Singapore and Taipei

Xena was in Singpore at Raffles Wharf with Grant and the Boyz, back in November on the way to Phuket.  And Jing and I were there last week, me for the first time in 20-odd years.  It's changed much and for the better, more interesting, more fun.  Taipei, on the other hand, is a place to work, not a place for the tourist. Some piccies below (also see the great panorama of Singapore I posted here).

This is an ad that greets you at Changi airport.  Note the boat: the carbon wheels,
the carbon boom, the teak coachroof, the Andersen winches, the dodger cover...
That's right, it's an X-55!  Only one thing: the Mainsail looks crap...  I'll bet it ain't a Norths.
(click to enlarge and click on "Read more" for more piccies)

Thoughts with Queenstown

Queenstown Cathedral, crushed car.
Photo David Wethey, here.

We were saddened by the news of the Queenstown earthquake and the daily worse news, the latest that 140+ dead and 200 people are still missing and feared dead, and that one third of the buildings in central Queenstown will have to be demolished.
A number of our crew are Kiwis, many of our friends, and relatives (my Mum's from Palmerston North) and our thoughts are with them, especially their compatriots in Queenstown.  There are also many missing in a school housing an English school with students "from Asia" the reports said, and we can imagine that they may be from Hong Kong as well, so the impacts are world-wide.

One Queenstown resident was on the news saying she thought they would have to "rethink" whether to rebuild places like the Cathedral, which lost its spire, photo above.
I reckon that's not the right attitude and I bet most New Zealanders won't think so either: they'll rebuild stronger and better, is my bet.
That's the Kiwi spirit.  Never give up; overcome.  Three cheers for Aotearoa!

We're in Singapore

Singapore skyline, from the Marina Bay Sands, Hotel/Casino, 54Floor
iPhone photo.  Click to enlarge.

Jing and I popped down to Singapore yesterday, and I must say it's surprisingly lovely and interesting. Almost inclined to say "Singapore Rocks" which is just about true, as they have a concert venue that puts Hong Kong's to shame and draws some great international acts. 20-plus years since I'd been here and the place is transformed. The service is as good as Hong Kong's but friendlier, the air is cleaner and the economy buzzing. (12% growth last year).

We dropped by Xena back at her mooring in Hong Kong, on Sunday afternoon, Mike doing odd jobs, Noel off to Church. We caught up with Grant at our place in DB, for afternoon drinks and a nice dinner out at Zaks. He's in fine form. Leaving for home tomorrow. Staying at our place in meantime, looked after by Arlene. He summed up the delivery in phlegmatic Antipodean style as "I've had better, I've had worse".

Will post some photos later, as can't post them off the iPad.

Off to Orchard road... And Taipei tomorrow.

Xena back at her mooring, 17:00 19th Feb

Good Mornin Peter and Jing

5 p.m. arrival H.K!

Musta been helluva breeze.

Grant happy catch'n up and hav'n a yarn with everyone up there.

I'm happy too Boyz and "Xena" reached their final destination  safely.

Never doubted otherwise.. powerful Seafaring Princess on deep blue..she'll go anywhere in the world.

She's resting too.."Xena" the Warrior Princess .. Proudly she will battle and win all 'em races for you.

Lotsa Love and Sail'n to ye All

Iris

Charles Dibdin quote: "the lass that loves a Sailor" 

Position report, 19 Feb

Click to enlarge

21   deg     25min North
115 deg     03min East
From Iris, below.  Position at 11:00 Hong Kong time, 170NM since yesterday is 6 knts average, with 75NM to go, arrival is late tonight.  I hope they're in time for the post-harbour-race drinkies!  (See comment).
Thanks to Iris for being "Radio relay" on this delivery back from Phuket!

Position Report, 18 Feb: "Brilliant Captain and 2 Boyz on her helm."

Click to enlarge

19   Deg  6   min North

116 Deg  46 min East
Couple of messages from Iris below.  Up to 07:00 HK time, 120 NM in 19 hours @ average 6.3 knots (up from 5.8 yesterday).  240 NM to go, gives 38 hours, so ETA Saturday night. They still have some problems with contaminated fuel, but currently sailing in 18knts breeze. Which looks to veer more East, so should have reach/run to finish, cross fingers... See wind charts below and/or Passage Weather.  (Click on "Read more")

Position report, 17 Feb

17    Degrees     25 min North
117  Degrees     53 min East
From Iris, below.  Click on map for larger view.  162NM since yesterday pos report, @ 5.8 knots average, due problems with contaminated fuel.  360NM to Hong Kong and at this rate, ETA is 62 hours from midday today, ie, early Sunday Morning....

Position report, 16 Feb

14   Deg      56 min  North
119 Deg       03 min East

Just in from Iris, Xena position report as at 07:45 this morning, HK time.  Xena is on her way direct back to HK, not stopping off Subic.
520 NM to Hong Kong.  I make ETA Sat 19th Feb.

Position report, 14 Feb

10 degrees and 32 min   North
118 degrees and 10 min   East

From Iris in Bay of Islands, her report on Xena position, Satphone call from Grant.  As of 10:00 yesterday, 280NM to Subic.

On-board comms

I’ve been looking at solutions for Xena’s on-board communications and have come down a short-list of two [three if you include KVH150):

The Voynich Manuscript

There's a lot more info here.

No news today of Xena whereabouts from Iris.  I'm assuming by DR that she's in the Balabac Strait.
So... for those of you checking in, and so's not to make your visit wasted, here's a bit of thoroughly useless, but fascinating information:

From the Huffington Post, a leftie site, but getting info from Fox News; hmmm....

Iris asks: '"Xena" I love the name...how was it chosen?'

Iris asked me what other names we'd considered before coming up with Xena, of which she'd said '"Xena"..I Love this name..was it chosen instantly..and by whom?'.

Into the Balabac Strait, between Sabah and Palawan

And a fair bit to keep one on one's toes.... (Click to enlarge)

Heading up coast and "all's well"

1600 your time .. Friday 11th Feb 2011
Grant  the  Boyz and  "Xena" (Seafaring Princess)
Heading up Coast. [PF: Sahah]

18knts .. hard on Nose.
Main Motor and Generator all Working Properly.

HAPPY to be on the Move
and to report .. Alls Well  :) :) :)
You Both have a Great Weekend.

Cheers  Iris and the Animals  
PF: wind chart forecasts below, click in "Read more"....

Repairs near finished, next stop Subic or Manila

Palawan East coast, forecast 10 Feb 14:00

From Grant in Labuan, couple of messages....
Tuesday 8th, 16:50:
These last few days have curtainly been a challenge.............yesterday managed to get water pump out of the generator,  exhaust sump out. Oil drained from main engine and generator.  Sourced and purchased new bearings and seals for water pump only to find that the shaft is pitted, so as we speak have local machine shop turning a new one, hope to have this evening install tomorrow. Have managed to repair exhaust sump, just waiting for fiberglass to dry, fit tomorrow also all going well. It will be better and stronger than original and will schedual same repair for small generator exhaust sump when back in HK.

"Frogs yesterday, Grease Monkeys today", so says Iris.....

From Grant, cc of email to Roger:
Hi Roger
Thanks for all that.  We are presently removing the Muffler (exhaust Sump) and also the Generator Water Pump and Generator Fuel Pump which I also have problems with.

Have a local contact here whom..met previously while Racing here in Borneo Cup.  He will help me source parts I need .. so that is today's Programme.

Talk again soon. Thanks for your help - appreciate.
Cheers   Grant
From Iris:
They are back in Marina.. easier to come and go for repairs etc.  Fella Grant knows was there this morning.
Look'n like Grease Monkeys today..Frogs yesterday Ha!!
Iris

Xena in Labuan, figuring out sumps, pumps, mufflers and GRP....

From Iris:

Another message from  Grant..received Sunday 6th Feb. [Cc'd to Roger]

Have managed to  locate a label on the Exhaust Sump on the small 1 for the  Generator.
The 1 for the Motor is about twice the size.
The Label reads for  the Generator Sump:
"Exhaust flow  out.  HNL  149/01"

Bacon and eggs in Victoria Harbour -- Labuan's, *not* Hong Kong's! Now for the repairs....

Report from Iris:

Heavy Rain.
Arrived Victoria Harbour Labuan - midnight last night.  [5 deg 16.12N, 115 deg 14.32E]
Water Calm and Flat.
Anchored outside Marina Hotel..he [Grant] was looking over to Hotel where we stayed both times for Borneo Yacht Regatta.
PF: that's the Marina Hotel in the photo above -- pretty flash, Iris!  
Click on "Read more" for rest of Iris' report....

"Hard 2 days at the Office", for Grant and the Boyz, nearing Miri, but will they stop in?....

From Grant:
Position Today 1300 hours [4 Feb HKT]
3 Deg  44 minutes  North
112  Deg  21 minutes  East

[PF: ~110 NM to Miri, ~260 to Kota Kinebalu.  Click on image to enlarge]

18knts    -    2 metre seas
Hard 2 Days at the Office.
Lost a lot of Time - due to Electrical and Mechanical Problems.

Weather map

No pos report today, but by dead reckoning I'll guess "Xena" is around 4 deg N and 112.5 E, at noon today.

Above is screen grab of forecast weather at 14:00 today, HK Time, from Passage weather, in which case they should be have a sailing breeze, hard on the breeze, but at least not right on the nose.

Kiwi ingenuity and Philippine perseverance keep Xena tracking to Miri....

PF comment: Weather here.  Iris report below: 
As of Noon Today [3 Feb]:

Position 2 deg 49min  North.  110deg  34min  East. 
[PF comment: about 255NM to Miri, see map, left]
25knots..3metre breaking Sea.
Yesterday ran into problems:
Contaminated Diesel in Both Main Engine and Generator.

Van Morrison, into the Mystic

Iris wanted the "Original Version", of Van's Into the Mystic.  Here it is.... I'll leave the other one below, cause it's got visuals as well as vocals, and some nice instrumentals.....

We were born before the wind
Also younger than the sun

Ere the bonnie boat was won as we sailed into the mystic

Hark, now hear the sailors cry

Smell the sea and feel the sky

Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic

And when that fog horn blows I will be coming home

And when the fog horn blows I want to hear it

I don't have to fear it

And I want to rock your gypsy soul

Just like way back in the days of old

And magnificently we will flow into the mystic

When that fog horn blows you know I will be coming home

And when that fog horn whistle blows I got to hear it

I don't have to fear it

And I want to rock your gypsy soul

Just like way back in the days of old

And together we will flow into the mystic

Come on girl...

Van's "Into the Mystic"

Iris wanted me to put Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic" onto the blog, so here it is in video.  Lyrics below vid:

Click on "Read more" for the words....

Xena - into the Mystic, with Iris, Grant and the Boyz...

This just in from the inimitable Iris.... Grant and the boyz doin' it a bit hard so far... wishing smoother winds (should be in next couple of days).
Hi Peter and Jing [Click on "Read more" for the rest....]