Thailand
Wildfox
Anthony Swanston
Sat 9 Jan 2016 08:09
Waiting for
parts I run out of time to cruise the islands and eventually drag myself away
from Rebak and immediately discovered that the growth on the bottom of the boat
was more than I expected. I stopped 30
miles on at Ko Lipi and spent two hours scrapping barnacles off the bottom,
but, more importantly, off the propeller as it looked like more motoring in
light winds.
Next day I
set off in a good wind which lasted all of three hours. Motoring again through numerous fish traps
and at night some wind but a huge mixed fishing fleet which I spent 12 hours
playing dodgems with. Some of it too
close for comfort. Morning saw me arrive
at Ao Chalong on the southern end of Phuket,
Thailand. Another country. Officialdom is good here. Put all your details into the computer system
in the information office assisted by their staff. Next door to the Port Captain, next door to
Immigration, next door to Customs, next door to Quarantine. Couldn’t be easier.
I walk into
town to find an ATM, a SIM card for my ‘phone and a data card for my Ipad. All done in 20 minutes and back to the boat
for a well earned rest after 30 hours on my feet. It is 1100 and the girlie
bars are already getting started.
Next morning
off at a respectable time. I have a nice
sail out to sea and then up to the lovely anchorage at Ko Roc. There is strong current through the channel
and some boats get their anchoring wrong.
I leave at 0700 to catch tide to bring me to Yacht Haven 18 miles away
and am tied up in the marina by 1130.
Lots of friends here and a big party on Tuesday night.
The party is
fun, 120 people. It is paid for by the
company who will ship Wild Fox into the Med next year. On Friday it’s off cruising around the
spectacular islands for two or three weeks
