Saturday 31 May Borneo bound

On the move again for our first long passage, and first overnighter, this year as we leave Peninsula Malaysia bound for Sarawak, Borneo across the South China Sea.

On the first day we had good wind to sail close hauled but the auto pilot 'drive stopped' and refused to work properly for the rest of the trip which meant old fashioned hand steering. David methodically began a fault finding mission through each of the components; rudder steering cables, electric motor, rubber drive belt, electro magnetic clutch, two planet gear box drives and electronic control unit. It wasn't until we arrived in Santubong and the deck was unmoving horizontal that he could go deep into the electric motor and find the carbon brushes had worn away past their critical point. These carry the electric power to the heart of the motor and provide the drive for the system. Replacement brushes are not available in darkest Borneo so he reverted to the spare parts bin and resized two carbon brushes for the sail furling motor, soldered on extension wires, fitted these and we were sorted.

The steering issue was just one of those things which happens, overall the trip was very good. We caught a dorado; the first edible fish we've caught since we were in Northern Australia almost a year ago and we were joined by a pod of dolphins a couple of times. Dolphins have been noticeable by their absence since we entered SE Asia. Lack of fish and dolphins must be due to over fishing. (Worse yet, we have yet to see a shark, or any pelagic on a dive.) As we travelled at night the sky was lit up by the lights of the multitude of fishing boats around us. The squid boats have such intense they are hard to look at a mile distant.

On day two the wind died and we motored through an azure sea as smooth and glossy as satin.

truly calm seas

P. Teleng Teleng

Our Borneo landfall was Palau Teleng Teleng, a turtle breeding site. As we were anchoring splashes around us as green turtles came up for a breath of air. All in all it had been a good trip especially with catching a fish and seeing dolphins. You never tire of seeing dolphins – each time we run to the bow to watch these amazing animals. I swear they turn and look up at us idiots hanging over the side and go 'Look. Humans!'.