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Date: 08 Mar 2011 04:37:14
Title: Reunion, a Fast Get-Away and the Puke Bucket - Yacht Haven Marina, Phuket, Thailand
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08:10.221N  98:20.406E
 
After five days of hanging out in Nai Harn watching clumps of tourists on the beach from our vantage point a quarter mile away out in the bay, on January 31st, we decided it was time to head for Yacht Haven Marina about 40 miles to the north.  We had two reasons for going there.  First, back in Florida, Don's mom had been in the hospital battling a particularly nasty form of pneumonia for several weeks.  At the time, she was on the road to recovery (thankfully!) and scheduled to be released from the hospital.  Don decided to fly to Florida for a week to give her a hand at home while she more fully recovered.  Based on positive reports from Storyteller, we knew Yacht Haven Marina would be a secure place to leave me with the boat while Don was away.  Second, it just so happened that Jackie and Michael (from English catamaran Lady Kay) were visiting John and Sue on Storyteller.  They stopped in Thailand on their way through from London to Mackay, Australia where Lady Kay was waiting.  John, Sue, Michael and Jackie had just finished a short cruise up to Thailand's Similan and Surin Islands (northwest of Phuket in the Andaman Sea) on Storyteller.  They planned to be in Yacht Haven for a day or two before flying to northern Thailand for more sightseeing.  Lucky for us, our paths crossed before Don, John, Sue, Jackie and Michael all flew off in different directions.  It was great to see everyone.
 
The six of us spent the day together at Boat Lagoon, Phuket's largest marina complex.  The place has hundreds of berths and a huge boat yard where all manner of repairs, re-fits, bottom and hull maintenance is done at very attractive prices (or so we've heard).  Many of the boats we traveled through Indonesia and Malaysia with were holed up in Boat Lagoon having new teak decks installed, cabins refurbished, bottoms painted, teak varnished, etc.  And it wasn't just the boats that were being worked on.  Phuket is known for its top notch health care at prices about one-fourth (or less) of what we would pay in the US.  Many boaters were taking advantage of this and having full physical exams done.  We'll probably do the same when we haul our boat at Boat Lagoon later this month.  More importantly though, the Boat Lagoon complex also has several very good restaurants that cater to western tastes, several chandleries, a supermarket, a spa, a pool and a good hairdresser.  It's a boater's paradise.  A sailor's Mecca. 
 
After meeting up with a few more wayward sailors (Tom and Suzie from Priscilla, and Mai and Kevin from Australian boat Whisper HR), we all went out to lunch at the favorite boater's hang out - a place called Winch, where the chef is Belgian and you can get an excellent western style meal for 250 Baht (~$8).  We all had the lunch special and went on our merry way to the next stop, the hairdresser.  There, Sue, Michael, John, Don and I all received haircuts from Khun Sue in the Harmony Beauty Salon.  We thought the name was fitting.  Once finished, we made our way back to Yacht Haven where we had a quick good-by drink with John, Sue, Michael and Jackie before making a beeline back to our boat to get Don packed and ready for his trip to the US that night. 
 
It was about then that my stomach started churning.  By the time Don was just about to catch his taxi to the airport, I had moved into full blown food poisoning mode.  Picture this:  Don is packing the last of his things and feeding himself some form of dinner when he hears my whine from our cabin, "I think I need something by the bed in case I throw up!"  Don dutifully delivered a pail.  Not five minutes later and I was whining again, "Don!  Don!  Come help me!"  This time I was calling from our head.  Don bravely ventured closer to the head, only to find me sitting on the toilet waving a bucket of puke, half-crying half-wailing, "Will you empty this over the side on your way out?"  Oh yeah, just the way you want your husband to remember you as he leaves for a week-long trip half-way around the world - a virtual double spouting fountain of stenchy, viscous, brown fluid.  Oh so not pretty.  Don did empty the puke bucket for me, and luckily, he didn't get whatever I had.  Neither did anyone else we had lunch with that day.  Go figure. 
 
All is well that ends well though.  Don made his fast get-away to Florida with no trouble at all, and had a good week with his mom (as well as a few days with his brother as he was there too).  We are happy to report that Claire, Don's mom, is doing very well now.  As for me?  After the violence and double spouting fountain routine of that first night alone, I recovered fast and while Don was gone, spent time getting the boat ready for our guests Kathie and Bill Maloney who were due to arrive on February 13th, two days after Don's return.  All the boat and food preparation took place while basking in air conditioning at the push of a button (which is only possible when we are plugged into shore power or running the generator).  Pure luxury.  Oh, and the puke bucket?  Don't worry, I soaked it in bleach water before Don used it to wash the cockpit in preparation for the Maloney's arrival.  Besides, that's the generally accepted sailor's item storage rule of thumb - every item kept on a sailboat must have more than one purpose.  I think our bucket complies.
Anne
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