Into Thailand and the Phuket area

With great anticipation, and with lovely friends from Singapore along as "crew cadets", we made our way from Langkawi, Malaysia into the waters of Thailand. We meandered up to Phuket, taking our time along the way, arriving five days later. As we got closer to Phuket, Ko Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh, we got a taste of what visiting the area was like in the high, high season. Tourists and tour boats everywhere! This is, of course, because the Phuket area is notoriously famous for its beautiful beaches, stunning limestone cliff islands and balmy weather. We picked up a mooring in Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh island, where they filmed the movie "The Beach" (we'll need to rent that sometime). Very stunning! They also filmed one of the James Bond movies at an island in north Phang Nga bay close to where we anchored, and although it has a proper Thai name (Ko Phing Kan), it is referred to simply as "James Bond" island.

We made our way to Ao (bay) Chalong, just south of Phuket town on the SE side of Phuket island, and after checking in with the authorities and enjoying our first Thai meal and traditional massage in Thailand, headed out to some of the islands for snorkelling and later kayaking. What great fun that was! How cool to kayak under stalactites and bats hanging from the ceiling! In some places we could paddle through a cave from the outside into an inner pool, and then another cave into another inner pool, and yet again. So there we where, sitting in our kayaks in the middle of the island surrounded by 200 foot vertical walls. Amazing places.

We found a few spots to anchor that were more isolated and enjoyed that time just relaxing as well. Phuket is crazy. Some expat locals we know say there is Phuket, and then there is the rest of Thailand. Picture a very big speed boat with 900 hp outboards and a 20 year old Thai driver loaded with tourists zooming in and out of the bays. And not just one, but an endless stream of them all day. But about 5:00 they all go home and peace and the subtle beauty returns.

Next, we're going to head up the west coast of Phuket island where all the beautiful beaches and resorts are. But more importantly, we're getting out of Dodge! We'll head up to the Burma border area where the tourists thin out and find some fisherman to buy more prawns from. Yum! Reportedly there are several quiet and lovely little islands and bays to see up the west coast of Thailand on the edge of the Andaman Sea. From there, we'll go out to the Surin and Similan islands offshore for some diving.

OK, that's the news from EQ, where the Winds are fair, the seas following, and the crew content.

With Equanimity and Joy