So much for making it in to Singapore without any more demands on our electronics or our nerves. Heavy doses of both were required. From Nongsa Point Marina (our last port in Indonesia) to Raffles Marina is a mere 35 miles, but knowing that it would take us across one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, we took the trip very seriously.

We tracked south of the lanes until we thought we had found a good place to cross, then made our dash, feeling rather like rabbits crossing a 6-lane highway.

The radar was working away though the screen looked as if it had gone down with a bad case of measles, and the only way to navigate was by sight. Somehow we identified a gap in the traffic and succeeded in crossing.

So far so good, now we just had the harbour to cross with its combination of anchored ships, tows and barges, and moving vessels of every size. Ships seemed to be anchored according to type, so, for example, we crossed one anchorage containing over 20 full-size tankers anchored as close as yachts in a confined anchorage. At intervals one would up anchor and steam away, so we really did have to be vigilant in keeping a 360-degree watch. No reading a book and glancing up every 5 to 10 minutes here.

The radar screen was again a blizzard of blips, but then we noticed a long straight echo dead ahead. Odd, we thought, it looks like land. Peering through the binoculars confirmed that our proposed route appeared to take us across land. The nearer we got the more obvious it became that Singapore Island is not the shape described on our relatively up-to-date charts. A detour of three miles took us around a huge land expansion area.

And before we made it to Raffles Marina we had to make a further detour around another new bit of land. Our 35-mile trip turned into a 42-mile meander, as though we were taking the scenic route, a bit like a micro version of sailing Round the World.

The big ship navigators are required to have the current Notice to Mariners, which describe the current position of the land, and no doubt thought our circuitous route to be bizarre or perhaps they were just sniggering as they watched us reach one dead end after another.

Arriving in Raffles Marina just as a tropical storm disgorged its store of rain, we were greeted by no less than 4 dock attendants all eager and competent. They tied us up and presented us with a welcoming bottle of wine, as if by way of a reward for reaching the end of the maze that is Singapore Harbour.

NOTES:

Raffles Marina is on the west of Singapore. There is a free shuttle service to the nearest MRT station, which takes 20 minutes to reach central Singapore.

The Marina can arrange for customs and immigration clearance. Port Clearance is obtained from the port office in Singapore. There is a good chandlers at the marina, several bars and restaurants.

Nearest shops are at the shopping mall at the MRT station.

It is probably the most expensive marina in Asia, but if you stay for 7 days you get the next 3 days free.