The leg from Bintangor to Sibu was another interesting trip. We had a thunderstorm come through bringing quite a bit of rain but it eventually cleared to drizzle and then stopped. We passed the usual longhouses and kampongs with the occasional timber yard again and then ships at anchor at Tanjong Lebaan. We passed them, continuing on and before reaching Sibu we noticed a few 'bird houses' - purpose-built to attract and house the swiflets which produce the famous birds nests. We arrived in Sibu about 4:30 p.m. and anchored across from the town just upstream from some ships at anchor and not far from the route the fast ferries take up and down to Kapit! It would seem that they like to pass close by so they can get a good look at us.
We were two nights in Sibu and spent some time ashore in the town looking around the shops and markets. Sibu is the trading centre 60km up the Rajang from the South China Sea where ships and barges are loaded with goods and materials from the hinterland to be transported elsewhere in Sarawak or exported. There are not many 'tourist' attractions but along with the fresh markets we visited the 100-year old Tua Pek Kong Temple and the relatively new 7- storey Kuan Yin Pagoda. It was a busy town and also holiday time as the Muslim fasting period of Ramadan had finished and they were now celebrating Hari Raya Aidal Fitri which would continue with a month of open house.
We left Sibu the next morning, 21 September, after a quick trip to the markets and back. We made our way downstream with the help of a fast running tide and anchored off a longhouse. Unfortunately, there was an exposed mudbank off their flimsy jetty so no amount of their waving us in would help us get there! We had a fairly uncomfortable night when at the peak of the tide flow we seemed to be caught in a lot of turbulence. Tweed was doing 360s around the anchor chain - we left as soon as we could the next morning, looking for a suitable side stream to turn into for our next anchorage.
