Passion for Cruising

From the 26th to 28th we were anchored off Lumut, which is basically a Naval town. The Y C was very disappointing and obviously struggling. Again a huge 50mtr pool, but just a barn of a club. The formal dinner was held down the road in a Hotel ballroom, very good food but a dreadfully out of tune lady singer! The group of dancers doing local cultural dances were very good however.
We had a bus tour the next day which took us around the area, but we were not impressed, least of all by the "Snorkelling Park "!! Yes a big hole in the ground which had been concreted, with green murky water which would have almost NIL Visibility. This was surrounded by garish concrete figures of dolphins crabs squid etc. Not one client was to be seen learning to snorkel!!
We left the river on 28/11 and went to Pulau Pangkor which was just offshore. This was much better, good beach and many tourists 80% local and some Europeans. However the open drains did run into the water? A good cheap restaurant was on the waterfront as were the usual stalls, plus resorts.
Our main job was to clean the hulls which were weed and barnacle encrusted, with a brown greasy waterline from all the pollution. Stuart dived using his compressed air pump going, while I donned a short wetsuit etc and set to on the waterline, {water temp 30C}. Stuart was down 2 hours the first day, but I was exhausted after an hour hard scrubbing on the top 8 inches. That evening we had roast lamb on the BBQ and shared with Richard and Susan {Sea Bunny}.The next day was a repeat of the scrubbing and cleaning.
After all that the people from the 4 other boats anchored around us in the bay came on board to celebrate Kathryn's Birthday [The Southern Cross a 44ft St Francis Cat]. After drinks we all went ashore for another good meal. Stuart and I both had an omelette, chips and salad $ 3.00 each, the first Euro food ashore for ages.
On to today the 2nd Dec, we all left at about 6am in the dark to catch the tide north. It is now 11.30am and we are over halfway of the 70 miles for this leg. We will anchor up at a spot between Penang Island and Jerejak, this is to enable us all to sail under Penang Bridge in convoy tomorrow. Then we will have net coverage so that I must post this blog.
3pm First boat in by 2 hours. Anchor down right alongside the main road and Airport, TOP SPOT!! The photo is Stuart and Dave [ Freebird Grainger 43 USA] at Pangkor.