28 May Pulau Tioman

We left Puteri Marina on Friday, 13th and motored through the Singapore Straits without incident or disaster. In fact we were most fortunate to have a positive current with us all the way around to the anchorage at Pengileh which continued with us next day as we began our journey up the east coast of the peninsular.

anchored oil platforms in the Straits

crew down time

We've ordered a new windlass motor from a company Germany to be delivered to the marina in Terengganu around the first week of June.  With three weeks to cruise the islands we intend to have some fun and to do some diving.  The first for me since having a new hip joint fitted last August.  On the north end of Sibu island we find the coral in a poor state; recent and extensive coral bleaching due to 31c water temperature.  Already the fish have gone and green algae is growing where once coral flourished.
We reached Tioman ten days ago intending to stay for 4 or 5 days.   Sometimes our progress stalls and with no real need to be anywhere to meet deadlines we are enjoying this freedom.  The marina at Tioman is compact and currently run on a self service basis.  If there's an unoccupied berth amongst the few yachts and many local boats, squeeze yourelf in as we did and then visit the Jabutan Laut office to clear in.  On the dock water runs s-l-o-w-l-y and electricity available at a few of the berths.  With our anchor windlass on its last legs and David wanting to do more work to keep it going for the last couple of weeks being in the marina was essential.

Pulau Sibu, south of Tioman

Tioman is a duty free island, much smaller than Langkawi and without their range and competitive prices of goods, with a tiny airport tucked under a big hill behind the town, a regular ferry from the mainland and a steady incoming and outgoing of visitors.  We had the good luck to catch up with many friends including Cathy and Peter from Kittani last seen two years ago on the Sail Malaysia rally,  Chris, Clare, Ryan and Fuzzy the dog on Quasar from Langkawi, John and Sheila on PFM met in Miri last year and a new friend, Henrike who is single handing her Amel Mango, Catherine.
David reached a milestone birthday, 60 and not looking a day over 50, and a group went out for dinner.  On the day there was a running race organised - part way between a marathon and Iron Man the course was 20kms through jungle, no paths, the runners to follow a trail of coloured ribbons tied in the trees.  The route so inaccessible one water station was water collected from a running stream the day before and treated it with iodine.  Runners were locals and people who had travelled to take part.  For example a team of Kenyan runners had been brought by their agent from Kuala Lumpur to take part.  Whichever of the team wins, and they win every time, they share prize money between the group.  Talking to some the day before we learned they are professionals travelling to a race somewhere in the region almost every week.  Mostly they do road running. This was unusual.  The winner took three hours and came back covered in mud and scratches.

Can you see me? At the camouflaged dentist tent

Finishing line

We'd gone to the finish line where a party was taking place and the army were manning the first aid tent.  While I was chatting to the army lady dentists (a side programme to promote dental hygiene in Tioman) and admiring the camouflaged treatment chair and camouflaged spit bucket which I almost   see, David was chatting to a lovely doctor who happens to be a General and who had done his medical training in the UK.  He was there with his non army wife, a top dermatologist from KL who also trained in Britain.  David has had a rash on his back and chest which has been giving him some concern so we were very, very cheeky, or rather I was, and asked if it would be possible for her to have a look.  Such a kind lady not only gave us her time and opinion, but also a wash treatment for folliculitus (inflammation of the hair follicle).  Together with our visit to the outpatients department at the hospital for a precautionary tetanus shot (following his bat bite three weeks ago) David has had a full health review for his sixtieth birthday.  A wonderful present I think.

Happy Birthday. Here with fave waitress from best BBQ restaurant

A couple of days later we hired a motorbike to take a trip to Juara town on the other side on one of the most impossibly steep and winding stretches of road, in places it was a 45 degree incline, ie one in one, but being in the heart of the forest was well worth it as was a side trip to see a small waterfall.  It took 45 minutes to negotiate four miles from coast to coast. Being safety conscious, and David is a very safe and competent rider, we always wear our motorbike helmets (cleaner and a better fit than the rental companies offer). This brought looks of wonder from local people who never wear helmets, perhaps never worn a helmet.  As we were cautiously making our way from the summit down to Juara town we were passed by school children on motorbikes flying along, but then they will have been travelling this road every day for years and know where every corner, pothole, camber (or lack of) is without having to think about it.  It took us a mere two hours to cover every available road on the island, not that Tioman is small, there just aren't many roads due to the terrain.
And then suddenly ten days had passed and it was time to move on.