BIYC asnd Kota Kinabalu

Simanderal
Michael Hughes and Ger White
Tue 31 Jul 2012 04:03
We eventually left Miri --as part of the Borneo International Yacht Challenge races---on 23 July.  The BIYC has been going for about 10 years, and gaining momentum--this year there were about 35 boats participating, including 10 in our class--faster cruising boats--handicap racing.
The races started with a race round the buoys off Miri on 22nd---and we came first in our class on corrected time!!  Then on 23rd/24th a 20 hour passage race to Labuan--we came 3rd--and finally a similar length passage race from Labuan to Kota Kinabalu---we came 2nd, and overall were also 2nd.  So we were pretty chuffed with ourselves and much enjoyed the prizegiving dinner on the 27th---great food and entertainment--(though a shortage of alcohol, this being a Muslim country in Ramadan!!)
So, excitement over, we've spent the last few days catching up on sleep---we got very little on the overnight passage races--and enjoying the great resort at this marina--4 swimming pools, bars and restaurants, lots of people we know from other boats---and quite a sophisticated modern town on our doorstep.
But we'll likely leave in a couple of days and find a nice island anchorage for some sand, swimming and solitude.