Rhiann Marie - Round the World

Happy New Year

Stewart Graham

Fri 14 Jan 2011 14:55

Thursday 13th January 2011 2151 Local time 1351 UTC

01:20.63N 103:38.05E

Bliadhna Mhath Ur! Happy New Year

Apologies for the abrupt ending to our blogging before Christmas. On top of everything else eventually I suffered a computer problem aboard as well.

After getting our fuel at the fishing village we eventually arrived at the Nongsa point marina in Batam, Indonesia on the 18th December. It is a fantastic marina and they were the friendliest staff we have ever met at a marina. We had great fun there and enjoyed a couple of days R&R while working through the jobs aboard also. We also continued the cleaning and polishing of Rhiann Marie and hired three young local guys to help us. They worked for two days solid with us and earned themselves almost half a months pay - $50 each. They were thrilled and so were we.

At Nongsa it happened that they were holding three days of celebratory functions to promote the opening of the new marina. We were invited to all of them and in fact we were the only cruising boat there amongst the hundred or so guests! I think they forgot to market their events.

As the staff at were so kind and friendly we held a party aboard Rhiann Marie for them all and we had a fantastic time. Once again it was clear that it was highly unusual for them to be invited aboard yachts but for us having local people aboard very much enriches the experience of sailing round the world. As a matter of interest we have now sailed to over 25 countries at a quick count!

We (OK girls - I ) sacrificed a days shopping in Singapore to spend the extra time in Nongsa, where Rhiann Marie was left gleaming all over - including being polished all the way to the top of the mast!

Singapore straits are so busy with shipping I find it hard to describe to you. The amount of commercial shipping, container ships, bulk carriers, tankers, refineries is nothing less than mind boggling. Where does it all go? Oh yes I remember - the West. Where does it all come from? Yep! I remeber that too - China. How small are we?

We visited downtown Singapore at night to view the spectacular and world famous Christmas Lights - no low energy light bulbs there I can assure you! Impressive.

On the 21st we hauled the boat out of the water but not without me first having to dive under it in the murky haul-out basin and then climb to the top of the mast as we had to release the back stays to haul her. Without a minute to spare we left the instructions with the yard and caught a taxi to the plane where we were told all about the dusting of snow that had brought Heathrow to a standstll. That led to an overnight delay in Kuala Lumpur but we got home on the night of the 23rd.

Even this was enough time for Trish to completely Christmasify the house and family and the result was one of the best Christmases we ever had. I was fortunate to get a large halibut from a good customer and friend along with prawns, oysters and smoked salmon - some of Scotlands finest seafood. On a roll from such a Happy Christmas we organised an emergency Hogmanay Party and got the boys from Skippinish up to play at the house and the eating, drinking of Uisge Beatha and dancing carried on till the wee small hours. Among the revellers we had friends over from Ireland and down from Shetland as well. Great craic had by all.

Gael Force got the rest of the time I had left over and barely needed any input from me as the whole outfit is charging along solidly and successfully. I am begining to worry if I will have a job at the end of this year. Oh well - I was talking about an Antarctic trip....

So now after a couple of days stop over in Kuala Lumpur here we are back aboard having spent the day getting Rhiann Marie and her newly shiny bum, back in the water and ship shape and now starting to work through my jobs list. So far today I have fitted a new immersion heater, fixed the computer, fitted a new water tank guage, tensioned the inner shrouds, disassembled the RIB to repair the damage from the breakages on the last passage - tomorrows list is a bit more challenging.

I will also this week do a bit more detailed planning of the next few months intended iteniery. To try and make up to you for not having blogged for the last few weeks I am up loading a series of photos diaring the past few weeks.....