Time to leave but we plan to return to Thailand later in the year. It is very hot and humid now, and will remain so until the rains come in another month or so. In the wet season the prevailing winds change, and the whole of the west coast becomes untenable for anchoring – and of course it rains a lot.
At the moment there is very little wind. Yesterday we were moving from one anchorage to another in the same island group. Left after breakfast and arrived early afternoon having sailed the whole way, covering a distance of 9 nm! Average speed of a gentle stroll. Glassy smooth water, pleasant surroundings, and a 4 knot breeze behind us. Time to bake bread, put some polish on the gelcoat in the cockpit, read and do a couple of crosswords.
We are near the Malaysian border, in the Butang group of islands. Mainly uninhabited forested islands, but the little island of Koh Lipe where we are now, has been developed as a tourist base. Very low key, lots of backpackers and young families. The beach has small family run restaurants and juice bars with the usual massage places. Along a little sandy ‘shopping street’ are diving shops, tour operators (for boat trips), and small stores selling clothes, sandals, bags and basic foods.
There is no pressure to buy anywhere in Thailand, and no hawkers doing a hard sell on the beach. No loud music and no loud voices. Maybe the Buddhist philosophy, and certainly very peaceful. We sat at a table on the beach as the sun set, and watched the young children of the restaurant setting out the tables for the evening. A neat little girl of about 6 showing her rumbustuous 4 yr brother how to put a little plastic bowl of sand on each table, stick a candle into each, then cover them with a plastic bottle with top and bottom cut off. It was a generally sandy operation with everything landing on the beach several times. Finally they were given long handles forks to spike up any leaves that had fallen from the shady trees above.
While there a Thai man and his family returned from a fishing trip with a large baracuda he had caught. He had no idea what it was, and wanted the restaurant to prepare it for him. He had hoped to eat some as sushi but was persuaded very nicely that it was really a fish that needed cooking. We have had no luck fishing over the last few days of travelling. There are shoals of tiny fish that leap out of the water as they are chased by something larger; and we caught a vicious looking reef needle fish from the dinghy which has a long thin ‘beak’ full of sharp teeth. Were afraid to land it in our inflatable dinghy, so had to tow it back to the boat then unhook it with thick gloves and a pair of pliars.
We enjoyed spicy seafood and rice at the restaurant, then found that the tide had gone even further out than we had anticipated, and we had to row very carefully over and round the rocky fringing reef that we had motored over coming in. Spring tides at the moment, so higher and lower than at other times.
As I write this in the early morning, before the humidity and heat cause the sweat to drip all over the computer, the beach is preparing for the day. A large live-aboard dive boat is filling tanks, with someone cooking breakfast on the stern, and the passengers enjoying a lie in in hammocks on the deck. Unfortunately the long-tails are getting going too. I have mentioned these long wooden boats before, they are the ubiquitous form of transport by sea. Used for fishing, local transport, and for short distance tourist transport. And they make a noise. Their engines are open and have no silencers, they are as loud as pneumatic drills. Very damaging to the ears of those driving these boats day after day.
Next stop is Langkawi, over the border in Malaysia. Another change of SIM card in phone and internet dongle.
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