position 5:57.62N 94:39.5E
Ocean Rival Journey Log
Adam Power Diana Power
Sun 8 Jan 2023 14:53
We enjoyed an undisturbed quiet night at anchor and woke to find I had parked next door to a large steel mooring buoy. Fortunately just out of range or we might have bumped it and added another scar to the topsides.
The bats were returning to roost at first light and a busy town emerged. I had chosen the quietest corner of the bay from the shore lights but still the competitive chanting from at least 3 mosques reminded us of Medana bay.
The light winds and excessive motor use required all 5 of the extra cans I bought in Langkawi to top up the tank. So as the town looked sufficiently large to accommodate an atm and fuel station I loaded the cans into the dinghy and rowed ashore. The boys playing in the water had acquired a duck shaped pedalo and came gleefully out to meet me. I negotiated a mix of rotting hulks, small fishing boats and a couple of jetskis with outboard motors to reach the beach. It was an unpromising fuel depot and two women breakfasting on the beach were not offering fuel related services. Fortunately a man appeared and he called a younger chap over who gave me a lift to the atm on his motorbike, only to discover the wrong type of bank for my cards. Next a visit to a chinese shop where the girl offered to take a bank transfer for cash. Then I mentioned we have dollars and my new friends eyes lit up. Back to the boat for dollars while Khairi fetched motorbike and side car for fuel cans to th
e gas station. Unfortunately fuel for boats is not allowed so that avenue was shut to us. I suspect Khairie knew that but wanted me to appreciate that illegal fuel was going to cost. Back at the beach I was treated to coffee and donut while another call resulted in the appearance of 4 large fuel cans and a dodgy fuel salesman. The diesel was siphoned from the dodgy salesmans cans to mine and a handsome wad of dollars handed over. All this took no ore than a couple of hours and I was on my way back to the boat with my 5 cans all filled.
So refueled, checks completed and lunch taken we upped the anchor and left Sabang at 2.30pm.
The wind met us as we left the bay and has kept steady 10Kn from the north to push us comfortably along at around 6Kn. Quite a relief after the meagre titbits of wind previously.