WEEK 1 – Sat 16 – Fri 22 April – Kuah to Penang

I am calling this week 1 even though the rally hasn’t started yet, it is our preparation to head south to join the rally. Our time in Kuah was spent in preparing the boat and bringing on supplies.

Sat 16 April – Kuah to Fiords Langkawi
06°11.139N 99°47.204E
When we pulled the anchor up after such a long time it was entirely encrusted with barnacles so it took quite a while to chip and wash those off and then Peter had to cut away some fishing net which had wrapped around the chain. We finally got away around 10am and motored/sailed to Telaga where we took on 350 litres of diesel in the tank and 100 litres in the jerries on the deck. We then motor sailed to the fiords where Cilantro was anchored. We did about 25 miles and didn’t get in till around 5.30 so it turned out to be quite a long day.
Miles 25 Total 12,460

Sun 17 April – Langkawi to Palau Bunting
05°52.321N 100°19.405E
We left at 7.30am and motor sailed with periods of sailing till we arrived at Pulua Bunting at 3.30pm. This is where there is a big fancy causeway which goes across to the island but has never been finished.
Miles 39 Total 12,499

Mon 18 April – Palau Bunting to Penang
05°19.346N 100°18.350
Upanchored at 8am which felt like a very civilised time to leave and motored with flat seas and what little wind there was was on the nose. Went under the big bridge. Had to stand watch at the bow as there was so much rubbish in the water. We came around the island to Jerrejack and could see Helly anchored. We went right down the channel but came back and anchored near the main road and not too far from a shopping centre.
Miles 39 Total 12,538

Tuesday 19 April – Penang
Sandra and James collected us in their dinghy and we went to town on the bus. We were chasing some prop speed but Pen Marine didn’t have any. We went to the marina and saw Braveheart. The marina has lost a few berths since we were last there and some boats are sitting in mud. Not the best place to be. We walked around looking for some addresses Sandra had but didn’t really find any. Found the hardware store and our little bar. As we were walking past a little shop I saw out of the corner of my eye a man making a chair out of rattan. Peter went back to see and as he was taking some time we went to our little bar to wait. He came back with 6 metres of the rattan we have been looking everywhere for to make our cupboards. We were very pleased with ourselves! Went to James and Sandra’s little bar on the water and then went to the Red Lantern food hall for dinner. They had music with a couple singing and we were entertained watching people dance and an old man miming all the songs. As it was late we caught a taxi back to the boats only to discover that the tide was way out – springs!!! – and the beach was an incredible bog of mud! We waited half an hour and pulled the dinghy along the beach to where there was some hard sand and finally were able to get back to the boats!

Wednesday 20 April – Penang
Went to town again by bus and found the shop James had been looking for. We had actually passed it the day before. We ordered some prop speed which should be in on Saturday. We bought some toy walkie talkies to see if we could communicate with each other from the bow of the boat to the cockpit. We made sure we were back in plenty of time to catch the tide.

Thursday 21 April – Penang
Peter took James and Sandra in early in their dinghy and dropped them at the jetty and brought their dinghy to our boat. We had a boat day while James went to the Adventist hospital to see about his very painful shoulder. He saw a specialist three times through the course of the day, had an x-ray and MRI and received medication and four cortisone injections all for the princely sum of $420. Where else could one see a specialist without a wait of weeks!! Peter collected James and Sandra from the shore just in time for sundowners. It was a long day for them. Kristy 1 anchored near us.

Friday 22 April – Penang
Happy Easter all
Went ashore in the afternoon to the supermarket and got a few things. Sundowners on Cilantro.

As I type this I am sitting high in the air on our boat on the hard at Lumut. It is very hot. Tomorrow night is the rally dinner. More of that later. Meanwhile hope you have all had a happy Easter and lovely holiday.
Take care
May you always have a foot of water under your keel.
Dell and Peter