But first we must navigate for the next 22 hours through oil and gas rigs. And we need to time our arrival at Miri Marina just right because the sand bar in front of the entrance is a mile wide and treacherous in any kind of swell. That means sailing nice and gently to arrive at the precise time we have in mind.

With the transitional monsoon period now in full flow, it was essential that one of us remained on watch at all times to deal with any sudden changes in wind direction. But we had left the worst behind us and finished the 500-mile passage with a slow daytime sail and gentle motor-sail overnight.

At a mile and a half out from Miri Marina, the depth drops to 8m, shelving to 3m. Our plan to arrive on a rising tide worked out just fine, and as it was a spring there was enough depth. The water was like milky coffee as we approached slowly.

After arriving we began preparations for the hike to Japan and PNW next year. Of course, one of the main jobs is going to be installing a heating system. But of immediate importance was to seal the overhead hatch in our saloon which has been leaking on and off for ages.