Another hash - posted from Telaga



Rebak jam session



After doing two consecutive "hashes" we missed two - the first because Rebak laid on a party to introduce the new manager and the second because the musicians on the yachts were having a "jam" session at the beach bar which was really good.

So last Friday we returned to the Langkawi Beach Hash House Harriers.  Having set off at a brisk walk Richard suddenly found himself at the head of the field - the serious runners had all taken a wrong turning and found themselves back at the start after five minutes.  R increased his pace to a brisk walk alternating with a slow jog and maintained his lead to the end.  The course was shortened for the back of the field so on return to the car park most were already there.  As this was our third hash we received our "hash names".  We both escaped fairly lightly with names that were not too rude.

Back on the boat the new chart plotter and radar is fitted and working, after R spends 10 days up and down the mast -sore thighs!  There are a few queries which may be resolved by a bit of RTFM or may require consultation with Greenham Regis in the UK.  Despite being 222 pages long the Raymarine FM, supplied only on CD, appears to fall somewhat short of answering all the queries. So we are about to iron out these gremlims on our way to Phuket Thailand.

Early birthday party - Posted from Rebak

The Hard Dock Cafe decorated

On Wednesday we had a party to celebrate R's reaching UK State Pension age - a few days early as friends are leaving for Vietnam and New Zealand.

The staff had worked hard

Some 30 yachties gathered in the Hard Dock Cafe at 1900.  The staff had decorated the area, put tablecloths and flowers an the tables and laid on two "specials".  The theme - dictated by S - was "bunny ears" - most guests complied but R had declared himself exempt, limiting himself to a pink bow tie and a carrot in his breast pocket.

Wow! - What a cake!

After a convivial meal the cake prepared by the resort was cut and bubbly was distributed.  Peter from Wave Runner and Jen from Devon Gypsy provided musical entertainment, with lyrics specially written.

R with "Bunnygram"

Finally a "bunnygram" arrived curtesy of Donn.

A great time was had - all thanks to S for organising it all.

A bit of this and that - posted from Rebak

A quick trip to Penang - down by ferry and back by air - were needed to pick up the rest of Susan's birthday present. Thank goodness this was not diamonds!
The straight ferry would be is fine if you like crowds and Indian train type loos.
The Air Asia return would have been a 35 minute fight but it was delayed 3 hours plus 2 hours to make the airport because of traffic.
We think the more complicated but cheapest route - ferry from Kuah to Kuala Kedah, taxi to Alor Sitar, bus to Butterworth and ferry to Georgetown - is the best.  The ferries are hourly, the bus regular and the trip takes about the same as the direct ferry.

Mixtures of old wiring - much will have to go

Back at Rebak the long awaited navigation equipment from the UK had arrived.  Stripping out the original and installing the new cabling.  Greenham Regis had planned the interconnections but it was still quite complicated wiring it together and finding suitable cable routes (and suitable cable). 
Just into the job R found that he had picked up a nasty chest infection and couldn't do much for 10 days.  A newly arrived yachtie GP soon sorted him out and saved a trip back to Panang.

What a hash - posted from Rebak

Being in need of exercise, apart from our regular swimming, we took up a suggestion to go along to one of the meets of the Langkawi Beach Hash House Harriers.  For those who have not come across the concept the HHH are active internationally and describe themselves as a "drinking club with a running problem".  We found out what that meant on our first outing a couple of weeks ago.  After a fairly leisurely walk/jog through the countryside a circle was formed and those who had transgressed the "rules" had to drink a glass of beer while having ice cold water poured over their head.  Susan's transgression was having taken a wrong turning, Richard's appeared to be standing next to her.  Richard then got another dose as he had difficulty getting the beer down in the alloted time as Susan had added hers to his  As "virgins" we also had another dousing. Others got wet for sitting on the "eskie" (Oz for cool box) containing the beer or for carrying on a private conversation.  The whole group then repaired to a beach restaurant for fish and chips washed down with more beer and wine.

Last Friday we surprised everyone by turning up again!  As it was raining fewer people were "executed".  Susan may have thought she would get off lightly by volunteering to be executioner (i.e. the pourer of the iced water), but she was the first.  On this event she had led 2 others astray - only one on the first outing.

If (when) we go again we will be "named" - which will entail us giving a potted biography and the group thinking up a suitably rude name by which we will be known for evermore at any HHH we turn up to.  2 people have been named at the events we have been to - one became Diamond Dickie and the other, who admitted that one of his given names was Everard, got that negated despite being accompanied by a 9-month old  infant.

UK Trip - Posted from Rebak, Langkawi

No blog for a while as we've been in the UK for 6 weeks, visiting children, grandchildren, 101 year old Mum X and a few friends! The time fled by, boat parts, of course,were ordered and the weather was warm for the country with only two days rain.

The grandchildren have grown and the dogs have been walked and our eldest son Nik celebrated his 40th birthday. Us oldies have had apps lessons from Joshua aged 11, an update on brownies in the 21 century from  Louisa (Nik's wife), and the experience of how to juggle nursery care for two with careers from Catharine and Steve. These memories will be treasured for another year. The photos are developed and placed in the large side wall frame in the galley, so we can smile at them all while cooking.

Most interesting visit has to be the Falkirk Wheel - an aesthetically pleasing and extraordinary sight. It is the only rotating boat lift in the world and links the Forth and Clyde Canal to the Union. The giant wheel rotates through 180 degrees in 5 1/2 minutes, lifting through 24m, and uses only the power to boil 8 kettles of water! An amazing engineering feat.

Langkawi circumnavigation - posted from Bransgore, UK

Tanjung Rhu Anchorage

 After a week or so in Rebak we headed off to cruise the local waters around Langkawi.  Previously we had stopped in a couple of anchorages amongst the southern islands of the archipelago either when arriving from the south or heading there.
On these trips we had noted that the coastal scenery rivals most of what we had seen in the rest of Malaysia and is similar toPhang Na Bay in Thailand,
Leaving Rebak we headed first to Telaga for fuel and then clockwise around the island.
First stop was Datai Bay, home to two upmarket resorts and a sandy beach, good for walks.  A small island, Pulau Datai, gave shelter from the northeasterly wind.

Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus

The next anchorage, at Tanjung Rhu, was a totally enclosed shallow lagoon, with a couple of semi-permanent yachts in residence and daytime floating seafood restaurants.  The dinghy took us to the jetty used by tour boats, from where it is a short walk to some souvenir shops and small restaurants and another sandy beach with upmarket resort. A channel from the lagoon leads to one of the places where tourists go to watch eagle feedingt.  Actually the birds are mostly brahminy kites.  Although environmentally unsound it has to be admitted that the sight of 15-20 raptors swooping down to snatch the food out of the water is impressive.

Hole in the Wall

It is possible to continue in the dinghy past the eagle feeding about 10 km to the anchorage known as the Hole in the Wall.  This was our next stop, although Sea Bunny had to take the long way round.  On approach it is easy to see where the name comes  from.  It is another tourist location with numerous fast boats offering eagle feeding and cave and mangrove tours.  We preferred Tanjung Rhu.



Anchorage inside P Gubang Durat


After a short stop in the marina at the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club we headed to the southern islands of the archipelago.  Avery sheltered anchorage in the channel between Pulau Dayang Bunting and Pulau Gubang Durat allowed us to visit the Lake of the Pregnant Maiden on Pulau Dayang Bunting.  We were late in the evening so most of the tourists had gone but the site is very commercialised with pedal boats, kayaks and an enclosed swimming enclosure. Richard had a quick swim in the fresh water.

The Indian Ocean passage - posted from Pulau Intan Besar, Langkawi

Until recently it was our intention to cross the Indian Ocean to South Africa in 2012.  We never intended to take the Red Sea route back to Europe but, if we had, we would now be reconsidering the decision, as are many other yachts.

Favourable conditions in the north Indian Ocean are found in January to March.  The cyclone season in the southern Indian Ocean lasts until May, after which conditions become favourable.  In the past yachts have been able to wait out this gap in the Chagos Archipelago.

Unfortunately the UK Government has introduced new rules for 2011 which limit stays in Chagos to 28 days, which does not allow sufficient time for the weather systems to change so Chagos becomes impracticable as a stopping point.

An alternative is to sail back down the Malacca Strait to Singapore and then through Indonesia to the Sunda Strait between Sumatra and Java, thence to Rodriguez or Mauritius and on to South Africa.  While this route is not much further in terms of overall distance it involves a 3000 nautical mile passage in rough conditions - strong SE trade winds and a SW swell out of the southern ocean. This is a most unattractive prospect.

The Project Director has ruled out the northern Pacific Circuit route, despite the prospect of wintering in Vancouver or Seattle and getting some serious skiing in. Having looked at it the Skipper is not in disagreement with this executive decision.

We have not even considered the Cape Horn route, even though it would mean revisiting New Zealand.

At present, unless the Chagos situation improves, Sea Bunny is residing in Malaysia/Thailand.

Action we have taken to try to get the UK Government to reconsider the Chagos regulations is on our website.  Other yachties who are in a similar situation to ours may like to consider taking similar action.