Haganes – 2500 miles from Singapore  11^th September 2011. - 03 17N – 145 06E

 

30^th August, Singapore finally slipped astern into the fog like haze and about  bloody time!

 

Not that I don’t like Singapore ‘cause I do, but it was a frustrating  time trying to get the papers sorted so we could leave. Had a farewell dinner with Mike and Caroline one Sunday and I was having dinner with them the following Sunday as well. Enjoying a stay in a port is one thing but being there because you’re not allowed to leave is another. After completely re-registering the boat as a ‘Private Yacht’ I got the new papers in hand from the Panama Embassy, went straight back to the marina to get the office to start clearing us out. The marina acts as agents and they deal with the customs office so half an hour or so later they came to the boat and said Customs were going to clear us. My main concern was that they would still want a safety certificate, which would involve further delays and a lot more money.

 

However we slipped under the radar and got our clearance at 7pm that night. John went with Carol the cook, to the super market to replenish the ‘fresh’ and I went to the 7/11 to replenish my beer and wine supplies. ($200 for 4 bottles of wine and a case of beer!)

 

We left the dock at 0830 in the morning and got out to the Immigration area at 0900. You go to a particular area and call them up on the VHF. They come out in a launch like a pilot boat, hold out a long handled fishing net into which you put your passports, clearance cert etc. they come back in a couple of minutes, hand it all back and away you go.

 

The number of ships has to be seen to be believed. They are anchored in various areas in the hundreds, and steaming past, out and in, by the dozen. You really have to be on the case and having AIS is a no brainer.

 

Glassy conditions turned to squally with rain by 1500hrs. Rain became heavy and wind picked up to 25-30kts on the beam by 1700hrs with enough lift in the sea for Haganes to show us she knows how to rock and particularly, roll. After carol, looking very pleased with herself handing out lunch (won tons etc, oh and rice), conditions took their toll and she retired to the settee in the mess where she remained for the next 24 hours. Joel stepped up to the plate and heated up the ginger fish, oh, and rice, that she had been preparing which became dinner. And so it was to the first night watches.

 

Further up the track.

 

We motored on up the coast of Borneo over the next few days, threading our way through oncoming shipping, fishing boats, miles of drift nets, and oil and gas rigs. In amongst it all we managed to catch a Mahi-mahi on the lure. It must have been lost! I thought it might be good for a few meals, as they normally are, but no. The Filipinos are worse than the Maoris when it comes to fish, midnight cook-ups, head, tail the lot – it was all gone by the next morning. I’ve learnt for next time. Unfortunately though, so far we haven’t caught another one.

 

The Filipinos are good roosters to have on board. Keen to do a good job, love being given a bit of responsibility, spontaneous smiles and their English is very good too. The only thing is, it’s just not quite as good as they think it is. They talk flat out at me in what they think is perfect English but I can’t understand a word they’re saying.  I’m left thinking this must be what it’s like for a non English speaking Parisian listening to a broad Glaswegian talking to him in French, especially if he added “Jimmy” or ‘do ya ken’ at the end of each sentence.

 

Local fishing boat, fishing round one of numerous FADs in the area.

 

 

3^rd Sept. On the evening of day 5 we rounded the top of Borneo and headed into and down through the Sulu Sea.  The area, particularly the bottom end of it, the Sulu Archipelago, has a reputation as a risk area for piracy.

 

There’s a lot of speculation, particularly in the cruising fraternity about the validity of these claims with many saying it’s over hyped by hearsay and over imaginative minds. I guess unless you’ve experienced it you would think that, but I have experienced it and I don’t.  It was also interesting to note that the Filipinos are under no illusions either. They say that the Island of Tawi Tawi is where many of them come from. They are Filipinos a long way from Filipino authority and a law unto themselves. The area, they say, is very poor but they have weapons and don’t hesitate to take what ever they can from where ever they can get it. According to the crew, a lot of the gangsters in the Philippines come from Tawi Tawi. So we came through in locked down and stealth mode with no running lights at night.  I guess if you’re armed to the gun’ls, it could be sport cruising back and forth but with out the kit, it’s good just to get through and gone unscathed.

 

A tide line 150 miles off shore. In some parts of the Celebes Sea we were getting 2 kts current (with us fortunately).

 

8^th Sept. Through the Sulu Sea, the Celebes Sea and now into the Pacific. On the home stretch with 2,000 miles behind us and 9,000 left to Panama!

 

Weather’s been inclement the last couple of days. Rain squalls marching across in front of us, and a number marching right over us. All the little red buckets we got from the market in Malaysia have come into their own, strategically placed around the wheel house to catch the drips. 25 odd knots of wind from the south and a beam sea has kept the cook out of action for a spell. On the plus side of that though, is that I have had things like cereal and fruit for breakfast and a tuna and mayo or cheese and pickle sandwich for lunch!

 

I told John that the fan and fridge in my cabin weren’t working and that there must be something wrong with the power supply that he had rigged up in there before we left. His analytical approach to  the problem was illustrative of his total understanding of things mechanical and electrical. The pure logic in the thought process was more than intuitive, it was Genius! It’s certainly good to have him along because I’m sure nobody else would have figured out what was the cause of the fault.

 

He took one look at it and said, …….. “It’s turned off at the wall!”

 

See what I mean? Brilliant!

 

Things that go bump in the night!

I’m a convert to A.I.S. With it, you can see these guys 25 miles away, where they’re heading and what their closest point of contact will be.

 

I’ve been heading for Kavieng on New Ireland in Papua New Guinea. The idea being to refuel there for the leg across the Pacific to Panama. However the fuel consumption looks to be a bit more than was reported by the previous owner and another fuel stop becomes imperative. If we have to stop further on anyway, then Kavieng becomes a bit pointless except that it is the one place I know for sure I can get the quantity I will need. Anyway we will continue to head for Kavieng until I can confirm I can get 25,000 litres to top up in Majuro in the Marshall Islands or Tarawa in Kiribati. (We carry 46,000 litres). Fuel takes on quite a different significance when you haven’t got sails. At 120 tons, Haganes would be a bitch to row!

 

Had a pod of a dozen pilot whales right alongside the boat today. First whales we’ve seen this passage. Still no more fish caught though.

 

Joel – off watch in the crews quarters.

 

Enrico on watch in the crews quarters.

 

 

Carol bought me a coffee and a question while I was on watch last night. She wanted to know why the sun comes up in front of us each morning and yet when she’s at home in the Philippines, it comes up looking out the back door. I tried to explain that their house’s back door must face east the same direction we are heading but she couldn’t get that. “No our front door faces this way because when you stand outside you look at the house this way”, pointing with her hands.  Neither did she understand my explanation that most women can’t distinguish north from south because in days gone by it wasn’t as important for them to know which direction the cave was in to drag the mammoth back to, as it was for them men who did the dragging.

 

 

11^th Sept.

2,600nm behind us at noon. I’ve phoned the port office in Majuro, Marshall Islands and they confirm we can get sufficient fuel there, so we’ve altered course and that’s where we are heading. What it is to have email and sat phone on a boat. (and a sister at home who can google a number for you). Just a pity we don’t have satellite TV coverage for the Rugby World Cup!!  Thank God for family and friends giving me updates. Now 1,800 miles away from Majuro. ETA – Monday 19^th Sept. From there 7,000 to Panama, 32 days. I’m only a day and a half away from Truk Lagoon – love to make a detour there for a few dives! Next time.

 

Spent half the evening trying to explain to John why being in a half knot counter current doesn’t put extra load on the engine. Used examples of model boats in a bath tub on the back of a pick up doing ½ mile and hour, explaining that it we were stopped, there wouldn’t be any water moving past the boat, we would just be going backwards over the ground. End result – failed.