Off the Dock and Onto the Hook

Tuesday 5 August found us finally being able to clear customs, immigration and port authorities so that we could leave Thailand and sail back south to Langkawi. We had managed to get a fair bit of work done to get Tweed almost back to normal but we’d done enough to allow for safe passage making. We still had gear to unload from storage and stow back aboard – outboard engine, inflatable dinghy, jerry cans, etc. etc. and although we planned to leave Wednesday afternoon we suddenly discovered that the best time to leave the marina was in the morning!! Too late, so another night in the marina - we needed to leave when the tide was up but before it started to flow too strongly when it would be very difficult to get off the dock.

So, it was on Thursday that we were able to untie our dock lines and leave the marina for Ao Po, an anchorage about 10 nautical miles or 20 kilometres down the channel from Yacht Haven. We were looking forward to this passage as we were still in the SW monsoon season which would allow us to stay in some different anchorages along our route. Ao Po proved to be very good holding in thick mud as it took about half an hour to wash the mud off the chain and anchor as they came up off the bottom the next morning. It had been a bit gusty during the night so the anchor had really bitten in.

Our intention was to go around the northern end of Ko Yao Noi as there is a bay with good protection from the SW there but as we approached around lunchtime we decided to continue on ‘just a bit further’. Hmmmm, well the first anchorage we saw had one boat in it which seemed to be doing a bit of rolling so on we went to Ko Hong (Krabi) which we knew had moorings on the northern side. This was really tempting fate because as we ventured further south the wind came further to the west and then northwest putting that anchorage out of the question. The wind had also strengthened slightly so we were able to have a reasonable sail down towards the Krabi area and to Ko Dam Khwan which, as the day was now progressing into late afternoon, we hoped would offer enough protection from the gusty wind. Suffice it to say that plans for a leisurely 15NM leg for the day ended in a 35NM leg in a very rolly anchorage, tied to a mooring buoy which bumped along the hull all night long as the wind held us one way and the tide pushed us forward over the mooring line!!

Ko Dam Khwan or Chicken Island

We were out of there as soon as it was light enough and made our way southwards towards Ko Phi Phi Don through several thunderstorms and a couple of heavy showers. By 10.30 the weather had cleared to the east and we dropped anchor in the lee of Phi Phi. It was an excellent anchorage in clear water over sand where we were able to get in some swimming and relax a bit.

We said goodbye to Phi Phi Don and continued south to Ko Rok Nok. As the weather was now a bit more settled, Jon rigged up one of the boat rods using some new gear bought at Chalong in Phuket. The saleswoman assured us that if we bought a particular aeroplane-shaped wooden ‘teaser’ and used it with the small squid lures we would catch a tuna. Jon tied on the aeroplane and then on opening the packet of squid lures to get one out, we discovered it was actually a set of six along one line. So we secured that on behind the aeroplane and let the line out to troll behind us. Within a few minutes, the drag went off and Jon wound in a fish – a 33cm mackerel tuna or bonito. We re-set the line, cleaned the fish up for lunch and then off went the drag again. This time, however, not one fish but four!! We were ecstatic as we hadn’t caught a fish for so long and now we had five in less than an hour.

On to the hook and out of the water!

With a thunderstorm threatening we reached Rok Nok where two islands wrap around to make a well protected anchorage with moorings available. We decided a mooring would be a good idea as on raising the anchor that morning Jon had noticed smoke coming from one of the anchor winch cables. Being on a mooring, he was able to clean and re-join the terminal and ensure the winch was in good working order before using it again. So, the saying about cruising just being a euphemism for maintaining your boat in exotic locations is exactly that a lot of the time. We stayed two nights so we managed to get in a few more maintenance jobs as well as some beach walks and snorkelling in the clear water.

Ko Phetra was our next destination, about 28 NM away, and without much wind it was another day of motoring. We anchored in the lee of the island on the eastern side in relatively shallow water about 4 metres deep. Ko Phetra is a limestone ridge about 4 NM long and a quarter of a NM wide and covered in rainforest with a small beach on the northern end. It was while here that we noticed a local longtail fishing boat out to the east of us. The fishermen aboard seemed to be waving a black flag but we assumed they were just laying nets or floats. However, after about an hour Jon decided that they were actually waving. Shortly after, a longtail came along close to the island so we managed to get their attention and they changed direction towards us. As they approached one of the fishermen opened the freezer box and pulled out a fish thinking we wanted to buy fish from them. Jon managed to convey to them that another boat was in difficulty and before we knew it they had thrown a 50cm trevally onto our foredeck!! They refused to take anything for it and were soon seen towing the other boat back to their village.

Continuing southward, we arrived at Ko Tarutao after another day of motoring in good conditions early in the afternoon on Wednesday, 13 August. This was all new territory for us as previously we had passed along the west coast but this time we were on the east coast. It was protected from the weather and had many smaller islands which would make good anchorages on another occasion. We anchored off the national parks headquarters and once we were settled noticed that there was a lot of activity on the jetty. It then became apparent that the jetty buildings had been turned into a film set and they were preparing to film. As it got darker, flare lamps were lit and we could see them filming but by 9:00 it was all over – the lights were extinguished, all the people were taken away and we were left in peace and quiet.

With just over 30 NM to run to Bass Harbour in Langkawi, we left Tarutao and again motor sailed all the way down the east coast and around into Bass Harbour. It had taken us eight days at a leisurely pace and we had visited some beautiful anchorages we hadn’t seen before. Plus, we had eaten fresh fish and that’s always a bonus!!