Taking the ferry from mainland Thailand to the island of Samui
Sim checking on the folks at home.
That is our sailboat moored out off the resort of Lawana
We stayed at the Lawana Resort for 2 days while the boat engine was repaired.
A few interior shots of the boat. Kitchen in disarray.
Walls ice cream freezer for drinks and food.
Forward cabin. Too hot most of the time.
Shower
Toilet
One of the boat owners. Owner of Lawana Resort.
We are out for a day sail, taking owners friends over to the Full Moon Party Island.
Party Island.
Pretty island
Full Moon Party is an annual event. Hundreds of drunken tourists do it.
Been going on for a while.
A hundred of these stands selling buckets of booze.
This is our room at the resort. Stayed for 2 days
Ate our meals here.
Taking the water buffalo for the morning walk
NIce pool. Our room in back.
Chewy and Pon work on the engine.
We had to pull it forward and up to get at the rear tranny seal that was leaking.
Finally on the way.
Our first sunset on the water.
Sim, Pon and Chewy
Sim enjoys the sunset
Are we having fun yet.
Our first stop. Uninhabited island. Time for a nap.
The beach was all broken coral pieces.
Nice clear water.
Water temp is 80.
Some underwater shots.
Plenty of fish
Chewy hunting down something to eat.
Captain Lek.
Lets go inside?
Capn Lek cleaning the fish.
Jim, Pon, Chewy and Lek
Chewy eating again
Typical Thai fishing boats.
We are pulling into Songkla, a huge inland waterway on the east coast of the Thai peninsula.
Nice paint job.
All those blue cans on top are for storing the fish they catch.
We tied up next to this guy while we took on water and fuel in Songkla
Ahoy matey.
They are taking huge blocks of ice, crushing them and dumping it into the hold of the fishing boats.
Fishing boat cat.
Waiting our turn for fuel and water.
Lek and the captain of the boat we are tied up to.
Sim boards the fishing boat somewhat ungracefully.
Chewy fixes something.
Out for a bite to eat in Songkla
Lots of food as usual
Sim buys some dessert
We tied up to the police boat for the night after we got our fuel and water.
Ok. Leaving Songkla, heading south.
Time for a nap.
Old and new fishing boats.
Lek doing his thing in the kitchen. He is a great cook.
Sim preparing veggies for the next meal
Lek is making an offering to the Thai god of the sea for a safe journey as we leave the harbor entrance.
These fishing net things stretch for a long way into the channel.
Say a little prayer for me.
Harbor entrance welcome.
A string of firecrackers for the gods too.
Let's eat.
Sim is always the last to finish.
Pon catches up on the news.
It rained hard that night. The boys tooks showers outside. Lek is trying to stay dry.
Sim eats even in the rain.
The rear seal still leaks a bit.
Yes, we caught some fish.
Taking a turn or two on the winch.
Sim washes up some dishes.
Jim takes a nap in the dinghy on the foredeck.
Lek catches more fish.
Chewy brings in another.
Clown Chewy
Lek get another one.
This is our main shade. Could only have it up while motoring.
More eating
Nice sunset.
I think it is going to rain.
It got dark fast.
Might as well take a shower.
Chewy in full powder wear.
Most nights Sim and I slept up on deck.
Yes I caught some fish too.
Capn Lek
Our next stop.
Taking the dinghy in to shore.
Sim enjoys the water
Think I will take a swim
Pretty green stuff
A few more underwater shots.
Jim snorkels
Are we having fun yet?
Visitors to our beach. This Muslim lady enjoys the water in full gear.
Dinner
Our little ship.
Sim washes up.
Fishing boat.
Hi Sim
Are you ready to raise sail Sim?
Another ho hum sunset
Nice light.
It is dawn and we are approaching Singapore.
Lots and lots of freighters here.
Some big boats to avoid.
Dawn rounding Singapore. We are not stopping here.
I am tired.
Filling our fuel tanks from the 10gal jugs on deck.
Singapore dawn.
55,000 boats ply these waters in one year.
This one carries cars.
Singapore Navy
Rain and more rain.
Course, Water Depth, Wind direction, Wind Speed, and Boat Speed.
We need to get out of the way.
Lek sleeping. He did most of the night watches.
Hard to sleep in the rain.
Chewy calls his girl.
Sim crashed.
Nice pose Sim
Still in Singapore waters.
Lek and Chewy take a bite.
Time for a cocktail.
Sim searches for something in the fridge. Make me a sandwich please.
Yum. Tuna sandwich. I ate fish for B,L and dinner.
Lek napping
Chewy napping
Jim and Sim on duty.
More napping for Chewy
Is that Sim doing the dishes again?
Calm waters
The happy crew.
Everyone in a good mood?
The Thai ensign.
We saw dolphin, lots of flying fish, jellyfish and seabirds.
Must be time to eat again.
Sunset somewhere on in the Malaca Straits
This one gave us a blast on his horn
Pon gives him a few blasts back.
He is booking.
Capn Lek contemplates.
Nap time
Sim prepares some spaghetti.
Lek working in the kitchen
Sim does the dishes
The boat was rocking so much, Lek had to work on the deck.
Nice sky.
The happy crew. I was a passenger.
Lek and more food.
Lek and more napping.
Sim and the dishes.
Taking a break.
Chewy tinkering again
And again
Rescuing Sim after she "fell" off the railing.
Dinner time again
The sunset is not so spectacular tonight.
Looking good.
Hello up there.
Pon shooting more pics.
Pon and Jim
Pon taking a bath in the rain water collected in the dinghy over night.
What is broken now Chewy?
Pon tightens up the leech.
Jim and Sim enjoy the view.
Back in Thai waters. Flying the Jolly Roger on the starboard spreader.
Hey Pon, I like you shirt. Hand it over.
More food.
God, the food was soooooo good.
Sim, last again.
Pon
Could be more rain.
Some night fishing.
Nice one Lek.
Jim signifies approval at the fish caught.
Another island for an afternoon stop.
Nice cruising cat.
Pon, self portrait.
Sim enjoys sunset
Nice
We fed the fish some stale bread. They loved it.
Lek, the kitchen, the same story.
Sweet.
We broke out a bottle of wine to celebrate the last leg of the journey.
Lek caught a ray.
The curse of the island.
Sim forgot her sandals but we found these washed up on the beach.
The beach was full of pretty rocks
Unfortunately there was a lot of trash too.
Rock, rocks and more rocks.
Is that where we are Sim?
Jim builds a 9 stone cairn and makes a wish.
We did not take any rocks.
The boys however bagged 3 clams.
Nice beach there. Lets check it out.
Nice view
Nice beach. Had some fresh water. Did some laundry. Washed some hair.
Sim strolls
Ah. There they are.
Sim liked the tree.
New friend.
Dropping sail for the night.
Lek tidies up the boat.
Fishing boat crew says Hello.
Our last stop before home.
Sim and I want to go back here.
Nice, huh Sim?
Cruising cat, perfect beach, beautiful water. Perfect.
Doing something important I am sure.
There goes the sun.
Feed the fish.
Are we happy? You bet.
Sunrise on our last morning at sea.
It has been a long night.
Over 500 nautical miles for the trip.
Morning coffee
That is the marina. Our destination.
Last breakfast on board.
That would have been more comfortable, but probably not as much fun.
