24 April 2008

South China Sea

3.555.76N 111.02.71 E



We had at least 1.5 knots of current against us yesterday which made our progress forward in the right direction 94 miles in the last 24 hours. This is even sailing all night at 6 knots. At 5am this morning we were hit with a storm. Bill had furled the jib but had the full main up. Carreering along in wind 25 knots gusting 33 Heath gave up so Bill put him on standby and hand steered in the wind and rain. Linda likes to be conservative in these situations and said something about reducing sail earlier.....Captain didn't like that. It's difficult to climb up the back in those conditions to attend to Heath as well as steer (which Linda did for a few moments). We are again thinking about a big autopilot in Singapore.

What of course made coping with the storm in the dark interesting was 2 ships nearby and having to change course to avoid a chance of a collision.

It is now 8.30 am and Valiam is cruising well at over 7 knots (only losing .5 knot in current this morning) It's grey and overcast outside.

We received an email from Caylan this morning saying she has the big responsibility of placing the ANZAC wreath at the memorial at school today. "To remember the soldiers who died in the war."

We had forgotten its Anzac day tomorrow. I was also remembering the 2000 Australian soldiers who died near Sandakan Borneo where we saw the orangutangs. They were made to build a road by the Japanese in the tropical heat without enough food or water so consequently they died. A commemorative walk is going to be made similar to the Kokoda trail in PNG. Mr Downer and other politicians are going to climb Mt Kinabalu and do this walk in August. I wonder how they'll go - its quite arduous! (as Bill discovered)

We had an unusual breakfast this morning. I had been nibbling at the left over Chilli con carne and rice during the night so Bill finished it off this morning. I then made 2 minute noodles 'mi goreng' with spicy sachets and poached egg. It was good! We have some preprepared hamburger beef patties in the fridge to be eaten. The only bread we have is some Indian bread half frozen so guess what we'll have for lunch! (with cucumber tomato and some relish/mustard if I can find any.

It will be good to keep this speed up (without storms) so we can get to Singapore quicker. I say Singapore but really mean Sebana Cove, Malaysia on the other side of the river. It means I don't have to make a Singapore flag and keep the Malaysian one up.



4.30pm

Position 3.38.84 N 110.15.937 E



We've had a wonderful sailing day. This morning we sped along at 7 knots which now has eased off and we've been averaging 5 knots this afternoon. Now we have a little current with us. The sky is clear now and no storm clouds at the moment but this could change. Borneo has the highest number of thunderstorms in the world so no wonder we get one now and then.

It's nice to not have had the engine on all day. We've been playing music and reading books. Some odd looking fishing boats have gone past - big aft cabins and high turned up bows. Another huge container ship has just gone by but there have only been a few today. They seem to like coming out at night to stop us sleeping!! We've both had naps today so hopefully we'll be right for the night.