Azzans Adventures

Brookes Point to Bessie Island
As it happens the forecast was for light ENE winds so we planned a leisurely start for our run to Bessie Island a 25 mile trip north of here. Once we had the anchor up and made our way out of the anchorage it was clear we were in for a wind on the nose day, instead of 5 to 10 we had 15 to 20 NE and a 1 meter sea, don’t know where that come from?? So a bit more of our cheap Brunei diesel was consumed, we did manage to get the staysail up for part of the trip so we looked good. Again the charts were fairly accurate we were using Navionics on the IPad and CM 93 on OpenCpn.
There area we were headed is named Island Bay and there is a good choice of anchorages available, we decided on Bessie Island as we had heard there was a resort on Arrecife and possible fees applied! A few anxious moments were had as we came into the uncharted waters near the island, as deep bommies pop up from 18 to 6 meters in no time, the water visibility was not so good, so spotting them was a challenge. With the swell running we decided to try and tuck in behind the reef and in close to the beach for some protection, but to our surprise the swell was working from the other end on the island and we found ourselves side on and very uncomfortable, a bit too deep for a stern anchor, so Elvis our Rock and roll device was deployed.
Bessie Island is not real big and only a few local families living ashore in traditional thatched huts. As usual we were the centre of attraction for the local fisherman who come past slowly and look you over, give the traditional Pilipino eye raise and a slight nod of the head, no waving or hello up this way. The start of the night was pretty ordinary with a fair amount of rock and roll, Elvis was working double time and not coping too well at times. Thankfully the wind dropped out and with the tide change at around midnight we got to have a pleasant sleep for rest of the night. Next morning we were approached by a fisherman who had conveniently got something caught on his prop, then pulled out the old 1 litre soft drink bottle and motioned he needed Gasoline “ sorry have none until PP” “ok salamat” then proceeds to start the engine and travel about 5 mile off to the mainland, good try!! You have got to give them points for trying. A little while later 2 guys rock up on a bamboo raft with 8 coconuts (Buko) we still have 2 from Rio Tuba but gee, they have just paddled out, so we offer to give them 15 pesos for 3 of them, no need for so many. lucky the older guy speaks a bit of English so we can put the translator away. “No need money we want to trade” this is good, so he wants sugar, yes can do, so we give him a small bag, then “you have cigarette, gasoline, rice, flour, soap?” Whoa, no can do, what do you think we are Woolworths?”” ok no problem but you take all coconuts” So we end up with 6 more coconuts, we only eat 1 a day but what the heck. So all is fine, we have been good to the locals now they will leave us alone, sure Ted 30 minutes later out comes another one with a motorised canoe, he has also come to trade, speaks some Malay so we are getting on good. Then he motions to the canoe, you want a bird, we think oh no, a chook, but no he has 2 baby owls and wants to trade them for sugar and gasoline. We ask do you eat these owls? He thinks we are crazy, they make good pets stupid yachty. So we decline the offer and send him on his way, then spend the next day worrying about the owls future, we have to remind ourselves can’t save them all.