Blog 4. 29 Feb. Phanak. 08.11.36N 098.29.102E
Alcedo
David Batten
Mon 2 Mar 2020 12:20
Shopping included a visit to Tesco, disappointing and the Big C, excellent. Both excursions involved what seemed like a considerable number of U turns to turn right off the main road to Phuket, including some the result of navigational errors. Driving in Thailand is at least possible once you have mastered these, as only half the motorbike riders are suicidal and most vehicles have indicators that do get used.
Socialising included lunch in the Boat Lagoon, twice, with Ingvar and Tuija, (Hakuna Matata), the first time with Colin and Izzy (Endorphin) as well. It was delightful to see them as we last saw them in Indonesia sometime before the end of the Rally. We also had lunch on the beach at the Boat Yard, north of the Yacht Haven, which gave the “new” outboard a very good and successful testing.
Picnic on the beach, sponsored by Thailand Rally and the Boat Yard..
...with the Thai equivalent of a welcome dance. Lunch was excellent.
We were also entertained the following evening by Sevenstar Yacht Transport and the Yacht Haven to supper with music, by which time more “old friends” from the Indonesian Rally were with us, including Kia Ora, Top Spot, Taworri I, Kitty Hawk, Cheeta, Entice and Satori Two. Karen and Gregg, being great on entertainment and the instigators of the equator party, suggested we have a leap year celebration at Ko Hong, which suited everyone as a visit to Phanak and Ko Hong were definitely on the agenda for most.
So yesterday we left the Yacht Haven and motored down the river at low water, much more exciting than coming up at high water, but there is enough depth in the Chanel for even Alcedo. Arriving at Phanak at just over an hour before high water means not enough head room in the cave to get into the Hong. In fact, the perfect time is mid tide, when we canoed in successfully with Charlie and Byron from Kia Ora.
Inside the Hong....
......and looking at the way out of the Hong - definitely canoes only
...and negotiating the much bigger entrance on the seaward side. It should be noted that bats live in the cave, which is approximately 100m long and impart a certain odour to it, particularly at low water!
February 29 and we spend a very busy morning with Kia Ora exploring all the caves and hongs with very kind guides from MV Murrundi and SY Sweet Surrender. Murrundi know the area well and showed us six caves or hongs that we would never have found on our own. It is very hard to choose just a few photographs, as every hong is different and there are lovely beaches and spectacular overhangs, so here are a couple and there will be more in the next blog.
Kia Ora ahead and Murrundi leading us out of the first hong
Under the overhangs with the spectacular scenery of this part of the world in the background.
Alcedo
Sent from my iPad