Blog 80. 7 Nov. Tangjung Pinang.
Alcedo
David Batten
Thu 7 Nov 2019 09:21
FAD and local fisherman off Pulau Pangkil in the hazey light
Fisherman chatting to his mate in the early morning
Getting across the shallows at just under half tide and into the channel leading up to Tangjung Pinang the next morning was a bit of a gamble. With no clear picture to help from Ovital because it is 3 to 5m everywhere of dirty water, with shallows of 2 or less marked on both Garmin and iSailor maps, but not in the same places, we held our breaths most of the way. The echo sounder went down to 3.2m indicating depths of about 4m or 0.5m under the keel. The most shallow part was just as we approached the red buoy marking the start of the main channel where we could follow the leading line into the port. At this point, the Skipper decided discretion was the better part of valour and lifted the keel half way up, so we could breath again and make our way to the anchorage between the ferry pier and the stilt village on the river bank opposite Tangjung Pinang.
Alcedo anchored off the stilt village with Windancer on the right and Marie Claire and Morild on the left of the picture
Part of Tangjung Pinang waterfront, view from the anchorage
Tangjung Pinang is not a beautiful place and it is a busy, noisy anchorage, particularly in the early morning. We have enjoyed our stay here, even with a rather “by the by” dinner in garden of the Governor’s House, a very noisy opening to the TJP festival afterwards with very long, incomprehensible speeches. The dancing was different and for some parts, quite spectacular, but our view was spoilt by the television and press photographers and we did all sneak off before the end of the show.
Since then, we have been round the stilt village, seen more temples, visited the half finished shopping mall in TJP new “city centre” and enjoyed a very good lunch and then dinner in the Manabu restaurant. The latter gave us an opportunity to thank Raymond for his organisation of the rally and all the help he has given to all of us at some time or another during the rally. Today we have been taken for a tour round Penyenget Island, an interesting place with a fortress and the residence of last Sultan of this province who abdicated and went to Singapore in order not to be ruled by the Dutch.
The Stilt Village on Penyenget Island, which the Government decreed should be painted yellow last year as it was the Sultan’s colour and would help make it a Tourism destination
The Sultan’s residence, now a tourist attraction
Lunch in the ornately decorated old Customs Hall, a replica of the Malay traditional house of Penyenget Island where we entertained by local musicians and persuaded to dance by some local ladies
Tonight we have a farewell dinner in the Melin Hotel and tomorrow we will do our last shop in a traditional Indonesian Market before setting off for our last Rally stop at Bandar Bintan. Ship’s Boy not feeling tip top today, so hoping for good recovery before tackling the market!
Alcedo
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