Never get complacent!
07 June 2009 | Pulau Tulai
Chris White
Today's plan after a little sleep in under the calm conditions of the deep bay on western side of Tulai and great snorkelling yesterday followed by a beach barbecue with a few others was to sail on the breeze and commence our next passage of about 150 nautical mile to rejoin the fleet.
As the breeze came in we stowed the anchor and set main and genoa sailing along for an hour and a bit in 7 - 8 knots of breeze on a comfortable sea but with a foreboding black bank of cloud on the horizon. At about 1130 the wind started to veer and then came in with a wack, we had managed to furl the headsail and motored just off the breeze with the main for a while hoping it was just a front but it stayed in and increased to 45 knots plus so we had to drop the main, losing a lazy jack in the process where the thin line broke but with main stowed we turned in the now torrential rain to run down wind with it heading back directly in the direction we had come from.
In some ways it was good to be out of the anchorage as the winds would have been blowing right into it and by the time we were motoring past it again about an hour or so later all but two of the boats had gone and the two remaining had moved into the centre of the bay but were pitching extensively.
No good going back there so we motored around the bottom of Tulai and once in the lee with the dropping winds and slowing rain we were quite comfortable and we motored around to the eastern side, with the thought of going back to Tioman to replace the lazy jack or doing it in a sheltered bay. Blue Moon had come around and taken a mooring in 6 metres just off a beautiful little beach very close to shore and there were many other moorings there also so we opted for that.
Dianne shot up the mast with a new lazy jack cord and we had that fixed in short time and sat down to enjoy some great toasted sandwiches and coffee - which was well received after being out in the driving, stinging rain which although quite warm caused body chilling in the strong winds accompanying it.
This definitely was not on the travel brochure, but sailing brings a new surprise every day, some good and some you could well do without!! Nevertheless all part of it.
Maybe we will hang here for a few hours, do some snorkelling, it looks great and the water is crystal clear, off the back of the boat to the beach, and then head off, again, or we may stay the night.........