Escape From Singapore

Across the Singapore Strait. More traffic in 13nm than I expect to see in the next 13000.

We're at Nongsa Point Marina, Batam, Indonesia, just across the Singapore Strait from Singapore. Nongsa is luxurious. It's  quiet and laid back and a nice resort is associated with the marina. All the amenities are here including a lovely pool and good restaurant where prices are a lot more reasonable than a few miles across the strait. It's a good start on the decompression from Singapore.

Nongsa Point Marina, Batam, Indonesia

And ok, ok, Singapore isn't that bad. Of course it's one of the most modern and well organized cities in the world. And one of the most closely governed. Lets just call it a dictatorship, well concealed. Some people love it and I used to think of it as a favorite layover. However, it's gotten to be a lot more expensive and congested and it often seems like one giant construction zone. 

Lunch in Little India

 We had left Keppel Marina for One15 Marina and we were berthed at One15 until coming  here. One15 is where we wanted to be in SIN all along but couldn't get a berth. It is a beautiful marina with the very best of facilities, probably the best marina in the orient. We stayed there a couple years ago and enjoyed the stay. Now they have a large and very excellent grocery at the marina (Cold Storage) that has about any western goodie you could want. Yes Tigs, they have Oreos! And, with all that, it's cheaper than Raffles or Keppel. That's why berths are hard to come by.

The pool, One15 Marina, Singapore

Our nephew, Scott DeVries, arrived from Denver on the 2nd after good flights in World Business Class (first class) on Delta. Us old retired pukes do still have some perks available. He's twenty four and just graduated from college and his recovery time for the trip and time zones seemed to be instant. Ah, youth!  He's never been to the orient and never sailed beyond an afternoon in small craft. We spent a couple days showing him around Singapore and now he's, quite literally, learning the ropes on this boat.

Across the Straits

We took a little trip by hotel van into the city of Nagoya (yep, Nagoya, Indonesia, not Japan) yesterday and got a sim card for the computer and a cheap cell phone for use in country. Also found, after a long search of an area consisting mostly of massage parlors and machine shops, a place where they can actually replace a damaged zipper on our dodger canvas. This is one of those unexpected small miracles which can make your day out here. Nagoya is crowded, chaotic, congested and rather a mess. It's a typical large Indonesian city but I am reminded that I like the Indonesian people very much. Even in a place like Nagoya, given half a chance, they are very sweet.

Ready to go aloft

So we'll be here until early morning on the 9th when we plan to shove off for Belitung. Should be about a four or five day trip back to the place we liked very much coming this way. We'll check out of Indonesia there. Please check our positions on either Shiptrak  http://www.shiptrak.org/  or Pangolin   http://www.pangolin.co.nz/yotreps_reporting_boat_list   using ki6ike as our call sign.

Love to all,
Bill, Janet and Scott