11/15/2008, Johor Bahru
Sail Malaysia began their first event. What a class act they are, just the opposite from Sail Indonesia! Had a briefing Friday afternoon where we received gift bags with t-shirts, hats, flags, and a burgee as well as very detailed information about sailing up Malaysia's west coast and her marinas. And they fed us at the briefing - beverages, sandwiches, noodles, and mystery desserts!
Saturday we boarded our A/C luxury bus at 8 AM for a whirlwind tour of the area - with a police escort no less. Felt extremely privileged traveling with sirens holding traffic while we ran red lights. We were photographed on the steps of Sultan Ibrahim Administration Building with local dignitaries and visited museums, a national park, a gorgeous Muslim mosque built in British style, a colorful Hindu temple, and had prawn lunch in Kukup, a fishing village in the Southwest point of Malaysia's peninsula.
Then in the afternoon we visited a tapioca cracker factory (had snacks), a bee farm (ate fresh honeycomb with wax), and were entertained by traditional dancers at a home stay while we had "tea" with delicacies prepared by the local ladies. Our terrific tour guide was Eeleen who made the country live for us as she described the country's agriculture as we drove through it and discussed the distant mountains where we might see Sumatran rhinos, clouded leopards, tigers, sun bear, honey deer, black panther, wild elephant, hundreds of birds, 6 types of monkey, and the orangutan of course.
Got back just in time to clean up for our barbeque dinner! The welcoming ceremonies took only 5 minutes. They were smart enough to feed us as the entertainment began - more traditional dancers alternating with a rock band. Chicken and shrimp on the grill, a huge salad, Malay rice and noodle dishes, and FREE beer. If they keep feeding us like this, we can cut provisioning in half.
The entire day we were treated as if we were royalty, enjoying their hospitality with no surprise hidden costs to us as we'd experienced before. Sail Malaysia photographed and interviewed 120 very happy cruisers who I'm sure will be included in their "Visit Malaysia 2009" brochure.
Cheers to new countries, cultures, and gastronomic treats! KK
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11/02/2008, Singapore
But to get there sailboats must play "Frogger" crossing the Singapore Straits with the 250 gargantuan ships moving into and out of port at any time of day, plus many times that number anchored awaiting their slots to enter. So we had to identify those moving and those waiting - no mean feat dealing with the strong currents running between the islands either assisting or slowing our passage.
Amidst towering skyscrapers and hundreds of shopping malls we found incredibly weird statutes, parks, nature preserves, lush tropical greenery, and wide sidewalks teeming with flowers along the boulevards. Consequently we walked for days visiting Raffles Hotel for an original Singapore Sling (best to hang out there photographing the tourists drinking the concoction which tasted like red Kool-Aid but built up a bar bill of S$170), museums, electronics malls, Little India, Chinatown, restaurants nestled by the river, and the world class zoo. Two days after we visited the zoo a deranged man entered the White Tiger enclosure with a bucket on his head and became tiger dinner. So the tiger exhibit is closed until further notice!
We spent 2 weeks berthed at Raffles Marina being spoiled by daily newspapers delivered to the boat, free WIFI on Sora, huge free form swimming pool with boulders and waterfalls, gym, bowling alley, showers, Laundromat, efficient helpful employees and a choice of Bistro, Pub, or full service restaurant all within a few minutes' walk from Sora. To ease our journey downtown a complimentary bus took us to the nearest Mass Rapid Transit station where we were whisked every 4 minutes to the interior of the city for pennies.
We reveled in the luxury of this tidy city but are looking forward to the start of our new adventure in Malaysia, another melting pot of tradition and culture. KK
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10/17/2008, Kumai
I didn't realize that cruisers were a superstitious lot but they are, perhaps with good reason. We remained in Darwin an extra day to sail on safe Saturday and had a great week's sail to Bali. We left Lovina on Saturday successfully missing the hundreds of fish traps between Bali and Bawean. We forgot and left Kumai on Friday!
Weather reports said that we'd have no wind for the next 3 days so we were prepared for a nice long motor sail. Within 15 minutes of lifting anchor we had enough wind to raise the sails and sped downriver until the jib blew out - the head strap broke and ripped out the bolt rope. After dragging the jib from the chocolate brown river, Terry raised the stay sail and we were off again. Meanwhile S/V Barefeet, our friends from Boston with whom we were traveling, dropped their main when they lost its twist shackle. By now we were in the mouth of the Kumai where the river currents fought with the Java Sea agitating the water like a washing machine for hours making boat travel unpleasant to say the least.
After 2 days of rough seas, in which Barefeet's spreader ripped her head sail, a 35 knot thunderstorm flattened the waters into the Caribbean colored South China Sea. We sailed comfortably for the next few days with only huge containerships and barges traversing the shipping lanes to worry about. Conditions were so pleasant we were able to make repairs and receive a few hitch-hiking birds that remained with us for days until we sighted land again.
We caught our breath at Nongsa Point Marina where we checked out of Indonesia and made preparations to cross the busiest container channel in the world, The Singapore Straits.
Cheers to never initiating a journey on Friday! KK
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10/10/2008, Borneo (Kalimantan)
Leaving Darwin 6 weeks after the start of the Sail Indonesia rally, Sora had not attended any of their scheduled activities yet. We're now in position to join the rally group for an entire day's sightseeing, culminating with dinner at the Yellow Palace.
We begin with 2 hours at their local market stalls buzzing with frenzied activity, flies, and the chatter of hundreds of different Indonesian dialects. Next a visit to the traditional Ironwood Long House built on 20 foot pilings. The structure is so high to enable the natives to defend against head-hunter attacks. It was not explained how one can tell a head-hunter from any other foe, guess they must wear skulls around their waists? There actually were head-hunter attacks here as recently as 3 years ago. Borneo is truly the dark island!
In the afternoon all 60 cruisers were treated to an Arut River cruise. Just what the Dr. ordered - leave your sailboat behind for a river cruise on motorized canoes! Two or three cruisers snuggled in the bottom of each canoe waving to the spectators lining the banks while the drivers raced down the river and back amid diesel fumes. What fun it was, naked little kids jumping into the water while their elders waved, whooped, and hollered to the "long noses" - our affectionate nickname. The media were snapping pictures along the way as we became the poster children for "Visit Indonesia 2009".
After the traditional dances performed by their beautiful young folks on the grounds of the Yellow Palace, the Sultan's emissary invited us to stay for dinner which consisted of a lavish buffet of strange and mostly delicious treats. Unfortunately this was eaten only after many political speeches, cruiser and official Sail Indonesia replies in both languages, and gift exchanges. The young folks performed again and invited the cruisers to join in the final dance at 11 PM.
You must remember these cruisers are usually up with the sun and down shortly after its setting. But most importantly, this is a Muslim country where alcohol is forbidden - an anathema for cruisers! A very long, action packed, culture filled day was enjoyed by us all though!
Cheers to unusual foods and unique situations! KK
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10/09/2008, Borneo
It was the perfect crossing with lots of wind keeping the sails full, allowing the engine to rest for 2 whole days. The majority of our journey through Indonesia has been motor sailing and this wind gave Sora the opportunity to do what she does best - flying across the Java Sea into the broad, shallow, chocolate brown Kumai River of Central Borneo.
The high point of Terry's whole trip was visiting the Orangutans in their natural habitat at the Tanjung Puting National Park. His anticipation was well rewarded! . We spent 3 days and 2 nights on our Klotok - a narrow 2 story version of the African Queen - chugging up the Sekoyner, a tannin-tinted river of soy sauce fringed by pandanus fronds. With Herman, a native Dayak Indian, as our guide, chef, and captain, we visited the most intriguing primates in the world. He actually works in the park half the year and knows the orangutans and their personalities.
We held hands and walked with Samson, watched Ben bathe and snack on a stolen bar of soap, enjoyed the babies clinging to Mom's breast as she flew from vine to tree, but were wary of the maturing dudes who were contending for alpha male! Tom is the current King who enjoys mating with the females but also must defend his title - busy boy! Princess is shrewd - she can sign - talking to her handlers, open doors, steal canoes, and clown in an absolutely human manner. Darwin was so right!
Cheers to a protected habitat and safe sanctuary for these great apes! KK
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