Jeff's Log ~ Friday, May 9, 2008.…Port of Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Greetings from Taiwan! We arrived yesterday, and are now tied to a floating dock right across a canal from the ferry docks. I washed the boat and did some polishing, etc. while everyone else went exploring. I have to do the cleaning maintenance when I have the chance, and the water pressure here is good. Pipe Dream enjoyed the bath, and now is back to her gorgeous self. The crew of the neighboring power boat came over and said hello. The captain’s name sounded close to Jamie, so that is what I call him. English is not spoken very much here, so communicating gets to be fairly taxing. After my chores were completed, they invited me over for some beer and snacks. One of the snacks was some duck. I could tell because the whole duck head was in the bag with the chopped up meat. It was pretty tasty, but I did not eat the head.
We were sitting on the fly bridge with the captain, and an electrician that was working on one of the starter motors. Jamie kept going below and coming back with more and more food. I was a little relieved when the crew of Pipe Dream returned as that let me leave gracefully. I was pretty tired from trying to communicate.
Today fuel is my top priority, and trying to get Scott’s Sky mate updated is the next. He has had continuing problems with it, and that makes us all crazy.

The mate on the boat next door was around this morning, so I tried to find out where and how to get fuel. I pointed to their diesel fill and acted out putting fuel in. It was like playing charades. Eventually, I got the point across, and he drew me a picture of a fuel can. Then he called a friend that speaks some English. His fiend told me that he would come at noon to help. When he got there, He introduced himself as Peter; he has turned into my Taiwan connection. He has taught himself English from watching movies. He told us about the fuel dock on the other side of the harbor, and said he would go with us so that language would not be a hindrance. He then asked what else we needed, and took Mark and I to Costco, yes, Costco, for our provisioning. The Costco here in Taiwan was the biggest I have seen. It has a five story parking garage, and three floors of shopping. He was a pretty good tour guide too and showed us around a bit as he drove.
After getting the groceries back to the boat, I took Scott’s computer to Peter’s office/home and plugged in to the internet to download the improved Sky mate software. While that was downloading, we went to lunch at a small, family run restaurant down the street. I tried to pay, but Peter literally elbowed me out of the way so he could pay. I’ll never go hungry in Asian countries. I really like the food. I am doing better with chopsticks too.

The download had taken too long, and the computer had timed out, so I cancelled the power management program and started downloading again. Peter had a date, so I left with the download still running. I went to dinner with everyone at the tallest building in the city. The restaurant was on the thirty eighth floor of eighty six. The view of the city from the restaurant windows was spectacular, and it seemed like the world was in slow motion. There was a Ferris wheel with incredible lighting that kept changing colors and patterns about a mile from the restaurant. It was like Beny Hana, with the chef cooking right in front of us. I had duck, and he prepared it perfectly. We went to a different room for desert and coffee and there was a player piano making nice music as we finished our dinner.

We went back to the boat, and shortly were joined by Peter and his girlfriend Sophie, and the owner of another sailboat named Michael, and his wife Wendy. Peter brought us a case of beer for the boat, and we had a nice little party aboard Pipe Dream. Scott loves to show off his boat as much as I do, and we all were talking and doing a lot of laughing. After having a great evening, we all said good night and made a date for fueling in the morning with our new friends.

Today is Saturday May 10. At 9:00, I went down to pick up Scott’s computer. Peter and Sophie greeted me warmly and offered me breakfast. I had eaten already, so I did decline. The computer was ready to go, and I sat down to send off a quick E-mail to Clara to let her know I was OK. Peter went and picked up some navigation charts which Scott had ordered the day before while I did that. Then we walked back to the boat and were met by three young boys just having a ball on Pipe Dream. Michael and Wendy and their sons went to get fuel too. We sure had a boatful! It was fun to have all of these people with us just to get fuel. After fueling was complete, we had to check out at the port security dock. All of our friends waited with us until immigration came and cleared us out. There were lots of pictures taken by our guests and by the coast guard men who were around, both on and off duty. Pipe Dream was a big hit in Taiwan.

After saying goodbye with handshakes and hugs, we pulled away from the sea wall, raised the mainsail, and we hot-dogged it out of the harbor sailing fast on a brisk wind. It was quite cool to leave like that I think, because everyone could see how spirited the boat is.

The wind came and went for a lot of the afternoon, and then at about 4:30 it really came. I came on watch at 4, and the air was light and fluky. By4:30, it was honking at about 25 knots. At 5, it was 35 knots, and I got a new course to steer for an anchorage. That is where we are now, and we have seen gusts up to 50 knots. The water maker has a leak on the high pressure pump, so we ran it long enough to fill both tanks in case something crumbles tomorrow when I am going try and repair it. We all had a good dinner and cocktails and a hot shower, so all is right with the world for tonight.

Jeff's Log ~ Wednesday, May 14th, 2008 Ishagaki

Hi all is well. We are in a harbor tied to a very large breakwater. It will be some time before I get a phone, as Japan has their own system, and nothing else works except their equipment. This is our fist stop, but so far I am very impressed with what I see. Feel very secure and safe. Food and beer are good so far. Not cheap here like in the Philippines. I am trying to figure out how to call you.

Right now, at the high speed ferry dock on their computers. The whole crew is here and we are all on the internet. Language here is very difficult. Hardly anyone speaks English. It even took a little while to get computer keyboard into English. Scott’s sky mate is still acting up. It receives, but does not transmit, so don’t worry if you don’t hear anything for days. We are going to stay here until the weather is safe. We have been discussing alternate plans, and have Scott calm and collected. Thanks for the pics of Trinity, she sure is cute.

I am trying to write my log almost everyday, as things happen rather quickly once in a while. Once I am in Osaka, things should settle down a bit, and Ill get someone to get me a phone. There is all kinds of requirements that must be met to get one. Until then, I will E-mail when possible, and call when I can. There are a couple of weather systems that we are keeping under close watch. Right now, we are in Typhoon Alley and must remain vigilant.

Captain Scott's Log ~ Friday, May 9th, 2008

Pipe Dream in Taiwan

We left Batan Island in calm and its volcano dominated the skyline for some time. The Tidal Rips that plagued us in rough weather were in some ways even more spectacular in calm. Jets of white water and breaking waves on a calm sea. The chart showed depths of up to three miles. Two mile high underwater mountains accounted for the Tide Rips even when we were in water a mile deep. At dawn on the eighth, we entered Kaohsiung, Taiwan. We chose this port as it is one of the few with a marina. To our surprise few speak English and no officials had any idea of what to do with us. So clearing in and out - a major hassle. The so called marina is a few pontoons in a park. We are the only foreign yacht here amid five or six local crafts. Security is good and the area is checked frequently by the Coast Guard. They seem to have special training in making large wakes. The theory is that if the yachts are rolling into the docks, then intruders will find it difficult to board! We went to Lotus Lake to see the surrounding ornate Temples and Pagodas, some dated from 1666. They were spectacular enough to compensate for the fact that the lake was drained for repairs. Typhoon Botchoy is turning into a pussycat and will not delay us. The local officials are doing their best to keep us in port and want us to hire an agent. My Skymate has been down for the past two days, and is now at the Doctors. We dined at the eighty-five story Sky Tower Restaurant last evening. The food was good enough that we will go across town again this evening and dine at the same restaurant.

Captain Scott's Log ~ Tuesday, May 6th,2008

7:59 AM
Subject: Batanes

20 27n 121 58e anchored under the small town of Basco and towered over by
the active volcano Mt Iraya. Gorgeous! Thank you to the many who sent me
Happy B-day wishes. Yesterday was a poster child for sailing. 15 kts out of
the west had us on a beam reach in smooth water all day. 8 kts boat speed
and a 2 kt kick in current gave us a SOG of 10 kts all day. Then at dinner
we were hit by the first squall. The wind came ahead and increased to 30. So
we spent the next 8 hrs powering into big confused seas. The seas were so
bad because of tidal rips off the north of Luzon. Full foul weather gear and it’s
not safe on deck. Tide changed and now 6 kts boat speed with 2 kts foul
current for a SOG of 4 kts. One miserable night! But we are here and as
anyone who sails knows---it’s really good when you quit. Again it’s very pretty
here. We watched cattle loaded onto an island freighter by crane---one
kicking mooing cow at a time. Dinner ashore for the boys and tomorrow we are
bound for Taiwan.

Captain Scott's Log ~ Sunday, May 4th, 2008

Subject: 69

May 5th. I'm 69yo today. Yesterday was spent in San Fernando. We anchored off
the beach and crew went ashore to get diesel, rum and clear out--3 separate
parties each with a hand held VHF. I stayed on the boat for necessary
security and ferried people all day in the dingy. Children swam out and
clamored aboard. I gave them candy which was a mistake as there was no way
to get them to leave and more kept swimming out. Soon I was baby sitting for
the town. Ashore the rum getters (NANCES) had the best luck. 5 year old
Tanduay was 15 dollars US a case--close to the cost of diesel--one dollar a
liter. Mark had the worst luck with clearing out. Lots of hassle and running
around. He was extorted out of a large amount of money and even felt
threatened. The Rum price was so unbelievable that every time someone went
ashore they came back with a case. At dusk we got a barrel of Kentucky Fried
Chicken, sampled the rum, and sailed off into the sunset. We have picked up
the N running current of 1 1/2 kt that we expect to help us all the way to
Alaska. We are now 19 degrees north (Singapore was one degree) and the
Southern Cross has sunk into the southern ocean. Tomorrow we will arrive at
Batan Island

Captain Scott's Log ~ Saturday, May 3rd, 2008

Subject: Out of Manila

" Bong" and Butch continued to wine and dine us. On Friday we were taken in
3 cars to another Japanese restaurant that specialized in noodles. That night
we had a crew dinner at the yacht club. "Bong" and Butch were at a club
meeting and kept sending out bottles of rum and wine for our table. Butch
also called customs in San Fernando where we will clear out. He announced
now you will have no problems. Everyone, except Jeff, had just enough sense
to go to bed. On the 3rd we departed in flat calm at 8am. Jeff slept till
2pm. Manila Bay takes 5 hours to get out of but at least the gross pollution
and massive litter gradually improves. Big thunder storms around but we were
not bothered until sunset. Smog cut visibility to 3 miles. Solid overcast
and a moonless night meant we felt our way past countless fishing boats using
the night scope and radar. Lightning flashes became almost continuous and
rain could be seen on radar bearing down. Some tense moments as we flew by
dug out canoes but by 2 am the skies cleared. Moon rise one hour before
sunrise was special with the thinnest crescent of light on the bottom and the
sphere looking large on the horizon and orange in the haze. Tracy and I
agreed it was the best ever. Now dawn on the 4th and San Fernando Just
ahead.

Captain Scott's Log ~ Thursday, May 1st, 2008

Subject: Manila

Manila Bay is huge. We sailed around Corregidor Island which is in the mouth of the bay and a full 15 miles from Manila itself. Mount Batan on the Batan peninsula closes the north end of the Bay. Corregidor is a large island and now heavily overgrown.

The Batan death march, known to all for its infamy. Manila Bay is a cess pool. We were welcomed at the YC. Past Commodore Butch and his Japanese House chairman "Bong" have gone overboard for us. Yesterday Bong took us to his favorite Jap restaurant and afterwards gave us a tour of old Manila. Old Manila is within the walls of the Spanish fort built in the 1500s. He has given us his car and driver for the rest of our stay necessary for re-provisioning. He is also giving Donna a B-day party.

Manila YC does have a relationship with BBYC and I have exchanged burgees. The BBYC flag flies in the MYC bar. I am spending a few days at the Pan Pacific hotel. The Nances and I will move back aboard on the 2nd and depart to sail north along the coast of Luzon on the 3rd. Today the first of May is Labour Day here and one of the biggest holidays.