280 Nautical Miles on Rising Tide

Ok before reading ... just to let you know, this is gonna be a long one!

280 Nautical Miles and Back!

It was almost 2 months ago when Rick (skipper of the Rising Tide) told me that he had just returned from Tioman and showed me a picture of Joseph (crew member) holding up a nice narrow-barred Spanish Mackerel caught while trolling around Pulau Tinggi. Trolling from an 85-foot schooner?

Well, I guess anything is possible and I was truly hoping that I could accompany Rick on one of his charters. About 2 weeks later, I received a message from Rick inviting me to accompany him on a charter to Pulau Aur / Dayang from 30th July to 2nd August 2004. No prizes for guessing what my answer was. Even though I knew that fishing was not the main agenda, I was looking at experiencing the open seas on a schooner.

We met at Marina Country Club on Friday evening and waited for the guests to arrive. There were 8 guests on this trip and the itinerary was diving, snorkeling and sailing (plus chilling out) for the duration of the trip. Of course, if opportunity presented itself – any avid angler (in his right frame of mind) will not waste the golden opportunity to try his luck at some fishing. Right smack in blue, clear waters and in the “vicinity” of pelagic critters – you need not tell me anymore.

Armed with 2 rods and reels, I boarded the Rising Tide, settled in and Rick introduced me to a few of his guests (a very relaxed bunch). We set sail at 7.45 pm and on the way out, dinner was prepared by Zan and Joseph. The aroma was to-die-for! Even though it was a simple Spaghetti Bolognese, the boys did a great job in filling our tummies.

We arrived at the frontier beacon (sounds like something from Star Trek huh?) and radioed in for Changi Immigration to attend to our port clearance. After that we hit ‘Lima Channel’ and it was smooth sailing all the way to Pulau Aur.

I slept like a baby on a comfy couch seat (to my surprise), the vessel was very steady and sea conditions were great. Rising Tide managed a cool 9 knots all the way and when I opened my eyes … it was blue waters. With Rising Tide now slowing down to a comfortable speed, I did not waste much time … had a cup of coffee and down went a Rapala Magnum.

There were no strikes on the lure and as soon as we reached the target buoy off Aur / Dayang … I had to get into action. Now try and imagine this, it’s my first time sailing on a schooner and we had to jump into a dinghy in seconds! My antics had Rick and the crew in fits! Me, the bumbling fool holding on to my rod (with Sabiki jigs in my pocket) trying to get into that dinghy. Well I did volunteer to help when it was required, but I DID NOT expect the last minute orders from Rick. At the back of my mind, I suspected that Rick and the crew wanted some morning humor and they got it! It was a blessing that the guests were still in their airconditioned cabins; otherwise it would have been something out of The 3 Stooges!

As soon as I got my bumbling self on the dinghy, Joseph passed me a rope and we proceeded to the target buoy. The plan was to secure Rising Tide to the buoy. I was tasked by Zan to attach the rope to the buoy and I went into bumbling-mode again. Zan gave up on me and he did it himself … Fast! I felt like a lost little boy.

With Rising Tide secured, we sped off in the dinghy towards unjams (FADs) around the area. Rick told us to get a live ‘selar’ (scad) and bring it back to the Rising Tide so that he could rig up a balloon for live baiting. Dropped my line and wham! Jigs were taken by ‘kembongs’ (big eye scad). In a couple of minutes we returned to the Rising Tide and Rick rigged up a balloon. The target was to land a Mahi-mahi for the barbecue that we were going to stage for the guests on Saturday evening.

While Rick did the honors on the balloon, Zan and myself sped back to the unjams and carried on jigging. We landed various types of scads (selars, kembongs and selayang) and bonito. I was reeling up a bunch of baitfish when suddenly; my rod bent double and the tip dipped into the water … predator. In my heart I knew that the rig would not be able to take it and true enough, my line went slack. Lost the entire rig (plus weight) to a toothy critter. This happened 3 times and that’s the story of my life. Lost all 3 Sabiki jigs that I had with me.

Returned to the “mother-ship” with lots of baitfish and a bruised ego. But settled in to a nice breakfast. Egg Omelette with Cheese and Assorted Danish Pastries. Yummy! I am so used to having instant noodles on boats that this felt like the Ritz-Carlton. Ian (one of the guests on board) casually asked me how was the fishing and I guessed my smile explained everything. I was not prepared (the bumbling fool that I was) and I should have brought a wired-rig with me in the dinghy. And since this was not a fishing expedition, I did not think much of it. Our priority was ensuring that the guests on board had a good time. After breakfast, we made off for some diving and fun in the sun.

Nothing much happened and I assisted by acting as a lookout while the guests did their dive routine. With Zan on the dinghy as a safety boat, Rick accompanied the divers and Joseph went about preparing lunch. Relaxed and just enjoyed myself by chilling out in clear blue waters. Could see frisky bonito having a good time with anchovies at the surface and what can I say? This is the life.

Lunch was a meal to remember. Pan-fried Mackerel with turmeric seasoning, Pasta with Summer Sauce and cold Tiger beer! Never go on board an 85-foot schooner without Tiger beer! After lunch we cruised to some nearby islands and continued snorkeling and diving. Rick and some of the guests spotted a huge grouper, wrasse and cobias (estimated at 3 feet long). Aaarrrrgggh! I was about to throw myself overboard! But I was silently hoping to spot a manta, not to hook it up of course – just to see one.

A fishing trawler came in and anchored close to us. We could tell that they were just resting and gearing up for their assault later at night in the waters off the islands. Took a peek at them with the binoculars and I could see the nets and long lines with hundreds of hooks attached. This was a boat about 40 feet in length, but it had a 12-man crew excluding the skipper. I wonder what fish will be able to stand a chance against this boat when it “sweeps” the sea. The bonito schools would not stand a chance against those long lines!

You know the old saying - how time flies when one is having fun? Well, no exception here. The sun was setting and soon it was dinnertime. No Mahi-mahi for the barbecue, but Rick took over the helm with a great barbecue menu. Check this out – Lamb Chops, Prime Ribs, Beef Tenderloin, Italian Sausages, Corn On The Cob, Potatoes and Coleslaw. The great thing about the Rising Tide is that you can actually stage the barbecue on board because she’s equipped with an outdoor gas-operated grill (attached firmly to the rail) We anchored off one of the islands for the night and I tried doing some fishing.

Caught and released some small flag snappers and a big-eye snapper (which I am yet to identify). It was about 900 G ms, but I decided against keeping it. Everyone settled in for the night and soon I was alone with nothing but the wind, peace and serenity that the sea usually offers. I must truly say that it was really breath taking … the calm waters,
the full moon in all its splendor and lights (from ships) off the horizon. I will cherish that night for a long time to come. At about 2.30 am I decided to turn in, but not before I rigged a big dead ‘kembong’ and attached a balloon - hoping for some barracuda action. I must have dozed off for an hour or more, when I thought that I heard a click on the ratchet. But since it was not spooling off (I wish), I decided to leave it alone.


At about 5.00 am I retrieved the line and was flabbergasted to see the bait bit in half. Damn barracuda! The sun rose on a nice Sunday morning - we freshened up, had coffee and was just lazing about when a school of bonito decided to pay us a visit. Rick got into the dinghy and I bumbled after him (though a little bit faster and more “sensational” this time). We chased the bonito with feather lures but they seemed diffident. One thing that disappointed me was the size of the fish and size of the school. We used to see schools of bonito the size of a football field. When they started feeding at the surface, the sea looked as if it was boiling. And now, when they fed - it looked more like ripples on the surface.

Got back to another excellent breakfast consisting of Eggs (Sunny Side Up), Baked Beans and Sausages. Set off right after breakfast and Rick decided to release the sails on Rising Tide. This is the first time I would be seeing Rising Tide in her full glory. We sailed 10 nautical miles accompanied by wind ranging 15-20 knots and she was cruising. Learned a little bit about how a schooner actually works and of course, with Rick’s kind consent – down went the Rapala Magnum.

Rick decided to take a couple of pictures of the schooner with her sails in the wind, so he got into the dinghy and came alongside for the shots. Another guest Alistair decided that it was a good idea too and the dinghy went out again. They really enjoyed themselves riding in that dinghy.

After sailing for about 2 hours, the reel screamed and I went for my rod in a hurry. Totally forgot about the rope securing the Genoa and … OWWW! Must admit that the pain only set in when we found out that it was a false alarm with the rod and reel, no fish - just seaweed. Iced down the bruise and felt a lot better. Lesson learnt, but I guess the scar will remain.

Managed to learn a little bit about releasing the rope for the Genoa and I did it twice when we needed to change directions in order to tack wind. Must say that it’s really teamwork when sailing is concerned. I mean, you can watch this a thousand times on TV but experiencing it first hand is a totally different ball game. Credit must be given to Rick and the crew – efficient, fast and always …. safety first.

After lunch (consisting of Chicken Adobo, Tiger Prawns with Garlic Butter and Stir-fried Vegetables) the ratchet sounded off a little and I retrieved my line – minus the Rapala. Gone! Kaput! Story of my life! We folded in the sails and relied on the schooner’s engine and headed towards 3 islands around Tongkang Chopak (past Pulau Tinggi). Decided to try a surface skirt and trolled a daisy chain. Still hoping for the elusive mahi-mahi! No such thing, my reel was as quiet as the night before Christmas.

The islands around here really looked productive and I could imagine one doing some popping, the tide was going down and the drop-offs around the islands looked like they provided refuge for big fish. We anchored for an evening swim (at awesome looking beach) and Rick mentioned that we would set off for our journey home to Singapore at 8.00 pm.

The journey home was not an easy one. After dinner (Tuna Croissant), the wind picked up and a storm hit us. I was thinking to myself …. “Oh no, one of those days again.” To my surprise, even though we were faced with wind up to 39 knots – Rising Tide and her crew braved the wind and rain well. She was steady and did not rock as much I would have expected. The bad weather was our company all through the night, but the guests slept soundly in their cabins and I managed some rest too.

We got to the frontier beacon at about 9.00 am and Changi cleared us accordingly. Rick and the crew managed to get us home safely and we arrived at MCC at 10.00 am (waved hi to Raju as we passed by him). Said our farewells to our guests and personally, they looked like they enjoyed themselves for the 280 nautical miles (in total) that they sailed with Rising Tide. In fact, they even managed to bake a nice chocolate cake (near Pulau Tinggi) to surprise a birthday celebrant. Now this is a something everyone should experience, sail the open seas and the boat smells like Grandma’s kitchen. The aroma …… mmmm, I can
still smell it!

For me, even though I did not manage a solid hook up and all I had to account for were baitfish and some released specimens – I truly enjoyed the experience. As I’m writing this report, I am planning a trip up to the target buoys and Pulau Tinggi on this fine schooner; we will be secured to the buoys for some live baiting.

This trip will consist of 6 anglers and our spouses (total 12) - just fun in the sun, chill out and leisure angling. And who knows? Mr. Mahi may just decide to pay us a visit. With Rick who loves fishing (just as much as I do) and Zan a hardcore angler, I am confident we’ll make something out of nothing. We marked some spots to explore the next time around and we’ll devote the entire time to some serious fishing. Now who’s up for it?

Size/type of vessel : 85 feet – cutter rigged Schooner with the modern comforts of home
Total sail area : 330 sgM
Number of sails : 2 head sails, 1 stay sail, 1 fishermen sail and 1 main sail – all made out of Dacron
Speed : Average 9 knots (without sails, depending on sea state)
Weight (fully loaded) : 45 tons
Kitchen : Fully equipped with huge fridge, freezer, ice maker, water maker (instant hot or cold water) oven, stove,
microwave oven, outdoor BBQ grill, sink and rice cooker
Cabins : 2 x cabin and 1 x main cabin – all with attached shower/toilets (hot & cold water) and air-conditioned
Interior : African mahogany Powered by : 2 x generator with enough juice for 24 hours a day
Additional equipment : Water maker, dive compressor and some fishing gear
Others : Entertainment center, wine chiller and a two-door chiller for juices, fruits and Tiger beer
PS : She has 03 permanent rod holders and 08 portable ones J
3 Days, 2 Nights cruise up to Aur/Dayang and Pulau Tinggi : Max 12 pax
Local overnight cruise : Max 16 pax

Here's some pics

A little more ....

[edylie]

Thanks for the report Kelvin

Rising Tide indeed is a very nice recreational vessel.

Thanks for the report.

Cheers,
Edy