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| Kilkea II in Phang Nga Bay |
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| James Bond Island |
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| David and Henry inside a Hong |
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Some Thailand pictures
At the marina
We had a great week with Henry motoring around the Ao Phang-Nga national park area. This is the Thailand you would see in the travel brochures. They even have an island called James Bond island where they filmed The Man with the Golden Gun. The whole area is full of phallic islands, lots with cave entrances into Hongs, which are open at the top but surrounded by vertical cliffs. It is all very spectacular. One evening we were enjoying happy hour in these beautiful surroundings and at the same time talking to Elaine who was in Afghanistan with the British army in a war zone talking to us as if all was normal. It was all rather surreal. We did not have much wind and only managed to put the sails up a couple of times and pretend we were sailing.
We are now back in Yacht Haven marina having Henry leave us yesterday morning for Australia. We have had a couple of canvas people down to measure the boat for a full cover for when we leave Kilkea II here for the summer. We will get the quotes and then decide if we want to go ahead with this project. Yesterday we had our cleaning crew, which we organized last time here, to start work waxing the whole boat. They will take about five days to do all the work. Right now we have four guys waxing away with one up the main mast waxing it and doing all the stainless fitting on the rigging. We could do this but with the heat this seems to be a much better idea. We will be here until the fourth or fifth of March and then sail up the coast towards the Myrmar (Burma) boarder. Then offshore to the Similan and Surin islands which are supposed to be very nice. There are a few boats that we know who will be in the area when we are so it should be fun. Callisto is here at the marina and we will be travelling in tandem with them for the next month or so. It will be a lot of fun. I must go and check how the waxing is going so will try to blog before we leave.
We are now back in Yacht Haven marina having Henry leave us yesterday morning for Australia. We have had a couple of canvas people down to measure the boat for a full cover for when we leave Kilkea II here for the summer. We will get the quotes and then decide if we want to go ahead with this project. Yesterday we had our cleaning crew, which we organized last time here, to start work waxing the whole boat. They will take about five days to do all the work. Right now we have four guys waxing away with one up the main mast waxing it and doing all the stainless fitting on the rigging. We could do this but with the heat this seems to be a much better idea. We will be here until the fourth or fifth of March and then sail up the coast towards the Myrmar (Burma) boarder. Then offshore to the Similan and Surin islands which are supposed to be very nice. There are a few boats that we know who will be in the area when we are so it should be fun. Callisto is here at the marina and we will be travelling in tandem with them for the next month or so. It will be a lot of fun. I must go and check how the waxing is going so will try to blog before we leave.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Thailand
We finally left our berth in Rebak marina on the 6th of Feb. It took us awhile as we kept enjoying everyones hospitality with dinners out and lots of pool time. Also the winds were not just perfect so why not stay another day. This is a problem that all of us cruisers have when we get too comfortable in one place. First thing we had to do was go over to Talaga Harbour to clear out of Malaysia. This Marian did as I fueled up Kilkea and we were off in an hour. The sailing was good for most of the way up to Ko Lipe where we anchored and spent three nights. It was a pleasant surprise that the waters were clear and clean. I mean really clear and as we had not been swimming for a long time we really enjoyed being able to dive overboard. We got the snorkles and masks out and checked out all the underwater parts of the boat and I'm happy to report that everything looks great.
I did mention that it is really hot here but that did not stop us from walking around the island which thankfully is not too big. Lots and lots of restaruants and bars all along the main beach and lots of back packer type hostels all about with the very white tourists trying to sunbathe themselves into something resembling a lobster. The food was great and the beer was cold and it was very hard to spend more than $15 for everything. Pretty good eh!! We would recomend it to any of our cruising friends and land ones as well, just make sure to stay in the shade.
Next we sailed up to Ko Muk island about 55 miles north where we anchored and were met by a very big turtle as we dropped the hook. Ashore was a hotel and a few beach bars with a dirt road leading over to the other side of the island. The dirt part of the road only lasted for a few hundred meters and then became a good concrete road. We walked over to the other side and out a kilometer long pier over the green waters with some of Thailands islands and hills in sight. On the way back we stopped the the Hill Top restaraunt and ended up having lunch with a south African guy and his Thai wife. It was great as she could do the ordering and we did enjoy their company and that of the owners of the place. All very good and enexpensive. The next day we took the dinghy around to a cave that goes 80 meters into a total round grotto with a beach and cliffs staight up all around you. Really neat and was used by pirates to hide their plunder. It is completly dark in the center of the cave so you need a good flashlight. Again another good meal at a resort called JJ's and a gentle breeze to keep us cool, well sort of, for the night.
Three nights and we sailed up to Ko Lanta and spent just one night as the winds became gusty up to 30k over night and the boat was bouncing around a bit. Before that came up we went to shore where they do have a five star resort but as the weather was changing we went back aboard.
We were up early and off with the thought of stopping at Phi Phi Don for the night but as we got close and with the wind from the day before the seas were lumpy and there was so many 50 plus foot power boats flying all about and making it even more uncomfortable that we just cruised by and headed for Ao Chalong which is at the south end of Phuket Island. We anchored and were greated by s/v Relapse with Mark, Catherine, and sons Ash and Cameron who are Kiwis and have been helping us out with information and their friendship since we first met them in Australia. We had moved the boat about 50 miles so ended up having dinner onboard and an early night.
Today we took the dinghy over to the town area, about 2k away from where we are anchored to do the check in proceedures with Immigration, Customs and Port Authority. Everyone was very nice and it took us less that an hour to complete all the paperwork. Their is a lot of paperwork! Then it was time for a walk past lots of bars and dive shops to the suppermarket. We did not need much but found everything we did need. It was a surprise to find that everything was much like at home and compared to Malaysia it was a big improvment with great meats including pork and lots of bacon with brand names we know well. Also lots of good cheese and a bakery that makes baguettes and even tonic water. Yea I think we are going to like it hear.
We will be making our way up to the north end of Phuket island to meet Henry, Marians nephew, who is joining us for a week. It should be a fun time as he and his wife Elaine have visited us before in New Zealand. Unfortunatly Elaine is in Afganistan with the Northern Ireland territorial army working as an operating nurse and I'm sure she will miss the sailing.
I did mention that it is really hot here but that did not stop us from walking around the island which thankfully is not too big. Lots and lots of restaruants and bars all along the main beach and lots of back packer type hostels all about with the very white tourists trying to sunbathe themselves into something resembling a lobster. The food was great and the beer was cold and it was very hard to spend more than $15 for everything. Pretty good eh!! We would recomend it to any of our cruising friends and land ones as well, just make sure to stay in the shade.
Next we sailed up to Ko Muk island about 55 miles north where we anchored and were met by a very big turtle as we dropped the hook. Ashore was a hotel and a few beach bars with a dirt road leading over to the other side of the island. The dirt part of the road only lasted for a few hundred meters and then became a good concrete road. We walked over to the other side and out a kilometer long pier over the green waters with some of Thailands islands and hills in sight. On the way back we stopped the the Hill Top restaraunt and ended up having lunch with a south African guy and his Thai wife. It was great as she could do the ordering and we did enjoy their company and that of the owners of the place. All very good and enexpensive. The next day we took the dinghy around to a cave that goes 80 meters into a total round grotto with a beach and cliffs staight up all around you. Really neat and was used by pirates to hide their plunder. It is completly dark in the center of the cave so you need a good flashlight. Again another good meal at a resort called JJ's and a gentle breeze to keep us cool, well sort of, for the night.
Three nights and we sailed up to Ko Lanta and spent just one night as the winds became gusty up to 30k over night and the boat was bouncing around a bit. Before that came up we went to shore where they do have a five star resort but as the weather was changing we went back aboard.
We were up early and off with the thought of stopping at Phi Phi Don for the night but as we got close and with the wind from the day before the seas were lumpy and there was so many 50 plus foot power boats flying all about and making it even more uncomfortable that we just cruised by and headed for Ao Chalong which is at the south end of Phuket Island. We anchored and were greated by s/v Relapse with Mark, Catherine, and sons Ash and Cameron who are Kiwis and have been helping us out with information and their friendship since we first met them in Australia. We had moved the boat about 50 miles so ended up having dinner onboard and an early night.
Today we took the dinghy over to the town area, about 2k away from where we are anchored to do the check in proceedures with Immigration, Customs and Port Authority. Everyone was very nice and it took us less that an hour to complete all the paperwork. Their is a lot of paperwork! Then it was time for a walk past lots of bars and dive shops to the suppermarket. We did not need much but found everything we did need. It was a surprise to find that everything was much like at home and compared to Malaysia it was a big improvment with great meats including pork and lots of bacon with brand names we know well. Also lots of good cheese and a bakery that makes baguettes and even tonic water. Yea I think we are going to like it hear.
We will be making our way up to the north end of Phuket island to meet Henry, Marians nephew, who is joining us for a week. It should be a fun time as he and his wife Elaine have visited us before in New Zealand. Unfortunatly Elaine is in Afganistan with the Northern Ireland territorial army working as an operating nurse and I'm sure she will miss the sailing.
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