Not A Nice Night Tuesday 22 March 2016.

Harassed by Fishermen at anchor in Malaysia

The SE Asia Guide suggested an anchorage at Tg. Tohar (1° 51 N; 102° 45.5 E). I went there and this is my story:

This is a slightly updated email I send Chris this morning and it gives details of the “happenings” of last night.

First I find that most of the anchorages along the Malaysian west coast is exposed and there seems, so far to be no protected bays. In addition, not only the huge amount of commercial shipping transiting the Malacca Straits, but also the fishermen’s unpredicted behaviours are of concern and stressful to see.

Last night was not good. 

First fishermen came at 21:00 as I was just in bed. I noted them passing me and getting up in front of New Dawn, so I thought all was fine and went back to bed. Soon after there were a lot of screaming and they were close to me. They pretended that i had anchored over their nets. That I found was strange as there were no nets, nor any flags close by, when I anchored. However as it transpired, their net was “over and on top” of  my chain, it was obvious that they had just laid the net over my anchor chain and tried to get money from me. Lots of arguing took place, before they finally went away. They did not speak English. 

A few hours later I was awoken by yet more screaming and another set of fishermen started the same game, showing me that their net was “over” my chain and that I had damaged their net. Same arguments and shouting before they went away and I could cut away the net they had fixed on my chain. 

At 03:30 again I was woken up to a lot of screaming and shouting, as a third set of fishingmen started a similar story. Eventually they found out that I was a real bast... and off they went screaming heaven down on me. 

At 06:30 the same story with yet another set of fishermen. Took some time before they realized what a bast... I must be, before they went off shouting. 

At 07:45 another set of them came, this time farther and son which both seemed more gentle that my previous visitors and the son spoke some English. They asked me to lift anchor – basta – and I asked why? I was told – again – that I was over their net. I said there were no net when I anchored and they were not the only ones that had made this claim during the last 10 hours. I explained – as I now knew the melody – that if their net was “below” my chain, they would be right, but if their net was “over” my chain, they would be wrong, as they would thus have put out the net in front of New Dawn during the night. The son understood the argument. So I started to lift the chain and soon we found their net was, indeed, “over” my chain. So I explained this to the son, but he still asked me to pay for a new net. I answered politely that there would be no funds coming his way and if I were to get his net into my propeller, he would be facing the Coast Guard and a big bill. I suggested they lifted their net or it would be damaged, which they refused. So they had in the end to cut their own net away, so we could get free and even their own propeller was tangled in their net by then, thus it backfired for them. The son spoke some English and after some explaining and arguing i think he understood that as his net was “over” my chain it was his fault.  One thing was they they made some dents in New Dawn and later I found out why. They had managed to undo the knots of my new fishing gear and the MOB devise, but did not managed to steal them. I only noted this later on after I had left.

To me this seems that this is normal for them to cause these problems and try to extract money from sailors. Someone probably have paid them, but I did not. 

I was happy to get away in the end. They should be ashamed.

 I never like when these boats comes too close. Why do they come so close and what do they want? Here are a few examples from yesterday.

Passing Singapore On My Way Back To Malaysia.

Some of the photos from my yesterday's passing Singapore. It is a very busy town/country and there were commercial shipping everywhere, as well as many oil rigs, which are constructed in Singapore.

Sparrow Concert Each Morning.

Each morning, just before sun raise, I hear the Sparrow Radio news and generally a bunch of the Sparrows are sitting on New Dawn doing their morning toilette and waiting for the insects to start to fly at the Marina, so the Sparrows can get their breakfast. It is actually quite nice to hear them, but the downside is that they make a mess on the wind generator and decks.

 Here is a selection of the Sparrows sitting on the wind generator.

Until there are too many on one side and the wings move, so off they go.

New Fishing Gear, Last Shopping Done And I Should Be Ready In About Two Days Time - Hopefully......

 The new fishing gear. Looks to be good quality and hopefully not too flashy so that people can not be too tempted to take it. Will be stored inside when not in use.

 My today's lunch costing € 2.50

 When it rains here, but it rains. The other evening we had torrential rain, as I was dining at one of the restaurants in the Marina.

Photos From Yesterday's Evening At The Senibong Cove Marina.

 Singapore shipbuilding in the background.

 The yachts are big attractions and photos are taken all the time with the yachts in the background. This is from yesterday's Saturday evening and it was especially busy with the restaurants full.

 And the kids all dressed up. For me the girl was dressed a bit over the top and a bit like a doll. Different country and different style.

 At least "I" can see that the topsides were scupped yesterday. But what a job in this heat......

 Everywhere I have been so far in Malaysia they are constructing huge apartment complexes.

Progressing OK But Slowly And Its Hot.

I had the electronic engineer (yes you know who) back to install the Antennae Splitter as well as looking at both radars that will not function. After spending all day today on the Splitter, believe or not, we found out that the chap had taken wrong measures and the cable running from the AIS to the splitter was too short by about 1.5 meter; what an idiot?

So I had to go to town and get him an extension cable, which was not easy to find. But after a lot of shops I found one of 1.4 m and the connection plugs for a co-ax cable, and he could finally install it. One day full work on that. But it seems to work and he only need to do yet another connection to the radio and we will be using the top of the mast antennae for AIS, VHF and Radio. What a work.....

The Splitter which is a great invention, I hope.

On my way back to the Marina I asked the driver to stop at the supermarket and I now have about 250 cans of Skol beer in stock that should last me a while.

The air-condition does not work as I suspect it is the sea water pump that is again stock. So back into the engine room. But to get it going again is tough.

Work In Progress And People Running Everywhere........

Today I had my Chief Engineer (yours truly) checking the Volvo Engine, the Westerbeke Generator and the Gori Propeller, as well as starting it all. So far it all works well. Ran each for about 45 minutes and all indicators were positive.

Then I had the Carpenter (yours truly) in to install the side boards and it all starts to look good again. The cleaner (well you guessed it) came backs to finalize cleaning the cockpit. After that my chief electronic engineer (yes, yes....) installed some of the instruments like the AIS, main Simrad Plotter CA42 and Standard Horizon plotter. All worked as they should, but the new Simrad CA42 refuse to lid up even though he found that it gets 24 V power, so he is now at a loss on how to get this sorted out, as well as the second radar "Si-Tex" to work. 

Back To Malaysia March 2016.

Preparing for my return to New Dawn in Malaysia. But first a dinner with the family in Rameldange.

The most expensive bottle I have ever - so far - paid at € 150.00

 Always helpful.

 Year 2006.

 Great Leonac Peassan.

 One of the guests of honor.

Stephane had been in Trier to invest in his new project, which is starting to take shape;

 Lufthansa's A-380/800 ready to fly me from Frankfurt to Singapore.

After a few days with my cleaning crew (yours truly) cleaning the deck and outside, using three liters of Bleach, one bottle of CIF and a bottle of  washing up liquid, the sail-maker arrived (yours truly) and took off the Genoa, Restitched it at the top and put single-handed it back up. It took "him" a whole day, but the price was OK. A very tough job, but good exersice for the hands and fingers.