My last days in Singapore --- translated by Paul Lukas
Singapore Sailing Federation: http://www.sailing.org.sg
Singapore Food Guide: http://www.hungrygowhere.com
Yamaha Sailing Boat: http://www.yamahasailboats.org/
(My acquaintance who frequently sailed with a
Yamaha, considered it as a weak, off-shore ship).
Tried the muslim kitchen yesterday with Juan, a lot
of Indian, Pakistani, etc. people live here for centuries. Menu: murtabak, roti
prata and a special lamb soup.
Weather check before starting out: http://www.weatheronline.co.uk and
grib file watching via the viewfax program. A lot of headwinds prevail in the
Malacca Strait.
Morning city exploration: Asian Civilisations
Museum; Little India, Sri Veeramakaliamman Church; Kampomg Glam, Sultan Mosque,
Bagdad Street - the muslim district.
Lunch in a Tua Fu eating place, Clarke Quay: Yong
Tau Fu, soup with noodles and rice dumpling, and a lot of different kinds of
tua fu in it.
Purchased an underwater camera (Olympus 850SW, 8M). From now on I will
write about and make photos of my diving exploits.
Singapore River, Merlion park, Marina Bay,
Esplanade.
The day passed very fast. Images of the Singapore
mood to be found in the Gallery.
Dinner: crab patties and Mua Chee (a Chinese
pastry, hard to describe).
In the evening Silvy Suri called from Kossuth
Radio.
Later on drank a beer on Bruce’s ship, then the
locals talked about the sailing life here in the marina Inn.
Finally I colud talk in length with Prakash Reddy,
can thank a lot to him. He organized my free stay in the Raffles Marina.
Internet at night.
2008.12.15. (Day 814)
Ship types: http://www.sevenoceans.com/Ships/ShipsByType.htm
Raining in the morning, can not work, coffee with
Bruce.
Robert, the
The rain stopped in the afternoon, so finally could
work: cleaning the ship bottom (algae), silicone insulation applied to the
metal fittings, water and fuel purchases (110 liters).
Checked the Malacca Strait ebb-tide current timing
and intensity with Reddy in the marina office. Then said good bye to the marina
associates and to the manager. Got the stamp in my passport from the
Immigration Office, the usual formalities and paperwork.
Then walked a little and inspected the yesterday
arrived 172 foot superyacht named Suall. It is big!
Got acquiainted with John, who has a 38-foot catamaran, capable of a max. speed of 22.5 knots. This is the ’Perform Category”. Hit a reef in Indonesia and is being repaired here in the marina.
A lot of people came to see CARINA. The Thai sailor
of the Asian Lady brought apples for me, a friendly Chinese couple gave me
beer. Story telling. Later on got acquainted with Rudy, who is an Indonesian
skipper of a motor yacht.
Evening: beer drinking with the yacht people in the
bar, by invitation :-). Today is Charles’ 50th birthday. Then internet from the ship.
Juan left a small package next to CARINA -
hazelnuts and egg. In the evening told him that I can not go to town shopping,
it is too late. For this he asked me if I need anything. Basically nothing – I
told him, but perhaps a few eggs would come good. Got the hazelnauts because I
used to chew them while drinking beer in the evenings :-). Thanks Juan!
Singapore – Malaysia, Pinang
’… Above all, we must
keep alive that courageous spirit of adventure…’
Her Majesty The Queen, 1952
Based upon the December windmaps: 7-8 days of calm and an average NE wind 25%; NW
25% average, magnitude 15 knots.
Weather forecast: Dec. 16. NE; dec. 17. NW; Dec. 18. NW/NE; Dec. 19.
SE/SW; Dec. 20. from all directions with a strength of about 5-10 knots.
According to the official Singapore Weather Bulletin for Shipping (regular updates at
0900UTC and 2100UTC): www.weather.gov.sg/wip/pp/mmtops/web/ship.html
:
Weak to Moderate NE monsoon. Malacca, Phuket:
NNW/NE 10 knots. Isolated showers/ thunderstorms. Sea slight. Swell low; NE
10/15knots.
Voyage plan: WP1(01-20,6N; 103-37,8E); WP2(01-19,1N; 102-37,1E); WP3(01-16,9N;
103-36,2E); WP4(01-15,1N; 103-31,5E); WP5(01-14,9N; 103-28,1E); WP6(01-18,4N;
103-23.7E); WP7(01-25,6N; 103-16,8E), around 16,2 have to watch out for
sandbanks; WP8(01-35,6N; 103-05,5E); WP9(01-44,7N; 102-51E); WP10(01-50N;
102-42,1E); WP11(02-02N; 102-25,8E); WP12(02-02N; 102-20,45E); WP13(02-11,4N;
102-05E); WP14(02-18,7N; 101-56,4E); WP15(02-29,9N; 101-42,6E); WP16(02-36,3N;
101-35,6E); WP17(02-46,5N; 101-21,1E); WP18(02-51N; 101-13E); WP19(03-06,5N;
101-02E); WP20(04- 00N; 100-29E); WP21(05-00N; 100-15E).
05-14.5N; 100-10.6E is the recommended anchor point
at the South side of Kendi Island.
P. Rimau Island South anchor point: 05-14.4N;
100-16.5E.
Pinang Islad South side sandy strand recommened
anchor point: 05-15.8N; 100-13.7E.
The travel route to the Pinang harbor South
entrance:
WP1(05-19,7N; 100-20,7E); WP2(05-21,15N; 100-20,);
WP3(05-24,6N; 100-20,9E).
In this section, many do ’coast-hopping’ sailing - stopping each evening and
dropping anchor or entering the marina on account of the heavy traffic.
Due to the complex shoreline and pirates, the Indonesian side is not popular, virtually everybody choses the tight Malaysian side. In times of the NE monsoon the sailing is most favorable here.
The difficulty of the section: Heavy traffic in the Malacca Strait, the most
heavy is the first 200 nm. Fishingboat
traffic is heaviest near the shore. One night spotted 47 fishing boats in my
proximity, under bad seeing conditions. Sometimes 2 knots countercurrents or
whirls. At ebb-flow changes, uncomfortable waves.
2008.12.16. (Day 815)
1002 mbar, 28-30 degrees, map: 1358.
Start: at 0500 with motor. Weak headwind, but the
ebb-flow countercurrent is pushing me toward the Singapore Strait.
Breakfast: two gift bananas and muesli.
The headwind occasionally blows from the side, in
that case I can help the motor with the main sail. Ships everywhere – here can
not just cruise around and wait for the wind, here one has to go. Want to leave
as soon as possible, the first 200 nautical miles of the Malacca Strait.
At 1300 local time am at P.Pisang Island, a
recommended good anchor point. Don’t want to stop.
Lunch: noodles.
Afternoon: motor off, quarter wind at 4-5 knots,
sailing at NW. Wind: Bf.1 at NE with strong current pushing me to upward.
Sailing near the coast because of less big ships, but there are a lot of
fishing boats! In my opinipon this is the lesser danger.
19LT
21LT
Radio on 14.290MHz. Feri, HA3MQ from Siklós
(Hungary) is 5-7, coming in good. In the next days N-NW/W wind is expected.
Am at the entrance of Ku Batu Pahat river,
likewise, a good recommended anchoring place.
2008.12.17. (Day 816)
1012 mbar, 28 degrees, Bf.1 NW, 2 knots at 280.
Breakfast: oat flakes.
Left Water Island at 1000 local time, another
recommended anchoring place. Wind: Bf.3 N/NW, 3 knots at 300.
1100 local time: sailing along Melaka city, can see
it quite well. The vicinity of the harbor is very busy, have to watch all the
time and have to dodge the ships.
Sailing at
Cape Rancho in the evening, also is a good night anchoring place, but I don’t
stop. Did not have to use the motor today!
Basically I can not sleep at night, so resting at
daytime.
2100 local time (LT) position: 02-28N; 101-44E.
Radio on 14.290 MHz: HA5HS, HA5CAR (Hungary). Noisy condition, could not
understand the weather forecast and they can not hear my position – but we
heard each-other!
Sailing at Bf.2-3, N-NE, 2-3 knots toward NE.
Sailing near Port Dickinson (the Admiral Marina is
here), lots of ships, have to watch the whole night, can not sleep. Besides,
have to avoid the sand banks too. Tonight thunderclaps and a lot of lightning
strokes. In addition frequent sail adjustments......
2008.12.18. (Day 817)
1012 mbar, 28-32 degrees, Bf.1-2 NE/E.
At dawn and in the morning crossed big-ship
anchorpoints, dodged the ships. Have to watch!
Breakfast: marmalade, biscuits.
The sun came out finally, it is foggy in the
distance, however.
Before
1100 LT – am at the entrance of the harbor
entrance.
Unfortunately had to use the motor for a few hours
(counter current and serious ship traffic), zero wind. Wind came at noon:
Bf.1-2, W.
Lunch: noodles, salad out of a gift avocado,
biscuits, apple.
Afternoon: many fishing ships around me. Reading,
steering – leaving Kelang.
Dinner: noodles.
Quarter winding due to strong counter current
(2kn), speed is only 1.5 knots.
210 LT
Expected weather: 5-7 knot NE/NW wind.
The fishing boats come close at night, but don’t
have to use the motor!
Hit a big tree stump at late night. It was serious,
possibly damaged the ship body. Hope not though, have to check it in the next
port.
0300-0600 LT: rain and increasing wind. Everything
is wet. After 6000 the wind stops. At down, fishing ships everywhere, about 50
of them around me. It resembles downtown traffic in Budapest :-). The fishing
ships – about 20m size sometimes are on anchor, sometimes are drifting,
sometimes slowly, sometimes go fast with motors. Their lights are strong and
can be easily seen. Also, some of them have no light.
2008.12.19. (Day 818)
1012 mbar, 28 degrees, all wet, overcast, no sun.
Ship traffic is big, ships are everywhere, mostly fishermen. Feel like becoming
a fisherman myself – sailing with them for days now, looks unending :-).
0800 LT
Breakfast: chocolate, biscuits, orange – have no
mood to eat, have no appetite, but have to eat beacuse I must.
Here at the Beam River entrance there is a
recommended anchor point.
Steering and reading in between.
The fishermen usually motor parallel with the shore
(and me), I usually sail, but they are only a bit faster. They come close to me
– they often wave their hands, I return it – we can see each other well.
Happened that the captain of the fishing boat showed with his hand the CARINA
is small, but GO! I replied that his fishing ship is nice and big :-).
Feel mostly tired these days, it is not a very
pleasant feeling.
Weak headwind, NW Bf.0-1-2. surrounded by rain
clouds, and then starts raining. Motor on, geting out from under the rain. Wind
slowly becomes S-SW, motor off. Sailing at 1-2 knots, NW.
A local fisherman in the aftrernboon offered to
pull me into their harbor where I can stay. All this with sign language. They
are not using the VHF radios. They are right :-).
The wind stopped in the afternoon – motor on again
– then a weak W-SW BF.1-2 wind, motor out, slow sailing with 1 knot to NW.
Map: 1353.
Sailing near Sembilan Island.
Lunch: shrimp (started to get moldy, here it is
cheap food).
Afternoon: slow sailing.
Dinner: noodles.
2100 LT
Left Lumut in the evening. Has a marina, and at the
isles across the harbor there are good anchoring places.
Rain at night and heavy fishing boat traffic, as
usual. On one occasion a ship without lights was coming at me, had to evade it.
Will spend the night in the cockpit again tonight, and when the traffic and the
circumstaces allow, will sleep a bit too. Suddenly woke up on the noise of a
fishing ship. Pushed the steering all the way, managed to avoid a collision.
NEE Bf.2 wind.
2008.12.20. (Day 819)
Recommened book: Tania Aebi, Maiden voyage. Just got thorugh reading it
and is better than the usual Around-The-World adventure books. Is written very
well! The first and youngest American woman who alone circumnavigated the Earth
in a 26-foot sloop between 1985 and 1987. Shows very well the comradery of the
yacht peopole around the world, the mood of the Pacific Ocean isles, the
constant ship maintenence. Her main basic thesis: important harmony with the
ship, the knowledge comes slowly and slowly. The peculiar life of the yacht
people: they meet, make friendship, then separate. Targets and plans differ.
The separation is sometimes very difficult. From Australia to Malta they sailed
together with a solo Swiss sailor, Oliver. Sometimes the ships next to each other, sometimes they
met in the next harbor. This story is quite original!
1012 mbar, 28-35 degrees, Bf.1-2 NNE, 1-2 knots to
NW.
0700 LT (04-45N; 100-07E). North wind, can not go
toward North, only to NE, CARINA is a wide ship, consequently can not turn
sharply.
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with onion, biscuits, fizz mulivitamin tablet.
Like the large passenger ships because they are
illuminated well. They are slower and are watching out for small ships better,
I think.
Before noon:
1. Bailed
out 3.5 large pale water from the bottom – discovered the cause. The fiberglass
stop of the bilge collector cracked, when the ship is rocking, this is where
the water comes in. We made this originally into a water trap, there is an
opening at lowest point the water can enter, but can not ’rock’ back out. Used
to use the hand pump for this, but it is broken for some time.....
2. The
locking plank for the middle section compartment is broken, bolted another on
and varnished it. (See gallery).
Reading.
Lunch: biscuits.
Bf.1-2 N/NE wind, from
At 1800 LT arrived at P.Kendi Island South side and
cast anchor (at 8.5m).
Put out the 4-petal anchor, (10m chain, 20m rope.)
2100 LT 14.290 MHz radio: HA5CAR, HA5HS.
5-8 knots N-NE wind expected in the coming days.
Slept in the cockpit and awoke at 2300 LT, the
shore is close. Slipped! Motor on, anchor up, over to the sandy shore. Strong
head waves and wind, but am progressing slowly.
0100 LT
Sleeping.
At 0300LT the fishermen woke me up. My anchor rope
was under the net rope – disentangling again.
Then the captain of the fishing boat in English,
asked money for the damage I did. Told him I have no money, just came from
Singapore and on the previous island the fishermen told me to anchor here is
OK. His defense was that his ship was illuminated. The ship was quite away and
I kept the distance from it. The fisherman almost cried, gave him 20 Singapore
dollars. That stopped the crying. Told me where to anchor, there are no more
nets around. I was in the path of the fishing ships.
0330LT
2008.12.21. (820. nap) (Golden
Sunday)
’Around the World in a Teacup’: Peter Pan S/V a
21-foot sail canoe, designed by Bennich Björkman, built it for 3 years. He is
sailing with this ship in the world for 15 years and is now 74 years old. The ship: plywood plus fiberglass coating,
400 pounds ballast.
Woke up at 0800LT.
1010 mbar, 35-40 degrees, Bf.4-5 NE, strong wind
even at the anchor point where the neighboring mountain sheds a shadow on it.
Breakfast: leftovers from last night, fizz
multivitamin tablet.
Resting, relaxing, reading, more resting.
1000LT – sailing with only a jib toward the south
anchor point of the Rimau Island. More and more fishing boats, are very
friendly. Wave to each other and making photos.
Threw anchor at the island (3.5 meters deep) and
dove in the murky water, can’t see a lot. Then swam ashore. It is an
uninhabited island, but the fishermen
and their families are present, the children wave, I do the same, the fishermen
asking questions – my language knowlwdge is not enough, but is not important.
1300LT start toward the harbor, there is no counter
current in the channel, and quite to the contrary, later on will help to push
the ship.
Counted 57 fishing ships in front of the channel
entrance. Ships and nets everywhere, not too easy to navigate in a headwind. It
is like in a traffic jam in a roundabout, traffic circle, or more like the
Sasadin at 0730. Virtually every fishing ship waves, I return it. Later comes a
fishing ship, the captain gives me a few crabs for lunch, then the whole crew
salutes – including the captain – I do the same (it is not the only time). What
could I do? How could explain that I am just sailing, that is all? A
little chat in English-Malaysian – wherefrom I came, where am I going...
Sailing in head wind, have to use the motor. Of
course, against head waves.
Cook the crabs for lunch. Can it be a finer lunch:
fresh crab given with love.
An american catamaran overtook me before the bridge
and were talking by shouting to each other. Where is the anchoring spot? – did
not know it. What is the marina VHF frequency? Did not know.
The city is big and the bridge connecting Pinang
Island and the shore is quite long and is spectacular to sail under it.
Anchored at 1700LT in Tanjong City Marina. Web: www.tgctmarina.com.my
The marina has 3 piers, for me it is 15 ringi per
diem. If anchoring, would spend more on the ’watchmen’ and on ’water taxi’. No
yacht was anchoring.
Walked to the harbormaster and filled out the usual
entrance papers, then went to the Immigration Office, filled out the papers
here too. The usual joke: Hungary – hungry...... Nice and pleasant people.
While paching the sails, anchors, etc. In the
marina, got acquainted with a Dutch couple that was very interested in this
life style.
Dinner in the city: Nasi Kandar, local food poured
over with minimum 10 different sauces, very hot. 4 ringies. The cheapest food
here is 1.2 ringies – a small portion of rice with hot sauce and a fried fish
head, similarly to Indonesia.
Got acquainted in the restaurant with an American climber who was telling
stories about the scaling of the Himalaya. The new tendency is that the world
best climbers in 40-50 hours get to the top without stopping. Taking along
virtually nothing - no sleep, no sleeping bags, no tents. Climbing at night too, this way avoiding
the weeks of waiting for acclimatization to the high altitudes. Very risky, if
storm comes, they have no chance....
The guy refused to allow me to pay, invited me for
dinner. Thank you!
2 hours internet, message to the family, all is OK.
Talked with Dan in the evening in the marina. He is
sailing alone since 1994.
At night: diary writing.
2008.12.22. (Day 821)
UNESCO World Heritage Site – Penang, George Town,
more than 200 year old is the city district and is multi-national: Chinese,
Malay, Indian, and English.
Pinang is a Malay word, meaning: betelnut. Was
established by Captain Francis Light, the British East India Company bought it
from Sultan Kedah.
Sights in George Town: Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower; Cornwallis
Fortress, where Captain Francis Light landed in 1786; Esplanade Fortress; City
Hall; State Museum (very interesting); Art Galery; St. George’s Church; Quan
Yin Temple; Kaptian Keling Mosque; Han Jiang Ancestral Temple; Khoo Kongsi; Yap
Temple; Hock Teik Cheng Temple; Mahamariamman Temple. Ther are some local
modern galeries too, visited one. There are a lot of shoping centers (they are
of no interest to me, bypassed them); Little India; King Street Temple; War
Memorial; Kontar and surroundings; Chinese quarter.....
Sights on the Island: Snake Temple; Penang Hill; Butterfly Park;
National Park; Botanical Garden.
Foods: Rojak: Penang salad. Made from local fruits: cucumber, jicama, pineapple,
jambu air, guava, bean curd, cuttlefish, then shrimp pasta (Hae Ko on top of
all this, brown sugar, chili, roasted belacan (shrimp powder), peanut. Price: 3
RM.
Char Koay Teow 3 RM, the duck egg, Chinese sausage,
tiger prawn cost extra.
The cheap and filling foods are the soups. There
are many kinds, common between them is noodles/ rice dough/dough. What I tried
and recommend: Koay Teon Th’ng, Wan Tan Mee.
The sweets are somewhat different from the
Indonesians. Wehen asked for their name, was told that nobody is using names.
Cookies have no separate names, just a general collective one. There are too
many, that must be the reason :-). Papana can be ordered by the name santan,
usually is green in color and tasty. Can not write more concrete about it :-).
Melaka, Singapore, food of Chinese born in Penang: This is called yonya style
cooking, the mixture of Chinese and Malay kitchen, naturally are hot. Gula
Melaka (palm sugar), Buah Melaka, Cendol, Bubur Kacang, Acar Awak, Joo Hoo Char
(roasted cuttlefish).
Drinks: che chao – green grass in Hokkian dialect. Compressing the fresh grass
yields a green fluid, an excellent cooler in hot weather! It ia a Chinese
drink, price: 70 cents.
Honey Lo Han Kuo, a Malayan local traditional
refreshing drink with honey-cocoa-fruit pieces. Price: 1 ringi.
Sugar cane juice – Malaysia has a lot of cane, is
popular here. Price: 1.3 ringies.
Kopi Tiam: local Malay coffeshop where originally served drinks only. The coffebeans
are not roasted here, but burning them in butter and sugar – has a different
taste. In the modern food race, ’fast food’ is also served here.
Transportation: many trishaws – rikshas, that is. I am on a low
budget, hence avoid all unnecessary
luxury. Besides, would not appeal to me that a 60-70 year old is forcing himself, sweating
while I sit under the parasol. The honor
for age.
Since 1940 the jinrikses toatally disappeared,
perhaps becuase they were slower.
Links:
www.pinangperanakanmansion.com.my
http://www.geographia.com/malaysia/
http://www.journeymalaysia.com/
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/malaysia
Book: Henri Fauconnier, The Soul of
Malaysia.
Spent the whole day walking in the city. Long walks are important when on
shore, have to compensate for the inactivity on the ship. Inspected the famous
places, tried the local food, the candies and drinks.
In the evening went over the Tantrum, a 58-foot sloop and had a talk and
drinks with Bruce and Sally.
Then internet in the city. The net is slow! After, diary writing in the
marina club till down. Had no sleep tonight whatsoever.
2008.12.23. (Day 822)
At daybreak at 7, packed in a hurry for my mountain
tour. The packing in general: laptop bag and a small bag, a very minimum.
Will spend Christmas on Cameron Highland. A nice
couple invited me to be with them at Christmas, but somehow have no inclination
to spend Christmas with others. Jungle-Chritmas – this way I won’t miss the
real Chritmas so much. Was at the ferry
by 7:30 which took me for free from the island to the shore. Here at the
Bistari bus station bought a ticket to Cameron Highland for 33 ringies.
The air conditioner on the bus made me shiver for 6
hours – that was my trip.
On the bus got acquaind with a young local, Uda, a
Catholic. Talked about his life, the schools, and about the working
possibilities. More and more leave the village, change lifestile and start a modern cilty-life.
On the bus were also a Swiss and a Portuguese
traveler who was traveling to Cameron Highland for the same reason I did.
Talked about everything, but mostly about Malaysia.
Ate corn baked in sugar and butter for lunch at a
bus stop.
Arrived in Tanah Rata at
Found lodging for 8 riga in a hostel, sleping in a
large common area what I could not call a bedroom. Walked in the city, then
went to a Buddhist temple (Kong Wong Yea) on the mountain and also to the
Robinson waterfall.
Dinner: Nasi Kampung (3.5 ringa), this is the
classical (average) village food. Rice, vegetables, and very small fishes baked
in oil.
In the hostel were other travelers too: a 37-yeart
old Korean, who’s English provided some problems in the communication, a Czeh,
a Canadian, Australians, Austrians and many Germans.
Watched a film on the Dalai Lama in the evening.
It is cold!
2008.12.24. (Day 823)
Camenron Highland:
William Cameron surveyed the mountain which is
named after him. The temperature here is cooler than in Penang: 14-21 degrees.
Several locals said that due to the global warming, the temperature this place
got warmer too! Few years ago it was 10
degrees, but now the temperature does not fall below 14 degrees.
Largest mountain in Malaysia. Large jungle area is
here, and about 100 years ago started to cultivate it with tea, strawberry, and
vegetables. These days the parts of the mouuntains are full with farms. Have
approximately 2000 Jeeps due to the dirt roads leading to most of the farms.
Tanah Rata and Ringel are the two larger cities here.
One of the tea industry’s main center in Malaysia!
Has a factory also but the packing is done in in the capital, Kuala Lumpur.
Took part in an organized Cameron Highland tour
today. Because a car or scooter renting would have been more expensive and
could have been lost alone in the jungle...... This is my Christmas.
Walked for 2-3 hours in the jungle where looked at
the world largest flower, then took a bath in the cold waterfall. Local
village; a few museums; parks; plantations (tea, strawberry). Was an
interesting and inspiring tour. (See the gallery).
The
Lunch: shellfish, rice, vegetables and sambal belacan
petay dressing (a local speciality, hot and interesting).
The jungle-inhabitants gave me some leaves for my infected wounds, don’t
like to use antibiotic creme all the time. Like the natural medicine!
Have 3 infected wounds, could hardly walk by the end of day.
My Christmas Dinner: Claypot rice (4 ringa, had to
bargan), this is a South Indian food. They cook it in a small clay pot with
oil, garlic, ginger, vegetables, rye, chiken, and who knows what elese. The
cook made it in front of me, could see what I am going to eat.
On the Holy Night we congregated in the hostel at
the bonfire with pleasant chatting, then about 12, went to bed tired. Going
back tomorrow morning at 6 to Penang with the bus.
.
2008.12.25. (Day 824)
Came back with the express bus, was in the marina
by 11. Since made the reservation in the last minute, it was cheap. Paid off
the marina, daily 15 ringas for CARINA.
My three infected wounds look worse, consequently
developed a fever. Trying to work around the ship, but can not do even the
easyest tasks. Rather do meditation and watching films in the marina club.
Chinese lunch in the Chinese sector for 3.5 ringas:
Char koay Teow. Sea food with noodles and special sauce.
Afternoon: trying to dismount the wind generator
from the pole, an acid-resistant screw and the aluminum generator pipe fused
together. Tried different silicon sprays, then a
German sailor came over to help. The project will continue tomorrow!
Internet in the city at evening.
Federation of Malaysia
Population: 24.4 million, 23.8% Chinese, 7.1%
Indian.
Consists of 13 states, east Malaysia: Sarawak,
Sebak, Peninsular Malaysia: 11 states. Malacca was colonized by Portugal in the
15th century, from the 19th century, England dominates. Pinang, Malacca,
Singapore are crown-colonies, Sarawak Island is private property, Brunei Sultan
gave it to the Brokke family in 1842. Sabah: purchsed by the British North
Borneo Company in 1880; Labuan is a British colony since 1846.
Since the 1930s the independence movements
increased, in WWII the Japanese occupied it, and during the guerilla wars the
1948-60, Communist Party influence intensified.
Independent since 1957; the coalition is born in
1963.
Beside the Malay population, significant number of
Chinese and Indians also live here. They came during the 19th century
industrial revolution and stayed. Population: 19 million (1997) and is rapidly
increasing. The Chinese dominate the economy, creating social tension.
Bumiputras: ’Sons of Earth”, the Malay.
Language: Malay, English, Chinese, Tamil, Punjak.
The Malay language almost completely the same as
the Indonesian.
Money: ringi, cent.
1 $US = 3.5 ringi.
The economy grows very rapidly!
Buoy system: IALA ’A’.
The Malacca Strait – west Peninsular Malaysia is
the most popular sail tour area in the region, since this road leads to
Thailand and Sri Lanka! 7 states exist here: Johor, Meleka, Samilon, Selangor,
Kedah, Perak, and Perlis.
On the Web:
http://www.noonsite.com/Countries/Malaysia/Penang
Entrance harbors: Johor Bahru (close to Singapore and a lot cheaper,
many stop here because of this, have marina also), Meleka (no marina), Port
Klang (Royal Selangor Yacht Club), Lumut (Lumut International Yacht Club),
Pinang, Langkawi (this is the main stop for tours, Rebak Marina, Little Diamond
Marina, Langkawi Yacht Club and many good anchoring spots besides), Kuah.
Mirinas in
Pelang:
1. Marina Butu Uban
Marina Batu
Uban is not a full-service marina, but Jabatan Laut officers are helpful,
when they have time from their official duties, and have helped cruisers find
services ashore including facilitating hire of motorbikes or cars. The
2. Tanjong City Marina,
Weld Quay, 10200, Penang,
Tel:+604 2102334, VHF Channel 20, 68, 69 info@penangport.com.my
New marina managed by the Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) with 140 berths
for smaller vessels and 20 berths for superyachts.
Latitude:5° 25' N, Longitude: 100°21'E. (
Got a story from an acquaintace:
An American businessman vacationed in a small
Mexican village. He was loitering at the pier when a small boat moored with one
Mexican aborard. The Mexican got off the boat and threw 3-4 nice big tunafish
over his shoulder.
The businessman liked the tunafish and bought them.
„How long were you at sea?’ – asked the businessman
as he paid the fisherman.
„Not too long” - answered the Mexican – „ maybe a
few hours, the ketch is good here”.
„Then why did not you stay longer?” asked the
businessman.
„What for” - said the Mexican – „caught enough,
have enough food for my family”.
„And what are you doing in the reast of the day?”
asked the American.
„Sleep a lot, then of course go fishing, play with
the children, relax with the wife after lunch, go to town in the evening to
drink wine and play guitar with my amigos. I am a busy man, señor”
The American made a grimace with his mouth.
„You are lucky, buddy. I got my diploma at Harvard
and know precisely what you should do. Fish a little longer, buy a larger boat
from the profit, with it catch more fish, and from the profit buy an even
larger boat. With it, catch even more fish, buy some more boats. When
accumulated a small fleet, make a contract with a processing factory, and
deliver to it directly, but be sure they will not put you over. If you do
everything right, you can buy a processing plant for yourself. You can expand
your operation to include the transportation too. You can move away from this
little dustbowl to Mexico City, then to Los Angeles, finally you can direct the
whole empire from New York.”
The Mexican was standing there speachless for a
short time, then asked: „How many years is required to do all this?”
„Well, fifteen-twenty yerars should be enough” –
answered th businessman.
„And then?”
„Then comes the best part” – said the businessman.
„When the profit is big and fat, you will found a corporation, throw the
corporation papers on the market, sell them, you will get incredibly rich. My
buddy, you will be a billioner.”
„And then?”
„After this, you can retire, you can purchase a
house in a small ocan shore village where you can sleep a long time, could go to fish, could play with
the children, could relax with your wife after lunch, evenings you could go to
the village and could drink wine, play the guitar as long as you want to”.