WEEK 15: Labuan Island to Telek Ambong, Sabah Borneo

Saturday 23 July Labuan – Pulau Tiga
05°43.503N / 115°40.090E (5m)
We left around 8am. Labuan looked really interesting and we cant wait to go back to explore it. Passed a few logs in the water, avoided a couple of ships and headed further up the coast in a reasonable swell. When we pulled the anchor up there was a black plastic bag on it but luckily not on the pointy bit! The wind came up through the day and by the time we reached Pulau Tiga there were white caps everywhere. They call Tiga Survivor Island as that’s where the first Survivor series was made in 2001. We had to anchor around the other side of the island from the resort and it seemed ok. Single Malt were anchored further out and looked a bit exposed. Braveheart came in and anchored where we were. Anyway as Single Malt had suggested to us the swell came around the island and it wasn’t terribly comfortable. We had been hoping to get ashore but the waves were breaking on the beach so we will hope another time to be able to anchor on the resort side of the island.
Miles: 41 TTT: 2,005

Sunday 24 July – Pulau Tiga
05°44.925N / 115°40.770E
We upanchored and went out where Single Malt had been as did Braveheart. It was very calm out there just off the beach of a small island with a white sandspit. There is also another rocky island there which is known as Snake Island as all the sea snakes are supposed to go there to mate. These three islands only popped up out of the ocean in 1897. Chris from Braveheart came over and collected us in his dinghy and we went to Snake Island where there was a sign saying poisonous snakes. Needless to say the crew did not leave the jetty though the skipper walked down the path aways. We did not see any snakes. We then went ashore on the other island and watched the surf breaking off the spit. The waves were coming from three directions and colliding near the shore so it was very interesting. Judy and Chris came over for sundowners and the skipper cooked us all a meal. A pleasant evening.
Miles: 1 TTT: 2,006

Monday 25 July – Pulau Tiga – Kota Kinabalu
05°58.073N / 116°03.158E (13m)
We left at 8.20 and motor sailed in a 1 ½ - 2m swell to Kota Kinabalu and anchored off the marina/resort at 12 noon. We had read such a lot about this marina and had been really looking forward to it. An American boat anchored quite close to us but a little later he went into the marina. When we took Bob in we noticed he was rafted up to another boat and the marina was full. We parked Bob beside Cilantro and they gave us the guided tour. Of course being a pretty fancy resort everything was expensive. Sandra and James had collected our plaque for coming 2nd in the Miri race (although it said 3rd). It was definitely second though as only two of us in our class finished!!! We left to go back out at 5pm and as we were nearing the entrance to the marina a resort tour boat was coming in at speed and straight towards us. He did not slow down and almost seemed to be targeting us! We didn’t know which way to go to get out of his way as every way we went he seemed to go there – of course this was all happening in a matter of seconds. We could see the front of the boat almost seeming to tower in front of us and I screamed and turned my back and honestly thought we were going to be killed. He swerved and slowed a t the last minute. It was a terrifying experience and from that moment the marina didn’t have the same appeal for us. We made it back to the boat very shaken. We had quite a good night with not too much swell.
Miles: 29 TTT: 2,035

Tuesday 26 July – Kota Kinabalu
We went ashore at 9.45 and parked beside Cilantro. We all caught the resort bus into KK which is quite a big city being the capital of Sabah. Six star resorts one side and very poor village the other. The city itself had some large air conditioned shopping malls. We walked to the waterfront and checked out all the markets and a couple of super markets. We then found the Chinese section of town and had a lovely meal and a beer. There seems to be more Muslims in KK than other places we have been in Borneo (not sure if this is so). Malaysia prides itself on its one Malaysia policy which ensures that all citizens are equal but this is probably not really so as we believe the government subsidises the Muslims and also the Muslim schools. Some Chinese told us they have to support their own schools. Anyway just an aside. We went back to the market and bought lovely veggies and heaps of mangoes, pawpaws, and pineapples. Were heading for one of the big shopping complexes but when we got there a siren was going off and it was being evacuated. Caught the 3.30 bus back and went straight back to the boat.

Wednesday 27 July – Kota Kinabulu
Had a dreadful night – we rolled side to side all night and if the rally dinner wasn’t on tonight we would have left. Gave our papers and passports to an agent to check us into Sabah and in and out of KK and went to town. We noticed a few yachts anchored over the side of the town though one did seem to have hit bottom and had assistance to get off. There didn’t seem to be a lot to see in KK. Went back to our Chinese restaurant for lunch and went back to get more mangoes. Noticed how very windy it was getting so got the 1.30 bus back. Most of the others decided to get back early too. Rang Braveheart and they were on board moving as they had dragged anchor very close to another boat but they said we were ok. Went to the marina office to see if we could come in for the night but were told no room. We enquired about an obviously empty double spot but they said that was for their boat. That double spot remained empty all night. Anyway we went back to our boat. Got Cilantro to collect our paperwork and passports as no way were we coming back in at 4pm. It was still pretty rough when we went in at 6pm. Braveheart decided at the last minute to stay with their boat. If we had seen the storm coming we may have done the same. We were having pre-dinner drinks on Cilantro. The storm didn’t last long and the rain stopped and we went to the dinner held in one of the resorts. The buffet meal was excellent and the cultural entertainment was the best we have seen. Then we went back to the boat. The seas had died down a bit but it was still swelly. I ended up with a black and bleeding thumbnail as Bob surged forward and I got my thumb jammed in the self steering gear at the back. I got an ouch Jessie!!!

Thursday 28 July – Kota Kinabalu to Telek Ambong
Happy Birthday Linda
06°18.489N / 116°18.076E (8m)
After another shocking night we upanchored at 8.15 and headed around the large island of Pulau Gaya thinking to go into Police Bay on the other side. The seas were rough with 1 ½ - 2 ½ m swell but as we got around it was a following sea and everyone knows you don’t look behind in a following sea (that way you don’t know how big the waves are!) and as Police Bay was 20m deep we decided to keep going. A couple of times we thought maybe we shouldn’t have but we made it to Telek Ambong and almost surfed into the bay at 2pm – exhilarating! Went in quite a ways and anchored off a very pretty stilt village beside the American boat. A little later Chez Nous and Baganoff also came in. When we came in we could see soccer goal posts which were well under water and when the boat brought the school kids home they had to paddle to their homes. As the tide dropped the soccer field on hard sand dried out and a game of soccer was played and there were people everywhere (seemed to be all male). They had a mosque which called all to prayer but the soccer game continued. It looked such an interesting village so Baganoff went in. The game finished and everyone just walked away, though some small children kicked the ball around with Baganoff for a while but it didn’t look very friendly, though I suppose it was dinner time. A wonderful calm night.
Miles: 30 TTT: 2,065

Friday 29 July – Telek Ambong
The other three boats left and a fisherman came out trying to sell us a beautiful shell. He was a Filipino and had his small son in the boat. Had no English at all but he wanted us to go to his village. We watched where he went and he went to some houses to the right of the village. We didn’t think it would be a good idea to go in with no other boats around. All the fishermen were friendly and waved. Cilantro, Linger Longer, Ketoro and This Way Up all came in. We had a lovely day in blessed calm reading and just enjoying the beauty of the place and watching another game of soccer through the binoculars.

Sorry they are really bad photos but will give you an idea

Well the journey continues but breaking news is we have booked to fly into Adelaide on 21st September and will spend Christmas at home. Really looking forward to catching up with everyone.

Take care
Calm Seas and no Swell
Dell and Peter