when entering. One also has to consider the river currents which are strong enough to turn the boat opposite to the wind. It was very quiet in here with no other boats and Al saw a couple of turtles swimming around but few birds. This area is used for military live firing and would be closed for anchoring in a few days. The rivers are very popular with the small local boats who have lots of time to motor up the river for fishing and relaxing. We didn't have that luxury. Friday, May 2: Another 06:00 rise to leave this nice quiet place especially because it was high tide. We sailed away from the mainland to find an island anchorage sheltered from the SE trades. We were making good time so we decided to go to an island called Hexham which was suppose to shelter us from winds up to 25K. On arriving the winds did increase and the waves rose from 2 to 3 meters. We set the anchor at 17', knowing that the low tide would take us down to 7'. It was quiet up to a point but swells from the NE swung our boat from side to side and the tides caused a good rock and roll. We had to re-anchor twice more and finally at 27' down to 17' at low tide before we felt we were safe from the surrounding rocks and reefs. No one else was in here and later a boater we knew asked if we had seen the wreck on the beach. I thought after, that it could have been us if we had dragged into the rocks or grounded or got swung too far. As it was we were there for several days as the weather got worse. The winds on Sunday were over 30K and the radio weather forecast called for small craft wind warning at least until Wednesday. The day we had arrived here we had been in very dark clouds and saw several water spouts in the distance, really scary things you try to avoid. So here we were doing a lot of reading and writing in the journals and small boat jobs. Wednesday, May 7: The winds were still up but we decided to go to another island 40nm away called Curlew, closer to the mainland. It seemed to have a fairly good anchorage protected from the brisk SE trades. We had to be alert for we were passing many groups of islands and their nearby shoals and rocks. We were heading for the Beverley Group of islands and Curlew was one of its southern islands. The seas were still 3 meters but we had winds below 30K on our back quarter. Finally we saw the entrance to Curlew which was a wide bay but with a shallow sand bar at its rear so if one were to drag you would soon be grounded. Again there was a 10' tide so enough chain would have to be put out to accommodate the high tide. There was one small German boat but otherwise lots of room for us. Once settled we began rolling which lasted all night. Even Hexham was a quieter anchorage. Thursday, May 8: Another early morning got us out of Curlew for a 40nm cruise to Mackay Marina. The seas were still high with 20-25K of wind. Passing Hay Point on the mainland just before Mackay we saw 8 large freighters waiting to unload their goods at a very large dock which I was told was the largest in the South Pacific. After passing this area we finally saw the buildings of Mackay in the mist. Mackay 'Reef' marina was newly built 3 years ago. We planned to stay here for a few days to get more provisions and find out if our wind generator could be repaired. It stopped working after Bundaberg which was unfortunate after all the wind we were getting. After docking in the marina we saw 'Antares' , a boat we knew from Bundaberg and sailing the same way. They had managed to wait out the bad weather in a marina. It was good to stop on shore after 9 days out. Friday-Sunday, May 9-11: The marina here is very pretty, clean and with extensive washroom facilities and laundry. The Tapa 'Sachmo' restaurant was fun as well and handy since one had to take a bus to get into town. The boat services were just beginning to take hold and there was constant building going on in the service areas as well as a condo development being built for those Australian 'winters'. We still found the weather cool here and experiencing lots of rain. Since we decided to leave Sunday we had to go into town to provision. Unfortunately the buses weren't working on the weekends so we had to taxi both ways. The electrician here couldn't fix our wind generator so we ordered a new one from Melbourne which was suppose to be delivered to Airlie Beach (Able Point Marina) the following Wednesday, a place we were trying to avoid. Sunday, May 11: After Mackay our next stop would be in the Whitsunday Islands and Goldsmith Island, part of a group of islands at the south tip of the Whitsundays about 40 nm from Mackay. The weather was suppose to be about 15-20K but went up to 28K as we made our approach. Again a rolly anchorage but sheltered from the winds. Monday, May 12: We left Goldsmith in the morning and in the rain for Cid Harbour in the Whitsundays 30nm away. This was our best sailing day for a long time. The winds were a steady 10-15K, the sun came out, and the seas were calm. We enjoyed the sail and found a quiet anchorage in a channel called Hunt Channel sheltered in a bay called Sawmill Bay. Lots of boats were in here but we decided to stay an extra day for a needed respite. Wednesday, May 14: We had planned to get a new Air Marine wind generator installed at Airlie Beach (Able Point Marina) so we left our nice shelter in Cid Harbour and had a nice sail across to the mainland. Many tourist boats and charterers were coming out of Airlie Beach for the Whitsundays which have been spoiled by too much tourism, resorts, and chartering companies. We stopped a mile from the marina and called the man who was suppose to be receiving the wind generator and installing it on our boat. It wasn't there and we didn't want to enter the busy marina. Perhaps in Townsville, our next stop, we would arrange another technician and perhaps get the generator sent there. So off we went for an overnighter to Townsville. Before dark the RAIN came. It was the most torrential rain we had encountered in our two years sailing. We found out later that it had made a weather record. It went on for hours with winds of 25-30K and no visibility. This system had not been called for or we wouldn't have started off that night. Looking at the radar for ships all we could see was a very black area all around us and just following along with us. It had slowed down about 10 that night but it required hand steering most of my watch for 3 hours and subsequently for Al after that. It wasn't a good night and the next morning was very overcast but with light winds and a pleasant sail into the beautiful Cleveland Bay where Townsville is situated. Thursday, May 15: We called the marina in Townsville for specific directions as to our berth etc. It was 11:00 now and we were really ready to tie up the boat and get our feet on solid ground. Unfortunately the tide was going down and we would have to wait until 16:30 when the rising tide would allow us to go through the shallow channel and into the marina. You can imagine how frustrating it was just to sit out in the bay with no wind and floating around for 5 hours until almost dark. In spite of this frustration Townsville was one of our favourite places and we enjoyed the atmosphere very much once settled.
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Queensland Coast, Cont'd: The beauty of Townsville became obvious the next morning. The marina is on the edge of a park called ANZAC which
commemorates all the veterans and heroes of all the wars fought by the Australians. The day set aside for ANZAC is celebrated very seriously and appears more important than their National Day. In the park we saw our first crested cockatoos and ibis poking around. On the other side of our marina was a newly built ocean walkway called the Strand. For 2.2Km it follows the beach and fills with families enjoying themselves. A water playground for children is situated halfway down and reminds me of the water park at Ontario Place in Toronto.
On the weekend it was filled with people who could also stop in several places for lunch or a drink. In the afternoon we took a visit to Billabong Sanctuary where I cuddled a koala bear and Al a 4 year old crocodile. The rivers in the north part of Australia are filled with salt water crocs so we might get to see them again. Monday, May 19 - Night sail to Mourilyan Harbour: We left today although the wind was light. We had to wait until 11:00 AM ( high tide) to leave the marina which has no dredged channel into its entrance. We were planning to sail all night which became motoring all night instead to an anchorage the next day. On watches we had to look for small fishing boats and ships in the channel as it is a busy coast. It was pleasant to see all the stars for a change with no clouds and a red rising moon. Beautiful! Tuesday, May 20 - Arrival into Mourilyan Harbour: We made it to Mourilyan Harbour farther up the coast than we first had planned. One had to look for the entrance to the mouth of the Moresby River which was hidden from view until one was almost on top of it. It is a commercial harbour for freighters picking up sugar but there were spots to set one's anchor as long as you kept away from the commercial dock. A few fishing boats were there as well. They fish at night and rest during the daytime. Going all night meant we missed the Hinchenbrook Channel , a favourite spot for small fishing boats and cruisers who have time to spare just to enjoy the solitude. It is also a good place to wait out unfavourable weather such as a cyclone. Wednesday, May 21 - Mourilyan Harbour to Cairns: Our next stop was Cairns with a possible anchorage before that if it became too late. We were moving well as the winds picked up so passed Fitzroy Island popular with tourists and continued toward Cairns. On approaching Cape Grafton, Captain Cook's first anchorage on arriving in this new land, the winds whipped around the Cape at Mission Bay where we thought of anchoring. It was very unpleasant and too shallow so we called the marina at Cairns 10nm away to see if there was time to enter before dark.
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Darwin and Kupang, Indonesia July 6-26 Our stay in Darwin was very busy. We again had boat work to attend to. The 'gypsy' on our anchor windlass was replaced by a larger gypsy . We found that the one we had was too small and wore out the sprockets causing Al to often pull much of the anchor up by hand. What a wonderful change that was! The proper part for our watermaker arrived after a few exchanges by email to California and Spectra. They finally sent the part without cost and Al had someone help us put it in. Both of these problems had been big and we were glad to start our new passage to Indonesia with them solved. I had also found the correct part for our fridge pump -out and fixed it. One up for me. Between boat work, connecting to Free Radical again (the Canadian couple who we talked to every day as they crossed from New Caledonia and out-sailed a cyclone) since Opua, New Zealand, meeting new cruisers who had spent last season in Australia, etc. We explored Darwin which turned out to be a delightful northern province capital. The surrounding countryside was very parched being the dry season but the town itself made good use of its waterfront where one could walk around the perimeter of the city bypassing the beautiful capital buildings, the new commercial pier, the long beaches of Mindel where twice a week they had a market of crafts and tasty food stalls, and Fanny Bay where those anchored vessels could stay close to the Darwin Sailing Club . The DSC would be where the Darwin/Bali/Kupang Race would start. We enjoyed our 3 weeks to catch up on strengthening our sea legs by walking into town each day and back or across town. Our marina, Tipperary, was small and friendly. We met boats that we had seen up the coast of Oz such as Gandolf (the Jay and Carol who had been in every port ahead of us). Other yachts who were coming on the Darwin/Bali/Kupang rally also gathered here or elsewhere in Darwin. There was a BBQ one night and we met many boat crews who were on the rally (48 altogether). A subsequent meeting although poorly
organized confirmed our departure time on July 26 at 11AM. I'll miss the Aussie night radio show where I got to 'know' the ordinary bloke. The first day and night we had a decent wind but after that it died away and everyone started their engines. For the next 3 days there was very little wind so we put out our fishing line and lo and behold caught a small mackerel which I made into poisson-cru, a marinated raw fish dish famous in Tahiti. It was a relaxing passage except for motoring but we didn't reach the Roti Strait until dark. What an experience, motoring up this passage between Timor and Roti and hundreds of small boats moving left and right in front of us or up and down. All didn't have lights so we had to be super careful especially with the dugouts which were only 1' from the water line. Roti Strait is noted for its high winds but they had died out in the evening although other cruisers had been warned to take down their sails earlier in the day. It was 02:00 before we dropped our anchor a little ways away from the rest of the boats because of the dark. In the morning we checked into Indonesia at 'Teddy's Bar' where Dick McClune from Bali Marina welcomed the Rally cruisers and helped us deal with the local official to process our visas which had been applied for in July including a cruising permit for 3 months. Before this year cruisers had to check in at every port , but now it wasn't necessary and a very welcome change. Kupang has a very interesting history, partly a Dutch colony but with Timorese control in the 18th C. The
Portuguese were expanding in the East and their religion and language remains today in East Timor. It is a busy, port town with a mixture of many cultures. Kupang is a busy, dirty and poor city in Timor which attracts migrants from all over Nusa Tinggara Province (NTT) for short. It is also where Captain Bligh spent a few days after his Bounty misadventure. Most people drive motorbikes and ride Bemos, a van type but with lots of loud music. As you walk down the street the Bemos stop and try to pick you up. We walked the sidewalks, broken and narrow and usually filled with sidewalk ' hawkers of various things'. There were many bike repair shops, gasoline selling in old glass bottles, plastic junk, fruit and veggies sellers, a loud CD music store, etc. And always bargaining whether to catch a Bemo (500R for locals and 2000R asked for tourists), buy at the market or for souvenirs. A CDN $1 = $5500 R . The local Timors were most happy when they had you paying more than half of what they first were charging even after bargaining down. I usually smiled at the game and hoped they knew that I also knew that I 'had been taken' even for a few cents. It was their livelihood and most prices were nothing to the visitor. We spent a few days here looking around and going one day with a group outside the city and enjoying the country with its rice fields and pretty houses tucked inside small garden properties. The old original homes still had grass or thatched roofs and many sat on stilts. This was the dry season but later I could imagine many of these homes close to water needed to sit high. On the trip we visited an old Raja's pool built in the 16thC and still being used by the local children and the women washing clothes in the stream. We also drove to a small waterfall where most of us put on our bathing suits and had a fresh water swim. On our drive and stops we noticed plastic garbage everywhere which has been the case in all the poor countries we have visited. It is a big problem. If you give them your plastic garbage from the boat you wonder how they get rid of it. We also visited Pak Pah and his family who make the sasando, a traditional string instrument made from lontar leaves and bamboo and played like a harp. A young man gave us a concert on his sasando which impressed everyone very much. We could also buy lontar leaf hats which were large conical designed and no good for a boat. Our Rally organizers were having a banquet and entertainment the following Monday but most of us were ready to leave Kupang by Saturday. There was a BBQ Friday night and we thought of going but that day our boat had dragged while we were away and had it rescued by a couple from a NZ boat who came on board, started the engine, and
re-anchored our boat having found the windlass breaker switch. We were lucky to have left the keys on board, but we wondered where our boat was at first. We pulled up anchor in the afternoon first having to get our clearance papers. Several boats left at the same time but they went north to Flores 90nm away and we sailed west to Rinca, a couple of days sail across the Savu Sea, passing south of Flores and north of Sumba and just before Komodo.
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Indonesia - Alone in the Java Sea What is it like to sail alone through the savage and lawless waters of Indonesia? We began our passage through Indonesia in a atmosphere of misinformation, rumours and fear. The notorious Bugis dominated Indonesian waters for centuries, like Scandinavian Vikings in the ninth century. The Bugis were fearless sailors. They built magnificent boats, and created a tradition of piracy checked only temporarily by Dutch administrators in the first part of the twentieth century. Bugi people inhabit most of the south eastern islands of Indonesia, and Indonesia is again back at the top of every pirate area danger list. We wanted to go to Bali and reach Singapore and Malaysia and our sailing route took us directly by several Bugis controlled islands, such as Sumbawa and Komodo. Sailors in Australia marinas regaled us with stories of blatant daylight boardings and boat disappearances. We were daily advised to prepare ourselves for thefts of anything left unlocked on deck and, worse, night boardings by armed gangs with AK47 machine guns. The trial of the perpetrators of the Bali bombing was in process during our time in Australia, and stories of Indonesian or Muslim hatred and violence were published daily in the newspapers and broadcast every night on TV. Warnings of further new or potential terrorist attacks on tourists were issued every few days by the Australian government ( thereby whipping up support for its Afghanistan and Iraq war commitments). Some boat insurance companies cancelled marine insurance coverage for Indonesian waters. Tourists were banned from Sumatra because of the Aceh rebellion. In fact, while preparing for our passage, Aceh rebels on Sumatra captured a freighter in the Malacca Strait and held the vessel and crew for ransom from the Malaysian government. Reports of violence and shootings on the Indonesian border with East Timor were frequent. Many of our circumnavigating sailor friends decided to head south to the Cape of Good Hope in Africa thereby avoiding both Indonesia and Red Sea. We were apprehensive, to say the least, but nevertheless heard enough good reports to stick with our original sail plan, taking us to Timor, Bali, Borneo and then up to Malaysia. Indonesia is a huge country. We had to sail westwards, crossing the Arafura, Timor, Suva and Flores Seas, just to reach Bali. Then we had to change direction and sail north across the Java Sea and part of the South China Sea to reach Singapore and Malaysia. I calculated that our passage through the Indonesian archipaelago to Malaysia would take us about six weeks. Our initial four day passage was short and pleasant. We left Darwin harbour in good weather and crossed the Arafura Sea to Timor, a long wiener shaped island north of Australia; and as we closed on Timor, we began our Indonesian cruising experiences. During our first night in Indonesian waters we encountered uncharted gas wells and oil derricks, unlit long-liner fishing trawlers dragging enormously long hooked lines, nets all over the place (marked in the daytime with faded flags or dirty plastic bottles and invisible at night) and, near the shore, hundreds of small unlit fishing boats, mostly outrigger canoes (or pruhas). Our objective was Kupang, approached through a narrow ten mile strait at the western tip of Timor. Our two hour passage through the strait was the most harrowing two hours of sailing that I have ever experienced. I still have nightmarish visions of hundreds of shadowy fishing boats bearing down on me in the dark from all directions. We entered the strait in the dark and saw some lights ahead of us, but nothing prepared us for the sudden shock of hundreds of moving motorized fishing boats, crisscrossing the strait at high speed all around us. Although some were brightly lit, others turned on lights, or shone spot lights on us, only when we came within a few feet of them. And they moved fast, much faster than us. We, of course, dropped our sails and tried to motor on a steady course in mid channel, but they had the right of way, even though we could not see most of them, at least not until they flashed their lights on us from a few feet away. We heard their noisy, thumping, belching motors come very close to us in the darkness and then felt them move around or past us or behind us like scary jumping shadows. Some of the fishermen yelled and waved. Many came dangerously close just out of curiosity, because I had proper navigation lights and was to them a very strange and foreign vessel. They all towed nets or lines. The wind and current swept us through the strait at about ten knots. I could not stop. It was dangerous to turn or attempt to manoever. I knew the fishermen could see us and I therefore tried to steer a steady course and hoped that they would steer around us. I tried to hold a northerly course, relying on my cockpit chartplotter, as well as an electronic and a magnetic compass. With the strong current and wind, it was a little difficult to hold the course, but I could tell from my instruments that I was making progress. Although I could see nothing but the shadowy forms of the fishing boats, moving around us a few feet away in the dark, my instruments were all giving me the same readings, and I know that we were gradually moving toward the end of the strait and would soon be free of the crowded nightmarish mess. We finally cleared the strait and turned into Kupang harbour at 02:00 hours. Were we ever exhausted! We dropped our anchor in pitch black darkness and celebrated our safe arrival. And in the morning at 04:00 hours, two hours later, we awoke and experienced our first Muslim calls to the mosque; and a few minutes later realized that we were completely surrounded by hundreds of anchored fishing boats, cargo boats, floats, buoys and harbour debris. We will never know how we avoided hitting something or getting our propellor tangled in the loose lines scattered everywhere. Kupang is an old commercial port city, established centuries ago by the Dutch as a trading outpost. What a place! The people are poor. The town is dirty and crowded. A strong military presence dominates. Hundreds of small dry goods stores appear to carry identical inventories of cheap plastic goods piled from floor to ceiling. The air is permeated with a mixture of motor fumes and wood burning ash. There are several large mosques and some old churches scattered throughout the narrow streets, but no parks and few places of interest to tourists. Why did we stop? Kupang is an entry port, the next being Bali, a thousand miles and several days farther west. We cleared in with the authorities and obtained our required cruising permit, entitling us to sail westward to Bali at our leisure. We also wanted diesel fuel and some provisions. The diesel was bunkered out to us in jerry cans. We filtered it , luckily, because the filter caught a considerable amount of crud that would probably have clogged our engine. We stayed in Kupang for four days, visiting markets and the single internet cafe at the government telephone company building, and taking an informal one-day tour to visit the few nearby country-side attractions. After receiving our papers and obtaining diesel, we were anxious to leave. We sailed alone westward across the Timor Sea and the Suva Sea up to the islands of Rinca and Komodo, into the Flores Sea and across the north coasts of Sumbawa and Lombok, stopping at islands or village anchorages for brief night stops along the way. We interspersed our day sails with a few overnighters. Our biggest problems turned out to be the interisland currents. The tides in the straits between the islands are irregular and move at speeds which exceed boat power speed, even with the engine rev'd up at full throttle. The tidal currents are phenomenal and govern the timing of any crossing between islands. We were cautious and careful in choosing our anchorages and routes among the islands. That being said, we were never threatened and never felt in danger (excepting one night when the wind picked up and shifted at 01:00 hours and rocking waves convinced us to pick up our anchor and leave six hours earlier than we had planned). We were comfortable sailing among the many small fishing boats in the daytime, always getting friendly waves and smiles. At night, we usually anchored near fishing vessels and always got polite waves and smiles. The fishermen were too busy with their own gear and boats to pay much attention to us, and we did not hang around long enough in any one place to attract much attention from unwanted guests. All the people that we met were friendly. We could easily communicate by simple sign language. A few, men mostly, were aggressive and some were a little grasping or greedy and had to be firmly told we had nothing for them. We experienced no thefts, but, again, we did not leave much opportunities for thieves. We saw all manner of local fishing craft. Some were amazingly crafted vessels. Some were sturdy and seaworthy, obviously built to withstand any storm with the highest pounding seas. Some were ingeniously fabricated canoes pieced together with sticks and twine. Every island has its own style of craft. In Eastern Indonesia, near Timor, where the people have Melanesian features, the fishing crafts are similar in many ways to the outrigger dugout canoes seen in Fiji and New Guinea. In Lombok and Bali, the boats look like outrigger surf boards with huge colourful sails. The men fly across the water at great speeds on their light shallow craft, all the while pulling and tugging lines or nets. They all waved and smiled at us. Apart from the tidal currents in the straits, the sailing was marvelous in this part of Indonesia. Most of the islands have huge, spectacular volcanos and all of them have miles and miles of palm tree lined beaches. We saw incredible coral reefs and fascinating waterfront fishing villages. The islands here have not been discovered. We saw no other white people on our two week sail between Kupang and Lombok. Then we reached Bali, the tourist mecca , and found civilization and hotels and restaurants and cars and garbage and pollution. We were relieved to reach Bali safely. While our experiences had been fascinating, we had been in very remote and strange places after leaving Kupang. If something had happened to us or to the boat, we could not have called 911. We would have been on our own with no available services for hundreds of miles. While local fishermen might have helped us in a pickle, we would have had language problems, and there is no discernable government or police system in the remote islands of Indonesia. There is some kind of navy, but its purpose appears to be limited to the protection of the central government authority in Jakarta. So we were nervous on our journey and glad to finally be in a place where we felt comfortable and could sleep soundly at night.
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Bali, Singapore and beyond Friday, August 22: We left Bali fully loaded with food, fuel and water, with several boats to Ambat on the NE corner of Bali to prepare the next day for Borneo with a stop on the way at Kangean Islands. After a rolly night in Ambat our 3 boats left early afternoon for the overnight passage to the Kangean Islands while a few others boats went further west to another anchorage on the north coast of Bali. We struggled through the contrary winds and waves and constantly had to avoid the large ships in the busy Java Sea. One ship got so close to us we had to hand steer in the opposite direction with full sails up to avoid collision as they shone their flood light on our boat. They weren't going to change course. It was difficult to stick together with 2 other boats and we entered a quiet anchorage picked from the chart and cruisers notes an hour or so before the others. Not that we were faster but we took a different course. Sunday - Saturday, August 24-30: After a good night's rest we were all prepared for the 4 day's sail to the Kumai River in Borneo (Kalamantan). The wind and seas were much calmer so we had to do a lot of motor sailing for several days. We all kept in touch twice a day and found out that Free Radical was going to reach the mouth of the river 12 hours ahead of ourselves and Duetto , a NZ motorsailer. On the 26th we anchored in the dark at the mouth of the river with plenty of room in 25'. Duetto and Solara were going to take the river passage the next day in good light, a long day's trip. There were small fishing boats all around us but we were comfortably anchored and ready for sleep after the long trip. The trip up the river is well documented by Al's log plus our trip to see the orangutans. It was a highlight of Indonesia and well worth the extra time it took. Our group was one of the first to arrive this way but soon there would be many cruisers to follow. Because of this we were received with excitement and anticipation of more tourists to come. On the way back we looked for proboscis monkeys hanging in the trees lining the river edge. They are very different with their long hanging noses. As well we had a visit from gibbons at the park when we took a break in the afternoon. That makes several kinds of primates we have seen on our travels. We also saw an abundance of fireflies lighting up the mangroves like Christmas lights, a sight we hadn't seen since summer nights at home. Sunday, August 31 to Tuesday, Sept 2: It would take us 2 1/2 days to reach Serutu, a small island on our way to the Singapore Strait. Again, we were with our friends just keeping in touch but usually not seeing each other as we often took different courses. By early Tuesday morning we could see Serutu in the center of the South China Sea. We had a good sail up its east side with good winds coming off the point of land before heading west into the anchorage. It was a lovely small bay and we all decided to stay a couple of days to rest. Duetto, unfortunately, caught a large fishing net in his propellor, just before the island, and got a tow into the anchorage from Free Radical as we had already anchored. They had come in from the west side right into the wind and couldn't sail. It took Geoff hours to untangle the line. In the meantime Al and I got our dinghy down for the first time since Kupang when it was damaged. A guy in Bali temporarily had 'fixed' our propellor as long as it didn't hit anything. The motor kept conking out until he cleaned the spark plugs and checked the fuel and oil mixture in the tank. We took the time to change the diesel oil etc (what rest?). But we went ashore with the others and enjoyed the small beach and a chance to burn our garbage. We saw a few local fishermen paddling into the small stream to find water in a nearby well. One of them asked for some brochures we had planned to burn. He loved the pictures. We enjoyed our days there before heading for the Singapore Strait 300nm to the north. Friday, September 5: We left Serutu after breakfast with a 25K wind but in the afternoon those winds died down and we had to motor the rest of the night. We kept our watches during the nights but found fewer fishing boats and less freighters as they traveled a different route closer to Sumatra. Our concern re pirates had no base as no one bothered us. Our winds were either too light to keep up with the other boats sailing or if we motored we had to go up to 20 000 revs to be able to anchor at the same time on Sunday with the other 2 boats. Sunday, September 7: On our trip north we passed the equator and had a drink to Neptune. It seemed less dramatic than our trip south in the Pacific but we were glad to be in the Northern Hemisphere again and see the Northern Lights. We arrived in the dark after the other boats in a beautiful bay in front of a busy resort on the island of Bintan, Indonesia. It seemed to be busy with Singaporeans who have no beach on their own island. We could see Singapore across the Strait and all its busy traffic. We chose to come up the eastern end of Bintan, Indonesia as rumours went that going through the Riau Group to the west of Bantam was dangerous this year from pirates. Monday, September 8: We left the Indonesian anchorage and didn't plan to stop again until Singapore as we had cleared out in Kumai. Heading west to Nungsa Point off Batam was easy but then we had to cross the busy Strait perpendicular to all the large ships going East and West. At this point our motor wasn't charging and during the day the amps were adding up to -100. I suspected our regulator was gone with all the hard motoring the day before as the alternator seemed to be working. We had no choice but to keep motoring and using all the electronics going through the heavy traffic. It was a good thing we were heading for a marina as we wouldn't have any electicity after today. Listening to the VHF during our trip was interesting as there was a constant communication between ships, harbour masters, police, and coast guard etc. We spent our time avoiding collisions (big ships do collide), keeping our course, watching for buoys and markers and generally keeping our wits about us. Duetto followed along but FR decided to anchor just to the north of Singapore in Malaysia passing around the east side. We reached Raffles mid afternoon which was in the NE section of Singapore Is. The country seemed to be adding more and more 'land' through dredging and moving closer to Malaysia which causes them much concern. Tuesday-Thursday, September 8-18: If one ever wants to be spoiled you go to Raffles marina, named after Sir Raffles who founded Singapore in the 19thC. It is a high class marina but as a Bali regatta participant we took up their offer of 10 days for the price of a week. We experienced our first Sumatra on that first day of arrival with high winds, black skies, and heavy rain. These Sumatras coming from the NW would be with us periodically until the NE monsoons kick in in December. The marina offers golfcart vehicles to your boat if needed to transport heavy equipment. We also had a beautiful pool, restaurants, work-out rooms, fancy showers and bathrooms with AC that wouldn't be duplicated again in SE Asia. There was a free bus to the LRT stop that would take you into the downtown and a chandlery for arranging parts and service. The first thing was to fix our electrical problem. It was the regulator which had to be ordered from the US. Problems could be solved easily in Singapore if you had the money. We spent the week exploring Singapore with its easy transportation, doing
a lot of walking, visiting little India, China town, the Bird Park and Sentosa, a small recreational island off the south coast but very touristy. Everyone lives in groups of high rises as the old communities were torn down (mixed feelings re that). Many rules of
behavior are found everywhere you look but the people live well and don't lack for goods. On the LRT everyone around us,
especially young people, carried cell phones that they played with or talked into constantly. We saw that everywhere we went. Top electronic gear could be purchased economically in the special
high-rise malls in downtown Singapore. Soon we were ready to leave for a cheaper place in Malaysia but with fond memories of Singapore
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Singapore to Malaysia Thursday, September 18, Singapore to Penang, Malaysia: It was time to leave Raffles. Reluctantly, we and Duetto left for a small island in the Malacca Strait heading for Port Dickson further along 140 nm. We wanted to do day sailing due to the hundreds of fishing boats, lines and buoys in the Strait. It was suggested that one heads out to 100' depth to avoid most of this mess but to stay on the eastern edge of the shipping lanes to avoid getting run over by large freighters. Friday, September 19: After an overnight rest in this rolly place we left early (04:00) for the Water Islands 60nm away. It was a much pleasanter day but we had to motor all the way into the wind but staying outside the fishing boats if possible. Pulau Besar was a good shelter from the western rollers and we could have visited the deserted resort that had been built a few years ago. Apparently there is a deserted pool and empty restaurant and a few people who tend the place. A ferry leaves for Malacca a few times a day if you don't want to take your boat into the dirty river of Malacca. We decided to visit that interesting town from Port Dickson. Saturday, September 20- October 17: We left Pulau Besar at 0:800 for Port Dickson 45nm away. Again, a lovely sunny day but with little wind. Admiral Marina is approached by carefully following way points in a deeper channel in the shallow water outside the marina. It was built a few years ago and looks very grandiose but as a well serviced facility it lacked the finesse of Raffles. The price was higher than last year but we planned to stay for a month to do some traveling inland. We checked into the country of Malaysia here by taking a public bus for 80p each to the town of Port Dickson. ( less than 25 cents US). Right away you know that you are in a Muslim country where most of the women, young and old wear covered clothing to the ankles and head scarves fastened with fancy pins to cover the neck. The cruising ladies wear sarongs to the ankles or long pants in order not to insult the women. Port Dickson is a small coastal town and very traditional. There is a large Indian community here as well and most of the restaurants are Indian run. Beer is not sold in restaurants except in Chinese places and pork is not sold anywhere unless you find a Chinese store which imports meat from elsewhere. It took me awhile to find places to food shop which meant traveling around the town on foot to find certain delicacies such as a Chinese store which sold frozen chicken breast meat and the open market which carried wonderful fresh vegetables and fruits. We also found the internet, always one of the first places we look for. Strangely, the one 'mall' didn't open until noon and the supermarket there sold only dried fish, no cheese or milk. The importance of Port Dickson was its link to other places by bus. You could get a direct bus for $5US for Kuala Lumpur (popularly known as KL), a 2 hour trip, or 2 buses with a connection through Seremban to Malacca or KL by a more comfortable bus. We also needed to do some maintenance as usual such as varnishing. As we stayed other yachts arrived and left but we got caught up by several boats we knew from Darwin and had a good visit exchanging news etc. Malacca: Our first overnight was to see Malacca. You could do it in one day but short change yourself in the process. And it was a nice way to get off the boat. After a bus trip taking a good part of the day we checked in at the historic guest house called Heeren House in amongst the old Chinese shops. Malacca is a very historic city where you catch glimpses of the Portuguese, Dutch and English control from the 16th to the 20th Century where finally the country of Malaysia became independent in 1957 after the second WW. Before that it was a famous port city due to its position midway between the east and west trade route. It also became a wealthy city ruled by the good administration of various wise sultans expanding into the Malay peninsula and spreading Islam throughout. The Dutch, Portuguese and English could never retain its wealth and all that can be seen now is a sturdy fort built by the Portuguese and a few large Dutch administration buildings still used today and dominating the central square of Malacca. It was fun walking through the old Chinese part of the city and checking out all the 'antique' shops. A day site seeing and a bed and bath away from the boat was all we needed and we had an uneventful bus ride back to the marina at Port Dickson. Besides getting the inevitable boat work done we got 2 visits to Kuala Lampur partly to obtain our Indian visas and another time connecting to a bus for a few days to Taman Negara National Park, Malaysia's most famous with its 130 million year old rain forest, and a day's drive by bus with a 2 hour boat ride up the river to the resort where we were staying. It turned out to be an expensive trip as the resort arranging our visit had us staying in a very expensive hotel in KL explaining that we must be there to catch our bus to the park the next day. It turned out to depart from a different hotel. The trip to the park gave us a good insight into the interior of Malaysia and an interesting ride in a long boat showing us how the river people lived along the shore including a tribe of orang asli who live in isolation. The resort itself seemed 'tired' and there wasn't much to do although several excursions were offered. We started to hike into the jungle on a marked trail but when we started to pick up leeches on our ankles it was time to turn around. The place was still very wet from the SW monsoon season. I enjoyed the canopy walk far into the trees but saw no birds or wildlife. Al thought it a waste of time but for me a good change from sailing. The other 2 trips were exploring Kuala Lampur some more with its tall twin towers called Petronas Twin Towers currently the tallest two free standing towers of 88 stories but only half occupied. Visitors can only go up to the bridge between them. There was much we didn't see in KL but we did take advantage of the DVD movie copies sold everywhere and cheap take offs of designer goods. KL would never stand up to the perfection of Singapore but it tries hard. Cambodia: Our second away trip was to Cambodia, a memorable visit to a sad war torn country. We took a plane from KL airport to Phnom Penh, a trip of 2 hours. Getting a visa was simple. You pay 10$US each at the airport and your particulars get passed down through 10 officials sitting in a booth. Since we had planned only 4 days Al arranged everything through an agent but one could do it much cheaper with the 'Lonely Planet' guide and taking care not to be swayed by the innumerable touts at the airport. We had a partial day and evening in Phnom Penh but were constantly moved by the beggars and war victims with missing limbs often caused by the millions of land mines left behind. The highlight of our trip was Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. We took a modern fast boat up the Tonle Sap River which flows northward into the Tonle Sap Lake from the famous Mekong River in Vietnam. The river trip took many hours giving us a real view of river life in the wet season. People lived on house boats and moved with the season. The large lake provides fish protein and irrigation water for half of Cambodia. After getting settled in our hotel the next day was spent visiting the most famous Wats (temples). They were spectacular and the country makes full use of its cultural heritage enticing thousands of tourists. Our trip was soon over but we'll never forget Cambodia. Saturday, October 17: We left this morning early as usual for points north on the Malacca strait. Back to ship watching, fish net avoidances and hopefully good weather. Our first overnight stop was Lumut just outside Port Klang and the Royal Selangor Yacht Club. We anchored in the quiet strait before the river and away from commercial traffic. Sunday, October 18-20: We made other small stops at Pangkor, a tourist area and again enroute to Penang, a deep tenuous anchorage but secure enough for an overnight. A loud explosion in the night soon made us aware of dynamite fishing, not very legal. Our sail to Penang the next night had us moving in 1.5 m swells and constant rain.
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Thailand It was a short sail to our first stop on the island of Phuket in the bay of Ao Chalaong. Many cruisers anchored here the entire time of their one month stay in Thailand. There were many boat services here and Phuket town was a short taxi ride away. The few times we spent there the winds from the east whipped the large bay bouncing the boats and making the anchorage very uncomfortable. Getting the dinghy to shore posed another problem especially in low tide. After a couple of days we had to make our way up the east side to the entrance to Boat Lagoon. The narrow winding channel into the marina takes at least an hour so we needed light and high tide to enter. For that reason we anchored behind an island close by which was a small play ground for daytime tourists with a pearl farm close by. We had to be in the marina as our daughter, Vicky, was arriving and we had preparations to make for the longer passage across the Indian Ocean. Boat Lagoon is set amidst a number of tour offices, services, a large boat yard and several restaurants. There were many large power boats permanently settled there and only a few transient boats like ourselves. They were having a boat show in December so we had to leave after a week for 10 days and hope they'd take us back again. In spite of these problems we enjoyed the swimming pools, the spa and the special coffee shop which sold wonderful pastries and breads. We were able to get canvas work done including repairs, and have our stove reconditioned, almost back to new. That was the best thing that happened. We had ordered some stove parts from Vancouver and they arrived in duty free Langkawi just after we left. Hanto Yo, a German boat leaving later, brought them to us soon after our arrival. An enterprising Chinese stove man picked up our stove and kept it for 10 days leaving us with a small camping stove. Hence, we were glad to eat out often. Good excuse for the cook. Phuket town was a reasonable taxi drive away. We learned to negotiate the price or take the bus. The first time we went to Phuket town we took a small bus that made it difficult to see out the small windows. We had to find Customs, Immigration and Port Authority in town. We didn't know where to get off and as the bus was beginning to leave for the other side of town I saw a building with Immigration on the front. Needless to say we tapped on the driver's window to let us off. The checking in was no problem except Port Authority was another taxi ride away. A friendly tuk tuk driver with his small 3 wheeled vehicle took us for a negotiated fee and we finally finished the business of checking in. Phuket town had everything we needed and after a few visits we knew our way around although I often find the best shops on my last day in these new places. December 5-11 Nai Harn Bay, Thailand: We had to leave Boat Lagoon for a week due to their boat show and decided to sail to a western bay called Nai Harn because of the NE monsoon. It was a good sail with following winds through Ao Chalong Bay and around to Nai Harn. At the time Nai Harn was quiet and beautiful. A few restaurants lined the beach and one hotel dominated the western side. We could take our dinghy carefully to the beach taking care to pull up with the waves and not get swept out again. It was a good change from the marina and several boats anchored there who were participating in the King's Cup race that week in the next bay. The King of Thailand sponsored the race each year and many large boats participated with multiple crews giving Phuket a festive air. As the week progressed we had tested many restaurants here and about but the bay later became very rolly due to a severe weather system in the Indian Ocean, probably a cyclone. These large rollers meant going to the beach was impossible. Al tried it one morning and almost flipped the dinghy, not with me in it thank goodness. December 11: We had to fight high seas and strong winds on the nose coming around the SW corner of Phuket but as we headed back into Ao Chalong there was protection from the 25K winds. The bay as usual was choppy so we decided to anchor at the east side with protection from the NE monsoon. Most boats we knew put up with the occasional bouncy time to be close to all services and with a free anchorage. December 12: From Ao Chalong we headed back up against the wind to Koh Rang, a small island just outside the entrance to Boat Lagoon. This time we dinghied over to the shore and visited the pearl museum and the small restaurant . That day a large group of Asian tourists were enjoying their day on the beach with small kayaks. December 13-21: Once the tide was high enough we again entered the winding channel to Boat Lagoon and settled into a berth. Back to showers, pools, etc. We arranged a taxi for the morning to get the airport to pick up Vicky. It was great seeing her again and knowing she would be sailing with us to Sri Lanka. She enjoyed the luxury of the marina and she and I even got to Phuket town to see the opening of the last episode of Lord of the Rings. Not having been to a movie in this part of the world it was surprising to have to stand for the National Anthem and see the King's face on the screen come alive from an elaborate mosaic. I remember standing for the Canadian Anthem year's ago at the movies. The week went by quickly provisioning in town or at the large mall. Al gave Vicky and myself a Thai massage for Christmas so we spent a good half day getting pampered. December 21-25: We finally left Boat Lagoon but had to check out of the country first at Ao Chalong, the complete check out services became effective at Ao Chalong not long before. After anchoring there overnight we had to dinghy into the bay and find all the various authorities. Fortunately, we were first at the office, as soon after many people arrived from other yachts to check in or out, mainly into Thailand for Christmas. I tried to find a few more fresh provisions before leaving for Kata Beach, one bay up from Nai Harn and on our way north to the Andaman Islands. Even though we had checked out of the country it was possible to anchor in places as we moved north. The coast road went around Kata Beach and it was possible to take a taxi elsewhere. We passed Free Radical who were anchored at Nai Harn and they pulled up anchor to spend a day with us at Kata. Julie, Vicky and I took a taxi to Patong a few miles north, a busy tourist area to check out the sleazy streets and sex spots. You can see many western men with Thai women who knew how to attract men with their lovely figures and know-how. There are a few cruising captains who have South Asian honeys sailing with them. We visited the last supermarket before leaving Thailand and Vicky found a few souvenirs as well. Most of our cruising friends were staying for a Christmas pot luck and the big fireworks at Patong beach at New Year's, a yearly celebration. We left Kata for a bay further north before heading west to the Similan Islands. We found a very quiet bay just south of Laem Sai Point. There was a small village with a restaurant and a few small guest houses occupied mainly by tourists on a budget. The beach was very nice and not full of swinging noisemakers like at Patong. The restaurant was preparing for a Christmas eve banquet and we could have made a reservation but we decided to retire early and leave a daybreak for the Similans 60nm away. December 25-Christmas Day, Ko Similan: It was a beautiful spot to celebrate Christmas. Although busy with tourist boats we found a mooring ball and paid a small fee to the park ranger to spend a few days here snorkeling and climbing the rocky hills. The area around Phuket is not good for snorkeling. East of the island the waters are shallow and silty from nearly rivers. The same west of Phuket. We celebrated our Christmas morning on the 26th in Ko Similan. I put up our plastic blow-up Christmas tree, we had our orange juice and champagne breakfast and Vicky made the crepes. Gifts were exchanged and then a trip over to the park for swimming etc. We did have one job to do. Our sail had torn and had to be repaired. That was a good half day job plus the shackle holding the main sheet on the traveller had sheared off, fortunately after we had moored, or the boom would have been out of control and needed to be jury rigged. Al found a temporary metal piece that we're still using in April. December 28-31: After 3 days on Ko Similan we left for the Andaman Islands 3 day sail away. We had good winds from the NE but we came across ripples of water several times which were peculiar to these waters. The ripples produces strange winds and currents as well. It was almost as though the boat was amongst the eddies and overfalls in a river. This was Vicky's first overnight sailing with night watches and she took it like a pro. It was good to have that extra sleep. December 31: We started calling Port Control in Port Blair 6 hours from port as suggested. It wasn't until 07:00 that they answered 5 hours later. They then gave us permission to enter. This being part of India meant reams of bureaucracy in port and entry. We were now in India.
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February 21-29 Gulf of Aden to Eritrea About 13 boats left Salalah on Saturday, February 21 in order to pass through the 'pirate area' during the week instead of a weekend. (pirate information and avoidance comes mainly from noonsite web site for sailors). The winds were light and we motored a lot. The plan was to head for a waypoint about 200 hundred miles further along the Gulf and gather there. That would determine which boats travelled about the same speed and make up convoys which will go through the problem area together. Since 1998 there had been 18 reported incidences either of piracy or attempted piracy in a particular area that we had to go through. As we approached the waypoint just before the bad area we were a group of 4 with one boat 10nm ahead and others zipping ahead on their own. That night the boat ahead of us called 'MayDay' and gave their position. This boat, 'Klondike' speeded up and finally got away from the fast fishing type boat. During this time Al offered to use our satellite phone to call an anti-piracy number in Australia, which in turn gets the message to Kuala Lumpur which heads the anti-piracy association in the area and finally to the authorities in the Gulf. No ships or coalition ships answered the VHF Mayday call. Later that night Klondike was pursued by another , faster boat which got so close that the men almost jumped on. Again they outran this boat, shot off flares and did what they could to discourage the boat. They then headed to our convoy to be with other boats. It was a close call both times.* A few days later, a French boat had been boarded and robbed in the same place. In both cases these attacks happened 10 miles before the so called bad area. We knew it was best to keep 100 miles from Somalia on the South side and 25-50 miles from Yeman. These pirates were usually Yeman and in some cases bringing refugees to Yeman from Somalia. At the designated waypoint we five boats planned a formation for the night using our radar to keep together and our lights off. Before that during the day a large coalition warship from Spain came to our group to get the information first hand from Klondike. That proved to us that no yacht could depend on any support during an attack. Before the warship arrived a helicopter flew over and got particulars from each yacht such as nationality, crew numbers and destination. We hung around while the Spanish did their interview with Klondike arriving to their boat in a large zodiac. After all was over the happy group of young Spanish sailors gave each boat 2 bottles of really good Spanish wine. The night we kept our formation and kept in touch by SSB and when daylight came we were very relieved that we had finally passed the area with no more Mayday calls. A helicopter came back that day to see if we were OK. As we neared Aden three of the boats in our group decided to go into Aden along with other boats before us and many of those following but we as well as 'Blackwattle' from Australia continued on to take advantage of the light winds to go through the Straits of Bab el Mandeb and the Red Sea. Al's goal was to reach the Red Sea by the end of February and we just made it. Bab el Mandeb - Black Wattle and ourselves decided that going through the smaller strait would be easy enough at night as the winds were lighter and there wasn't a chance of running into large ships in the large channel. We cruisers had heard or read many stories about the high winds at this point. Knowing cruisers as we do these stories get passed around easily and take on a different sinister flavour. As it was we had a quiet passage through but with our sails reefed down just in case. We followed up the eastern side past the first port and toward the Hanish Islands. When daylight came we crossed the shipping lanes south of the Hanish Islands, now part of Yeman, and over to the West side of the Red Sea. Now the SE winds really came up to 25-30 knots when we were planning to stop after such a harrowing trip since Salalah. Our goal was Marsa Dudo some miles north of Aseb, Eritrea but the winds, choppy waves and scary looking approach to our first anchorage caused us to continue north instead. With the good winds behind us we continued and found the night quite relaxing with no ships or fishing boats nearby. We continued this way toward Massawa, Eritrea until I really felt we needed to stop at a bay call Anfile Bay. It was beautiful, peaceful and quiet with only birds for company. I could have stayed 2 nights after we had been out so long and gone through the Gulf of Aden and the pirates. Black Wattle called us from 3 hours away and also decided to join us there. They were also exhausted. Next stop, Massawa, Eritrea * to get a first hand account of Klondike's experience go to < www.noonsite.com> and the piracy link. |
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March 2-11, Massawa, Eritrea Anfile Bay was about a day's sail or motor away to our next stop. We decided to leave the next day for Massawa, Eritrea. It was daylight which meant we could see the various reefs around and the proper channel into the harbour area. The coast was very flat so nothing could be seen until we were close. Being the only shipping port town there were many ships outside and in the harbour. We called the port authority for permission to enter and we were told to tie up at the dock which didn't look that good for our boat because of the large black tires on the side. Black Wattle said we could tie up beside them which was nice for us and then Al took our papers to the various authorities and we were then legally entered with very little cost. The anchorage was some distance from the entrance but there was lots of room and not many boats had arrived yet. Mike was the cruisers contact and help in obtaining fuel, water and other assorted things. The port of Massawa was showing considerable war damage, with many bombed out buildings after conflict with Ethiopia and after a 1990 bombing by northern rebels to free Massawa from Ethiopian control. Eritrea and Ethiopia had been in conflict for 30 years. A 1952 UN resolution had Ethiopian and Eritrea as one with Eritrea autonomous but this didn't work and a secessionist movement began soon after. Before all that Eritrea and Ethiopia were ruled by Haile Selassie and his palace remains can still be seen in Massawa. In 1941 the Italians, having been there since the late 19th century, were defeated by the British who ruled until 1952. You can see the suffering and damage that took place and border conflicts still arise with Sudan, Ethiopia and rebels in the north. Finally Eritrea became independent in 1991. The rebel heroes are idolized in posters and a large statue of the sandals worn by these freedom fighters stand in a square in Asmara, the capitol. We felt welcome here but Massawa was a tired, war torn city, the people poor and the infrastructure weak. There was little employment and many men sat around the bars throughout the day. The country had suffered disease and starvation especially in the 1970's. The cafes, such as they were, were always full and the local beer, Asmara, was good. Most of the locals drank tea, coke or coffee as they were Muslim. Provisioning was not good in Massawa but the bread was tasty. Many people spoke Italian and were disappointed when we couldn't reciprocate. Mike invited four of us for a special Eritrean coffee 'ceremony'. We went to his home and his wife roasted the raw beans, hand ground them with a mortar and pestle and cooked the coffee in a special clay pot on their charcoal stove. It took a long time but 'wow', what wonderful coffee. Black Wattle, ourselves and Revision 11 with an English couple, arranged a 3 day trip to Aswara, the capitol of Eritrea. The trip was recommended by many cruisers as Asmara had a real Italian atmosphere from the time of the Italian occupation before 1941. The various buildings in Asmara were Italian design and others with art deco featurea. The place was like a breath of fresh air. Of course it was cooler in the mountains air but it was also not showing war damage, had wonderful restaurants and a feeling of prosperity. The place was rilled, though, with UN workers because of past conflicts, starvations, and droughts. Asmara was also a good place to buy some good Italian provisions plus the outdoor market was much better here. Although expensive I was excited to get some Parmesan cheese, salami and other things. We also got our Egyptian visa there in one day where it usually took 2 days as we had arrived on a holiday weekend by error. It was March 8, a universal Woman's day, mostly celebrated in Africa and other developing countries. After getting back many other boats had arrived but we were preparing to leave. It was nice to see Free Radical again after Salalah. We just leave as they arrive in many cases or vice versa. The weather seemed to be into a weather window and our first day would be a very short 10 miles to Sheik el Abu and Harat Islands, the anchorage was in between these two and very comfortable that night. March 11-18 Massawa to Suakin, Sudan After our first anchorage we sailed further north to Difnein Island, a small island, because the winds were light the anchorage was quiet but it could be rolly in higher winds. We went on an overnight from there to Kor Narawat, a popular and quiet bay on the South Sudanese coast. There were a few of us there but we all planned to leave in the morning so no one did any visiting. Our goal was the Shubuk channel, an intricate but protected channel parallel to the coast, and then to Suakin. The winds were coming up again so we headed for an outer island called Talla Talla Saqir about 15 miles off shore. There were many Sudanese fishing boats anchored behind the island, some big and others much smaller. The next day, March 15, we had a rough but good sail direction west to the Shubuk channel and shelter from the 20-25 Knot winds. We anchored at Long Island at the entrance to the channel. There were about 8 of us here waiting for calmer weather. The next day Al wanted to try for the channel and take a stop just beyond but as we left the anchorage the wind and waves were so strong we couldn't make any headway. It wasn't worth the trouble and the winds behind the island didn't indicate the true conditions. So back we came and no boats had started out with us but waited for our attempt. Wednesday, March 17 The winds had lightened so we slowly motored carefully through the channel watching for the markers, the reefs, the charts and pilot directions. Not always good for wife/husband relations. Looking back there were 3 boats following us, real wimps. After the channel we continued motoring straight against the wind to Suakin, another 15 miles. The other 3 boats behind us went into a Marsa and 2 others sailed the distance outside the channel, a good way to save diesel. Soon we saw the entrance markers to Suakin harbour, our first port in Sudan. |