The cunning plan that went awry.

Successfully checked in with the Jabatan Laut , but that at point the plan went awry.

The all in one stop check in, houses the Jabatan Laut, first stop, Kastams, second stop, and also Imigresen, if required they would actually be the first stop. I didn’t need them as we were all already “in” Malaysia.

Having dealt with Jabatan Laut smoothly and efficiently, I then asked the uniformed officer that I next encountered if she was in fact Kastams or Imigresen – as the answer was “yes” I remained none the wiser,in fact a bit confused still.

Further confusing conversation, including my vouchsafing of the name of the marina I was heading for , some 25 miles further upstream and my last port clearance was checked by said uniformed individual ,who then told me that the check in was to be done at the marina.

This was at complete odds with the information from the marina, advising that the check in be done at Pengelih. I questioned the advise but was clearly told that I could and should do the rest of the check in at the marina.

Hmmm- you know already where this is going!

Twenty five miles and a few hours later, snug as a bug in the marina, it turns out, predictably, that the information received at Pengelih was in fact incorrect, patently wrong in fact.

Bugger!    

25 miles, a few hours, and the inbound flight path to Changi later!!

The next day consisted initially of , finding our way into Johor Bahru, the nearest town, about 20-25mins away- if your Uber car turns up! If it doesn't it's about an hour and fifteen minutes away, after the second Uber driver also got hopelessly lost trying to locate us, to pick us up. Problem being, the marina is in a residential estate with no actual street name.

I have never used Uber in my life but its the way to go here. Its half the price of the taxis, its airconditioned, and you can track it -now I know how to!

So eventually arrived at Kastams, who eventually decide they can't actually enter me as an arrived vessel, as it should have been done at Pengelih.

Problemo!

Resolved by the simple but time consuming 30RM round trip to the Johor Bahru Jabatan Laut, to check in with them. They were puzzled to say the least, but duly allowed me to “arrive” again, stamped the paperwork meticulously as always, and it was back in the cab to Kastams- thankfully before 1300hrs when they shut for lunch. Handed over the new paperwork , listened attentively whilst being told how important it is to get the paper work correct- ( so important they couldn't even find my paperwork when I came to check out of KK last year!) Yes certainly!

Hey ho- free to go.

By the way if ever in Singapore and you are for some bizarre reason stricken with desire to eat local oysters the following photos are for you....

oh look an empty blue plastic container farm 

entering the marina 

view from my saloon window-Sembawang ship yard

Think I for one, will manage to forego the oysters, having watched what has swilled around me for the last few days as the tide ebbs and flows.