Langkawi Anchorages

After a week doing town things we haul up the anchor and head off to check out some recommended anchorages. We first pull alongside the fuel barge in Bass Harbor and take on 200 liters of diesel. The barge is there for the convenience of the numberous ferries but will also sell fuel to yachts.

There is no wind so we motor for two hours to the "fjord" anchorage. We drop the hook in between two islands with 400 ft cliffs rising above us. The islands are covered with dense growth-trees, bushes and vines. A sea eagle swoops down behind us, snatches up a fish and flies away with it. Monkeys hidden in the trees erupt into raucous squabbling. At dusk a 25 ft longtail fishing boat with three Malay fisherman aboard comes into the anchorage for the night. These open wooden boats, common on the Malaysian coast and in the rivers, have loud lawnmower type engines. The propeller is attached to a 10 ft long shaft that hangs out over the stern of the boat.

The next morning we row around the shoreline in our dinghy. We see a 4 ft monitor lizard climb out of the water onto the rocks. Farther along we startle a family of otters. They swim away quickly but stop a couple of times to pop up and take a good look at us. Later we go for a swim off the boat. We haven't seen any sea snakes and very few jellyfish so we decide it's safe.

In the cockpit at daybreak each morning we listen to the sounds of the awakening jungle. Monkeys and a variety of birds including an owl who perhaps is saying "goodnight." The cicadas start up as the sun hits the east side of the islands and the sound grows, following the path of spreading light. We stay another day in this peaceful anchorage. Richard installs a new voltage regulator which ends up being a four hour project. On a boat there is always something that needs to be done.

We leave early the following morning for the "hole in the wall" anchorage. We just barely manage to stay ahead of a thunderstorm and spot a waterspout too few miles off our stern. After five hours we arrive at another beautiful anchorage but here we have the company of other cruising boats plus an occasional tour boat whizzing by. We meet friends for dinner at the Hole in the Wall Fish Farm and Restaurant. This is a floating restaurant that can only be reached by boat. While we are there a heavy rain falls in sheets for almost two hours.

In the morning we check the tide tables and head off in the dinghy to explore the Kilim River. We take our umbrellas. Brightly colored kingfishers fly across the river in front of us. Brahminy kites and sea eagles soar above us. We find a cave in a side channel that we row through, stirring up a couple of bats. Later we hear thunder and next to a cliff take refuge from the eventual downpour. We pop open the umbrellas and only get a little bit wet.