After several months of strict to easing lockdown with visa amnesties the Thailand Government announced that that was it, no more amnesties beyond July 31. Mildly panicked, we weighed up all our options, whether to stay and get a retirement visa or go, get back to Australia. There was a significant weather window to consider also, that of the cyclone season in Australia. If we didn’t get going this year, we would be stuck til mid year next year. But if we left now we would be bashing into the strong South East Trades.
We started consulting with embassies. Permission was needed to leave Thailand and also fuel for the 2800nm journey ahead. There was quite a lot of administration work required to secure our journey home. With the assistance of the Australian Embassy in Bangkok we got permission to leave Thailand and the email addresses of a few key people in Malaysian Immigration and Jabatan Laut (Harbour Master). It was such a relief to be granted permission to bunker for fuel in Malaysia. Without this the trip would have been impossible.
Next hurdle, how were we going to pay for the fuel? We had very little foreign currency and the fuel bunker in Langkawi doesn’t have card facilities. Luckily, friends and local yacht brokers Paul and Su were happy to help and we pre-paid for 2000 litres of diesel.
With the ducks starting to line up we set our departure date, 29th July. Provisioning became the focus, 30 days worth of meals were needed plus a few slabs of beer for sundowners. Provisioning with two on a scooter was entertaining!
Our day of departure started smoothly. Customs were a bit shocked with our end destination. “Australia?” they kept saying, so we had to produce the letter from the Embassy showing that we had permission. Immigration was smooth but they kept making sure that we were aware “if you leave, you can’t come back”. We said that we hope to some day in the future. Our smooth run came to a halt once we arrived at the Harbour Master. He said he could not accept our paperwork and we were NOT free to leave. But we had been stamped out of Thailand and starting to freak!
Back to immigration we go, bundling back on the scooter, to see what we could do. Elle in Immigration was a little surprised to see us again, flapping about like chickens. Thankfully she spoke perfect english, our paper work was correct as she translated the permission letter for us. Our permission was included in the second paragraph. The first paragraph was about another boat and the harbour master hadn’t read any further. She gave us her number in case there was further problems and we returned to the Harbour Master’s Office. He wasn’t particularly happy to see us again as he was going to get his balls busted by his boss, but permission was granted and we were free to go.
Fish farm activity on the inland waterways.
We spent the first night on anchor in the Krabi river, taking the scenic inland route. It’s a beautiful calm anchorage outside Boat Lagoon which put us in a false sense of security what lay ahead. As we were only travelling 40 miles or so to Koh Lanta we didn’t bother checking the weather. Silly mistake. We got absolutely smashed with the tail end of the typhoon smashing India. Large beam sea, torrential rain, 40 knots of breeze and a stabiliser issue to add to the discomfort. After a long hideous day we anchored up behind Koh Lanta where we tested the validity of the 45kg sarca anchor. We spent 5 days waiting for the weather to pass.
Once the coast was clear and the sun shining again we day hopped our way to our last destination in Thailand, Koh Lipe, where we spent the last of the baht. We were a bit heavy hearted. The whole journey back to Australia brought back memories of good times when we’d passed through these waters before.
Koh Lipe Walking Street during Covid times.
Tramp and crew enjoying their last taste of Thailand.
One thing we didn’t expect to break was our radar which was only two years old. In the middle of the day, in calm seas, the screen exploded red. These things never break when you are close to a dealer. A few calls gave us the diagnosis it was rooted so we’d have to continue on without it, something I was pretty upset about since soon we would be travelling 24 hours a day and the busy Malacca and Singapore Straits lay ahead.
First of four prop wraps.
Refueling in the familiar Bass Harbour, Langkawi went without a hitch. Non-contact and pre-paid, it was all very safe and easy. Here we checked the props and found a mass of ropes on both. Bass Harbour was remarkably clean though and dolphins were swimming not far from our anchorage. Langkawi is where we bought Tramp and has alway held a special place for us.
Easy bunkering at Langkawi
As we passed through Penang, friends and fellow Seahorse 52 owners came out and joined us in procession through the channel which was nice. We had our last night on anchor south of Penang before our steam through to Belitung, Indonesia, 7 days away.
We got smacked with another storm and had some hairy nights navigating in the pitch dark with no radar. It’s very difficult to judge distances of lights at night and the west coast of Malaysia has a lot of shipping, tug and barges and fishing boats to worry about.
Sisters from another boat mister, cruising with Kuda Laut
Singapore Straits
As we got chased out of Malaysia with another storm we thought we had the perfect window to cross the Singapore Straits. Off we set at 90 degrees to the channel to slot in behind a boat with plenty of safety space in behind. Too easy! Until said ship decided to slow down… slowing from 6 knots to 3 while we were committed and midway. Weather had closed in and visibility was zilch (and I was shitting my pants). This screwed our perfect crossing and we ended up having to do some bends, turns and speed up to get across to the other side safely. Tramp then decided to exercise her mischievous streak so Stretch was in the engine room fixing shit while I was not loving life on the helm in the Singapore Straits with no visibility and no radar.
Chased out of Malaysia with yet another squall
We lived to tell the tale and rendezvoused with a fellow trawler who was to travel in company with us for a while. He was travelling solo to WA, an unenviable trip.
That night our travelling companion called us up on the VHF and said a boat was baring down on us really quickly from the starboard. We didn’t have a radar and I couldn’t see what was coming. I asked for advice on what to do and bore off 10 degrees then didn’t hear any more. We were later told that 6 boats had approached, one started coming for us. Five were around our companion. Local style boats, each with a different light. The boat to the stern was so close it could be seen in the rear view camera. When a boat appeared on the radar/AIS marked as “law enforcement” these boats shot off.
Local legends!
Besides another prop wrap the rest of the journey to Belitung was uneventful and grabbed a few more litres of diesel and rested up in the beautiful Tanjung Kelayang for a few days.
The next phase of the journey was through Indonesia and we were to travel 24/7 for 14 days to Darwin. We had been given advice by the CHO from NT Health that if we spent 14 days at sea we would not need to quarantine. We knew the weather forecast was unfavourable for us but with borders closed and supplies limited we needed to press on.
Travelling through the 8th latitude islands
0600 19th September our anchor came up for the last time and off we set gently gently at 5.5 knots sipping fuel.
Belitung to Karimun Jawa
This leg was very uncomfortable, 20 knots on the nose, against tide and getting knocked back with every wave we hit. While we were getting smashed from the front waves where whipping around and slapping us about the stern, spray going metres in the air. We didn’t know at the time but we had a stow-away. A large portion of the Java Sea had made its way into our aft lockers and lazarette. Our steering gear, stabilisers hydraulics, watermaker etc are in the laz, we are lucky we didn’t ruin the lot. Additional to this our fuel consumption had more than doubled and there were great concerns we wouldn’t make it through to Darwin…
There’s an awful lot of night fishing through this stretch. Miles upon miles of boats anchored in 50m, in pretty rough sea. The glow from their lights can be seen over 20miles away. They’re predominantly stationery so reasonably easy to pick your way through their blinding lights.
A familiar sight, white caps, rough seas.
Karimun Jawa to Alor
From Karimun Jawa we headed for Madura to hug the coast and get out of the strong winds and tides. Another uncomfortable passage with 20knots and a beam sea.
Crossing the channel from Java to Madura was very choppy but we had a much nicer crossing than our companion. We crossed at slack water only a few miles off the coast. He was a head a few hours and further out and had a shithouse time with currents and waves over the boat as well as shipping to contend with. Worst conditions he’d ever experienced in that boat.
Even 5 miles off the coast of Madura the tide was strong and against us so we nudged in. Rounding the NW corner was okay lucking the slack water here too.
The seas along the north coast of Bali were rough and steep with 20+ knots on the nose again. The fads start about 12nm off the coast too here in over 600m of water.
Once alongside Lombok, and happy our fuel consumption was on track, we sat in as close to the coast as possible avoiding the worst of the wind and tides. Nights were scary, we were constantly on edge worried about hitting a FAD which are predominantly unmarked and not something you want to hit or get tangled up in.
Nasty FAD (fish attracting device with float and large platform)
Salty sunrises. The windscreen was so salty and we couldn’t wash it off.
Sunrises always give me a sense of calm, happy to know we survived the night’s navigation. Plus the mornings usually gave us a few hours of calm sea before the wind and swell picked up and back we were bounding into the waves.
The north coast of the 8th latitude stretch of Indonesia are steep, rugged and quite spectacular. The landscape is punctuated with volcanic peaks and the water is seriously deep in depth and hues of blue. Flores and Alor cut a magnificient shape.
Just before leaving Indo we made an inquiry to CHO to ask about Covid testing on our arrival, before we ran out of the ability to email. It was only then that we found out our 14 days at sea would not be considered. At a point where there was no where to stop or no where to hide.
One of the less sinister of fads anchored in 300m with the Flores coast behind.
Alor to Timor
Calm seas quickly turned into a particularly nasty passage as we crossed over towards Timor. These were the biggest waves Tramp had faced. I was eyeballing the top of the foaming waves from the helm. 3m waves, beam sea and bloody scary, all we could do was hold on and trust that Tramp would get us through. And she did, Tramp has performed so beautifully.
The coast of Timor by day, a very unpopulated coastline was evident. By night it was very busy with fishing and many fads. Some were dimly lit, many weren’t and there were a few close shaves. By the time you spot them it is too late to avoid.
Before our last passage, Timor to Darwin, we pottered back and forth in a large, calm, uninhabited bay taking the time to get a bit more rest, tidy up and make a kick ass pizza! When we left the bay we knew it was going to be rough for a while, if not all the way to Darwin.
A hearty meal and a good chance to use up some ingredients before bio-security take them.
Timor to Darwin
Large seas met us as we left Timor for Darwin. Luckily the height and frequency lessened a little as we got further off shore. Two and a half days of this, urgh. While I was on watch a big wave appeared out of no where and gave Tramp the biggest bitch slap on the side. We heaved over violently. My heart was absolutely pounding. The wave had gone in the galley window and we had salt water all over the floor and back wall. I was then careful with our course, altering it gently to keep the boat more stable and keep away for the shallow shoals a few miles away.
A highlight of the trip was the morning we were met by a large pod of dolphins, biggest we’ve seen. Many played in the bow wake and one showed off for us, making some big jumps. This was our fourth visit of dolphins for this trip!
Dolphins are always delightful company.
Closer to Darwin the wind became northerly with an east/west set which made for sloppy seas and we were reminded of the strength of tides around here.
0900 September 2nd we arrived at the quarantine dock near Cullen Bay. Borderforce were waiting along with Biosecurity and two Policemen who were there to guard us all day. Read our post on what happens when you arrive in Darwin.
After some heated negotiation we were allowed to have someone else relocate the boat to Tipperary Waters Marina while we were spirited away to Covid Springs under police escort.
Quarantine
After spending days at sea in isolation we could not believe that NT Health would not consider our sea time as isolation, like they do for maritime crew. Who the hell could we have been in contact with? They even suggested we could falsify our logbook and ship tracks. The last time we walked on land was early August and even then there was barely a soul around and in a country with zero cases. Such ridiculous bullshit which seems to be the biggest by-product of Covid19.
We do however look forward to being released, free to live in our favourite city in Australia, Darwin.
Tramp will be getting some more loving over the wet season, only minor stuff. She performed so well on the journey running nearly constantly for 3 weeks and a lot was asked of her. We are also very happy with our new and larger props. Fuel economy is about the same but we’ve picked up a knot in cruising speed.
Much of the trip was a little lumpy!
