Well, we upped the anchor this morning and after giving the mud a good scrubbing Azizah and Zephyr took off. But before that, let me tell you about our last few days in Sandakan.

On Thursday, we were picked up by a tour guide about 1200 and whisked away in a van to visit some of the nature sights on Borneo. First, we headed for the Gomantong Caves. Famous for their bird nests and the soup the Japanese make out of them. After an almost two hour drive, we pulled in through a gate and went another couple of miles to the actual park buildings. We appeared to be the only folks there. We paid our fees--30 ringgits each(to take pictures is an additional 30 ringgits, video was 50 ringgits). Off we went for the hike to the cave and the "Long House" that sits in front of it. We were told we might see some monkeys playing in the trees as this was their natural habitat. About half way there, we came across a family of them playing in the trees about us. Please keep in mind that we were issued helmet as we left the van to protect us from what the monkeys might do while they played in the trees above us. For the most part, you saw trees moving and leaves falling but between the branches you could make out the monkeys as they swung from tree to tree about us. A short time later we arrived at the cave and it's long house. The "Long House is the residence of the family clan that used to own the property. Now it is a nature preserve on 3,297 hectares of land and consists of 19 different cave passages(sorry, you get to see only one). Harvesting of the birds nests is done twice a year and is done by the Sabah Wildlife Department. The main population of the cave is Swiftlet birds. Some caves have white nests and some have black nests. All are harvested after making sure the "residents" are able to fly and have moved on so to speak. Most are shipped to Japan. Birds are no the only thing that lives in the caves. As we entered mouth of the cave, the floor ahead of us was piled high with bird "doo". In that "doo" were numerous chickens. There is a nice wooden walkway and guardrail all around the cave. Once your eyes adjust to the darkness, you notice that there is movement all over the floor of the cave. COCKROACHES were every where!!! Big one. Small ones. OMG!!! The walkway was covered in them and you didn't dare touch the guard rail for not only was it covered in bird doo,(as was the walkway) it was covered in COCKROACHES TOO. YUCK!!!! Gee--aint nature grand?!?!?!? We won' even discuss the aroma that makes is way around the cave. God help my nasal passages! Needless to say, we didn't dawdle. It was back to the van(now we understood why the floor of the van was covered in new papers).

Off we went for a river trip. Sorry, I don't remember the name of the river but I'll ask Tracy when she gets up from her nap. Ten of us piled unto the boat(plus guide and pilot) and off we went. Up the river looking for birds, Proboscus Monkeys and dwarf elephants. Saw the birds--all different types and the Proboscus Monkeys along with some other types but no elephants. After two hours on the water, we returned to the base camp and had a nice dinner. Back into the van at 1900 for the two hour trip back to the yacht club. A long day but nice to get away and see some of the sights of Malaysia.

Tracy and I launched Puff early in the morning for a trip to the market. We were having Richard and Samia over for dinner and Tracy needed some shrimp and other veggies. Our outboard wasn't running up to it's best so I figured I'd gotten some water in the gas tank the last time Puff got flooded in Tawau. About 1000, Richard and I set off for the Harbor Master and Customs to get checked out of Sandakan. Here, you have to check in and out of ports as you make your way around the island. No problems and no fees(other than taxis). It just takes a bit of time. While in town, I picked up a new gas tank for our outboard. The last ones vest would no longer close(hence the water in the fuel) and it had gotten a small hole when it got to close to the generators exhaust vent.

While I was gone, Tracy was hard at work getting the shrimp(1.5 kilos) and the onion, carrots, potatoes and aubergin sliced for cooking. She started cooking about 1530 and kept right on cooking till Richard and Samia were due--1700. Well Mother Nature was out to play a nice joke on us and it started to pour just as they got to Zephyr. We'd put up the sides of the dodger and we all settled in for a nice dinner--dry. We started with Pain Killers and moved to wine with dinner. It was great having company again. It has been quite a while since we've had people over to Zephyr.

Today, as I said we upped the anchor and are now at Great Bakkungaan Island at 06 10.909N 118 07.310. It's in Philippine waters so we are staying low profile and will be out of here tomorrow morning and back in Malaysian water. We"re not checked in to be in Philippine waters. The trip continues.