Page 2 of Luna Ray Travel Blog Posts


Asia » Thailand » South-West Thailand » Phuket December 26th 2014

What was meant to be our last day in Kuah was not. After completing the checking out of the country formalities we hit the supermarket for food and beverage supplies - taking advantage of the duty free we stacked a box full of spirits, 3 slabs of beer and 3 slabs of coke into the dinghy. Once we loaded this onto Luna Ray it struck Naomi that we really needed some Thai currency for checking in (despite my numerous reminders previously when we had been next to money exchangers). So we hung around while our friends from SV Dream Maker got some for us as they were heading that way. By the time we had this it was too late to make it worthwhile leaving that day. Our plans to make it up to the ‘Hole ... read more
typical Thai island scenery
nice sunset
The beautiful Phi Phi Islands

Asia » Malaysia » Langkawi December 17th 2014

Its not long since the last blog, partly because the last blog had been delayed by lack of internet as we cruised the south of the Langkawi Islands and a need to use up our remaining internet before we leave Malaysia in the next day or two. The second day at Rebak Marina was really the last day of the rally. It started with a ferry to the main island, to our tour bus and a visit to a rice museum and its own padi fields. Then we had some “free & easy” time to look around the souvenir/duty free shops at the main tourist strip at Pantai Chenang. We enjoyed a relaxed lunch as Alex was being baby-sat by Kerryn & John from SV Esoterica. Back on the bus to visit a batik producing studio/shop ... read more
Naomi having fun at the rice museum
Naomi's sunset photo
Taken from the ridge

Asia » Malaysia » Langkawi December 12th 2014

From the small island of Pulau Talang all 4 boats were on the move before dawn for the long day of 60 miles to Penang. It was mostly motor-sailing except for the last couple of hours before the island when the wind picked up. Then we were dodging several fishing nets until motoring under the bridge - the longest in Asia I believe - before turning left behind Jerejak Island, about a mile south of where the others yachts had congregated. On our way we had discovered our plans of getting Thai visas in Penang were scuppered as the King’s birthday was on friday so the immigration office would be shut - pooh! We could have so easily left a day earlier from the Pangkor Marina and now we would have to hope we could sort ... read more
Luna Ray in background crossing under the bridge
Chinese food in Georgetown
Exploring Pulau Bidan

Asia » Malaysia » Perak » Pangkor Island December 2nd 2014

From Port Dickson we had some easy going sailing (mostly motor-sailing), short days to take advantage of the current when it was going our way, time was not a constraint and with the idea that you can anchor nearly anywhere, there was no pressure. In fact that first evening a fishing boat approached and I think was asking “why” we were stopped there, 2 miles out from the coast, concerned we had an engine problem perhaps. Day 2 had us taking the channels up toward Klang with about 3-4 knots pushing us along passed the busy loading docks, and we stopped at the NE end of Pulau (Island) Klang, enjoying the flat protected water opposite the anchored ships as masses of litter drifted by. Day 3 we tacked out of the northern channel and then had ... read more
fishing boats and clouds
approaching Pangkor Island
picking up Tanja

Asia » Malaysia » Negeri Sembilan » Port Dickson November 21st 2014

We had a shorter day of motor-sailing, running along between tankers in the shipping lane, and anchored ships off Melacca, and amongst busy barges and dredges. Passed through some mild squalls (nothing over 20 knots), some preceded by rainfall in dead calm which makes for an unusual sight as the droplets bounce on the water in bright sunshine. We dropped anchor in a cute little bay just off the tip of Cape Richardo, a dark sand beach with a little pagoda stuck out on the rocks, surrounded by steep wooded slopes topped off by the lighthouse. In the next bay along was a couple of large modern hotels, one that played music into the night and the other half built with units (or just empty concrete boxes at the moment) stilted over the water. After 4 ... read more
Admiral Marina
Naomi tries some archery
Batu Caves

Asia » Malaysia » Johor November 16th 2014

After a successful trip to Tesco and Aeon for stocking up on food, I went to settle the marina bill so we could leave that afternoon but the receptionist said the paperwork had been taken away by her boss and it came out we could stay another night for no extra cost. Unlike most marinas they charge by the day not the night, so if you leave before the day starts at 9am you don’t get charged. I found this out the hard way when I queried my bill calculation and a language miscommunication led to the boss double checking the bill and it ending up being more expensive - me and my big mouth! As it turned out there was a huge rainfall that afternoon so good that we avoided it. The weather here, we ... read more
Visiting stilt town
Alex on passage

Asia » Malaysia » Johor November 12th 2014

It’s almost two weeks since we arrived in Puteri Harbour Marina in Johor, Malaysia. We have been thrown back into civilisation. Our immigration process couldn’t have been much easier - filled out a form and then later that day taken over to the nearby ferry terminal by golf buggy, sat in the deserted waiting room briefly before having a couple of electronic fingerprints taken and we were done. Curiously, this huge modern international ferry terminal is a new addition to the area, planned for transporting people across to Singapore. However it has spent most of its time empty as it only gets one boat per week from Indonesia as the Singapore port authorities have snootily told them the Malaysian boats are not up to standard. This marina is a new development and the state’s government buildings ... read more
checking into Puteri Harbour Marina
Alex looking at the Singapore Flyer
stoney trees

Asia » Malaysia » Johor November 1st 2014

Well, despite not feeling 100 % I agreed to leave Belitong the next day as the others promised wind and to keep in company but I regretted it later when we ended up motoring for almost 24 hours straight (our longest ever) as wind never appeared and burnt up almost half of our remaining fuel. I should have trusted the PredictWind forecast but its hard to trust any prediction in this fickle area. A few tankers passed behind us into the path of CD and Charlotte - its becoming a running joke that CD attracts ships, especially now that they get the most distressed by them. After that it was a simple night of motoring, avoiding some brightly lit fishing boats, and I repaired the steaming lights that were shorting out on the bent pulpit frame. ... read more
end of a night watch
fishing boat and lighthouse
crossing the equator

Asia » Indonesia » Bangka Belitung Islands October 22nd 2014

On Sunday we were invited to a wedding just a few kms away. We were seated separately from the locals and seemed to have the prime spot next to the matrimonial action. It was an interesting ceremony where the groom and his procession of about 20 people walked down the road to the venue, which was just next to a roundabout. There he is stopped at a gate where a spokesperson for each the groom and bride negotiate what the groom can provide and then some money was taken by the brides side. His entourage then enter the building but before he can enter the room where the bride is, another similar negotiation takes place. They both came out of the room and we were almost forcibly encouraged to take photos of the happy couple who ... read more
coffee & doughnuts in town
The newspaper article
Naomi & Alex dancing on the left

Asia » Indonesia » Kalimantan October 18th 2014

Saturday 11th - we got picked up by a little speedboat and taken to the dock of the Park Tourist office and dropped straight onto our new boat for the next 2 days. It was narrow & wooden with 2 floors, the upper for us with a bed already laid out and a small table to the rear with a few chairs. Beneath was where the driver and assistant engineer (boatboy) and the cook hung out to do their work. While Mr Yono went to get our park permits we walked down the street of uninspiring Kumai to get some money from the ATM. It was a typical dusty road with hazardous paving and lined with small shops. What was different were large featureless block buildings- like apartment buildings where they forgot to put the windows ... read more
Entering the park Tanjung Putting
Proboscus monkey
family picture




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