A CRAZY COVID YEAR OF SAILING AKA MEETING HHYC MEMBERS ABROAD (PART 1)

by Mark Ashton

Our last article for the Hebe Jebes described a cruise on our catamaran ATÉ from Pangkor in Malaysia to Phuket and the return to Langkawi, just before the great Covid lockdown of March 2020.

We then spent six weeks in Langkawi, during which time a succession of Movement Control Orders, aka MCO’s, came to dominate life and to determine our timetable to haul ATÉ out of the water and return to home in Hong Kong. At this time, we had no idea when Malaysia would reopen to tourism or when we would be able to return to the boat. This article picks up on that story over 18 months later in December 2021, when changes to Malaysian travel (to Langkawi) were finally announced. In retrospect, our time away from ATÉ had a dreamlike quality, as we didn’t know and couldn’t predict, what would happen next. We had left Hong Kong for the UK summer in July ‘21 with the promise of a “new” Q system, predicated on a vaccine antibody test. The promised Q scheme for Hong Kong however was scrapped soon after we departed. In the UK, we dutifully observed the home quarantine arrangement, which was lifted by the UK Government about halfway through and thus we found ourselves free and sailing again on our slightly ancient 26’ Telstar trimaran.

We enjoyed a summer of delightful sailing in Poole and Solent waters. There we also met up with Club stalwarts and past Commodore Jan and Gerry Daughton, for a cruise from Cowes to the Beaulieu River and lot of chat about times past at Hebe. This was to be the first of many hook ups with Hebe members destined for the year ahead.

The UK summer eventually burnt its short candle and with no sign of Q arrangements improving in either Hong Kong or Malaysia, we were at a quandary as to where next?

Hebe is a great Club and the friendships made there are quite special, and so it was that two Hebe friends came to answer that question. The first were Babs and Rene Appel, whom invited us to join Momentum, their Hallberg Rassey 46. We spent six weeks walking the spectacular mountains on the Atlantic island of Madeira, followed by a passage down to Lanzarote in the Canary Islands.

我們在蘭卡威待了6個星期，期間一連片的出行限令（即 MCO）控制了我們的生活，並左右了我們乘坐ATE出海返回香 港的計劃。當時我們不知道馬來西亞甚麼時候可以重新開放旅 遊，亦無法得知我們可於甚麼時候回到船上。在 18 個月後的 2021 年 12 月，亦是就馬來西亞旅遊（至蘭卡威）所作的變更 終獲公佈的時候，這片文章再次講述這個故事。回想起來，我 們離開ATÉ 的那段時間就如做夢一樣，我們不知道，亦無法預 測接下來會發生甚麼事。2021年7月，我們離開香港前往英國 度過夏季，當時承諾會推出一個以疫苗抗體測試為前提的全新

We had visited Madeira in 1987 on the outbound leg of a transatlantic circuit aboard our 46’ Wharram catamaran Pelijo. We enjoyed the trip back down memory lane and the two day passage down to La Graciosa immediately north of Lanzarote where we had also made landfall some 35 years before. The increase in the number of cruising yachts was apparent, but the bays and marinas were still much as we remembered them. Our second invitation came from Bob and Lesley ( XTerminator) to see the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Arriving in late November, we enjoyed the tail end of the sun and swimming season and spent some time visiting the numerous historical sights, mountains and wineries. Juliet sailed as crew with Lesley in one of the Paphos International Sailing Club (PISC) dinghy races and we soon understood that Cyprus is now the home of a few old Hebe hands who remember the early days of the Club. In mid November, two things happened which changed life considerably. First, Malaysia announced a Q free tourist scheme for Langkawi and second our son Rory announced that he was expecting to become a father in late February!

We were hopeful that Australia would open up its travel restrictions by the time of the new arrival, but in the meantime it was all haste to ATÉ, to see how she has survived her long equatorial slumber in Langkawi. We arrived in KLIA oblivious to the near U turn of the new tourist scheme which had occurred whilst we were airborne. Once landed and connected to WiFi, the long string of WhatsApp messages from the designated travel agent told the story. The Omicron variant was causing flutters, but fortunately nerves held (in Malaysia). It felt quite surreal to be in the heavy tropical air again, perspiring gently in the dazzle of late afternoon, as we sipped cold beers and waited for the small ferry to the resort island of Rebak.

The new travel scheme required a three day stay in a hotel (but without any restrictions on movement). This was a blessing, because it provided air conditioned comfort and a resort swimming pool to recover from the rigors which lay ahead. Dealing with the depredations of the climate on an unused boat was something which we hadn’t given too much thought.

We soon discovered that ATÉ was in a shocking state, with green decks, white mould on woodwork and black mould on the vinyl. It seemed that virtually all her moving parts had seized up. We were very despondent initially and appreciated the friendship and encouragement from other cruisers. It was a case of “shirt sleeves up” and on with it. to be continued...