Planet ocean




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We have been in Langkawi for more than two weeks now and already we could finish several jobs on the boat. The strong wind stopped but there are thunderstorm's with heavy rainfall almost daily, mostly during the early hours of the night. Which is not bothering us, only we can not work outside for any longer amount of time at the moment. Tom should sand and paint the wooden frame around our solar roof as well as move some cleats and mount some new hooks for eyelets of the new cover for the steering area. In the meantime our tailor Nazir is very busy and already finished the three sail covers, two sun shades at the sides and is now doing the cover for the steering area, which is quite complex. After three more sun shades Nazir's work for us will be finished.
Since Langkawi is duty free we will stock up on a lot of things here for our first longer ocean crossing. We found a good anchorage near Kuah – the main city of Langkawi – where there is direct dinghi access to a shopping mall at high tide. This is the easiest for us and there are also some hardware stores and a baking goods store within easy walking distance. From time to time we still rent a car to go around. From Telaga Harbour it's only about 15 minutes by car to the nearest town called Matsirat where you find a vegetable and fruit market as well as a convenience and grocery store. Also the Sailor's store is not far away – a south african couple who opened a store for sausages, meat, pizza and bread – where we buy very delicious chilli and herb sausages.
For one week Sonja's cousin Evelyn is visiting us. First we visit a small island called Koh Chuku - just across the border in Thailand - where we do a beach clean up and fill two large garbage bags. The water around the island is already better looking and clearer than here around Langkawi and so we can make fresh drinking water with our water maker. You can also go snorkeling and the beach is one of the most beautiful in this area.
Back in Langkawi we visit the famous Cable Car - which by the way was built and installed by the Austrian firm Doppelmayer. After 1,5 hours of waiting we can go up on the mountain and are disappointed since the sky bridge as well as one of the two top platforms are closed for maintenance. We have been up there three years ago and everything was open then but the skybridge closed soon after our visit.
On the next day we view the sweet water lake on Pulau Dayang Bunting. According to the legend a male elf falls in love with a female one named Dayang. She gets pregnant and gives birth to a child who sadly dies after 7 days. Dayang buries it in the lake, that's why it is named Tasik Dayang Bunting – Pregnant Maiden Lake. The lake is actually a big collapsed doline and the water inside has approximately sea level. At one point the lake and the sea are only 10 meters apart but still the water in the lake is sweet water – Tom tasted it. You can bath or rent a paddle boat which the Malay people really like to do. We only go along the side to a viewing point to get away from all the people there. Afterwards we sail around the islands and take a look at the Fjord Anchorage where we almost hit the shore last time when our anchor slipped in a violent squall. It was really close, only about 20 meters to the rocks (see picture)!

Adjusting our new sailcovers
With the Kajak to the beach
Beach Clean-up
The famous Cable Car manufacturer from Austria
View towards Telaga bay from the top of the mountain
Sweetwater Lake Tasig Dayang Bunting
Reading Petzi books
So close to the shore after the squall