Joining the Sail Malaysia Rally

Sail Malaysia Passage to the East Rally

If you’ve seen any of our videos, you’ll get the impression that Mark is not crazy about rallies, and quite frankly, you’d be right.  He likes being the captain of his vessel, with no one telling him where to anchor or how fast to travel.  He seeks out remote places and prefers to travel off the beaten path.  He doesn’t like having to sail to a schedule.  He is not a rally guy.

WHAT IS A RALLY?

A ‘rally’ is an organized group of sail/motorboaters who plan to travel together for a given time period along a designated path with scheduled stops and a set itinerary.  In our early cruising days, we joined the Atlantic Cup Rally from Tortola to Bermuda and onto the east coast of the US in order to sail the long passages with the support and companionship of other sailors.  (Actually, I flew to Bermuda with the kids while Mark and some friends enjoyed the competition and commraderie.)  Later, when crossing the Pacific, we joined the loosely organized Pacific Puddle Jump, which was essentially just a means of connecting those folks who had decided to make the big leap across the Pacific Ocean.  The families we sailed those long miles with are still some of our dearest friends and will be for life.

RALLY WITH AN ESCORT

This rally, however, we joined more out of necessity.  Sure, we would love being part of a longer- term sailing community again with all the fantastic cultural and wildlife experiences that had been included in the itinerary, but the main reason we signed up for the Sail Malaysia Passage to the East Rally was much more serious - safety.  This year, we need to get to Guam, and sailing along the northern tip of Borneo would be the most direct way there.  This northern tip of Borneo, though, would take us through some dangerous pirate-infested waters - the Sulu Sea.  This is where ESSCOM (Eastern Sabah Security Command) enters the picture.  Military forces of Malaysia have joined together to fight against the terrorist groups who kidnap and demand high ransoms from their victims’ countries.  Recently, most incidences have involved fishermen from Indonesia or commercial vessels, but in years back, there have been sailors kidnapped and even killed by some of the more extremist groups.  The risk is very real.

Malaysia has been monitoring piracy in the area deemed the ESSZONE for years and have partnered with the rally organizers to provide a military escort and surveillance for the fleet annually.  There are a few sailors who venture into this area on their own, but even then, the military keeps in close contact with them via daily radio check-ins.  Personally, I felt better traveling with a fleet of ships skirted by armed military vessels who had full permission from the Malaysian government to shoot to kill.  These guys were not messing around.

THE BRIEFING

Seated in a movie theater in a swanky marina in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, the officers briefed all of us on the goals of the operation, the travel plan and pattern we must adhere to, and the protocals to follow in the event that one did see anything suspicious.  Each vessel must constantly transmit its position and stay within a two-by-four mile zone, motoring if necessary in order to stay with the pack.  At night, the cruisers would be rotating on a watch schedule - looking out for any boats approaching the fleet or any unusual activity.  

Sitting there in that briefing, hearing all the possibilities and precautions, left me feeling conflicted.  Scenes of what might happen - what we might be confronted by - flashed through my mind.  Part of me said we were crazy for even considering this, but I also knew that if we needed to sail this route, this would be the best way.  Nothing is ever a guarantee, but I put my faith in the God who had traveled with us for these past eight years.  My faith was not in the officers or the guns or the snipers on shore.  The only one worthy of my complete trust was God.  So even as the officer continued his report and fear knawed at the edges of my mind, I prayed that God would be with each of us as we traveled this perilous track.

THE ROUTE

The official start of the rally was in Langkawi, Malaysia at the end of March 2018.  From there the fleet would make stops along the coast of peninsular Malaysia, around Singapore to Johor, Malaysia, stopping at the islands of Tioman, Anambas, and Natuna before meeting up in mid-June in Kuching on the coast of Malaysian Borneo.  This is where we’d meet up with the group due to needing to haul out for a reapplication of coppercoat bottom paint.  (And quite frankly, Captain Mark preferred to be tied to the rally through the ESSZONE, where we’d have the military escorts!)

From Kuching, we’d hop up Borneo’s west coast, passing through Brunei, and meeting up with ESSCOM officially in Kudat.  At this point, there were 28 boats committed to the rally.  This is when we had to start traveling in a tight pack:  lifting anchor at a specified time, maintaining consistent speed, and reaching our pre-determined anchorages by sunset.  Certain boats were designated as lead boats and others took up the rear.  We even had a boat responsibible for towing any handicapped vessels (which came in handy on a few, unfortunate occasions) and another in charge of being the laisons between the fleet and the military vessels.      

Rounding the top of Borneo, we’d motor up the Kinabatangan River, deep into the jungles of Borneo.  Squeezing 28 boats into a narrow river anchorage while still leaving room for the barges to pass proved challenging, at best.  Tensions ran high as we jockeyed for a safe anchoring position and made sure we had plenty of room around us to swing with the alternating currents.  Somehow, we all found a safe spot and there were no incidences of boats going bump in the night.  Finally, we’d hop down the east coast and say our farewells in Tawau before officially checking out of Malaysia and entering Indonesia.

BEYOND SAFE 

In my imagination, I had assumed we’d just be high-tailing it through all our planned anchorages, but the rally organizers had done a beautiful job setting up events with each city’s tourism departments.  Every town welcomed us like royalty and bent over backwards to impress us with their culture and natural attractions.  We learned about the tribes of the Sarawak and Sabah provinces - how they lived, what they ate (grubs, anyone?), religious beliefs, and even busted out a few traditional dance moves!

The animals and environment of Borneo are fantastical, yet are threatened to near extinction by human activity.  Poaching, logging, and commercial crops are causing the natural habitats of unique creatures to be dessimated.  The population of sunbears, orangutans, elephants, and other indigenous animals continue to decline drastically.  As we travel, we realize more and more the negative effects humankind is causing on the natural world around us.  How can we bring positive change?  What can we do?  How am I contributing to the problem?  These are the questions I find myself asking.  These are the questions that challenge me to change - to be uncomfortable or even inconvenienced.  The wonders of the world are worth it.  

Okay, off my soapbox.  Sorry.  

My initial focus was all about our safety, and understandably so, but once we got going and I realized the care and precautions that had been taken, I was able to relax and enjoy the beauty that Borneo possessed.  Originally, my mindset was, “Can we just hurry up and get through this place?”  It didn’t take long, however, before I began appreciating all that surrounded me - the fleet of fellow sailors with fascinating stories to tell and so many shared experiences, the picturesque anchorages, the variety of unusual creatures both above and below sea level, the unique culture of this region, and the warm hospitality of the people here.  This trip had become so much more than a safe way to get from point A to point B.  It was an experience that would forever change the way I viewed the world around me.

THE COMMUNITY

One of the things I didn't anticipate was the connections my kids made with the adults in the fleet.  Being the only kids around, they often found themselves the center of attention, and benefitted from the wisdom and warmth of the other cruisers.  Elizabeth had a few one-on-one cooking lessons from our friend Noelle on SV Illimité and enjoyed sharing her fish identification knowledge to help Gary label some of the underwater photos he'd taken. A fellow teacher from the UK, Kerryn on SV Esoterica, spent hours with the kids as their personal math tutor, giving me a break and giving them the chance to have a new teacher!  Win-win!  

This cruising lifestyle is nomadic.  We don't stay in the same place long, and our friendships are quick and deep.  This rally offered us a more constant village, and I was overwhelmed with the way that so many folks poured their time, energy, and expertise into our family.  Beth taught Elizabeth how to fertilize her plants.  Gary gave the kids a late night astronomy lesson - identifying planets, galaxies and constellations.  Rod taught the kids all about WWII as we visited many historical sites.  Chloe brought her art supplies over for Elizabeth's birthday and inspired creativity.  Seriously, just typing this out brings a tear to this momma's eye.  Those moments matter.  They make such an impact.

It takes a village.

WOULD I RALLY AGAIN?

Don’t get me wrong, there are challenges that come with joining a rally.  Your calendar is set for you, your route is set for you, and suddenly your cruising life feels more like that scheduled, crowded, hurried life you thought you left behind.  You have to go into it anticipating that feathers will get ruffled, patience will be tested, and you’ll have to let a whole lot just roll off your back.  However, there are wonderful things about joining a rally.  You will instantly be part of a community.  You will see and experience things you could never see on your own.  You will make new friends.  AND - you won’t have to spend hours and hours planning your trip!  So, while I wouldn’t want to travel perpetually in a rally, I would definitely do it again.