Date: 4th May 2026
Location: Singa Besar anchorage, Langkawi
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| Gilly at peace at Singa Besar. |
Well, we've finally made it out of the marina. The plan is a leisurely circumnavigation of Langkawi Island. 66 miles and maybe three to four weeks of anchorage to anchorage cruising.
It's day three of our time in the first anchorage, Singa Besar, and we've just got back from visiting Dave on the next boat. Dave bought us some fish he'd caught when we first arrived here and we went to thank him for it and to see if he wanted some sour dough bread when it's out of the oven later this afternoon.
That got me to thinking about the people we've met since we got back to Malaysia and how easy it is to connect with people in this lifestyle. This short article explains it well.
Dave's not the first person we've met here. Let me tell you about a few of the others. As you'll see you find out a lot about people very quickly. Names have been changed but the rest is all true.
A few days after we got back from the UK an informal race was organised. Pete asked for crew so I volunteered. We won and that was enough for us to organise a meal together. Pete lives in Hong Kong but is originally from Germany. His family have run a camera accessories company for two generations first in Cologne, then in Ireland and now in Hong Kong as tax regimes made one after another more favourable. An avid racer he has recently purchased a very fast catamaran with a view to joining the cruising life. He's at a big crossroads in his life with a non sailing Chinese partner, a declining family business and no real base for the next phase if his life. He's now back in Hong Kong trying to make some big decisions on the way forward.
Next to us in the marina were Ian from the UK, Maria his Lebanese wife and their two girls, 15 and 13. They have been living in Dubai for many years. Having sailed their boat through the now notorious Straits of Hormuz last year and spent 6 months cruising the Maldives they flew back to Dubai leaving the boat in our marina. Not a good plan. They then spent several weeks watching the missiles flying overhead and the anti missile devices taking most of them out as Trump screwed up the Middle East and the rest of the World. Were they scared? Well Maria has grown up with war in Lebanon and for her it was just more of the same. Her calmness appeared to have been transmitted to the rest of the family. We talked a bit about life in Beirut and Hezbollah's part in the country. The girls follow a strict home schooling regime. They talk English, French, Arabic and some Chinese.
Also on our dock is Brian, a forty something New Zealander. Recently retired from a full on marketing role he is one of our favourites. We initially met him when Hugh and Linda were with us and Linda complimented him on his blond topknot. Most of the time he spends holed up on his boat with air conditioning keeping him cool. His project? Writing a book that explains his innovative marketing framework pulling on his years of experience and incorporating new AI techniques. Alongside the book for which he already has a publisher he's developing an online course that he hopes to sell to aspiring marketeers. When he's not beavering on his book you'll find him in the pool or at the bar.
Talking of the pool we were chilling out there one afternnon when we heard "Geell, ees that you?" It was French Patrice from SV Astra. First met in French Polynesia he had recently arrived, this time with a different gorgeous crew member, already his wife! Astra lost her mast off New Caledonia and whilst fighting his insurance company for compensation two big events occurred. Firstly he happened to meet a professional metallurgist in a bar who wrote a comprehensive report for him that finally convinced his insurers to pay for everything. And secondly he met his new wife an engaging Polynesian woman. Patrice's brother lives in the Phillipines and is now project managing a new home in the jungle for the newlyweds. An amazing location not too far from civilisation but high up on the side of a hill looking down on a perfect anchorage. They will sell Astra though and buy a smaller coastal suited boat instead.
And finally there's Betsy and Christian on SV Gemma. She's American but has never lived in the US. He's German. We first met them way back in the Marquesas, French Polynesia. While we were eliminating the termites in Australia they had started a major refit of Gemma here in Rebak. Lowering the floor, moving the water tanks and goodness knows what else. Betsy is the sociable one. Both very fit and with a recent new knee Betsy is a triathlete. The aforementioned sour dough starter is hers. They are back in Germany at present and we have responsibility of keeping it alive. Today's loaves are on there last rising before baking. Fingers crossed.
So there you are. A snapshot of another side of our life. I hope you enjoyed it.
