In Singapore Straits . . . Now . . .

[MarkJ]

Hi Folks..

This is just a special note for those at work (breaking rocks or whatever one does at work these days)..

A few hours ago at dawn we entered the Singapore Straits heading for Dangar Bay, Malaysia behind Singapore island.

Hopefully Dan will be waving streamers on our arrival....

That is, of course as long as we dont get run down trying to cross the shipping lanes!!!!!!!! Its full on!!!


Mark

[s/v Beth]

Mark be careful out there. Its not quite Somalia, but I think its close.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

Mark be careful out there. Its not quite Somalia, but I think its close.

I think you are very much mistaken, unless of course you have some evidence to support this comment.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Hi Folks..

This is just a special note for those at work (breaking rocks or whatever one does at work these days)..

A few hours ago at dawn we entered the Singapore Straits heading for Dangar Bay, Malaysia behind Singapore island.

Hopefully Dan will be waving streamers on our arrival....

That is, of course as long as we dont get run down trying to cross the shipping lanes!!!!!!!! Its full on!!!


Mark

Mark, you'll have to do a long winded report for us (me) as to what Danga Bay , Singa and the run up through the straight was like when you do it.

Fuel prices, yachtie facilities and things to look out for (traps) would also be much appreciated

Have a great time.

[NTD]

Originally Posted by cat man do

I think you are very much mistaken, unless of course you have some evidence to support this comment.

There have been some incidences in the area. It is one of the areas of concern listed.

"The security of shipping in Southeastern Asian ports and waters, especially in the Malacca and Singapore Straits, has become the major concern for countries in and outside the region since late 2003. The preventive steps that should be taken in the Indonesian and other regions in order to curb the maritime terror in the Southeast Asia are discussed."

Read more: Abstracts: Dire straits: Piracy and Maritime terror in Southeast Asia. Advancing multilateral efforts in counter terrorism and security in Southeast Asia

[maxingout]

When we went through the Singapore Straits and Malacca Straits, there was no piracy against yachts. (2005) Pirates were interested in taking tugboat captains and mates for ransom. Yachties were not worth the effort. Yachts stayed on the Malaysia side of the Malacca Straits as they headed north because most of the pirates were felt to come from Indonesia.

The real danger in the region was lightning strikes from thunderstorms. Our first week there, five cruising yachts were struck by lightning.



You can read about our Malacca Straits experience at:
PIRATES OF THE MALACCA STRAITS

[MarkJ]

The only pirates we come accross are the ones in every country: The amrina operators who price gouge fuel prices! And suckers like us pay out!

Our biggest fear here ain't 'pirates' maybe some normal criminals who are in small fishing boats doing hull speed lower than us or in outboard dahows which are pretty flimsy.

Fear not, oh cruiser! Stay at home and risk being hit by a bus or go live your life amongst the world in the safest possable way!


Mark
PS is there a break in the traffic? Can those oil tankers please STOP I am a sail boat!!!

[maxingout]

When we went through, there was a tanker every four minutes. We just aimed for the stern of a passing tanker to give maximum time to get across before the bow of the next one came through. Of course with the traffic separation scheme, we had to cross two lanes of ships.

I was grateful that I was in a catamaran with two engines going full speed ahead plus sails. We still received five warning signal blasts from an oncoming ship.

The only place where traffic was more scary was in the middle of the night in the Gulf of Suez with thirty knot headwinds while crossing two lanes of traffic. Once again, I was grateful to have two engines.

[Ex-Calif]

Mark - Don't know if you got my sms messages.

Piracy on your route - What a laugh...

Anyway, motorsailing is the safest bet with the Singapore shipping - cross the shipping lanes at 90 degrees and haul ass. Sort of like playing Frogger...

I was in my office breaking rocks looking fondly out to the south. Hope you made safe landfall in Danga Bay.

PS - I didn't realize you were approaching from the east - You coulda picked me up as port pilot and I'da only charged you a bottle or two of your home brew - LOL...

[MarkJ]

Someone moved Singapore!


So I navigate a terrific course through the inner islands of Singapore Harbour to save a bit of time. You really don't want to be doing it at night!
So I SMS'd Dan a route and he says his charts are on the boat. WHY? Who the hell keeps their charts on the boat?
Sooooo we plunge into Singapore and I feel that a distance of 4 miles on one leg doesnt look like its 4 miles till we would be high and dry....
Soooooooo I find ourselves in an inner harbour thats NOT on the charts!
Sooooooooooooo I think these people have been reclaiming land to make Singapore a bit bigger than it was.
Soooooooooooooooooooooo I find our way around that.. impedement... only to find we are in ANOTHER section that just doesnt work with the charts!
Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo we head back out to Singapore Straits and do the route without the shortcut and find the whole area has been reclaimed! Thousands of acres of sea turned into Singapore!


What a crazy day!

But great fun! Steering around the ships was such a blast Not for the feint hearted but boldness makes many things in cruising more enjoyable and safer too


Mark

[Ex-Calif]

Mark - Welcome to Singapore. We aren't going to invade anyone. We just buy their dirt one boatload at a time.

Some accounts say Singapore grows at 10% per year - LOL.

If your charts are more than a year old don't be surprised to be sailing down a highway or find that 2 little islands have become one little island.

I tried ta warn ya about the west end of the strait before you head into the channel - at's all new sand. Good fun!

[Wotname]

Are you using those nicely updated and current paper charts you got in Darwin or those electronic gimzos updated instantly via the web.

Sorry, the devil made me do it; Hope it all works out and you get to go where you want to.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Are you using those nicely updated and current paper charts you got in Darwin or those electronic gimzos updated instantly via the web.

.

Ho Ho! Those paper charts from Darwin were bloody useless. Thats the last time I spend money on paper, no matter what the old cootes here say about them.

The electronic stuff was being updated by Jepperson and nopt issued till 31st July so I missed getting that! And Google Earth was even out of date!

It was the google earth images that sorted me out in the end

Photo below is of Google Earth Image I had. RED line is my intended course. Light patches of land are the new stuff. The GREEN course is my eventual track! (only slightly dramatised!)

[MarkJ]

Actually, I just checked my track on the plotter.... I didn't exagerate too much! LOL Crikey I was lost! LOLOL

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

..... LOL Crikey I was lost! LOLOL

Nah Mate, you weren't lost, you knew exactly where you were, some b*st*rds went and changed the layout of the land; at the worst, you might have been a bit slewed.

This will become one of your better bar room yarns in years to come, especially as the details slowly get altered for better impact. Just make sure N doesn't correct you if you do occasionally stray in the telling of it .