The only thing predictable about the Malacca Straits weather is its unpredictability

April 2009 - Yet another tale, of a sailor’s unexpected anchorage phenomenon. We had a smooth motor sail for most of the day heading for what we thought was going to be a good nights sleep. Our first clue could have been when we arrived at the desired anchorage outside of Port Dixon, the only thing visible was a huge oil refinery pier? We quickly realized the chart was not updated with the new landscape. Putting Equus in neutral, we pondered our next move.
Picture taken our last night in the Malacca Straits.

Given the darkness we had quite a difficult time searching out navigation lights from shore lights. Not only were there several anchored freight vessels all around the brightly lit shore the waters were peppered with local fishing boats. With Maxsea (computer navigational aid) and a visual bow watch we were able to clear out of these unfamiliar waters following the large shipping channel out past the anchored freighters.

Good news! We had located on the chart another possibility for a good nights sleep.
Ah a reprieve… thankful for a very still night with flat seas heading toward our next anchorage spot and just when we were getting ready to drop our hook – no really within minutes the wind picked up out of the west and yes you guessed it, the anchorage offered good protection for every direction but the west.

As the wind swirled past us BF4, 23knots we hoped for the best and dropped it anyway. French style; going forward and not backing on it. The reason being Steve struggled so to get the chain out from the locker below (the chain sometimes falls on itself and becomes tangled below decks). Imagine a piece of string in a wad and how frustrating that can be to untangle it, well this is a steel chain about 3/8 in thick in a locker, below decks and very hard to get to.

By the time he had gotten enough chain out the seas had built and the rain was stinging his skin. He quickly tucked inside our cozy cockpit to wait out the storm and then for a good nights sleep. Ha! We were so optimistic we had a glass of wine, silly silly us.

Well again mother nature got the last laugh. As we laid down on our bed we both silently thought, "well at least the wind was strong enough to hold us into the fetch because it would get really ugly if we turned sideways and started to roll." If thoughts truly are intentions and they are put into action via our minds – shame on us because within 10 min. the boat rolled so fiercely we were almost thrown out of bed and we sleep athwart ships!

So up we flew, scrambling to turn on the engine and get the hell out of this huge washing machine. We pulled it together and were under weigh within 15 min. Crashing into the waves as we headed toward the main shipping channel in pure blackness. So much for believing we knew the night’s weather and assuming we were going to get a good nights sleep.

The night passage turned into a pleasant motoring toward our Singapore destination passing our fellow freighters on the starbord rail.