"Friends"

Seven days cruising non-stop , 870 nautical miles , two hemispheres , two seasons , two thunderstorms , a broken computer charger , no pirates , a few dolphins and lots of crazy milkshakes ... That's how you you go from Malaysia to Bali in style ! We even managed to stop the boat right on the equator and jumped overboard to swim across it :) Since it was our first time across the mystical line , we avoided paying our dues to King Neptune with that little trick :)
We've been working a bit on the boat today , washing and doing a bit of maintenance and we'll be ready to go cruising around the island of Lombok tomorrow ... the Surfing part of the trip has begun :)
Cheers
B.


"The Captain swimming under the equator"

"Stefan and a Friend"


"New York , New York"


"quote : I left Spain ten years ago , i was only planning to cross the Atlantic"

I'm not Solo anymore !!! I have my first guest onboard :) My friend Stefan arrived a few days ago from switzerland to help me go down to Bali . We left Kota Kinabalu on thursday , leaving behind us the crazy New Yorkers , stopped in Kudat to say goodbye to some other crazy friends and yesterday we finally caught our first fish , a pretty good sized mackerel . We then proceeded to overdose on sashimi ... We were both turning a bit green today .
We've now stopped in a little bay on the east coast of Malaysia and we'll be entering Indonesian waters tomorrow . Another part of the trip ends ... My Stay in Malaysia has been pretty much uneventful , most of my time spent at the marina to do some maintenance , but i've managed to meet new friends in both Kudat and KK . And that's more important than anything else . Hope i'll see them again soon !
Keep in touch
Cheers
B.

"Spooky"

Another night trip . Kudat to Kota Kinabalu , 90 miles in 17 hours . A lot of star gazing , a lot of loud music and a bit of dancing to stay awake . I didn't have any close encounters with fishermen this time . Last week in the philippines i was awaken from my 20 minutes nap by screaming fishermen paddling for their life to get away from me ! On small wooden boats , no engine , no lights and 15 miles offshore !!!!
I'm now at the dock in the very posh Sutera Harbour here in Kota Kinabalu . And after being anchored in remote places for a few months , it feels strange to be in a marina . I'm not sure i like it and i'm eager to get back on the water . But i had to come here , I went to the Indonesian consulate and got my visa today . A bit of shopping , some minor work on the boat , 2000 liters of diesel and i'll be ready for the next part of the trip . My Friend Stefan is joining me in ten days , flying from Switzerland for a month onboard . I'll have to share the most precious room in the boat : the head !!!
See you soon
B.

" So far , so good ! "

1600 nautical miles and here comes Borneo ... I've stopped in a little town called Kudat to check in . The people are really nice and the immigration officer even drove me around town to show me his place !!! A big change from the Philippines where all they wanted was their bribes . I'm going to keep on moving down to the Marina in Kota Kinabalu , the biggest town in this part of Malaysia . I need to get a few supplies and my boat is in dear need of a good washing ... Shore power , water and cable tv at the dock ! Even heard they have a few McDonalds there !!! Yeepee :)
Cheers
B.

"Last stop , Paradise in Balabac Strait"

Haven't been able to write lately . I'm leaving the Philippines tomorrow . The american tree huggers and myself were anchored off another paradisiac island last sunday when i decided it was time to make my way towards Borneo . They also had to go east to find a place to work on their boat . So we spent that last evening onboard Kalakuta , having dinner , drinking a few San Miguels and having a last discussion about "american culture" ... and we said goodbye . When i woke up the next morning , they'd already left . I've been feeling quite sad all the way down to my last anchorage from where i'm writing this last filipino message : Balabac island , the southern tip of the Philippines ! And no phone coverage here , cab't even make a last call to all the ones i already miss . I'd easily stay here another year . So much to see . This country is so beautiful , more than 7000 islands and millions of pretty girls : A cruiser's paradise :) I'll be back for sure , i might even skip Australia and come back here after Indo ;) It's always hard to leave a place you love .
I've spent 3 months in China , 9 months here , a year out of France . I met a lot of new friends , i've seen loads of amazing places and learned so much about myself . Some people spend years in therapy to try to find out who they are , what they want or what they need to be happy . Others get a boat and go sail the world :)
Turn on , tune in and drop out !
B.
p.s : To all the friends i met that last year : Ray , Filip , Bryson , Reiner , Mike and Mahal , Marc and Julie , Mitch , Dave and Dorothy , Andrew , The Teds , Andy , Carol and Brian , Karta , Dan , Omar , Mr Gong and the Seahorse crew , Cassi and Jeremy , George and Jenny , Russel ... Thanks and see you soon !

"Lost Puppie"

I was browsing through my pictures and i realized i'd forgotten to post this . It was last november , in Subic Bay ... It's a baby whale shark that was probably lost . He stayed around my boat for an hour . Nobody believed me until i showed them this ;)
B.


"Where's mom ?"