To Rebak Marina
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Sat 3 Dec 2016 23:57
|
To Rebak
Marina
 We awoke to this
view surprised to find we had ended up in perfect formation behind two
other yachts at a fair distance and like them a big distance (the funniest
one we have ever done was me refusing to go in further then seven metres of
water below, at the seaward edge of the huge bay in St Lucia, on awakening we
found ourselves about a mile and a half from the beach............). We have
indeed anchored after dark just a handful of times and only in massive bays that
are well charted.
 Bear launched Baby Beez and at ten
o’clock we headed in between the two man-made island breakwaters, passed through
the inner anchorage and
turned left after the lighthouse.
 What a surprise – a load of local
fisherman parked on the left and the colonial
building of the Harbour Master shared with the marina office, Customs and
Immigration and a ferry terminal.
 A sizeable
marina with a few boats we recognised. Signed in to the Marina Office we
found that the Harbour Master was on a day off and C+I were at the
airport......Mmmm. Fortunately we met Philipp who wanted to log in and out, he
knew the procedures very well as he sails often from Phuket and suggested we
share a taxi to the main town of Kuah – oh where we should have been had the
wind been that way....... Off we went at half past ten for the forty minute
journey chatting away like old friends. (the reason for check in is because
Langkawi is duty free).
   Our trusty taxi driver, Rahman
dropped us by Kenny Rogers (of the roast chicken variety as we came to love in
Puteri) and we trotted behind Philipp to the Harbour Masters Office. One form
completed and off to Customs who took one of our Puteri forms, then to
Immigration who took the other. A first for the skipper to have no bits of paper
in his hands to take back to Beez, he looked quite mystified. We
stopped to admire the pretty little bridge and huge
eagle.
 Kuah
anchorage to our left. We were pleased the wind pushed us the way it did
as our anchorage was a huge bay, this one was up a wiggly track between islands
best done in daylight wethinks as opposed to methinks......
 We bimbled along behind Philipp who
retraced our steps through a mall and back to Rahman
outside Kenny’s.
  On the road we passed a big mosque and Philipp asked if we “minded stopping at
his favourite place to shop, similar to a cash and carry”. Lead on was the firm
and easy reply, the words duty free had conjured up images and curiosity. So
Rahman pulled into a space in front of PL Soon Huat SDN.
BHD.
 Well colour both of us happy, Aladdin’s Cave............a two kilo block of Anchor
cheddar just a little more expensive than a one kilo block bought in Cairns and
just about everything from pans to flip flops. This shop is the go-to for all
the hotels in the vicinity. Philipp led us to the back right hand corner and
through a set of hanging plastic curtains. There we were met by Mohan who took
us through a posh teak door to the ‘booze room’. The rules changed last month to
each person being allowed to buy a maximum of five litres of spirit or wine,
three slabs of beer and three cartons of cigarettes. No sooner than I saw a
litre of Stoli for four pounds and fifty four pence than I was at my ration.
Bear looked gleeful as he found his favourite Teachers at a similar price. Ten
bottles chosen, Bear had to present our Passports at the till where a Customs
man settled nearby logged our details, that’s it for the month of
December.
  Rahman dropped us back to whence we
had began – three hours of his time, eighty minutes of driving and he asked for
RM120 or each man handed over ten pounds and ten pence – our toothless friends
was delighted with his mornings work, made sure Bear took his phone number and
off he went. We bade a fond ‘farewell’ to Philipp with a “you must come to see
me in Phuket”, we loaded Baby Beez with our booty and returned to Beez in her ‘crowded area’........... Poor Bear had to
restow Baby Beez and by twenty to three we were off hoping that the falling cloud wouldn’t produce the wet stuff until we had
completed our five mile journey.
 Today we managed a
very straight line but we did have a really good laugh as we recalled our
conversation about red flashing sticks and the reason for our wiggly track last
night.
 From the northern
side of Rebak Island we saw no hint of a marina.
 Splendid isolation. The marina is nestled where once was a mangrove swamp. Beez
Neez has safely brought us 5872.2 nautical miles at eighty two different stops
bringing our total on our At-Venture to 31,773.21 nautical miles, she like us
need a break. Thank You Girlie.
 We rounded the corner and believe it
or not found the entrance (beyond the wall). It is
quite important to radio in from here on channel 69 as little ferries and other
users come whizzing out of the narrow dog-leg entrance. That done we were
invited in to A31 where a chap would be waiting for us. Above us a welcoming
fly-by from several osprey and a constant laughing from what sounded like many
hornbills.
 By four o’clock Beez was happily settled for
the next thirty one days. We went off in search of the office. I spotted
a golf cart dropping a couple off and beat a quick hop to ask the driver if he
could take us to the marina office to check in. “Hop on” the happy chap
said.
  A very tired Bear
came loping. Dealt with efficiently and armed with location maps,
courtesy ferry times, shop hours, 25% discount at the resort, 50% off ‘Happy
Hour’ and a spreadsheet of retailers etc, we went for a little exploration of
our new surroundings, all the while the rain that had held off still
threatening. Not before we had a shandy and a little ring
doughnut.........
 Looking
right toward the office, and beyond to the blue travel lift standing
quietly in the haul out yard.
 Looking
left, Beez is on the marina side of ‘A’ dock, near to the ‘gap
in the hills’ at the back of the picture. We should get fit with all the walking
we can imagine ourselves doing. To the left of us as we stood, we could see the
sea a five minute walk away via a path, bridge and passing a couple of holiday
lodges. Our resolve to go straight home for a cup of tea was overruled by the
need to go and have a quick look.
 One of the
lodges we passed.
  The beach
looking left and right.
  Bear test drives a lounger as we take
in the pool. This will be our first ever experience of a swim-up bar, looking forward to that. For now it’s home for supper,
a game or two and an early night.
ALL IN ALL A SURPRISINGLY
PRODUCTIVE DAY
IT’S GOING TO BE REALLY NICE TO HAVE A
HOLIDAY |