An Africa-hot day out

Date: June 10, 2017
Trip #6 (#26)
Weather: Sweltering, then overcast 
Waters: Choppy in the Sinki Fairway, peak high tide at 1pm 
On board: C, A, J2 and R 
New gear on board: Coleman icebox and personal flotation device for A 

We headed out just before peak high tide and it was blazingly hot. The weatherman had described the UV conditions as "extreme" - and this was the day A forgot to pack the sunblock for re-application. 

We dropped anchor in the larger lagoon of Pulau Hantu Besar. The water there was just green murk. The depth gauge hovered between 1 and 2 metres, but we couldn't see bottom. There have been better days. 

PFD strapped on, landlubber A went to the water to cool off, and the jacket worked a treat. No need to tread water, one hand could hold a cold beer ...  just the thing for this mid-year weather. C and J2 went in too, leaving R to snap pix from the swim platform. 

Ah, the added security of a PFD. Despite being able to swim and
 tread water, A's fear of the deep is still there. Any waters over
 1.4m deep gives her the willies.   

R boppin' to music. 

Skipper C

Pulau Hantu showed us some majestic nature today. About 150m from where the boat was anchored, a bird of prey sat in the bare branches of a tree on Pulau Hantu Kechil, not moving much. 

With her telephoto lens, A could just make out the brown and white feathers.
Here, it seems to be looking directly at the camera. Going by descriptions in
the book of birds, it is a Brahminy kite.  

Almost an hour later, the bird took flight...  

This was the best A managed as it swooped over LW2. Other online
photos of Brahminy kites in flight describe a rounded tail base, 
splayed "fingers", warm brown body and black tipped wings. 

These unidentified raptors appeared to be hunting in a pair.
They spooked several smaller birds out of the trees.

The temperatures cooled quickly, and the sun went in. Further out east, dark clouds were gathering, so we hauled up anchor much earlier than planned and made the way back to the marina after an hour and a half in the lagoon. 

The sky seemed to change its mind about raining when we were nearly back at the marina, so we did a float there, and it was much cooler already. The relaxed fun on board continued for another 45 minutes or so.