AMAZING LOOKING BOATS

BOATS OF ALL DESCRIPTIONS

As we travelled throughout Indonesia, Malaysia & PNG, we were amazed at the diversity of boats out on the water. With fishing being one of the main industries, there were boats of all sizes to contend with on a daily basis but they never ceased to surprise us with their colour schemes, workmanship & intricacies & all of them being seaworthy!!

BEACH B-B-Q'S ALONG THE WAY

We'd travelled at such a hectic pace once we'd left Sandakan, knowing that we had thousands of miles to cover before arriving back in Australia before Xmas but we hadn't wanted to by-pass everything, so occasionally took time out for relaxation. I think we would've all gone crazy if we didn't have something to look forward to, especially with the long days that we were doing, so every now & then, when we discovered an isolated island with picturesque beaches, we'd drop anchor for a day or two, take the tender ashore to explore & spend some time together. The beach b-b-q's were a great way to relax & even though we quite often didn't have much food left on board, it was fun making do & sharing whatever we could manage to scrape together.

REES'S NEW HAIRSTYLE

It was a scary day when I left Rees to find a hairdresser in the Indonesian city of Jayapura. Normally he'd ask me to be there to offer advice & I knew that I should've been when I saw him sauntering along the street, with a huge grin from ear to ear & sporting a "mohawk". His hair was standing on end, had swirls & patterns cut into the sides & the back looked like a fluffy duck's tail. Apparently the young guy who had cut his hair had asked how he wanted it done so Rees just replied, "Just like yours!" And this was the outcome!

"JACANA ll"

This is a photo of "Jacana ll" under sail. John, who is normally a solo sailor, depended heavily upon the reliability of his 9 metre, Simpson designed, catamaran. They have sailed many thousands of miles together since leaving Brisbane in 2009 to join the "Sail Indonesia Rally" that left from Darwin in July 2009. It wasn't until 2010, that Rees & I really got to know John because of participation in the 2010 "East Malaysian Rally". It was then that we realised that we all wanted to travel back to Australia in the same direction after the rally, so we stuck together from Terrenganu, where we departed for Kuching, to sail across the South China Sea.

"Jacana ll" has proved to be a great little sailing boat, keeping pace with both "Hanalike" & "Windy spirit" during our long voyage from Malaysia, to Australia. John, who lives aboard, found her stable & reliable, only disappointing him over the last stages with the auto pilot failing, causing him to hand steer from the Louisiades in PNG, to Townsville in Australia. At times we all wondered just how he coped with being a lone sailor, especially with the many overnighters that we'd done over the past few months, but "Jacana ll" was always there on our doorstep, ready for the next leg!

OUR CRUISING MATES FOR THE LONG HAUL BACK TO AUSTRALIA

This is "Hanalike", a 43ft monohull from New Zealand with Linda & Mike on board. They had been in Asia for the past 3 years & were at the stage where they wanted to get the boat back to their home country in time for Xmas this year. Although we'd met them on the 2010 East Malaysian Rally, we didn't really have much to do with them until we heard through the grapevine that they'd intended sailing from Sandakan, North Borneo, across to Indonesia, through PNG & then on toward the Louisiades. This was our intended journey back to Australia too, so we soon got together to plan our long trip back together.

"Hanalike" at anchor in Rabaul where we all stayed for a few days to clear into PNG & to restock our boats for the time ahead. After the eruption of the volcano in 1993, half of Rabaul was demolished & covered in volcanic ash which is still a problem to this day. The active volcano smoulders every day, hissing & spitting ash in all directions so we were fortunate that the winds were favourable while we were there, blowing the ash away from us instead of toward us. It certainly was a sight to behold.

After spending nearly 3 months sailing together on a daily basis, Linda & Mike became great friends so whenever the opportunity presented itself, we'd socialize of an afternoon, drinking a gin & tonic or two, or maybe even three, depending on just how stressful our days had been! Having their constant chatter on the radio throughout the long days & nights at sea was a real comfort to all of us, especially with Mike's droll sense of humour when things went wrong.

John & Ayse, who were also our sailing buddies back to Australia, shared the good times as well as the bad, & like Linda & Mike, became very good friends during our voyage from Terrenganu, on the East Coast of Malaysia, all the way back to Townsville, Australia. John, who is normally a lone sailor & who did most of the trip by himself, was joined by his girlfriend, Ayse, for a couple of stints throughout the rally. We first met Ayse when she flew into Terrenganu to do the crossing of the South China Sea, into Kuching, but once she'd departed from Kuching, we didn't see her again until her arrival in Rabaul, PNG, due to work commitments. Anyway, after thousands of miles of John being the lone sailor, you can imagine the excitement the day Ayse flew into Rabaul to complete the rest of the journey with him!

SOME OF THE ISLANDS VISITED WITH CHRIS & ANNE

Langkayan Island, not far from Sanakan, looked promising for Chris & Rees to go spearfishing until they discovered that it was actually a marine park. The snorkelling was supposed to be fantastic but it was a matter of "Look" & "don't touch", so after having a look around the eco resort & having a drink at the bar, it was decided to move on toward one of the smaller islands nearby where the guys could spearfish. However, as we went to anchor in this new location, we were surprised to find a long boat rushing from nowhere to question us. Apparently we'd crossed into Philippine waters & were suddenly faced with 5 angry men who were armed with rifles & small hand guns. With apologies & nervous smiles, we quickly took off & made tracks for Sandakan!! Oh, how scary!

Anne playing on the beach with the local kids from Tigabu Island, a small fishing village a few hours north of Langkayan. The people were really friendly so as soon as we'd gone ashore, we were met by the local school teacher who became our unofficial guide for the short time we were there.

The fishing village on Tigabu Island consisted of stilt houses made from wood & although the houses in this photo weren't painted, quite a few of them were very colourfully painted & decorated, showing a definite class distinction.

CHRIS & ANNE VISIT IN NORTH BORNEO

Chris, Rees's brother, & his wife Anne, flew into Kota Kinabalu just after Kay & Jim had left us, for a week's holiday that would see them stay onboard "Windy Spirit" from KK to Sandakan. Unfortunately though, with the weather being rather unkind with strong winds, bleak skies & rain, it wasn't the yachting holiday that they'd expected. We did get to visit some islands along the way but with it being too rough to get off the boat, snorkelling, fishing & swimming generally went by the wayside. We certainly gave them a holiday to remember though with terrifying sea conditions at times,a pirate attack along the way & our boat dragging while we were all out to dinner!!! A yachting holiday can never be guaranteed as 'SUN, SAIL & FUN' but it can certainly give a life time of memories...good or bad!

"WINDY SPIRIT'S CREW TAKES OUT 3RD PRIZE

The presentation & gala dinner at Kota Kinabalu was certainly a night to remember, for one reason or another, but of course, the highlight of the evening was being presented with our trophies in two events of the multi hull division. We certainly couldn't have done it without Kay & Jim's help & besides that, they made it a memorable week by just being there as they're always fantastic company.

RACING FROM LABAUN TO KOTA KINABALU

Rees & Jim, the racing crew for "Windy Spirit", did everything in their power to sail, regardless of conditions. At times, when the wind had died completely & the sails had sagged, Jim could be found on the bow, physically shaking the headsail from side to side to get enough power to edge a few metres further forward. It became very frustrating for both of them but while Kay & I slept through the night undisturbed, the guys forged on, determined to take out a prize at the end of the rally for the multihull division.

Just after the beginning of the race, when every yacht was flying spinnakers, Kay & I filled in our time on the deck, shaded by our spinnaker until the wind died & the sail collapsed into the water. For some time after, we left the sail hanging as it provided much needed shade & shelter from the sun as we continued playing our board games.

It was a day of spinnaker racing which proved to be a very colourful sight for the race between Labaun & Kota Kinabalu. About 30 yachts, all different sizes & designs, competed in this fun filled event.

THE EAST MALAYSIAN RALLY 2010

The East Malaysian Rally for 2010 was great fun for all the participating yachts & as time went on & we all got to know each other, the gala presentations & dinners were fantastic events as it gave us a chance to catch up with fellow yachties in a very relaxed atmosphere. The beer flowed freely & there was always far too much food but these ocassions were meant for celebrating! What, you may ask?! Oh anything that you could think of!

Kay & Jim, from "Bach & Byte", had flown over from East Malaysia to Borneo to join us for the Borneo International Yacht Challenge which began in Miri, so there was plenty of celebrating to be done that week as we raced from port to port along the Borneo coastline. What an experience!

THE BEACHSIDE VILLAGE OF ROMPIN

Although the beach side village of Rompin was not initially an organised Rally stop, with an invitation from one of the officials who had attended the Tioman Island celebrations, all that changed. Suddenly we had another stopover which coincided with the annual Rompin Festival. There was all the usual fun of the fair with marquees & tents set up along the foreshores, offering everything from food, drinks, beer, clothing, shoes & souvenirs, to entertainment. The local radio station was broadcasting live, there were karaoke contests, musical bands & anything else that you could possibly think of that is usually connected with a fair. The photo above is of a motorised kite surfer taking off on the beach & although it looked fun, it also looked quite dangerous as he hovered above crowds of people who were all gazing skyward.

The display of kick boxing held the crowd's attention as these older guys moved around the ring in their mesmerising way. The younger guy with the bright t-shirt on, moved like a dancer, easily skipping out of the way of his opponent as he kicked & punched forward but they both tired fairly quickly, obviously out of shape.

Mastura & her family were invited on board "Windy Spirit" the afternoon before we left Rompin. We first met Mastura when she was manning the tourist information booth along the beach. We'd asked her if there was a service station nearby & if there was a taxi service that would take us into the main town as we needed to stock up with more fuel. Apparently the town was about 7 kms away & NO, there wasn't a taxi service but she would be happy to take us the following day when she wasn't working. She was just so kind, & true to her word, she was at the beach the following morning to pick up Kay, Jim, Rees & I. Besides fuel, we also needed fruit & vegies so Mastura drove us to the local Sunday Market where she was really helpful in describing how to cook a lot of the local vegetables as well as negotiating prices for us. She didn't want anything in return so because she had never been on a yacht before, we invited her to visit us for afternoon tea, which she was extremely excited about. Of course, she didn't come empty handed either & brought freshly cooked fish that she'd purchased at the markets during the morning. Her brother & 3 children really enjoyed their time on the boat but as the afternnon wore on & the winds began to freshen, it was soon time for us to sail away as we were heading further north that afternoon. It was a shame that we couldn't have spent longer with this lovely family but I'm sure we'll stay in touch as time goes by. Thank you once again Mastura for your kindness & hospitality.

These frisky little monkeys were everywhere & seemed particularly fond of crossing the busy streets via the overhead electrical wires. From there they had the choice of squatting & fighting in the jungle on one side of the road, or frolicking across the roof tops of the shops on the opposite side. They were certainly a treat for the tourists but I think they were probably a pest to the locals who showed no interest in them what so ever.

A FEW OF THE DIFFERENT ISLANDS VISITED WITH THE RALLY

These caves at Tinggi Island just had to be explored. The water was clear & inviting, the coral was beautiful & the small fish life prolific. We snorkelled around these caves for ages & although they were quite deep, the smell of bats hanging from the cave roof soon had us out into the open again to explore along the edge of the headland.

The beach at the tiny little island of Rawa, offered picture perfect photographs. The exclusive resort offered lunch & dinner to those who wanted to use the facilities, so of course with the 4 yachts that were anchored in the bay, we were all keen to at least have one meal there. Of course it was delicious & being a buffet, everyone was more than satisfied when we departed. Unfortunately, it was at this island that one of the yachts began to drag during a late afternoon storm so the following morning the decision was made to leave this beautiful spot behind.

Just after we'd anchored at Tioman Island, we were very surprised to see a plane landing above the sandy, white beaches. Apparently the air strip was just behind the beach, but at the time it certainly looked as though the plane was going to land right on the beach in front of our eyes. What a scary landing!

Sunset was usually the most pleasant time of the day as the temperatures had begun to drop, the afternoon rains had finished & "Happy Hour" had begun. Calm anchorages like this one were always a welcome sight.

BEACH PARTIES & RALLY FESTIVITIES

It's always fun when there's a beach party but when a group of yachties get together, it's usually more fun than usual with getting to know one & other. This shot was taken at Desaru Beach where one of the first rally stops along the East Coast of Malaysia occurred. The anchorage was in open seas just off the beach & although it was very calm with hot & humid weather, the water wasn't enticing enough to have us swimming.

Harry, Pam, Kay, Jim, Rees & I all thoroughly enjoyed our fresh coconut juices at this luncheon that was hosted by a small village near Kota Tinggi. Thankfully with the monsoon season happening & rainfall every day, the venue was a huge shed that housed us all easily & kept us dry when the rain eventually happened.

Trying to get group photos with the whole rally contingent is nearly impossible but I think that a lot of us were present for this shot. The lunch was delicious & the villagers extremely warm & friendly, offering us all small home-made gifts before our departure.

RALLY FESTIVITIES WITH FRIENDS

The events with the East Malaysian Rally were many & varied but always interesting & fun because they were shared with friends & like minded people. When there was nothing in particular organised, the yachties usually organised something themselves such as beach b-b-q's, beach cricket & games or just a casual dinner at a nearby restaurant. Harry & Pam loved being involved with all this activity & could see themselves doing it one day when they finally retire & start to use their own yacht.

PAM & HARRY JOIN US FOR THE START OF THE EAST MALAYSIAN RALLY

Our friends, Pam & Harry, flew from Australia in mid May to join us on the first stages of the East Malaysian Rally that was going to take us from Puteri Harbour to Kota Kinabalu on Borneo. "Windy Spirit" had been sitting at the Puteri Harbour Marina for the past 7 months so we were excited about finally being under way again after our long stint home in Australia. The weather was extremely hot & humid which was a nasty surprise for our friends who had come from winter in Australia, but with the thought of many adventures to come over the following weeks, the heat was soon forgotten as we made our way toward Singapore & then on toward Desaru, which was going the be the next rally stop.

It was great catching up with old friends who we hadn't seen for ages so we were very excited to find "Bach & Byte", with Kay & Jim on board. They had decided to do half of the rally along the east coast of Malaysia to spend time with us so we looked forward to the following weeks, catching up on each others news & socialising while we had the chance before our return to Australia. Above is a photo of "Bach & Byte" passing under the bridge that links Singapore & Malaysia. The clearance is 25 metres & although it looks a little scary when you are right under the bridge, there is actually plenty of clearance for a normal yacht at any tide.

Winding our way through the Singapore Straits, one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, was a nightmare as the sea looked like a moving city of container ships that stretched for miles & miles. It basically took us all day to pass this area & knowing that an accident between two container ships had occurred the previous day, we were on a constant look-out to see if we could find the boats involved. The water was contaminated with thousands of litres of oil which sprayed up onto our hulls as we motored through it but fortunately it was easy enough to remove when we had the first opportunity of clear water. Finding this huge boat with a massive hole punctured through it's hull was unbelievable! To think that a ship of this size was unseen by another was hard to believe, especially in these extremely busy waters but the proof is in the photo~!

The two ships involved in the accident are rafted together here & although there was a lot of activity involving tug boats etc, we were still left wondering how they would deal with this catastrophe. The oil was thick & heavy in the water, creating it's own nightmare, so although we were glad to have seen this spectacle first hand, we were certainly glad to clear those waters as soon as possible.

THE FRIENDLY STAFF FROM PUTERI HARBOUR MARINA

Dana & Saipol were just two of the extremely friendly staff members from the Puteri Harbour Marina in Malaysia where we'd left "Windy Spirit" for over 7 months while we'd travelled back to Australia & then throughout Malaysia & Thailand. These guys always had smiles upon their faces & just couldn't do enough for us. If ever we had any problems, it was just a matter of asking these guys who could put us in contact with anyone that was required. It's always hard being in another country, especially with the language barrier, but Dana & Saipol made everything so much easier for us with contact details of motor mechanics, electricians, etc. You name it & they could source it!!! Thanks again for all your help & advice during our lengthy stay at Puteri Harbour.

Arab, was another one of the staff at Puteri Harbour who just couldn't do enough for us during our stay. He actually looked after "Windy Spirit" while we were back in Australia for over 3 months & did such a great job that we decided to give him our aluminium tender that we'd replaced whilst in Malaysia. We learnt during our times together that Arab loved karaoke & was quite an entertainer once he had a microphone in his hands!!! We'll never forget that great smile Arab!!!

Our time at Puteri Harbour Marina will always hold fond memories for both Rees & I as we'd spent a lot of time there, getting to know the staff & having some great times with them, both socially & work related. Puteri Harbour Marina, in our minds, is one of the best marinas that we've ever stayed at & wish that the marinas in Australia could compare. We love the country of Malaysia & the people so hope to return one of these days to catch up once again with all of our new found friends.

The gardens & surrounding areas at the marina were just beautiful so it was no wonder that it was such a popular spot for locals, especially on the week-ends where we would often see brides doing their photos shoots & families out enjoying the layed back atmosphere that marinas usually present. Everyone from the gardeners, to the cleaners, restaurant staff, security staff & marina staff, took pride in Puteri Harbour & so they should as it is one of the more beautiful places in Johor Bahru.