WEEK 31: Pangkor Island - Georgetown, Penang

One funny thing I forgot to tell you is that while we were sailing up here Peter picked up one of the towels we keep in the cockpit and something big ran out of it – he thought it was a spider and got an awful fright but it turned out to be a crab!!

DAY 213 – Saturday 21 November - Pangkor Island
Starting to get a little rolly. The boat towing the blow up banana has been going round - all the young lady uni students wear long trousers and their scarves in the water. We went around to the little island today where we have seen the students snorkelling (they all wear their water vests) and saw lots of little fish which they feed. We then rowed around the other side and landed on a little beach which was a little grubby – couldn’t see the attraction!! It started to rain in the evening and it was pretty rough but we decided to go ashore anyway. Had an exhilarating ride surfing the waves to shore. Just as we got there we got hit with a big wave and I got a soaked butt and Peter almost fell over backwards. The place was abuzz with all the local eating places – had a fantastic meal and it was a great night.

DAY 214 – Sunday 22 November – Pangkor Island to Paulu Talang
04°25.81N 100°34.757E
Woke to a really rolly day and at 11am decided it was untenable so upanchored with Aurelia and headed for Paulu Talang – about 12 miles away. After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing ended up anchored in 20m of water but it was very still and calm and slept really well till 3am.
Miles: 12 Total: 5,267

DAY 215 – Monday 23 November – Paulu Talang – Paulu Jerejak
05°18.671N 100°18.112E
At 3am the boat started jerking and making the most awful grinding noise and we realised the anchor chain had wrapped around a rock and everytime the boat went up the chain jerked us back down. Needless to say we did not get any more sleep and at first light we tried to get it off. After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing it finally gave – we had visions of losing all of our chain and anchor too so much relief! Left at 7am and motored all day in calm seas. The Raymarine (new) auto pilot stopped working (again) so Peter had to get the old one out and get it working again. We heard that Kristie and Whistle had left Lumut at 5am so were two hours behind us. Late in the evening the weather came up a bit and so did Kristie! And they passed us and headed for Georgetown marina. We managed to get a bit of sailing in and headed to Jerejak island anchoring at 6.15pm – a very long day. During the day Peter counted in excess of 70 fishing boats with nets just in the one place so it was a day of constant vigilance. We picked Stephen and Tina up (Aurelia) in our dinghy and went to shore for dinner. Saw some Malaysians with a good meal so they came over and told us what to order and also bought us some satays so we could taste their cuisine – really nice. Towards the end of the meal I noticed something under the table and it was a sleeping cat – been there the whole time and as we walked back to our dinghy we saw a big rat! Food was fantastic though!
Miles: 62 Total: 5,329

DAY 216 – Tuesday 24 November – Paulu Jerejak to Tanjong City Marina, Georgetown
05°24.857N 100°20.632E
We hadn’t booked into the marina but Kristie 1 managed to get us a berth beside them so we upanchored at 9.15am and headed up the river under the mighty Penang bridge avoiding a huge net right across the waterway and made it into the marina at 10.50am and had lots of hands to take our lines. Dell nearly hit an anchored ship on the way in – went about 5m away from it – just forgot it was there!!!! (you know that ad – charter boat, what charter boat!!). Kristie had been allocated four different berths and moved twice so refused to move again and said Pacific Express could have the next berth so we got a really good one. Tanjong City Marina is beside the ferry terminal and is just floating jetties so the swell can come in pretty badly and they try to stagger the masts so they don’t hit! Hasnt been that bad while we have been in here, in fact it has been pretty good really. Went for a walk through Little India and had Indian for dinner.

DAY 217 – Wednesday 25 November – Tanjong City Marina, Georgetown
Lazy start to the day. Peter finished his book and we went to the bus station next door and bought a one week bus passport for 20rn ($7). Caught the bus to Tesco shopping centre but it went all around the back streets and took an hour and a half so caught a taxi back (7 mins). Sundowners on Whistle.

DAY 218 – Thursday 26 November – Tanjong City Marina, Georgetown
Walked to the Cornwall Fort and found the 5 star Eastern and Oriental Hotel and had a general walk around town. Ate about 3.30pm in a Chinese place across the road from the marina. Food is all at the front – fresh fish, bugs etc. No menu – you go to the front and choose what you want then sit out the back watching them continually washing the cement floor in their gum boots. Meal was very good though - $7 for two!!! Had sundowners on our boat.

DAY 219 – Friday 27 November – Tanjong city Marina, Georgetown
Stayed on board all day catching up on the blog and generally cleaning up. Have now put all the photos on starting back at week 18 (except for Jack’s). It has been a lazy week really – Peter has finished another book and we are really starting to wind down.

Just a little snippet - when you buy alcohol in the supermarket here there is a sign which says “ it is illegal to sell alcohol to people under 18 and to Muslims”.

Fair winds and calm seas

Dell and Peter