Johor

It’s impossible to get to Pinetree Marina in Johor without almost circumnavigating Singapore to get there because, in 1919, someone decided to build a causeway between Singapore and Malaysia, with no way through it.

And that causeway has a secondary effect, keenly exploited by the antifoul manufacturers who have test beds set up near Changi. Because the causeway acts as a dam, the nutrient level in the water has become so high that barnacles and other sea creatures are in hyperdrive. Before we set off, I dived under the hull to be startled by an extensive coral garden around our propeller – cultivated in just 6 weeks of being steeped in the soup-like water. It took a couple of hours hacking away at it to clear it.

Fortunately, the second causeway (opened in 1998) does have access through it – 25 metres of it, to be precise. But that feels bum-tighteningly low. I think we had just over a metre left above our VHF aerial when we went underneath.

The reason why we endured the near circumnavigation of Singapore to get to the marina was not to watch soft rockers at the Hard Rock Cafe but to get health checks at the nearby Gleneagles Hospital in Johor. The facilities there are excellent, and the prices didn’t even bring a hint of a tear to my eyeballs.

Pangkor Marina

Soon, we were off again up the peninsula towards Pangkor Marina, where we intend to haul out later this year. James Khoo runs the marina and boatyard. James has the uncanny ability to remember names, both boats and people. He recalled us from meeting him at Lombok many months ago, despite the fact that we didn’t make much of a nuisance of ourselves.

Our timing was good. The monthly barbecue was on that night and some of our old (and I mean that not in terms of age) sailing buddies were there: Price and Benny, Frank, and many other people who were in the Indonesia rally.

We borrowed an electric scooter from Frank to see if we could put it to good use.

And Maria used it to get to the restaurant in Marina Island.

Penang

After a few days, we set off towards Penang, anchoring just to the south of the island for the evening before suffering the two bridges that led to our chosen anchorage near Chew Jetty.

Getting ashore wasn’t straightforward. We had a number to contact to get a water taxi, but nothing came of that. So, we lowered the dinghy into the water and motored over to Chew Jetty, where Mr Chew himself greeted us. He told us that there was no dinghy parking and we had to get a taxi. Yes indeed. Fortunately, he drove the taxi. A few minutes later, he came over to Jamala and took us ashore for just 20 RM.

We had visited Penang around 11 years previously and were keen to revisit the experience. It’s a lively town with a lot to see. And fortunately for us, the Chinese New Year celebrations were still in full swing.

I believe 5th February has particular significance in the Chinese calendar – Completion Day – but I am open to being proven wrong. The significance for us was that all the boats anchored in the Junk Anchorage (that would be just us) were treated to a series of fireworks displays like nothing else we had seen. We had dinner in the cockpit to watch them, and they carried on from around 7:30 pm to well after midnight.

Langkawi

Then, we travelled onwards to Langkawi, where we travelled under no more bridges before anchoring at Pulau Dayang Bunting (the Isle of the Pregnant Maiden) for the evening before heading to Kuhah to complete domestic clearance.

After completing the domestic check-in, which was very easy and fee-free, we met up with Niels and Greetja, who, by fortunate coincidence, were at Royal Langkawi Yacht Club to help deliver a boat via the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. The last time we saw them was onboard Jamala for King Charles’s Coronation party in French Polynesia (we were there – not King Charles).

The anchorage near Kuah is very convenient. Not only is it possible to use the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club dinghy park (for a fee), but there’s also a small marina near Eagle Square where the fee is even smaller. From either of those places, there is access to large supermarkets and many small restaurants.

And at night the skyline reveals an illuminated mini version of the Tokyo Tower.

The anchorage is also a parking spot for the larger boats in town, including the uniquely shaped Asean Lady. For anyone on the market for a Polynesian-inspired super yacht, this is available for just USD 15M.

Rebak

We decided to head to Rebak Marina for a bit of a break from all the motoring around everywhere. Rebak is a marina and a hotel, and all the facilities are available for people on their boats – and a healthy 25% discount on food and beverage for anyone staying in the marina. It has a lovely, relaxed feel to it, which probably accounts for all the long-term boaty residents there.

As it transpired, we didn’t do much in the way of lounging. We decided to take advantage of the access to shore power, and therefore aircon, to make some new curtains for the boat.

But we did celebrate Valentine’s Day, and the lovely staff at the restaurant could not have made the evening any better.

Then, on 18th February, we took the resort’s ferry to the main island and grabbed a Grab taxi to take us to the Ferry terminal to clear out of the country so that we could head to Thailand.