Back Home in Miri

Seems there are still a few people looking at this intermittent blog!  Time for an update.  It's easy to forget when you are sitting in a marina busily doing jobs and socialising to remember to put the fingers on the keys.  We have now been in Miri Marina for six weeks.  You may remember this was our destination when Jon hurt his shoulder and we decided to come here for physiotherapy.  The physio is going well after three sessions a week but still a few more to go.

In the meantime we have been ticking off a few boat jobs and enjoying some social activities.  The marina is not crowded at this time of year but yachts have been passing through and several, like us, are here for longer periods.  It hasn't been hectic but it has been enjoyable.

Miri Happenings

The 1st May saw the start of the week-long celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the Buddhist Tua Pek Kong Buddhist temple, next to the local fish markets.  We went along to see the procession through town in the early evening.

Not sure of the significance of this but it sure looks uncomfortable. 

Fireworks over the Temple were a fitting finale to the procession.

One of the boat jobs completed has been the repainting of the head lining.   We had to do it section by section, using plastic sheeting to curtain each  area off to avoid having the whole boat covered in sanding dust.  Looks pretty darn good and brightens up the interior.

Other boat jobs have included sending two 130-Amp alternators and the starter motor off for servicing,  removing the anchor chain to clean out the anchor locker, replacing the magnetron in the radar and the continuing job of varnishing.  All the hard work done by Jon last year has failed and we are not sure if it if it was the quality of the varnish.  We would prefer to use Epiphanes or International Schooner but they are not available here.  Some rewiring to the starter motor has been done to try and solve a problem of it not starting!  Not a good feeling.  We have actually bought a replacement which is new but not used from a yachtie currently in Italy.  It should be here soon.  We have also had an extra panel cut into the engine housing.  Of all the openings, none provided easy access to the dip stick, the oil filter or the starter motor.  Jon and Geoff on Arnak have done a very professional job with that little alteration.

 

 Recent departures from the marina included Lee and Hwang on their 28-foot steel boat "Isaac" built by Lee over a period of seven years.  They left Taiwan ten years ago and survived the 2004 tsunami in Telaga Marina, Langkawi, with no damage.  Miri has been their home for almost two years and now they are moving on.  They seem to be the only Taiwanese couple out cruising on their own yacht.

The bird pic for this post is a common old Cattle Egret, looking very attractive here in full breeding plumage.  There is a big flock of these birds within the marina estate and recent vegetation clearing saw them keenly following the progress of the heavy machinery to jump on anything interesting for them to eat.  We watched with amusement one day as about ten of them followed a digger as it took off up the road but it was a fruitless exercise for them.

Along the Way to Miri

Once we left Sutera Harbour in Kota Kinabalu we stopped at the usual places: Tiga Island, Labuan, and Serasa, Jerudong and Kuala Belait in Brunei.  We had our nicest stay at Tiga yet and ended up staying for four nights.  We were in the company of Jamie and Dawn on Azzan who left KK the same day as us.  We had a great sail down with a fifteen knot wind just off the bow kicking us along at up to 7 knots.  We had almost forgotten what it was like to sail like that.  It was a bit bumpy in the anchorage for the first few hours but it soon settled down and was very calm for the rest of our stay.

Our first sighting of a White-bellied Sea Eagle in a very long time.

We visited the National Parks office and paid our small entrance fee which would allow us to use the facilities ashore if we wanted to.  We walked to the mud volcanoes once again but none of us went in for a dip as we really only wanted the exercise of a good walk.  The snorkelling was not all that good but we knew it was probably going to be the last time we would be able to swim in clear waters for some time so enjoyed that.  

  Late afternoon we went ashore for sundowners or a picnic dinner at one of the beach shelters.  The Macaque monkeys usually paid us a visit and would sit in hope, waiting for any bits of food that might get thrown their way.  Knowing what they can be like we didn't oblige with any tidbits.

 

A pleasant location for a picnic!

And you can't complain about the view!

A quick stop in Labuan to restock the larder and the cellar and check out for Brunei.  We managed to do it all in less than 24 hours so only one night in the harbour at anchor. 

This tiny Philipino style canoe was making the most of the light breeze in Labuan

 How many generators must they require to power the lights on this large squid fishing boat in Labuan?

Brunei

Cheap diesel makes a stop in Serasa very attractive and we needed over 300 litres so in we went.  Alan Riches from Brunei Radio is able to organise his van and driver with plenty of jerry cans to take you to get the fuel.  This service costs a bit but at thirty-one cents a litre it is still a cheap way to get fuel.  We stayed for three nights anchored off the Royal Brunei Yacht Club again.  For BN$5 a day we get the use of the dinghy dock, access to fresh water if needed, use of a washing machine, free wi-fi, use of the pool, showers and toilets and of course the restaurant.  They do a mean curry laksa there.  Just outside and along the road a little there are stall holders selling mostly fruit but some vegetables and the fishermen come in here to sell their catch.  We bought a couple of small tune type fish to grill on the barbecue.  

With less than 100 miles to Miri we made overnight stops at Jerudong and Kuala Belait, arriving in Miri on Friday 29 March (so long ago!).