Saturday 22 September 2007

Back to Malaysia & Thailand

16th August 2007 - Langkawi, Malaysia

We touched down at Kuala Lumpur airport at about 6.30am, after a rather bumpy flight all the way from South Africa. I could only but think about the many yachts crossing the Indian Ocean from the Maldives or Chagos. The Westerly Monsoons were blowing and if we were "uncomfortable" up here, how were they doing down there!! After checking in through customs and immigration, we picked up our luggage and headed for the bus stop. At about 8.30am we caught a bus to the domestic airport where we were to board an Air Asia flight at 10.30am to take us to Langkawi Island. We realised that we would run into a problem with our excess luggage weight! In South Africa we were over by some 20kg's and that was with a luggage allowance of 20kg's per person. Air Asia only allowed 15kg's per person which meant that we were over by some 40 kg's! Myself and B crammed as much into our hand luggage as we could and gave it a go. However at check in we ran into a problem with the excess weight and were being rushed an additional 10 Ringet (R20) per kg! I decided to try courier the goods to Langkawi and enquired on costs. Initially we were told RM3.60 but on later inspection, found it to be more than Air Asia. No luck with the courier option so it was back to check in, and after some hard bargaining, I managed to secure the additional luggage at a greatly reduced fare, some RM200 in total. (R400)

B: This important luggage consisted of boogie boards, Mrs. Balls chutney, Pronutro, Jungle Oats granola, wine gums and Marmite plus all the novels and books plundered from our families so it was cheap at the price.

Finally we boarded and within an hour we were on final approach into Langkawi. All around we could see paddy fields saturated with water, signs that heavy rainfalls had beaten us into Langkawi. We stepped out into sweltering heat, humidity and muggy conditions. We were back! After picking up our "expensive" luggage, we secured a taxi and headed out to the supermarket to pick up a few groceries. A quick stock up and with food for a few days, we proceeded to the jetty where the ferry left for Rebak Marina Resort. Like traveling hillbillies, we loaded all our goods onto the ferry and sat back as the small ferry pulled away from the jetty and headed on out towards Rebak. Now the thoughts started going through our heads. How was Shayile? Had anything gone wrong? After some 3 months off Shayile we longed to see her. She was not just a boat, but an extension of our family and we looked forward to being reunited. As the ferry motored into the marina, we could make out the stern of Shayile, parked proudly on the walk-on and looking great. I turned to B and said, "Hell, she is a beautiful yacht?" Her lines were streamlined, almost stealth looking, her side windows portraying prey mantis eyes, pointing forward, her bow slightly up. She looked good! None of us could get off the ferry quick enough and make our way across to her. With all our luggage, the ferry skipper was kind enough to pull up on the jetty alongside Shayile so that we could unloaded all the luggage. This we did and then without hesitation, we climbed on board and opened her up. After 3 months of being closed up, she was not a pretty sight inside. There was mould on the leather seats and patches on the fiber glass roof. It was stuffy and in need of a serious cleanout, but this would come. Right now we just wanted to sort out the essentials, have something to drink, and get some sleep!

   

               B and Jenna on the ferry


 
Ferry jetty on route to Rebak    

Work begins in Rebak!

With the family now settled back into life on Shayile, I had plenty on my plate! First on my list was to get Shayile out the water and on to the hard. (Hard stand where yacht repairs take place) Between cleaning Shayile and getting to meet everyone in Rebak, I went about organising the mechanic to sort out the engines and catch up with a local contractor named Hamid who was carrying out some cosmetic painting and other smaller tasks on Shayile. 5 days after getting back to Rebak, we fired up the one engine on Shayile that was working, (albeit just!) and motored across to the travel lift. Here we gently maneuvered Shayile into the cradle and within minutes we were on the cradle and being motored across to where we would be positioned for the next 2 weeks. It is always very stressful having your boat lifted out of the water and I had to keep reminding myself that Shayile only weighted some 7 tons whilst other boats being lifted out daily weighed anything up to 25 tons! Once in position on the hard stand, Shayile was propped up and supported. A ladder was put in place so that we could climb on board and we were now ready to tackle the work required!

                                  

                     Shayile on the hard in Rebak                                                


The travel lift and haul out facility

Our primary reason for hauling out was to see to the engines and sail drives. (gear box and propeller part of the engine) The local mechanic contractor, Zainol, was called in and briefed on the task. I made it very clear to him that our next leg was a long one with plenty of motoring. With a family on board and us venturing into Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, I needed the engines to be in tip top shape. There was not much chance in trying to repair faulty engines in PNG and I wanted to leave Malaysia 110% happy with the engines performance. Now was the chance to ensure this was the case. Some additional painting and gel coat work also needed doing and it was Hamid who set about doing the work. Further to this I was going to tackle a number of smaller tasks like applying a coat of antifouling, polishing Shayile and 43 other "minor" issues. Well, over the next 2 weeks I worked extremely hard labouring both inside and outside Shayile. The weather did not make working very easy. Either it poured with rain or we sweltered! As the days went by, I slowly ticked off the jobs one by one.

Fortunately, there was also the compulsory socialising. A few boats down from Shayile was Yacht Katrine with Don and Jeanne Pickers on board. It was a recipe for social interaction once the work was over each day. Don and Jeanne are two of the finest people we have met whilst sailing. Don, being an absolute master with his hands, decided to extend Katrine by 2 feet! He literally cut off the back (stern) and extended her by 2 feet! Unreal and something that I would not even consider, never mind tackle! Don and Jeanne built Katrine themselves, with Don being the contractor. It took them some 2 years to build and Katrine is a beauty! Sadly there is a tragic side of the story. Don and Jeanne's daughter, Katherine, was an inspiration behind the building of the yacht. She was an adventurous person and very involved in the scuba diving scene. Unfortunately just months before the yacht was completed, Katherine was killed in a motor vehicle accident. Very demotivated, work on the yacht almost came to a stand still, but with Katherine's spirit and Don and Jeanne's determination, they went on to complete the yacht. Don and Jeanne literally gave away and sold up everything they had in South Africa and set sail. They have been living on Katrine (aptly named after the local Zulu's called Katherine - "Katrine") for some 7 years now and have based themselves in Langkawi. With their determination and entrepreneurial skills, they have a successful yacht chartering business and lately started a business in Langkawi making sausages, mince, boerewors and patties! So, with Don and Jeanne positioned a matter of meters from us, we began to get to know each other a lot better and socialised at every opportunity. Don was also very helpful in assisting me with advice, tools and materials whilst I worked away on Shayile. Most afternoons we would meet at the covered area and have coffee and cake, (when freshly baked by Jeanne or B!) and later that evening one of us would bring a beer across and discuss the work completed that day. It will go down as a great memory, those sundowner under one of the yachts, discussing plans, repairs, South Africa, our past and future hopes!

                               

                 Don & Jeanne Pickers - Yacht Katrine                                     


A braai under Yacht Katrine!

We also had the pleasure to meet up with Gary and Libby. They were from Australia and on their yacht "Aquarius". Gary was an ex soldier in the Australian Army and Air force. Perhaps just referring to him as a soldier is an understatement as Gary was a combat officer, qualified in so many aspects of warfare and survival. He has many stories to tell about his training and experiences in the Australian force. He also has many stories and experiences that he would not repeat, as he saw combat in Iraq, Malaysia and Timor. Best of all, Gary is down to earth and enjoys our company. We spent many a morning chatting together as B brewed us a few mugs of coffee, and many an evening chatting over a beer after a days work on Shayile. Yes, Gary was instrumental in assisting me with Shayile's wellbeing and his assistance was greatly appreciated. Together, we rebuilt the engines on Shayile. Gary's adventures and exploits are too numerous to list but commandeering a steamroller must be a classic! One evening, he "hijacked" a steam roller and drove it down to the local pub. There he decided to pay them a visit - on the steam roller. The front fence was no problem, the stair case and front door was no obstacle, but the suspended floor posed a problem and he went straight through it! Needless to say, jail was Gary's next stop! Poor Libby must have had a handful there!



Work & socials continue

With Zainol working on the engines and Hamid painting, work slowly progressed. Unfortunately I started to receive reports on Zainol's past failures on engines and his unreliability. So far, unreliable he was not, but how was his work? Hamid was extremely slow and very badly organised. Work progressed very slowly and very erratically. It was frustrating to say the least. I slaved all day and managed to get done most of what I needed to do. Unfortunately we had the weather to deal with! Being the rainy season, it lived up to its name and virtually every day it poured with rain. Mostly squalls that lasted anything from 30 minutes to 2 hours, but we also got the set in 2 day rains. On one occasion it rained so hard, to the extent that I thought flooding was on the cards. Unbelievable rain! Under Shayile, there must have been water a foot deep and anything left lying about was washed away! Even Dons dingy began to float away one night. It was unreal to experience such volumes of rain and I have to say great! When last have we experienced torrents of water from above? When last did you walk in torrential downfall?

With Rebak Marina now filling up with yachts, we met up with a number of our sailing friends that were all seeking sanctuary from the stormy squally conditions out at sea. Erias with Jean Yves, Nadine, Manu and Tito (FRA). Zarana with Jack and Sandy (USA). Young Ty, his sister Angie and parents, Carl and Bea on Rampant (SA), Alistair and Vivian on Largo Star (NZ) and many other yachting families and friends were all holed up in Rebak. Daniel and Jenna were having a ball and, again, we battled to keep track of their movements. Once school was finished each day, they were off on bikes, or to the pool, or just playing with the many other kids now in Rebak. Daniel just loved his computer and myself and B had to really curb his computer hours. He could spend the whole day on the computer if allowed and he shows an incredible passion and flair for computers. Whether this becomes a career move for him in years to come, time will tell, but he sure knows how to apply himself to that screen! Jenna on the other hand prefers the other kids and would spend hours with Ty on the back of his bike being ferried around the resort. Also with the rain and mud, playing in it was a hit! With so many kids in the marina, management decided to set up a kids club. There was much excitement as the opening day drew closer and Ty was going to officially curt the ribbon. On opening day, the formalities went down and the kids club was opened. Sadly though, it was targeted at a much younger group of kids and with Jenna the youngest at 7 and others of 13 and 14, the toys and entertainments on offer at the kids club did not appeal to the "rat pack". Soon there was trouble as one day all the kids turned the kids club into a fort using mattresses and sheets. With a fort in place, wild games now commenced. As luck would have it, the resort General Manager came past the club. With that all the kids tried to bail out the window and "escape". Most made it out but poor Jenna did not. (Each for their own you know!) The rest ran away but the G.M. was on to them. Daniel and Jenna came running to me informing me that "they were in deep trouble with the GM!!" They gave me the full story of jumping out the window and how they had been "caught". I was at the bar area, on the internet and with that I looked up from behind my computer to see the GM looking about for kids. I told Dan and Jens to come with me as the GM needed an apology. They did and I must say I was proud of them apologising to an obviously irate and rather anal GM who saw it as the crime of the century. Kids having fun and adventurously doing what kids do best!

          

            The opening of the kids club                

Jenna & Ty playing in the mud at Rebak!

Each morning at about 9am, we started with school. B taking command and seeing them through a few hours of maths, English, writing and reading. Again, always a drag and an effort! With school over, they were gone! So long as they had suntan lotion on and a hat, we were happy. Dan and Jens were now part of the Rebak Brat Pack. No fewer than 10 kids all having fun together. The pool was always on the cards and cycling around the resort a must. Fortunately I had just "inherited" a bicycle from another yachtie so they now had a bike to share. Old Tom, an 84 year old American ex-orthopaedic surgeon was staying on his yacht. His wife had died a few years previously and each year he returns to his yacht for a few months or more, perhaps to reminisce about the sailing days with his wife. The bicycle was his wife's but with years of not running, it was a mess! One day I assisted Tom with fixing a puncture on his bike. Yes, even at 84, every day he cycled to the pool and around the resort! He then gave me his wife's old bike and I promptly got it mobile again. With Ty obviously attracted to young Jenna, the 2 of them spent hours together riding all over the marina. It reached the stage where Rebak Marina was now home to the kids. They were in no hurry to leave their mates and the social offerings of the Resort.

Part of the Rebak Brat Pack!

More boat problems!

After 2 weeks on the hard, we were ready to go back into the water. The engines were now back in place and ready for a good run. Most of the painting work had been completed, not necessarily to my satisfaction, but completed none the less! The plan was to spend a week or so in the water at Rebak before heading out for some sailing around Langkawi as there were still many anchorages that we had not explored as yet. We were also paying close attention to the weather which was really not too pleasant. Squall after squall was coming through even making life in the marina uncomfortable. Being out at anchor seemed out of the question with 50 knot plus winds beating the island at times. The bigger squalls are knows as Sumatra's and caused havoc, both to boats and on land. With winds anything up to 60 knots when a Sumatra strikes, one does not want to be caught without protection whilst out sailing. Many yachties just stick to marinas during this time of the year. Already there had been 2 casualties off Telaga with 2 boats breaking their moorings and being washed up on the beaches. Perhaps Rebak was a cosy spot after all!

On the 17th September. we were lifted back into the water.  I started the engines for the first time after the refit and they seemed ok. A bit of smoke but what can one expect after 4 months of not having run! We motored off the cradle and headed for our walk-on. As I approached our berth, the one engine died. I repeatedly tried to start it but no luck. I was furious and cursing the mechanic and everything else! Once tied up, I managed to get it started and ran it for some 20 minutes. With a sense of relief returning, I settled down. We still needed to do engine sea trials and, fortunately, I had not completed my payments to Zainol the mechanic. I needed every assurance that they were working properly before final payment was handed across! A few days later Zainol arrived to check the engines himself. He was happy with the starboard engine but not happy with the port engine. With too much smoke being emitted from the exhaust, he needed to do some work. 3 hours later he was still hard at it and I suspected something was up. He finally appeared stating that he needed to take the diesel pump back as he thought it was not calibrated correctly. Days later he returned and refitted it but with not much success. Although running, it was not a happy engine and was still smoking quite a bit. Then disaster struck. The starboard engine, the so called "completely fixed" engine, started to spew thick smoke and diesel from the exhaust! I had Gary from Aquarius with me and he told me to switch off the engines straight away. We had a problem and the issue seemed to be another blown head gasket! After days of fixing it, replacing the blown head gasket and servicing the engine, we were right back to where we started. I was furious as I had used the Rebak contracted mechanic and this was the result. Wasted time and money and nothing to show for it. We called in Peter, an Australian who was working on a yacht in Rebak. He was a mechanic, but not a contracted supplier to Rebak Marina. He confirmed the blown head gasket. Further to this, after removing the head, we discovered that the gasket was not an original Yanmar part, the engine torques were incorrect and that the workmanship was inferior to say the least. I now had both engines with problems and was down some R8000!! I called Zainol and explained the problem. Very disturbed, he immediately came out to Shayile to try rectify the issue. By this time I had had enough and asked him not to do any more work on the engines and that I wanted part payment back. He agreed and left Shayile rather dejected.


New mechanics - myself, Peter and Gary

In steps Gary. This guy was unreal! Each day Gary would come across to Shayile and work with me on the engines. (Not before a cup of coffee and catch up chat!) We pulled both engines apart and decided to start right at the beginning again. I ordered genuine Yanmar parts from Sydney Australia and waited a week for their arrival. At this stage we should have been preparing to leave Malaysia for Thailand, but now we were marina bound and going no where!! Demoralising!! When the parts finally arrived Peter, Gary and myself began to put the pieces together. Then Peter discovered the next problem. The valves were in poor condition and needed grinding. I immediately grabbed Zainol's invoice and there it was. He had charged me for valve grinding which clearly had not been done! I was furious, but by this stage no longer surprised! Not only had he lied to us and defrauded us, he had compromised our safety. I called him and explained the situation. Claiming he was under the impression that they had been done, he was apologetic. I then asked him for all my money back as clearly the required work had not been done. Surprisingly he agreed - makes you think doesn't it!!

With Langkawi more a tourist island than a commercial hub, I needed to catch a ferry to the mainland to get the valves ground and the necessary work done. Deciding to make an outing of it, the family, and Gary and Libby set off for Alor Star, the town on the mainland where we could get the work done and at the same time do a bit of exploring of the area. We caught the ferry across, a trip of some 70 minutes or so and then a taxi to the town center. Here I handed in the injectors for servicing and the engine head to have the valves ground. Next surprise - we were told that the valves needed replacing! Not only were they not ground by Zainol but, worse still, they needed replacing. Wow, had Zainol got it wrong! We left the heads there and then spent the rest of the day shopping and walking around Alor Star. That afternoon we caught the ferry back to Langkawi. I now had to place another parts order with Australia, further delaying our departure date.

The fishing port of Alor Star

Again I placed the engine parts order with Australia and then waited a week for their arrival. Another week and, once I got them, it was back onto a ferry and off to Alor Star to have the valves ground and seated. I was hoping that the work could be done there and then but, disappointingly, I was told to return in a weeks time. Unfortunately with the sailing game, there is a lot of waiting around and certainly nothing happens very quickly. What I mean by this is, once out of one's home comfort zone and not being familiar with suppliers and facilities where work can be done, everything seems to take a little longer to achieve. Naturally there is also a language barrier and trying to get the full story out of a supplier that cannot speak English, is not easy. More difficult is trying to phone to check on the status of the job. Virtually impossible given the language barrier! 

Problems always occur in three's as the expression goes. In the mists of fixing engines, I decided to check out the one diesel tank. I had a nagging feeling it had a leak and I needed to make sure before we set off. Removing a 500 liter fuel tank is no easy task especially when there in 450 liters in the tank! Again Gary stepped to assist and after 2 days of laboring in diesel soaked clothing , we had the tank out. Sure enough it had a leak and I needed to get it welded up. Yacht Odyssey to the rescue! Barry was called up and with his welding equipment on board, he welded up my diesel tank for me. We pressure tested it for leaks and once the all clear was given, we re-installed it. Whilst on the subject I replaced all the taps on the other tank. Diesel tanks now all in order! But not water tanks... yes, one of them decided to spring a serious leak, splitting down a seam and water pouring everywhere! I drained the tank and we tried to remove it. Unfortunately the hold where we had to remove it through was not big enough so we had to cut a piece of the fiber glass locker before removing the tank. Again Barry assisted and welded the tank up and we positioned it back into Shayile a few days later. A bit of Epoxy and paint and all was done. The tank saga was over!

The last serious bit of work done was carried out on the rudders. With the rudders not correctly aligned for some 18 months of sailing. (They were welded in Tanzania) I needed to get parts machined and installed. Don took me off to a local stainless steel business where they quoted on the task. (In Phuket I was quoted R2200) After deliberation, the Chinese guy returned with a quote of R120 for both rudders!! It did not take me long to decide on whether to accept and within 6 days I had the rudders correctly aligned and ready to go. With this done, I was confident that we could achieve an additional knot of speed out of Shayile. Rudders done!



Go The Bokke!!

Stuck in a marina? Well, fortunately this time around, I was not too concerned.  South Africa were performing at the world cup rugby and we had access to TV. Rebak was a great place to be "holed up" in for a while!

With satellite TV available in Rebak, all rugby supporters were able to watch their teams play. The only minor problem was the viewing times. Often we had to wake up at 2.30am to watch a team play at 3am! The Bokke won their group games and proceeded to the quarter finals. Here they came up against Fiji who put in a good effort. Fortunately we came through with a good win and moved into the semi's. In the semi finals we played Argentina and, again, beat them. We were now through to the finals.  It was an S.A. / England final. With us having beaten them in the first game 36-0, we went into the final as firm favorites! At 2.15am on the morning of the 21st October, avid rugby fans woke up and took their seats in front of the TV in the Rebak resort bar and lounge area. The turnout was great with some 25 supports from South Africa and England there to cheer on their team. Daniel, Jenna, B and I were there with the huge SA flag I carry dominant throughout the game! A great game, albeit lots of kicking and when the final whistle went, we were the new World Rugby Champions!! It was fantastic! At 5am in the morning, with 15 or so S.A. supporters and no one to really share the glory with, we discussed the parties about to start up back home, the jubilation, excitement and euphoria that accompanies ones countries success at wining a world title! Certainly this was a moment in time that back home was the place to be! Well done South Africa!



     Rugby World Cup Champs - 2007                               


A South African model!

Next day we decided to have a beach braai to celebrate the victory. Gary and Libby on Aquarius, Paul and Sue (Port Elizabeth) on Ballyhoo and an American, Jack, joined us. We packed the braai, boerewors, beer and other bits and pieces into our rubber duck and set off. I grabbed the huge SA flag which I tied to a paddle and displayed it prominently as we left the marina. (There were quite a few Aussie and Kiwi boats that needed to be reminded just who the champions were!) Just off Rebak is a small island with a great little beach, and within 15 minutes we were all on the beach and setting up the braai. It was a fantastic afternoon, braai-ing and relaxing together. I brought my guitar and bongo drum just in case we needed to break into song at any stage. (It has to be known that I cannot even hold a guitar, let alone play one! As Belinda puts it, I am a frustrated wanna-be musician who loves to sing along, clang the guitar and bang the drum!) As the sun started to go down and with spirits high, we set off back to Rebak. The party continued on Shayile until Gary fell asleep in the cockpit. We then realised it was time to wind up world cup celebrations and head off to bed! 



Our home - Rebak Marina

So now we were real marina warriors, having "lived" in Rebak for some 2 months! With a base, we were able to do those other activities that we had not got around to doing and, importantly, enjoy the sites in Langkawi. With Don and Jeanne establishing their sausage business in Langkawi, myself and B lent a helping hand. First up, Don needed to move the factory from the main center of Kuah Town to the town of Matserat, which was a lot closer to Rebak. Don hired a truck and in one day we had moved all the machinery and fridges across to the new factory. It was hard work, but well worth it. "Sailor Sausages", as the company was know, now had their own factory and was ready for lift off. I added my bit and put together a small spreadsheet on the computer for Jeanne which assisted with product profitability. Once the new factory was ready for production, Jeanne and Don organised a braai for the grand opening. Don pulled out the little charcoal braai, fired it up and with a few yachtie friends, we had a sausage feast at the factory! I commented to Don and Jeanne that they had, unknowingly, created a beast! With their energy and commitment, this business had the potential to grow into a large concern one day. With orders starting to roll in, we all rallied together and spend days at the factory assisting Don and Jeanne with making sausages and boerewors. It was hard work, but great fun and we all chatted away as sausages came off the production line. Sailors Sausages - Another great memory and one I will never forget.

       













                                                                Proud owners of "Sailors Sausages"

Another memorable night was our renditions at the Korean Restaurant! Karaoke is a huge hit in Malaysia and the Korean restaurant is known for the venue. Don and Jeanne, Gary and Libby, Alistair and Vivienne, Jack and B and I set off for a night out, without children! Ushered into a separate room complete with a TV and all the audio requirements fit for a recording studio, we settled into a Korean meal and plenty of rice wine. The meal was, unfortunately, not worth mentioning but the rice wine got clubbed! With lubricated throats and inhibitions out the back door, we got busy singing! Soon the sound proof room was no longer sound proof and we sang away at the top of our voices, from "Hey Jude" to "Cotton Fields back home"!! The girls danced, the guys sang and we went into festive overload. At 12pm, we stumbled out arm in arm and headed on back to Rebak. I had no idea Karaoke could be so much fun, but then again great company and rice wine all contributes!  


Karaoke Singers - Vivienne, B, Jeanne & Libby

A few weeks later, Don and Jeanne went on holiday to Nepal and India and they very kindly allowed us the use of their car whilst they were away. Having access to transport as and when required was great. No hiring cars, no taxis. Again a reflection of their kindness and generosity.

With time on our hands, (waiting for spare parts!) we did a bit of touring around Langkawi island. One day we drove the island checking out all those spots not normally visited. It is a beautiful island, not spoilt by over population or commercialism. The mountains and hills are still covered by natural vegetation and one is able to escape and get out into the rural areas and surrounding hills. We pulled up outside the fruit farm where one is able to learn all about the locally grown fruits, see the fruit trees and taste the fruits in season. As we chugged around the farm on a truck tasting the different fruits, Daniel was in his element! He devoured the samples of fruit handed out as we went. It was great to be able to see fruit trees and their produce, fruit that we are not accustomed to. These included Pomelos, Dragon fruit, Star fruit, Bread fruit, Jack Fruit, Musk Melon, Durian, Mangosteens and many others that we are not familiar with fruit back home. After 2 hours of touring the farm and feasting on fruit, we drove into Kuah Town for lunch!


 Jenna & Daniel under a Jack Fruit tree           B holding a Dragon Fruit



Another festive occasion for all yachties was Rebak Marina's 1st birthday celebration. With the invite reading "come dressed in your national costume", creativity was in order. B and the kids made face paint from crushed rocks in the marina. With our faces painted, and Jenna draped in the SA flag, we joined the celebrations. It was a great night of free drink and food! Nothing gets a group of yachties fired up like an occasion, but with food and drink flowing, it turned into a rip roaring party! One yachtie, obviously an entertainer and singer, got on stage, took the microphone and set the tone! He was unreal and with his singing ability and the resident bands ability to accommodate him on stage, the music flowed until well after 1.30am! We all danced the night away and had a very enjoyable time. As Dan and Jenna and the Rebak Rat Pack ran riot all evening, it was tired bodies that finally stumbled off to bed early in the morning!

Something that became top of mind and a topic of conversation with B and I and others in the marina was the South African situation and the future of SA post 2010. It was initiated when a family friend of Don and Jeanne's was murdered in SA and then the fatal shooting of Lucky Dube, a renouwn reggae artist. This added fuel to the other crime and murder stats coming out of SA. With Aussie influence (nothing to do with the rugby) B became more concerned with the children's future and our long term security back in SA! Now I know this is always an "issue" and can sometimes be dragged out a bit, but it is a real concern. At the end of the day, each has to make a decision based on their own conclusions about the future of the country, and perhaps based on their own experiences concerning everyday life in SA and how it has, or will, effect them. With the subject being raised time and time again, and B growing more concerned with our future, the possibility of immigrating was debated. To add fuel to the mixture, Belinda's brother is considering immigrating in 2009. As SA is my home, immigrating has never been a consideration. I am not keen but then I wonder if I need to consider options? Can we equate living in SA similar to a frog swimming around in a pot of water which is slowly being heated over a stove? As it gets warmer the frog swims faster not considering that maybe he should jump out. As it gets hotter still, he swims faster still until it reaches the stage where the heat is too much, and he expires! Is this living in SA at present? Maybe a complete exaggeration, but many may agree. Which still does not deter me from staying in the pot!! It's still the best place in the world, and as an entrepreneur it still holds potential. Further still everything that has influenced and developed us as people has stemmed from SA. A very very tough decision for all those out there either considering immigration.  

 

The engines - The final stages!

After going back to Alor Star and picking up the engine heads, we now had all the parts for the engines and were now ready to start assembling. With Peter as chief advisor to Gary and myself, we prepared the engine rooms for major work. Interestingly enough we discovered another major "Zainol error". He had assembled the injector housings incorrectly, to the extent that everyone wondered how on earth the engines actually ran at all! It was a fundamental mechanical flaw and certainly compromised the longevity of the engines. Scary stuff from a so called mechanic contracted by Rebak Marina!! Over the next 2 days, Gary and I put the engines together. The experience and knowledge I gained was invaluable. Although having worked on the engines numerous times in the past, I certainly learned the finer aspects of diesel engines. We laboured all day in hot conditions in an even hotter engine room! Finally it was time to do the acid test and start the engines. The port engine fired up and ran smoothly! The starboard engine battled a bit, but soon kicked into life. Still cautiously optimistic about their health, I looked on, checking for any signs of smoke, black soot on the water or any other adverse signs! All great and slowly I began to breath a sigh of relief as they purred away.

There were small issues over the next few days that needed fine tuning, but we did the necessary and ensured all was ok. I even managed to make a shelf for one of our lockers, much to B's concern! With us keen for a small sea trail, the family, Gary and Libby motored across to Telaga Marina. On the way we did all the necessary testing of the engines and again, all went well. At Telaga, we went ashore for lunch. The kids headed straight for Kentucky and we headed for a restaurant on the waterfront. It was a pleasant afternoon and at about 4.30pm, we motored back to Rebak, pleased with the engines performance.

With our confidence in the engines restored, we now planned our trip up to Thailand. This would be the real engines test as they needed a good long run under power. B and I did some last minute shopping and prepared Shayile for the trip. Gary and Libby were flying back to Australia for Christmas and we were heading off to Thailand. On Wednesday the 9th November we drove Gary and Libby to the airport and said goodbye to them. As we were sailing off in different directions, we would not be seeing each other for some time to come. Perhaps Australia or South Africa? After some food shopping in Kuah, I checked us out of Malaysia and we headed back to Rebak, now ready for departure.

On Thursday the 10th November we bade farewell to Rebak Marina, Shayile having been there for some 5 months and us for 2 months. Although confined to the marina, we all had a great time. Besides the workmanship offered, Rebak is a fantastic place. We motored out between the entrance beacon lights and set a course for the Butang Islands, some 25 miles away.



NEWSLETTER 18

10th November - 18th December 2007

It was 8.30am and Shayile turned up, steering her bows in a westerly direction, heading for the Butang Islands some 20 miles away. We planned on taking our time in getting back to Thailand and I was also keen to do some motoring, testing the engines as we went. With not having been at sea for some 5 months now, we needed to find those sea legs! Fortunately conditions were calm and we settled into the motion of Shayile as she proudly cut a path west. Within half an hour we were all "back in the mood". The rods came out and lures launched from the stern. The Butangs are a group of 4 or 5 islands west of Langkawi. Up until 2 years ago, it was not known as a "top of list" island destination stop over. However with its inclusion in travel books such as the Lonely Planet, it has increased in popularity. The resorts on the main island of Ko Lipe are slowly growing in numbers and, although nowhere near a Phi Phi in its lure of tourists, it certainly is growing. It's reputation is more of a bohemian, Rastafarian nature; an island where dye stained baggy clothing, bare feet and no bras are every day wear. One would hope this relaxed, "care free" mood will prevail in years to come and that the madness of the Phi Phi island fever will never tarnish this piece of paradise.   

Within 2 hours, with B and myself perched on the skippers chair enjoying a cup of coffee together, the familiar (or not so familiar) sound of the reed spinning pierced the air! What a beautiful sound as that ratchet screams away. Immediately we are usually able to estimate the size of the fish and surprisingly within 2 minutes of feeling and fighting the fish, we know what it is. I jumped up and grabbed the rod as B killed the motors. Perched on the sugar scoop, I fought the fish in with B now on my shoulder with the gaff. Within 10 minutes, it was alongside and B gaffed the King Mackerel. A great start to the journey and we now had fresh fish on board.


Fresh fish back on the menu!

We motored into Ko Lipe keeping a lookout for Rob and Wendy on Yacht Aja. (Rob and Wendy are from South Africa and Rob was a member of Pirates Lifesaving Club in Durban!) They had left Langkawi ahead of us and we were keen to anchor up with them. Not seeing them we motored around to the north anchorage and there up ahead was Glen (Aussie) on Yacht Firefox. We dropped anchor and settled in for the afternoon. Glen came across for afternoon coffee and we caught up on anchorages and other cruising information. No matter how long one has been in an area, there is always something new to learn about it. Glen gave us an anchorage he had been to further up the coast and we chalked it down!

Next morning, Glen upped anchor and headed off towards Phuket. We went ashore and spent the morning strolling through the local village and then into the bohemian village off the main beach in Ko Lipe. Then lunch at a restaurant before heading back to Shayile. B was keen for some quiet time with just the family, a change from Langkawi and it's social scene, and so we motored across the bay heading towards one of the outer lying islands called Ko Rawi. Anchored up off Ko Rawi was an Australian Catamaran with Jill and Jim on Hooroo.  We had previously met them in Rebak Marina. Once we had identified a buoy, B went up front and we managed to grab the mooring buoy. We were now moored up just off the rangers hut which was situated on the beach. (This area is part of the National Park) With an urge to get back into clean water, we all grabbed our snorkeling gear and went for our first snorkel in many, many months. Even our gear was looking a bit tatty! Daniel had lost his mask and snorkel, presumably left on another yacht somewhere, and Jenna's mask was broken and her fins too small! We pieced together some kit and swam out to the reef. Great to be back in the water amongst life below the water surface. We floated on over the reefs for an hour or so before returning to Shayile. That afternoon Jim came across inviting me to go fishing with him. (National Park but not marine park and fishing is allowed?!) I grabbed my fly rod and we shot across to the straits between 2 islands. Within 5 minutes of fly fishing I had some great takes and then I was on! A few minutes later I landed a small Yellow Spotted Travelli. Over the next hour we fished our way along the reef, having a beer and having great fun catching fish. Nothing for the pan, (we still had Mackerel) but just sport fishing for fun. With the sun gone, we returned to the yachts, a great day back into the lifestyle we all enjoy so much.

       

            Thai fishing boat off Ko Rawi                                                    Daniel and Jenna squid fishing

We spent a further 2 days in the Butangs anchored at different anchorages and enjoying the scenery. Having not eaten Thai food for some time, we had 2 meals at a restaurant on Ko Lipe. Myself and B had been talking about the Thai food way before the Butangs, picturing that fantastic vegetables and looking forward to our first meal. We did quite a bit of school work each day as the kids worked their way towards the end of their years curriculum. Not too sure who was more enthusiastic about it drawing to an end - them or us! With Glen's recommended anchorage ahead, we motored out of the Butangs and headed in a NE direction for Ko Petra. On route to Ko Petra, we passed close to the island of Ko Ta Bai. Again, a very impressive but small island protruding out of the sea as a huge lump of rock, its sides some 80 meters of virtual vertical cliff. Pot marked along the sides of the cliffs are caves and fissures, littered with bamboo scaffolding and other forms of harnessing material used to retrieve bird nests. We are constantly amazed at how anyone can scale to the heights we saw on such flimsy structures. Clearly there is good money for these bird nest collectors as the will go to great lengths to obtain them, risking life and limb in the process. We passed close by, waving to the guys on shore holed up in a small cabin, perched on the cliff. An hour or so later, after a rain squall that drenched us all, we arrived in Ko Petra and dropped anchor for the night.

Next morning we were up and off, on route to Ko Talibong. Our first place of interest on route were the islands of Ko Liang Tai and Ko Liang Nua. Checking out my Maxsea, (electronic charts) I anticipated some shallow waters around the islands and we motored on cautiously with B up front checking out for bommies below. These small, lesser known islands will cease to amaze me with their beauty. A small village, (or selection of huts on the beach!), seemed to be guarding the entrance to a huge cave or hong. We could see inside it but had no idea of its true size. Really stunning. As we tried to pass the smaller island of Ko Liang Nua, the depth came up to 2 meters and we realised there was insufficient water to get us passed and into deeper water. We turned around and headed for the pass between the two islands. Edging our way through the gap between the islands, some 80 meters wide, we emerged on the seaward side and turned up, heading for Ko Talibong. It was a relaxing motor sail and with not much to do we all settled into our own routines on board. B tucks into a good book, but is also occupied with feeding kids and crew. This takes up some time! The kids entertain themselves with toys, books and "make believe" games in their cabin. We usually allow them a DVD to watch if we are motoring. (A power restraint) I tend to potter around with navigation, the computer, or read. Otherwise myself and B just sit on our skippers chair and talk about life and plans!

                   

                    Kids catching Starfish                                                           Entering Ban Tha Tumek

Perhaps now is a good time to introduce you to my "Book Review" column. I do not churn through books, but I do enjoy finding the time to saturate myself in a good book. My book selections are easy. No fiction! I thrive on history, autobiographies and true life events and adventures. Of particular interest to me is WW II, followed by books on men and women who have gone above and beyond in whatever aspect of life they participated. Basically, I like to read about interesting people and life events. At this time I was reading "The Lost Executioner" by Nic Dunlop. It's the story of one of Pol Pots henchmen, "Dutch" and the atrocities he committed in Cambodia. With Nic Dunlop in Cambodia gathering information on Dutch and tracking him down, Dutch was eventually arrested and to this day is still awaiting trail for crimes he committed and killings he authorised.



Ko Talibong

We scouted the NW side of Ko Talibong and headed eastwards towards the Thai mainland. Our destination was a small village on an estuary called Ban Tha Tumek. On route we kept a careful eye out for the elusive Dugongs. This area, an estuary to a large river, is know for its Dugong population and the locals here see to it that they are not disturbed. We did see a few sticking their heads out of the water, looking at us through droopy eyes and moustaches! However we never had the opportunity to enjoy their company as they are extremely shy creatures and not easy to spot, let alone enjoy! The small bay into which we now motored was littered with crab pots! This is crab country and we had to weave our way through a mine field of these pots. Approaching the beach we edged our way between a small island and a rocky point, then turning up and making our way into the estuary. Up ahead we could see a small jetty and a few boats moored up. Just off the jetty, we dropped anchor and immediately went ashore on our dingy. Not having a whole lot of Baht, (Thai currency) to our name, we decided to check out the crab factory and later, try get some cheap food. This was a Thai village, local by description and certainly not a place frequented by tourists! We ambled through the village and headed towards the crab factory that Glen had told us about. We found it, but certainly not the factory we had envisaged! Here we met some workers and they kindly showed us through to the processing area. At the back of the building were 2 open aired rooms with huge tables. Seated around the tables were some 20 ladies, all hard at work. Each morning, and throughout the day, vans arrive with baskets of crabs. After a quick sort, they are put into a huge pot to boil. Once boiled, they go across to the ladies where the stripping of the meat takes place. It seems each lady specialises on a particular part of the crab. One will do claws and legs, others will do bodies. It's amazing to watch the speed at which the ladies work and how every morsel of meat is stripped from the shells. The meat is then sorted again and then packaged for transportation to another processing unit where, I take it, further packing takes place. Or perhaps it is sold to restaurants and the like as is. Well, we all had an interesting time at the crab factory before heading on down to the beach for lunch. Unfortunately will very little Baht to our name and American dollars not accepted, we had to restrict ourselves to the mere essentials. None the less, we scraped together a hearty lunch before returning to Shayile. Anchor up and we motored out of the estuary heading up to Ko Kradan.

         

          Entering the estuary at Ban Tha Tumek                                Ladies at work at the crab factory

Late that afternoon we dropped anchor off Ko Kradan and went ashore. We had received news on a restaurant situated in the middle of the island and run by an American. We all ambled through the vegetation and eventually emerged at the restaurant. Firstly they were reluctant to take American dollars, (An American not keen on dollars??) and secondly we were eaten by mosquito's. Turning around we decided that "Shreks Swamp" was not for us and we returned to Shayile. I grabbed a few sundowners and we all went back to the beach for a swim and relax. It turned into a great evening, I recovering from 15 mosquito's bites on my back!

Next day we motored on up towards Phi Phi Don. A quick call in to Phi Phi Li where we cruised up the east coast checking out the inlets, caves and hongs. Unfortunately it is too deep and not possible to anchor on the east coast. A pleasant look about and then on to Phi Phi Don. As we entered the anchorage, who should we see, but yacht Erias! It had been some time since we last saw them and everyone was keen to get together again. Also anchored up was Matt on Nyathi. Good old Phi Phi!! Packed out, with thousands of tourists, dive boats, long tails and speedboats. All these sunburned tourists hectically going about their idea of holiday in paradise! The anchorage was extremely busy and extremely rolly but we managed to secure a buoy and settle in for a few days. Besides the visits to shore for a bit of shopping, we did a few activities which thrilled the kids to bits! One morning Erias and Shayile all set out on our dinghies to do some cliff jumping. After anchoring the dinghies to a small buoy we then swam across to the cliffs and scrambled up. On reaching the top and peering over the edge, I realised how high it was. Funny how from below it looks tame and then from above it looks 3 times the height! We all plucked up the nerve and them launched ourselves into the sea. Daniel took one look at his mates jumping and then launched himself off. He was stoked and could not wait to get back up there again. As it was a bit high for Jenna (some 8 meters) she jumped from a lower level. We all had an exhilarating time launching ourselves off the cliff into the ocean below. With cliff jumping finished, next up was rock climbing. Matt was helping out a climbing concern in Phi Phi and invited us along for a go. I was keen to give all the kids a chance and readily accepted the invite. Again, what an experience they all had! Both Daniel and Jenna are strong, well built kids and neither had any difficulty in climbing the face, with Matt belaying them from below. Daniel, on reaching the top, looked down and realised how high he was. Bordering on "freezing up" and pure terror, he turned gave us an attempted smile and made his way back down! Jenna was fantastic and scrambled up and down, kind of confident that this was an everyday thing! It was a great experience for all the kids and they returned to the yachts having had a great day of thrilling adventure.

                   
        Daniel cliff jumping                                            Jenna and Daniel after climbing a face on Phi Phi


That evening, Erias, Nyathi and Shayile all sailed across to Maya Bay ("The Beach") which is situated on the west coast of Phi Phi Lei. After picking up a buoy, we all did a bit of exploring before everyone retired to Shayile for dinner. Always great to have Jean Yves, Nadine, Manu and Tito for dinner. We laugh a lot and just enjoy the moments together.



Back in Phuket

Next morning, after myself and Matt had done a bit of exploring on our dinghies, we all set off together heading for Phuket. With not a lot of wind, we motor sailed most of the way. That afternoon we motored into Ao Yong, an anchorage just outside of Ao Chalong. Close by were oyster farms with their buoys set out in long lines, covering a large area. It's a very comfortable anchorage but unfortunately, far from transport or shops etc. None the less, a great place to hole up for a while. That evening, we had a small gathering on Shayile with no fewer than 10 people on board. Matt cooked fish and brought Mike across and introduced us. Mike is an ex South African, ex helicopter pilot and sailing on his yacht called "Aunt Ethel"! A great guy and we would go on to spend many an enjoyable time together. It was great to be back in Phuket but unfortunately it would be our last for some time to come and we needed to get a few things done.

Back to boat issues and we had new mattresses made for our bed, had the trampolines re-sewn, took the water maker in for repairs and ticked off a number of smaller things on the "to do" list. With these things happening, we sailed on down to Nai Harn, our favorite anchorage. The wind was still blowing and there was a swell running. This usually means a rolly anchorage but, as a result of this weather, there was something else waiting for us. The surf was up! Nai Harn had a huge wave and immediately I grabbed my board and Daniel his boogie board. Anchored up was Yacht Aja, with Rob and Wendy. An avid surfer and ex SA Champion, Rob was surfing his heart out! For 5 days we surfed every day for hours on end. Usually up early and into the water for a few hours. Then back for brunch and a quick relax before back to the beach for more surfing. Not having had the opportunity to surf for some time, I was loving it. I'm no accomplished surfer but, hell, I enjoyed every minute. At the close of play each day, myself and Daniel slept like babies. Unfortunately the surf did not last and within the week, it was gone! I swore to myself that I needed to spend a whole lot more time surfing. It certainly is a great sport and really keeps the body in shape. Young Daniel's shoulders seemed to grow before our eyes and B could not help commenting on his lats! With the surf gone, Daniel and Jenna joined Mathew and David on Quoll II where they spent hours together on the beaches or on one of the yachts. 

We also had 2 birthday parties whilst back in Phuket. Both B and Jenna celebrate their birthdays just 2 days apart. Kids parties are not a big thing from an organisation point of view, as you an imagine! A few friends, a home-baked cake, a few eats and we have a party!

                       

                Jenna's birthday with Erias                       and B's birthday present - a Thai cook book!



Back to the Similans

We had been in contact with Jon and Sandra on Tui Tai and they were heading our way. They finally arrived in Nai Harn mid December and it was fantastic to catch up with our old Andaman cruising mates! Our plan was to head out to the Similan Islands for a week of relax. Jon and Sandra jumped to the invite and with a bit of provisioning we headed out towards the Similans some 45 miles away. The "Bentley Breeze" (wind on the nose, christened by Jon) did not let us down! We beat and motored our way across finally picking up a buoy late that afternoon, weary after a hard day of slamming to windward! For the next 7 days, we hopped around the Similans, motoring from anchorage to anchorage, swimming, snorkeling, enjoying great food prepared by Sandra and B and never to forget the G&T sundowners every evening!! It was an enjoyable time and the kids (Dan, Jens, Nikki and Alex) had a ball together. Jenna and Nikki are blood sisters and their friendship is one deemed for life. They just love each others company and compliment each other so well. Great to see 2 kids so together and virtually feeding off each others strengths. All good things wind down and soon it was time to beat back to Phuket!



Song Krang celebrations

We were fortunate enough to be in Phuket for the annual Song Krang celebrations. We missed it in 2007 and regretted it. Now we had an opportunity to join in the celebrations. Song Krang is the festival where the Thai people offer thanks to the seas and waters for all the good things she gives. Eg seafood and tourism and all the bad things she takes away like litter and sewage. Sure she didn't get thanked for the tsunami. Floral offerings made of biodegradable banana trunks, leaves and flowers are combined with a candle and 2 sticks of incense. It is also customary to put something of yourself like nail clippings, (we did) and something valuable, coins mostly. These are then floated out on any body of water, an offering to the sea. Everyone comes out dressed in their finery and it certainly is a special day in Thailand. We went to a very Thai area (Rawai Beach) but the sea was a little rough and it was very quiet so we paid our restaurateur to drive us to Nai Harn lake where we joined in the fun. Mike off Aunt Ethel joined us for the festivities in Nai Harn. Some of the floats in the photo's are from the 5 star hotel and were magnificent. Mike and our family enjoyed a quiet chilled, humorous evening watching this lovely festival.

                   

Floral offerings to the sea during Son Krang

With my water maker in for repairs, we needed to take Shayile up to Boat Lagoon and have it installed. We upped anchor in Nai Harn and motored up to Boat Lagoon. There we were assigned a rather dodgy spot, outside the marina, on a rather dilapidated walk on. All around us workers were going about expanding the walk-on and reclaiming land! It was not a pleasant stay amongst the rubble of a building site and, as soon as the water maker was installed, we packed up to leave. However with Shayile having "sat down" in thick mud during the low tides, one of the water cooling inlets was blocked. Frustrated radio calls and interaction with Boat Lagoon management to try get a diver to clear the sail drives of mud and other articles took some time but finally we motored down the channel and out, glad to see the back of a septic Boat Lagoon Marina!

                           

                                            Visiting "The Big Buddha" on a hill outside Ago Chalong

Back in Ao Chalong, B and the kids visited the dentist and then it was back to Nai Harn for a last few days. We did a few last sight seeing, one of them up to the Big Buddha, just outside Ao Chalong. It is the home to the biggest Buddha in Thailand, perhaps the world. It is not quite finished but impressive none the less. It was time to bid farewell to Thailand and all our friends that we had associated with over the past 16 months. Being in the "cruising community" people come, friends are made and then they move on. It's a kind of ex pat life on the water. Certain friends may be treasured for life but many friendships are enjoyed from month to month, before its time to move on to other parts of the world. Effected by this the most is perhaps the kids who establish friends with other cruising kids and then have to say goodbye. Again, some are just passing play mates, but others are good friendships that could exist for life, if in a school or "settled" environment. Daniel had a good mate on Quoll II called Mathew. They got on so well together and were genuine upset to say goodbye. Jenna and Nikki on Tui Tai were inseparable and without a doubt would be great mates for life. This is all part of cruising and forming friendships on the way.

      

Mathew & Daniel entertaining the crowds    

Myself and B did some last minute buying and picking up of parts and spares not easily accessible in other parts of Asia, (like Pork!) and then we socialised away the last few days in Nai Harn. It accumulated in a party on Shayile on Sunday afternoon. Recently married Derek and his lovely Chinese-Thai Lek wife came down to join us and entertained us with stories about their wedding. (Derek works as the marina manager of Royal Phuket Marina and is from S.A.) Adrian, also from S.A. and now working in Thailand joined us, as did another SA couple and their 3 teenage daughters. Then Mike from Aunt Ethel arrived and we had a good old South African gathering on Shayile! Derek and Lek even brought a bag of biltong, so we all got into the spirit of good S.A. hospitality. Later Tui Tai and the Quolls joined us and what a fantastic afternoon was had by all! It certainly was a memorable "send off" for us.

                      

                Lek and Derek on Shayile                                        Kids dinner at Ao Sane, Nai Harn



Leaving Thailand

Next morning, we upped the anchor and motored out of Nai Harn heading in a south easterly direction, down to Phi Phi island. Again with wind on the nose, we complained bitterly about the "Bentley breeze" and watched Phuket slowly disappear behind us. 5 hours later we dropped anchor in Phi Phi Don and myself and B went ashore whilst the kids watched a DVD on Shayile. Our plan was to do some last minute Christmas shopping but we got stuck in a book store and exited 2 hours later loaded with books. More weight on Shayile and I told B to enjoy her Christmas presents! With no plans to hang about, we sailed (or should I say motored) on down the coast. Fortunately we did get some excellent sailing in but, unfortunately, it came from the wrong direction and we were not able to reach our desired anchorage that night. We finally anchored up off the west coast of Ko Kradan and myself, Daniel and Jenna paddled to the small beach and played about until sunset. Next day we were off again and, like the day before, had a great days sail but were not permitted to get to our planned anchorage for the night! (The wind was tight on the nose and our planned anchorage would have been into the wind!) As true sailors, ha ha, we angled down towards Tarutao. I must admit, it was the best sailing we had done all year and hitting 8.5 knots had us all up and cheering! Sailing is certainly exhilarating when the wind is right and Shayile come up onto her toes!! Again, a relaxing evening on Shayile and B and I poured a G&T and watched the sun go down; enjoying our last evening together in Thailand!

Next day we were up early and off to Langkawi! Again a fantastic days sailing with wind up to 28 knots and Shayile sailing her heart out! This is what I enjoy about sailing and sometimes we forget the feeling as motoring from anchorage to anchorage is the norm in this area! Some 4 hours later we rounded the S.W. point of Langkawi and motored into Telaga marina. We dropped anchor just outside the marina and then went ashore to check in. As we were very low on diesel, I spent the next 3 hours hauling diesel to Shayile in jerry cans, some 500 liters in 20 liter containers! With that done, we immediately left for Rebak Marina. Daniel and Jenna could not wait to see their Rebak mates again and we knew Jim and Lindy on Moonlighter were there, as were Don and Jeanne on Katrine. We moored up and were immediately greeted by Jim, Lindy, Don and Jeanne! It was great to see them all again. Jim and Lindy had been back in Canada for 6 months and Don and Jeanne were back from their trip to Nepal and India. We all had a lot to catch up on!



Back in Rebak Marina!

The plan was not too hang around Langkawi too long as we had places to go! Christmas and then we're off! Well, plans do change! After catching up with everyone in Rebak, I decided to install the new engine thermostats that I had bought in Phuket. Back into the engine room and got them both in. Fired up the engines and all went well - for all of 4 minutes and then the starboard engine overheated! Now what!!! In I went and got busy trying to find out what the problem was.

3 days later I discovered the fresh water pump impellor had been eaten away. Its an impeller, metal fan-like object, but this time the fan blades were non-existent. We had traveled up to Thailand and back and they had held up. Back in Rebak, the port one gave up. Now I could look at that as either bad luck, or good luck. Bad luck because I needed to now get another fresh water pump, but good luck because it happened on "home turf" in Rebak! Could have been worse - could have happened in Indonesia some place! I see it as great to have happened now! We now had to order a pump from Australia but, being the Festive season, they were closed and only opened again in January. This meant placing an order and then waiting for it to arrive. We would not get away before mid January! Good luck to the rescue again! A few days later I was chatting to another yachtie who lives in Langkawi and explained the problem. He told me that he had a spare from his old engine and I was welcome to give it a go. I took up his offer and got to work installing the, albeit, used pump. Within a day the engines were both purring away! I went on to place an order for a pump from Australia anyway and asked them to ship it into Singapore for me. This was done. Engines all ok and time to move!

               

                Morne' and Daniel in deep discussions                    Colleen with the champagne!



Christmas and New Year 2007

Christmas eve was special for us all. Katrine, Moonlighter and Shayile decided to have a Christmas eve dinner with everyone providing a dish and cocktail. We decorated a table up on the hard stand and on the evening of the 24th, we all brought out the food so well prepared by the ladies. Best B describes the food on the menu and the festivities of that night!

B: When I think of all the pfaffing around, food and present buying, worrying about whether people will like what you bought or if it cost too much or too little.....then this was my easiest Christmas by far! Despite being away from family and friends in SA, which left us a little sad, the pay-off was a very relaxed and enjoyable time. Instead of the usual hours spent buying and then wrapping presents, I think it took less than an hour to wrap them all in red book-covering paper, as Christmas wrapping is pretty rare in a predominantly Chinese Buddhist and Malaysian Muslim country. For food, we had come prepared from Thailand with a huge cooked ham. It was amazing! I sliced it up and served it with a whole-grain mustard sauce that I made the day before...delicious. Don cooked another chunk of pork that he had marinated and nurtured for a few weeks and it was beautifully criss-crossed and tasted smoky and delicious...forbidden fruit. Lindy lovingly marinated a tenderloin of buffalo in coriander roots and black pepper and rare roasted it....incredible. Never mind the salads and roast veg that went with all of this. We enjoyed Pina Colada's, Black Russians and Egg Nog and finished with Tropical Trifle and cheese and biscuits. What a great evening!  We even had a visit by Father Christmas and one of his merry helpers! They "stopped off" on route to the resort.

                       

                    Christmas day on Shayile                                    Merri Christmas, Father Christmas and B!

Next morning, we surfaced late and then went across to the resort pool for a Christmas Brunch. It was a yachties only function arranged by the resort management. We all pulled up tables and gathered in yachtie clans, with "kid families" gravitating together. We met up with Mark and Rachael on Yacht Glayva. Mark is Scottish and Rachael is from New Zealand. Their 2 kids Namara and Aaron, hit it off well with Dan and Jenna. Another 2 kids in the Rebak Brat Pack! Dan pulled a good one at the brunch. He took out his newly acquired imitation "dog turd coil" and planted it on the restaurant floor. He then told the manager on duty about the issue. With the video camera rolling, I captured a rather distraught banqueting manager trying to summons cleaner assistance as quickly as possible! Daniel jumped in a little to early and quickly reassured the manager by picking up the "present" and showing him. Straightening his tie he went off to attend to guests. What a scream!! Once lunch was finished we all "retired" to the pool where we spent the rest of the afternoon in the pool, paying for overpriced cocktails; but hey, it was Christmas day! At sundown when the children finally managed to separate from their mates, Daniel casually mentioned that he had chipped his tooth in the pool. B freaked. Yes it was his barely 3 year old, have to last for life front left tooth....luckily not too bad and thank goodness he didn't break his neck. Dan always has to go that little bit hard or more impressively that his mates to his parents constant concern.

Not to let up on a good run of partying, on Boxing day we all went off to Telaga Marina where Morne and Colleen were putting on a braai. We must have arrived at 3pm and the party commenced. Morne was in top form and would not let us go back to Rebak. (No chance anyway as there were no ferries!) After an afternoon and evening of braai-ing, drinking champagne and catching up with those yachties in Telaga, we spent the night on Yacht Rebound, Morne and Colleens beautiful ketch rig yacht.

                   

                                                                    Boxing day in Telaga Harbour

New Years eve was a quiet affair with Jim and Lindy joining us on Shayile for dinner. Later that evening, Frank and Ann off Yacht Tao joined us. Frank and Ann live in Cape Town and spend 3 months each year on their catamaran in SE Asia. Fantastic folks and we all spent a great night eating, drinking, smoking cigars and just doing what friends do best - laughing! At midnight there were fireworks displays and then we went on until 3.30am, before we called it a "morning" and we all went off to bed! 2008 was here!



Time to leave Langkawi 

With festivities over, it was now time to do some final wrapping up of affairs in Langkawi, and head off down to Penang. I did some final boat maintenance and ensured all was ok for the trip. The engines appeared to be going well and Shayile was "chomping at the bit" to get going. Again it was a sad day, especially for Daniel and Jenna, who had made so many friends at Rebak. Young Tai was especially close to Daniel and it was sad to see them finally saying farewell after a year together. (off and on) Jenna and Namara were doing well together and tears were certainly on the cards. We said our goodbyes to all our Langkawi friends and, with Jim and Lindy joining us, we headed out of Rebak Marina and down towards the Fjords some 8 miles south of Rebak Marina. As we left our walk on and slowly made our way towards the channel leading out of Rebak, both Dan and Jens cried. It was sad for us but there was a whole new adventure awaiting us.

The fjords are on the southern most part of Langkawi and comprises of a number of small islands dotted off Langkawi Island. These islands are virtually deserted and are covered in beautiful lush natural vegetation and tall trees. We wove our way between the islands and reached our anchorage in the afternoon. It was a stunning setting with our only company a few local fishermen. Moonlighter badly needed a hull clean and so I swam across to her and joined Jim and Lindy. We then got to work with scrapers and began removing a "reef" from Moonlighters hull! It's something that I enjoy doing and so for the next hour or so, we worked away under Moonlighter, removing all the barnacles, oysters and other growths on her hull. With that done we all gathered on Shayile for a farewell dinner. We had sundowners, ate dinner and chatted the evening away. Jim and Lindy had been great friends of ours whilst in Chagos and SE Asia and would be missed. They had recently bought themselves a "fifth wheel" in Canada. To us it's known as a camper van, but this is no ordinary "camper van"! Complete with solar panels and rooms, it resembles a small flat! Their plan was to alternate between Canada (and their 5th wheel) and Moonlighter each year. What a life! Finally, with farewells exchanged, we all went off too bed.

                       

                Sailing through the Fiords                                                    Moonlighter anchored up

Next morning we were up at 5am. It would be a long days sail down to Penang and we needed to get going early. With it still dark, we upped anchor and slowly made our way past Moonlighter. Jim and Lindy were up and waved us good bye as we motored past them. We meandered through the islands and out into open sea. This was another chapter completed on our sailing trip. Again, Langkawi had been special to us over the past 16 months and we would miss all those fantastic people, the safety aspect and our experiences. The exciting news was that another chapter of our cruising life was about to open. We were now on stage 4 of our sailing adventure, and perhaps the last stage.

The plan was to head down the west coast of Malaysia to Singapore. Then south into Indonesia, crossing to Borneo, down to Bali and up through the Maluku islands of Indonesia. We would then exit Indonesia and turn east, heading for the Solomon Islands. Lastly would be Papua New Guinea, before heading down to Cairns Australia. Now this is the planned route, but plans do change!!!