BANDAR BINTAN TELANI TO SINGAPORE

On November 24, 2014, with an engine that had a “Low Oil Pressure” alarm going off, we decided to accept a tow from one of our friends on “Southern Star” – a Nordhaven 46’ power boat – to the Singapore Immigration and Customs services at Sisters Island.  The distance is about 33 nm so we made an overnight anchoring stop (01-11.724’ N x 104-07.131 E) just east of Nongsa Point on the Indonesian Island of Batam.  This left us with a 20 nm tow across the Singapore Strait which is one of the busiest waterways in the world.  That being said, there is a Traffic Separation Scheme and the ebb and flow of ships is orderly.  We were three boats crossing the strait:  Stormvoegle (German), Southern Star (Aussie) towing Solstice (USA).  The currents in the Singapore and Malacca Straits are strong so timing is important to us them to advantage.  We left our overnight anchorage at 0530 hrs in the morning of November 25^th and anchored off Sisters Island (01-12.891 N x 103-49.897’ E) at 0900.  Since we were still able to motor a short distance without an alarm, “Southern Star” dropped us and continued on to their berth at Raffles Marina.  I didn’t think we would have any problems motoring to our berth at One Degree 15 Marina which is only 2 nm from the Immigration check in point.  As  a backup, another one of our rally boats, “Gypsy Rover” was escorting us to our berth at the marina.  Everything worked out just fine and we had no problems.

Once we were safely moored alongside out slip, I started to address the Low Oil Pressure Alarm:  changed engine oil to a heavier grade 20/50 instead of the 15/40 I have been using; changed all oil filters and fuel filters; called Volvo repair services for a mechanic to come and replace the oil sensor and check out the engine.  The end result of this is that the new oil sensor indicated that the engine had 40 psi which is just fine.  I have a small compression leak on one of the injectors but this should be OK until we can get to Phuket, Thailand.  We have a good friend, Gary Gilbert, that will fix it.  Also, he will be undertaking the new Beta Marine 43 engine install with my help.

Singapore is one of the world’s great cities.  It is a gigantic warehouse of every major manufacturer’s luxury items.  It staggers the imagination to see super gigantic mall after mall displaying the world’s most expensive luxury items.  At any one time there are several hundred ships anchored off her shores just waiting for a berth to unload more products.  More interesting than the “chic toys” is the racial and ethnic mix of Singapore’s inhabitants.  Immediately, it becomes obvious that this city is one of the most diverse melting pots in the world:  Chinese, Malay, Indonesians, Bengalis, Bugis, Sri Lankans, Arabs, East Indians and Expats account for a majority but there are so many more from remote parts of the world.  This mélange is all rolled up into a great City State with the Chinese controlling the political and economic scene.  It’s an extremely well organized society that obeys rules and regulations or suffers a fine for not doing so.  It’s illegal to chew gum in public, dispose of trash anywhere but a receptacle, eat on trains or buses and the list goes on.  Singapore is a “fine” city so some of the humorous signs display.  Any serious infraction of the law is dealt with harshly.  Purse snatching gets three years in prison and four strokes of the Rotan.  This is a bamboo cane that is wielded by a dedicated punishment practitioner across the buttocks.

The culinary delights of the city are so diverse and delicious that one could eat something different everyday throughout the year.  Chinese, Indian, Malay, Arabic and other local dishes are reasonably cheap.  An average Chinese meal cost about $US 3.00 in December 2014.  If you want imported western food and meat, the price goes up to whatever you can afford.  Singaporeans are enjoying a very healthy economy and are, for the most part, well to do.  This excludes all the foreign help and servants that seem to do the menial hard labor jobs.  Singapore’s climate is hot and humid with almost daily thunderstorms.  It’s practically on the equator.  Rain arrives in torrential downpours but is soon replaced by sunshine.  We have never before seen the torrential amount of water that can come out of a thunderstorm.

There are lots of amusements to keep the population happy: spacious parks, botanical gardens, cable cars, museums, boat rides.  It has it all – just break out some more money!  So here we are in one of the world’s most fascinating – not to be missed – cities.  On the boat scene, anything can be found or ordered at reasonable prices.  Some things are as cheap as a US mail order catalog price and others have a premium attached to them. 

We have decided to depart Singapore on December 5^th and head up the Malacca Strait to Port Dickson, Malaysia (02-28-519 N x 101-50.733’ E) for check in.   Supposedly, Admiral Marina is a first class place to berth.  Check in procedures in Malaysia are easy next to the long drawn out procedure for Indonesia.  Also, there are no fees.