Into Port Klang for a night
27 May 2014 | Port Klang
Sunny, Cloudy, Sunny, Rain with lightening and Thunder
Well we went another 65 miles today making it all the way to Klang from Palau Lalang. We'd dropped the hook there last night at about the only place available as we headed south from Taiping, another wide spot in the Malacca Strait out in the middle of no where. We were over ten miles from shore and still only had twenty feet under the keel that night.
Last night, at Palau Lalang--a group of two islands, we found what looked to be a "National Park" with a couple of local fishermen and there boats at anchor just off shore. We picked a space at the far end of the island but after the fishermen left, we pulled up the Rocna and moved right in front of the "Park". As the night passed, storms gathered and at about one thirty, the rains came and boy did it pour. I battened down all the hatches and port lights and went back to bed. The rains did a nice job cleaning off much of the mud from the previous days anchorage. The chain and anchor sure can pull a bunch of mud up from the bottom, scrub brush or not. It stays attached to the chain quite well.
Earlier in the evening, I went up the mast to inspect the rigging and Genoa at the top. The roller furling has been a bit off for the last few times and I wanted to make sure all was well up there and spray some lubricant on the fittings. Today, when we rolled out the sail, it came out and rolled back in much better. Maintenance is the key to a smooth rolling sail. While I was up there, we got buzzed by a sea plane belonging to the Malaysian Navy. She flew by once, about a mile off and then circled back around and passed us again, this time, a couple of hundred yards off our starboard side. They either wanted to check us out with me being at the top of the mast, or they wanted to take pictures of the boat to see that we were in their country legally. I waved as they passed the second time around. It wasn't to bad going up even though Zephyr was rocking back and forth in the swell. I held on tight to the ladder steps I installed while we were back in Mexico.
Today, we finally dropped the anchor just outside of Klang at a place called Palau Angsa, just north of Klang. It's just off their shipping channel so we get to watch the big container ships pass as they go in and come out of the harbor. Klang is one of the busiest harbors in Malaysia supplying Kuala Lampur, the capital.
Tomorrow, off for Port Dickson and Admiral Marina for a day or two of rest and play in their swimming pool.