LWH - Week 2 : Labuan - Ambong

Saturday 14 July - Labuan - Snake Island, Tiga
05?40.107N / 115?35.402E
Left just after 7am and it looked like being a long boring motoring day but there was a storm brewing off our port side which brought us some wind so were motor sailing beautifully then had to reef the headsail as it got a bit strong. At one stage the rain just arced around us with us in the middle with no rain - it was the strangest thing. The rain continued and blanketed Labuan. We arrived at the sandspit behind Tiga (Survivor) Island at 3.20pm just as it started to rain. It was a soaking rain, no storm so very pleasant. We could see Suspense anchored behind Tiga Island
Miles: 43 TTT: 159

Sunday 15 July - Snake Island - Kota Kinabulu
05?58.053N / 116?03.281E
This has to be one of the loveliest anchorages around - so pretty. We left at 7.10am. It was a beautiful sunny day and we motor sailed in very calm conditions. We passed a lot of rubbish in the water and the crew had to go forward a couple of times to navigate through many large logs, trees and bits of wood. We anchored off Kota Kinabulu marina at 12.50 in 13m. A chap came out and told us that the marina was now charging 30rm ($10) just to tie the dinghy up - maybe we will find out tomorrow when we try to get in.
Miles: 26 TTT: 185

Monday 16 July - Kota Kinabulu Marina
A huge thank you to Amy and Ruth for all their help in overseeing the removal of our furniture.
We just had the worst night we have had in a very long time with a side to side roll all night - no sleep!!! Tried calling the marina but too early so put Bob in and went into the marina and were met by a woman saying we would have to pay our 30RM to leave our dinghy there and thanked us for checking in - most don't - and at $10 a day we can see why people wouldn't announce themselves!! We met the new boss of the marina who said we could come in but he had to go to a meeting with his boss and the girls would sort us out. The boys in the office (which opens at 9) finally turned up around 9.10 (no key) and 9.15. He wasn't so sure he could let us in but we told him his boss said it was ok and then he wanted to put us on the outside dock and we said we wanted to go beside Deja Vu and because we told him his boss was ok with that, thats where we got. We went out and put Bob aboard and headed in. Jeremy off Suspense helped with our lines and there we were - finally on the fourth try in Sutera Harbour marina!! Obviously the 'dont let them in' sign had been erased from our foreheads! We headed to the Indonesian Consulate and there were so many people there all with numbers. We went back out to the security man and he told us we didn't need a number but to go to counter No. 4 which was a door. We stuck our heads through and were told counter No. 3. There were the visa application forms so we filled out two each and put them in with copies of our other paperwork, then to the Maybank around the corner to pay the fee and back again so it was all lodged by 11.30am. We were told to come back at 4. We walked to town, had lunch and did some shopping and went back to the Consulate at 3.30 and there were our passports waiting with our Indonesian visas in them!! So we are ready to go!! The Indonesians there were very friendly and we are looking forward to sailing through their country again. We caught the resort bus back, had a lovely hot shower - towel supplied - and had a lovely meal at the resort. Its around $25 per night for the marina and dinner for two around $30 - $40. So pleased to be in here.

Tuesday 17 July - Kota Kinabulu marina
Happy Birthday Stuart
Went to town on the resort bus and did some shopping though the skipper was a very reluctant shopper! Guess shoes and shirts don't turn him on Bought some fruit and went back on the resort bus. Had a hot shower - towel supplied! - and dinner at the resort.

Wednesday 18 July - Kota Kinabulu Marina
We should have left today but didn't. We walked all round the resorts for a look. There are two resorts with the marina and country club in the middle. We are allowed to use the Country Club pool (we didn't) which is lovely, the bowling alley which the crew really wanted to but didn't quite make it (about $7 per game plus shoe hire), billiard room and movie room. The crew went to town shopping while the skipper stayed on board and also checked us out to leave tomorrow We almost went to town for a cheap meal but ended up at the resort for dinner after - did I mention a lovely hot shower - towel supplied!

Thursday 19 July - Kota Kinabulu Marina
It rained steadily all night, the wind came up and it was blowing a gale gusting 35 knots so no way could we leave. We emptied our water tank from Miri and put in the cleaner water from KK. At 11am the wind had dropped off and we thought maybe we should go but there was that little niggle of doubt so we used the 'if in doubt' rule and stayed. Then the sky blackened, the rain started then the wind came and it blew a gale gusting around 40 knots we reckon. The skipper put extra lines on. The old sailors used to say if the wind precedes the rain its not too bad but if the rain precedes the wind you are in for a blow. And did it blow - we were so happy to be in the marina and so happy we didn't leave. It blew a gale and rained all day. We just played computer games and had a lovely day. We had intended to catch the 5pm bus to town but got talking to Jeremy and Natalie off Suspense then two of the lads off one of the super yachts came over to invite us to a barbeque tomorrow night and we chatted some more. It was a bit late by then so we had a hot shower - towel supplied! - and dinner at the resort. They have three blokes singing each night and they come to your table to serenade you - embarrassing but they played us 'leaving on a jet plane'. Another lovely day. A Danish boat with about ten young people came in late in the afternoon rocking and rolling till they got into the marina. There didn't appear to be any shelter on the boat at all, from the wind or the rain. One of the girls later told me that they had been eight days coming down from Thailand - they would have had a shocking scary day.

Friday 20 July - Kota Kinabulu Marina - Ambong
06?19.231N / 116?15.441E
We got up early and consulted three weather sites on the internet and the grib files and at 7am decided to go (besides which it was getting expensive!). It was a bit swelly but not too bad. Had quite a good run with just the headsail out and seas from astern. The wind started picking up as we got closer and we surfed in and were quite pleased to be here. A quick run getting in at 12.45. We are tucked in out of the swell. It is still pretty windy but the sun is shining. Suspense came in around 2pm but couldnt furl their headsail so had to go up the mast a few times (it is a very big mast) and they worked on it for quite some time and ended up dropping it. It looks as though it will be pretty windy around the tip (of Borneo) tomorrow and it is a long run so we will consult the weather again in the morning to see if we go or not.
Miles: 33 TTT: 218

Love to all. Best wishes to Maureen and Winston. Missing little Rosie. If you or yours are in Brisbane on the 28th July get down to the Tivoli for a great night - its for a very good cause (Cancer research).

May all your storms be small ones
Dell and Peter

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