First family trip of the year, Coast Guard comes by

Date: Feb 20, 2021 
Weather: Alternately sunny and cloudy 
Waters: Fairly flat, only around 3m deep where we anchored
On board: C, A, J2, R and Pudding 

J1 and P are on a staycation this weekend, but the rest of us were available, so out to our usual spot we headed. It was past noon by the time we got to the marina, and finding only a quarter tank of petrol left, we decided not to chance being stranded Out There, so we topped up the tank first (causing a bit more delay). 

This is the first top-up since petrol duties were raised at last week's Budget announcement. The tank wasn't completely full and yet it cost $388. That same cost would have bought us a full tank before. 

Pudding stayed fairly calm during the ride
 though he seemed to be studiously avoiding
 a proper look at the roiling waters
churned up by the engine!
This dog really hates water. 

Pic by R. 

We could have gone to Lazarus or any of the further-away Southern Islands of Singapore, but it was a late start, coupled by the delay from getting fuel, so it was back to our usual spot, beyond which we have never ventured. Further north, beyond the fish farms, would be the seaward edge of the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and also the Causeway. 

Anyway, we were nicely anchored about 200 m from the Lim Chu Kang fish farms when a Police Coast Guard boat came by, and asked (in friendly manner) through a loud speaker told us to move further north, nearer the farms, as we were still within the Singapore Armed Forces live-firing area. We hauled up anchor and complied. 

The rest of the afternoon passed without incident. We had beer, music and fed Pudding rather too many treats to make up for the fact that we had forgotten to bring his lunch kibble along...

C going through the post-trip ablutions.
All this rinsing hasn't warded off
corrosion though. Sigh.