Thailand Part 2

Here's le Tub on the hard at Rebak, looking good in its new bottom paint.

A spiffy new present for the boat is this $3000 feathering propellor. It was supposed to silently let us sail faster across the Indian Ocean. But it was not to be. Our brief stop in to Phuket dragged out to 3 months and we lost our chance for favorable winds. We don't carry enough fuel to motor all the way.

When we arrived in Phuket we needed medical work. The Capt tore some tendons around the rotator cuff in his right shoulder which made operating a sailboat problematical. The admiral's toofies needed some followup work. We ended up spending 2 months exploring more of the excellent facilities of Bangkok Phuket Hospital, including 2 MRIs for the Capt's shoulder and back. You can get an MRI here within a few hours notice and the most expensive one cost maybe $400, a bargain compared to most first-world hospitals. One again, a specialist consultation cost an average of $20, so if you need a tune-up, Phuket can pay for the plane ride over in medical savings. Not to mention the caring non money grubbing humanitarian Thai medical profession as compared to the greedy Western establishment of the AMA. Of course you must pay up prior to leaving the hospital, there is really no such dream as free medical care. You pay for it one way or another! In the States, the working middle class pay through taxes and private insurance and the ones who cannot or will not contribute get it for nothing. What a deal!!!!

This is a map lifted from Southeast Asia Pilot, which we highly recommend buying if you're cruising the area.

After checking in at Ao Chalong (the big bay at lower left to the right of "Rachas") we motored up the east coat of Phuket to Yacht Haven in a driving thunderstorm. In the process we discovered the bimini (top) had become so worn out that it rained harder inside the cockpit that outside. Although replacing the bimini was one of the main reasons for returning to Phuket, we were stunned at how burned up the old one was.

This is Yacht Haven Marina, near the north end of Phuket Island. You can see our boat in the pic above just above the label "tub". The other label, "chopper", points to a small helicopter on one of our fancier neighbors. We liked Yacht Haven, especially compared to Boat Lagoon, but it's very remote from most of Phuket and we spent a huge amount on cars to get to the hospital and any stores. It's very pretty, though. The "other" marina in Phuket that we found closer to shopping venues was no more than a cesspool.

Besides the bimini, we found that excellent workmanship and superior marine services can be found in Phuket. We needed new upholstering in the salon and at the same time we were able to contract for outside cushions in the cockpit. John sanded our teak floors and we toiled late into the day repainting the deck.

Speaking of pretty, here's a shot of our very handsome son Stephen. He came to visit from far-off New York City. This engendered a thorough clearing of the garage-like confines of the forward area of the boat to make room. There was space enough for his bunk and Blackberry! We believe it has more square footage than some city apartments. This was Stephen's first yachting experience and we wanted to make it memorable. We decided to spend most of it in the sheltered confines of Phang Nga Bay. We made an easy start winding our way through the Koh Hong Archipelago. These islands are known for their commanding topography and high limestone cliffs. Films such as 'The Beach' and a James Bond flick were some of many productions brought to life here.

This is a hong, which is a Thai word meaning "room", i.e. a hole in the middle of the island. Phang Nga Bay is a wonderland of strange islands made of limestone. This is a form of Karst Topography, which creates many caves and sink holes, which is what we see above. Many of the islands in Phang Nga contain these "rooms". They can be entered depending on tide.

While waiting for Stephen to arrive we made good time of the marina facilities working on the barco. As you can see, we are now sporting a new oyster colored bimini and dodger.

Secluded anchorages and white beaches are abundant. Though we would have liked the water to have been clearer, we were only rewarded with clarity further west out in the Andaman Sea when we reached the 'Rachas'.

Due to the proliferations of shallow protected anchorages we were able to lunch at one and be in our overnight bay for dinner.

This anchorage, Manna Bay, was absolutely huge but due to the mass of speedboats and tourists on day trips it was not possible to stay. This is where 'The Beach' was filmed. We had to give it a pass and hope for a quieter place to drop the hook.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... The Rachas!! Crystal clear turquoise waters and fine snorkeling and diving are to be found here. We were happy to introduce Stephen to the joys of our watery world minus scary creatures, such as crocodiles. This well-kept five star resort serves excellent green curry. We happily hit the water for hours until our weary bodies revolted against the harsh sun.

Great memories. Having a shared family of four adult kids, we would love to entertain all at once. Due to conflicting schedules, careers, family obligations and just sheer lack of time, we are just happy to have one at a time!

A view of the anchorage. Early morning brought no sun worshippers. Amante in the background on the right.

Mid March and weather was fantastic. Not one rainy day or storm of any kind. We were still in the Northeast Monsoon season. A perfect time for sailing and beaching. Two days after Stephen left, we had our first lightning storm!

Still in the Rachas, we hiked up the island to get some fantastic views.

Stephen carrying my backpack, just like a good son. We were hiking up Tsunami trail. In other words, this way up!

We left the lovely Racha's and hit the big city of bustling Patong. Elephant rides were on the list.

You can tell this big guy enjoys the tourists as much as we are thrilled with him. Take a bow!

Happy.

Another lunch stop. Here Amante sits on a mooring. We spent hours here swimming and staying cool.

Another 'hole in the wall'.

Another happy camper, doing his Ernest Hemingway impression.

View from inside a hong.

Tub shot.

Staying cool.

More caves.

That idyllic tropical beach. We can say no more! This has been our 'second look" at fabulous Thailand.

All good things must come to an end, and in this case our tourist visas ran out. It was a nice 3 months but we had little choice but to return to Langkawi, which is not the worst thing that can happen. Once again we go back to Rebak and let the boat hibernate over the summer monsoon period. However, before we checked back in to our air-conditioned cocoon existence, we decided to do a little cruising of the north coast of Langkawi. So, join us as we return to Langkawi!

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