SOLO CIRCUMNAVIGATION

Sailing in company with Recluse

SOLO CIRCUMNAVIGATION

Ha, I bet that got your attention! Circumnavigation of Langkawi Island I mean. Langkawi is about 15 NMs miles long and 12NMs miles wide. Not an onerous journey by any means, but you’ve got to start somewhere!

Life is getting easier with this solo business and a system is taking shape. I no longer throw myself around in a rush and panic, but take things a bit slower. There are definitely less bruises.

Tanjun Rhu with The Doctor, Recluse and Rex 

Tanjong Rhu was our next anchorage on the north east tip of Langkawi. There is a narrow entrance between steep rock faces where we anchored, and it further opens up into a larger basin with narrow mangrove lines creeks stretching for miles. The attraction here is the long white beach and the cheap local food restaurants. I love a place where you can eat great food for the equivalent of   3-4 Australian dollars. No cooking! Yeah!

White beach of Tg Rhu

By the time we left Tanjong Rhu I was pretty tired and thankfully accepted Steve’s offer to help me raise the anchor. The entrance was tight with three boats anchored fairly close and it was windy and tidal. Steve flaked the anchor chain while I lifted it. It saved me having to run backwards and forwards clearing the inevitable blockage in the anchor locker and possibly drifting onto another boat.

Floating restaurants Tg Rhu

The Hole in the Wall is a very safe and protected anchorage and it was here that I thought I might hang out for a while. The anchorage is spectacular with a narrow entrance and impressive mountains and cliffs. It is mangrove fringed and has a number of tributaries, one of which has some floating fish farms and restaurants. Down side? There is a constant stream of tourist boats that tear past at top speed and rock the boat with their wake and generally spoil the peace. Other down side? There is very poor phone coverage and next to zero internet range. I am happy to be sailing by myself but in this technological age I like to be in touch with the world. I did manage to get some internet to check the weather by taking the dinghy up river and tying on to the mangroves where I was in sight of the telephone towers, but I thought this is crazy and gave the idea away.

Eagle feeding at The Hole in the Wall

Langkawi has any number of beautiful anchorages and we tried a couple more on the way around before we stopped here outside the main town called Kuah. I was ready for some civilization, and this is a great spot to enjoy the attractions such as night markets, shopping and more restaurants that I could ever try in a life time. Recluse left to head north to Thailand and I stayed put to finalize Christmas shopping for my trip home to Perth later this month.

Just another sunset. Kuah City anchorage

After a month on anchor my thoughts are beginning to wander towards returning to the marina. Although I have been collecting rain water, the tanks must be getting a bit low and the diesel is defiantly in need of topping up. The fridge although working, is running continually so it drains the batteries nearly every day. The solar panels and wind generator just can’t’ keep up with the power drain. But most of all I have realized why most solo sailors spend a lot of time in port. It is lonely, and marinas give you social the contact that we all need.

I have made some commitments to help out Langkawi Charity, manning a stall and delivering clothes, but once this is done I will meander my way back to the comforts of the marina with its lovely long showers, air conditioning and people to talk to. What a softy I am!