“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." Mark Twain

Friday, September 16, 2011

We have left! La Partenza!


We set sail on Thursday 8th September at 10pm.  Our good friend Mus (the captain of the boat next door) cast us off and as we sailed into the night, we could not quite believe that our adventure had finally begun.  We were headed for Pulau Aur in Malaysia which is a distance of approximately 90 nautical miles.

Giovedi’ sera 8 settembre verso le 22 siamo finalmente salpati da Keppel Marina a Singapore. Ci sembrava incredibile che dopo tanti mesi di preparativi il nostro sogno stava diventando realta’.  La prima tappa e’ Pulau Aur, un isola sulla costa est della Malesia a 90 miglia da Singapore.



We cleared Singapore immigration in the dark; the Singapore Immigration boat approached us at a designated point and we dropped our passports into a fishing net that the officer held out – not exactly thumb print technology!  The officer then requested to identify all passengers one by one.  The girls lined up on deck in their pj’s under a search-light and put their hands up when the Immigration boat called their names. I am sure the officer will remember this unusual crew! 

La prima cosa pero’ e’ stato il controllo passaporti in uscita da Singapore.
Per le barche da diporto questo vuol dire farsi trovare in un punto prestabilito al largo di Singapore; la barca dell Servizio Immigrazione si avvicina e allunga un retino tipo da pesca (giuro!) e noi dobbiamo metterci dentro i passaporti.
Dopo averli esaminati, l’ufficiale di servizio ci ha detto  via radio di voler identificare tutti i membri dell’equipaggio. Cosi’ Anna, Julia e Nadia sono salite in coperta in camicia da notte (erano le 23) e sotto un riflettore della barca dell’Immigrazione hanno risposto all’appello.  



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