WEEK 20 – Tiga to Miri Marina

Saturday 19 May – Tiga – Labuan
05⁰16.470N / 115⁰14.320
Left Tiga at 6am. Seas very calm but swelly with no wind. Gadfly had an hour’s start on us but we passed him before we got to Labuan. A gentle motor sail. There were heaps of ships outside the harbour and as we went in a huge tug came bearing down on us – we had to put on a spurt of speed to get out of his way. He grabbed a ship at the dock and had him out of there and on his way so quick. There were only two other yachts there and they looked like permanents on buoys. We anchored and tried to hail down a water taxi. Gadfly went into the marina but was sent out again. They have been working on it for ages but it is still not finished or they still have a problem with it. Jai picked us up for 1RM (3RM = $1) each and we did some shopping and had dinner but then we couldn’t get back. None of the other taxi drivers wanted to know us unless we paid 10RM each. We noticed Joe Bro who has taken us in the past so he took us back. We sat on board watching all the traffic going by – the car ferries, two huge barges pushed by tugs went past in the dark. So much happening.
Miles: 43 TTT: 1976

Sunday 20 – Mon 21 May – Labuan
Just did supply shopping – this is the duty free island and had lunch at the Indian restaurant – Choice – fantastic food. We then went back later to collect a takeaway for dinner. Jai knocks off at 6 so we always got back before that. We did two trips a day with Jai and when we had packages we always tipped him more. He really looked after us. Getting on and off Jai’s boat was always fraught with danger. He would bring his boat in till it was almost touching ours – we would throw all the gear on our boat and then climb off his up on to ours – felt like an old woman (the skipper took great delight in pointing out that I am an old woman!!!). Cilantro came in Tuesday. We actually had a dolphin around the boat despite the rubbish which tends to wash out from under the water village at high tide.

Tues 22 May – Labuan – Jeffri’s Brunei
04⁰56.975N / 114⁰48.791E
Left around 8 and headed down to Jeffri’s wall – a long day of motor sailing. There were a few local boats around – very friendly and we could see a police launch over by the shore. It left just on dark and didn’t bother us. We could hear the mosque service later so we figured that some royal personage must have been in residence. A lovely calm night as always.

Wed 23 May - Jefri’s – Kuala Belait Brunei
04⁰34.856N / 114⁰11.343E
When we left there were buoys with fish nets attached everywhere and boats buzzing around checking them all so it was a bit of a zigzag to get out. We did well for a while then had current against us and as we got closer to the two stone walls we go between to get into the river we had wind against tide so it was a bit rough going in. We had to move right over near the river bank to pass a large boat coming out. We must have done alright because he gave us the thumbs up. We had a large survey boat coming up behind us and he called us up on the radio to tell us he would pass us on our port side. We went up the river and anchored opposite the Immigration building in 2.9m of mud. We sat and watched all the big oil rig service boats come in and were amazed at how many there were and how well they handled their boats in the fast flowing current.
Miles: 46 TTT: 2057

Thurs 24 May – Kualah Belait – Miri marina
04⁰23.093N / 113⁰58.354E
We waited till 6.10am to leave hoping that all the big boats would leave early. We followed two big ones out and the big survey boat followed us out and waved as he left. We motor sailed and arrived at the marina at 1.10pm on a pretty high tide which was just as well as it is quite shallow coming in. We were heading for a berth further in when the skipper changed his mind and went for a closer one (and better one). We left our turn a bit late and had to do some to-ing and fro-ing and Phil the Yank took our lines. So here we are tied up at Miri marina after doing 2,092 nautical miles on our trip to the Philippines and 13,151 nautical miles since we left home.
Miles: 35 TTT: 2092

Fri – 25 May – Miri Marina
We will be tied up here in Miri for the next six weeks or so to get our paperwork organised and the boat and ourselves ready for the long trip home – something like 4,000 nautical miles and we average 5 nautical miles an hour!! Cilantro came in just after lunch. We are going to eat out as much as we can as it is only a couple of dollars each and we wont be able to afford it when we get back home! One of the definite advantages of being here is the cheap food. There are some boats here long term as they say they cannot afford to return home and can live here very well. In case you think we are sitting in luxury all there is here is a small tin shed with four toilets with showers and cold water but it is all we need as it is very hot. There is a great big bin for the rubbish and we have been told there are two cobras (4 ft and 5 ft) living under it to catch the rats so guess who isn’t taking the garbage out!! Every Friday night is a social night and everyone meets on the board walk at dusk when the sun goes down for drinks and nibblies and conversation.

My hard drive died but I have the computer up and running again now so hopefully I will be able to put some photos up over the next few weeks. Meanwhile we will be working hard to get everything in order. The plan is to leave her on 14th July, haul out in Kudat on 26th July to antifoul and leave Malaysia around 26th August and travel across the top of Sulawesi, Indonesia to come into Gove early November.

Dont forget Amy’s Killer Queen show in aid of the Cancer Fund on at the Tivoli Theatre on 28th July. We cant make it but it would be good if you could!

Take care
Much love
Dell and Peter