WEEK 8: Kapas Island to Redang Island

Saturday 4 June – Kapas Island
Happy Birthday Jean
Had a lovely day reading and knitting and admiring the scenery. We are between a small island (Gemia) which has a resort and a bigger island which has walkways (with balustrades) over the rocky headlands between the beaches. In the afternoon we took Bob and went round the edge of the reef for a look and then called on Cilantro then came back and had dinner.

Sunday 5 June – Kapas Island
Went around the smaller island for a snorkel but visibility wasnt all that good and neither was the coral. Got stung by little things in the water so came around near the boats and tried there but same result. Went ashore with Cilantro and walked around the walkways. There were many locals on the beach swimming and picnicking. The women wear long sleeves and long pants and head scarves swimming. It was a lovely walk and we came back to a little restaurant on the beach but it only served its guests though they did produce a very good fresh pineapple juice for us. We went to another restaurant which was like a big solid verandah and had lunch there then had a swim off the beach where we had left our dinghies. At 5.30 we all went to the beach where we all indulged in a game of boche which was quite good. At 10pm I could hear people talking outside and there was a tourist boat attached to the buoy beside us fishing with fishing rods in a marine national park. Not too many fish here!

Monday 6 June – Kapas Island
Watched as four big Marine Malaysia men boarded Whisper HR all with their big boots on. Mae was home alone as Kevin was visiting another boat. She called him up and he went back and they looked below and went through all their papers and were there for quite a while. I was appalled to think that these four men could walk all over the boat with only a female aboard! They then went and checked two sther boats and then seemed to disappear. At 4pm we all went to the lovely resort on the small island for a rally dinner. The resort had a swimming pool and also a swimming pool for the baby turtles. They are really trying to work on their turtle conservation here. The meal was a buffet and it was absolutely delicious – all Malay dishes and the best we have had. It rained while we were there and when it stopped we headed back to the boats.

Tuesday 7June – Kapas Island to Kuala Terengganu Marina
05°20.329N / 103°07.877
We left at 7.30 and had a slow motor sail to Terengganu. We went between the block wall entrance into a very dirty river and headed for the marina. There was quite a current running so as well as the blokes from the marina office we all had to help with each others lines. There are quite a few racing yachts in which are looked after by Dave from Perth who spends three weeks up here and six weeks at home. There is a huge complex here with a resort. The marina building is about three storeys and huge with a gym, sauna, spa, restaurant, lovely bathroom – big conference rooms all beautifully tiled and another big building called the ballroom and the whole thing was built for just one yacht race a year called the Monsoon Cup which is held for a week at the end of November. Apart from that it rarely gets used. The wastage of money in this country is quite staggering. We had lunch at the restaurant which was really nice. Then we headed to the petrol station with our five jerries. We could take the dinghy and the skipper took two jerries at a time across the road. We did two runs. The diesel is cheaper at the petrol station. Tables for the rally dinner were set up on the lawn outside the ballroom. The band was set up and playing their Malay instruments, tables and chairs beautifully decorated and shortly after we sat down it started pouring rain – torrential rain which lasted as long as the dinner did. The tables and chairs were left in the rain and they brought out more tables and chairs under cover, moved the band and the buffet in and redid the whole thing. It was such a shame. The meal was very nice but they were all western dishes – we really do prefer the local food. No alcohol of course but a lovely night.
Miles: 12 TTT: 876

Wednesday 8 June – Teragganu Marina
We went on the bus tour at 9am and were taken to see the wooden boat building – they line between each piece of wood with paperbark. They told us it was from a local tree but we are not sure if they are eucalypts. We were able to climb all over a fishing boat and it is amazing how steep the front and back of them are. Then we were taken to a batik factory and then to the crystal mosque where we all donned coats (men included) and headscarfs (for the women) and were able to go inside. There were about three classes of small boys all reading from the Koran. They got a tap with a stick if they got it wrong! We had lunch and returned to the marina and we did another fuel run so we are now all fuelled up with 300 litres. In the afternoon we took the dinghy across the river and walked through China town and had a very nice meal at the Golden Dragon. The only places you can get beer is at the Chinese places and the Chinese make up only 5% of the population in Teragganu province.

Thursday 9 June – Teragganu Marina
We took Bob across the river to go to the wet market which was pretty good. Got heaps of fresh fruit – mangoes, pawpaws and pineapples – and vegetables and took it back to the boat. The turtle conservation effort doesn’t seem to have reached everyone as they were selling turtle eggs. We then went looking for the Immigration Department as we had been told we had to check out of mainland Malaysia. We walked for a couple of kilometres as it wasn’t where we thought it was. We found the frozen food place and managed to get a 2kg block of Aussie cheese and some frozen NZ lamb chops and sirloin steak (Aussie) for around $10/kg!! They pointed us in the right direction for the Immigration Department which was in a big building which looked a bit like a block of flats – no signs. Nos signs in the building either but on asking we were told it was on the first floor. When we got there it was quite crowded but a staff member saw us straight away (somehow they recognised us as yachties!) and spoke to a couple of other staff and they decided that as we had a 90 day visa we didn’t have to check out. Glad we found out today and didn’t come back into Teragganu specifically for that purpose. Had lunch on the way back – the Chinese proprietor greeted the skipper with a cold bottle of beer! Knows his customers! We hurried back and caught a taxi (who ripped us off) with Cilantro to the Giant supermarket where we got the essentials. The same taxi driver was waiting and ripped us off again on the way back – at least he was consistent!! We filled the water tanks and we took Cilantro across the river to China town. Had a delicious meal at the Golden Dragon then went to the bus station with James and Sandra who were taking a night bus to Langkawi to collect their radar which they had ordered.

Friday 10 June – Kuala Teregganu to Redang Island
05°47.331 / 103°00.931E
The skipper settled our marina account which turned out to be $30 for three nights including electricity and water! We left the berth on a slack tide at 8.45 and headed north – overcast day. We went past Pulau Bidung hoping to stop for a snorkel and to see the Vietnamese memorial. This is where all the Vietnamese refugees came and the centre of the bay is fouled with sunken refugee boats. It was very deep and we could see a catamaran who seemed to be having trouble raising his anchor so we kept going. We found out later that his anchor chain had gone underneath a bus (yes a bus!!) and he had to dive on it to get it out. We went around Redang Island to the north side in a bay which looked sheltered. There was a very strange ship there which had superstructure across sideways to a pontoon almost like a giant cat. Looked a bit like they were building a ship but ran out of room so went sideways!! We checked out the buoys but the lines didn’t look very strong so anchored in 9m on sand at 2.45. At 3.30 we went for a snorkel. There were smatterings of colour in the reef and fish but a lot of it was dead and we saw two old fishing nets snagged on a couple of bommies. It was a bit murky and it was overcast so we didn’t see it at its best. We were surrounded by hundreds of fish at one point who swam along with us. All different kinds coming right up to our faces. It was really nice. Other people reported good coral on the south of the island. The skipper then washed all the river dirt off the boat and we ate on board. It was a bit rolly through the night.
Miles: 31 TTT: 907

Where is the time going??? Having trouble keeping up. Our Grandaughter Charlie turns one on the thirteenth – she is gorgeous. Missing everyone especially my little Rosie.

Currently heading south to get back to the Tiomans to do the big crossing to Borneo but will tell you about that next week.

Love to all

Dell and Peter