After 20 days at Langkawi it was time to leave for Thailand. We reluctantly returned our air conditioner an hour before we left the marina, coiled up the water hose and power cord and were away by about 10am. We only had about 4 miles to go over to Telaga Harbour were we anchored. ( see bottom of article for cruising info.)
This was just an overnight stop so we could check out with customs to get our clearance document for Thailand and get some diesel as well. We arrived at Telaga just before the customs guys went for lunch so got our paper work done. It turned out when we checked in at Kuah they did not do it correctly, so the guy here just said no bother we will check you in and then out. They seemed to be better organized here and know what they were doing and very helpful and friendly. We were done in 20 minutes.
We then filled our jerry cans at the fuel dock and poured them into the fuel tank through our baja filter. Then late in the afternoon we left the dinghy at the dinghy dock and hiked up the road past where the tram goes up the local mountain for another kilometer and then found the trail up to a waterfall. It was a nice steep uphill hike which we needed, as we would not get much exercise this next week.
If you get your diesel fuel at the gas station rather than the fuel dock, it is quite abit cheaper. The catch is that you are only allowed 20 liters or one jerry can a day. So we did one yesterday and one this morning and got a couple of goodies with the last of our Malaysian money at the store before we headed out to sea for Thailand.
By 9am we were under way and managed to sail only about 8 of the 27 miles to the Butang group of islands in a light NE breeze. We took a mooring ball in the middle of the islands and then Dorothy went for a swim off the boat to try some snorkeling and reported that it was only so-so. I also went for a swim of the back off the boat with a mask and snorkel and scrapped the propeller of accumulated sea life from our 20 day stay in the marina.
The next morning at 8AM before the tour boats come out, we took the boat over to a group of rocks about a mile West and took a mooring and then used the dinghy to go around the rocks and Dorothy snorkeled. There we a lot of tiny jellyfish in the water so Dorothy had put here stinger suit on put she said she could feel them stinging her face. The next day her lower face was swollen and had a rash that persisted for a few days. The snorkeling here was also only so-so probably lots of fish when the tour boat come out and feed them.
That night we took a mooring ball a half mile North of our previous night but found it bouncy here and the rope on the ball was a bit short to pull up at high tide so we moved back to our original ball. I like to lift the ball out of the water so it not bang on hull during night when wind and tide change.
Next day tried some snorkeling where more tour boats go at the S end of Koh Butang. Used a mooring again but again were not impressed with the snorkeling. It is too bouncy to stay here and we ended up back on original mooring for the night.
We left at first light for the Koh Rok group of island which are about 43 miles away. We have been told that once you enter Thailand you have seven days to get to Phuket where you can check into the country properly. If you take much longer they may fine you. It is only about 100 miles due North so it is generous.
As we head out channel to the open sea we get strong NE winds and soon have the 3rd reef in main as I don't like to heel too much with engine running. We were motoring to get out of narrow channel and the wind was on the nose of course. Ounce outside we could bear off onto our course and start sailing. We could just barely make our course without pinching, the spray was flying as we drove hard to windward. Had to keep a bit too much sail up to punch through the close seas. Were now at 2 reefs in main and in a hour had full sail up to keep boat driving. Soon wind was down and we were back to motor sailing but by 11am the wind was up again and we shut the engine off and sailed the rest of the way with the boat heeled well over, smashing to windward, something we have not had for a long time. We found a mooring ball available in the channel between the islands and tied off to it. It was quite bouncy but tolerable in the 16 to 20 knot winds that were blowing. There were several other boats on moorings here as well. We did not snorkel here, though it is suppose to be good, as Dorothys face was still not better. We saw lots of small fish in the clear water around the boat, but the coral so-so. It was a pretty spot to spend the night.
We left about 7am next morning for Koh Phi Phi Le islands 33 miles away and sailed the first 5 miles and motor sailed the rest. As we approached Phi phi group we could see tall cliffs and rock towers promising interesting islands. As we came around the S end of island to our bay on the West side, we were captivated by a spectacular view.
The bay, maybe a quarter mile wide is surrounded by tall cliffs and at head of bay is a beautiful beach. This is where the movie "The Beach" with Leanardo De Caprio was filmed. Unfortunately the whole beach front was filled with small long tail tour boats speed boats and beach full of tourists. There is no resorts here, everyone here came by tour boat or yacht. By 4:30pm the tour boats had all gone home with there clients and the beach was empty. But then several big sunset cruise boats came into bay and sat for an hour to let their guests take pictures and then left and we finally had the bay to ourselves except for 5 other yachts moored in bay. We have found the air temp cooler and cooler at night after we got out of the heat hole at Rebak and seen no more mosquitoes since we left Rebak marina as well.
We went ashore for a walk up and down beach to stretch the legs when we first arrived and were surrounded by young bikini clad women and men. I think we were by far the oldest people on beach. It is a stunning spot and we enjoyed our stay here in spite of the tour boats.
Our last stop before Phuket is Phi Phi Don just 4 miles away.We motored against a stiff breeze to get into the bay at S end and anchored. On the way over we heard on the radio that a yacht had plucked a Thai fishermen out of the water 5 miles from us. With the language barrier the yacht skipper did not know how he ended up in the water or whether there was more than one person.
Phi Phi Don is another beautiful island but it is also about the busiest place for tourists I have ever seen. There is rows of narrow alley ways with hundreds of tiny shops just thrown up. The Tsunami had wiped this place out. A great thing about here is there was no motorised vehicles, Thai's moved there wares about by handcarts and bicycles. The place is just jammed with tourists that come over from Phuket on big ferries. We spent most of the day on shore exploring.
We left early the next morning to sail the 23 miles over to Phuket. It turned into our best sail since Indonesia, 15 knots on the beam all the way and almost no sea, perfect. Lots of yachts and tour boats anchored in Chalong bay. We anchored not too far from customs jetty. (see below) The check in went smoothly and we were free to explore Thailand.
INFO
-Telaga Harbor Dec 8/2011 anchored in 15ft at 06 21.687N 99 40.509E Customs and Port Captain 5 minute walk from dinghy dock which is by fuel dock. Descent food store and prices at the gas station, which also operates fuel dock.
-Butang Islands, Thailand Dec 9 took a mooring ball in 50ft at 06 31.632N 99 16.985E. Supposedly the red or orange mooring balls are okay for us to use. At the coordinates given there is single mooring balls every 300 meters or so along this shore for a total of maybe 6 or 7, did not count them. The next three island groups described below are much more interesting than the Butang group we thought.
-Koh Rok group. Mooring we used was in 15ft at 07 12.985N 99 03.593E There was about 6 moorings here and a few more along the beach by park HQ. Watch as some are in water too shallow for us yachts. Did not go ashore here as heard might have to pay a big fee?? Not really have the time anyways.
-Koh Phi Phi Le Mooring we used is in 70 ft at 07 40.793S 98 45.775E There is about 6 moorings in bay.Two big power yachts anchored in bay. Some swell gets into bay. There is a snack bar up a trail at end of beach. Another trail takes you past washrooms to a super lookout over the back of the island. Trail good for flip flops, 5 min.walk.
-Koh Phi Phi Don Anchored in 57ft at 07 43.700N 98 46.268E by 2 other yachts. Very, Very busy Harbor, with an almost continuous stream of big and small tour boats.
Lots of shops on shore. Tied dinghy with several others at the West side of ferry dock on back of floating barge. We observed that it would be far quieter to have anchored on the West side of island. You would have access to same beach and town, just need a place to put dinghy. We saw several yachts there, but not know where they put there dinghys.
- Ao Chalong bay-Phuket Anchored in 20ft 07 49.105 98 21.435 Left dinghy tied to ramps at end of very long dock with a big pink glass building on it. Can also tie up half way down dock by stairs. Can also take dinghy to beach on right side of dock for a few 100m to right at Phuket Yacht club, can see big letters. Not low tide, mucky.
Customs was at foot of dock just to your right. Took 30 min to check in with Custom, immigration and Port Captain in the one building. They took pictures of both of us so may want everyone there? Found a Tesco about 25 min walk away, up side street and then left at major street down it for 1km and store on your left. Then found better store at shopping villa 15 walk away also as Home Pro store there, a copy of Home Depot, even with the orange aprons.
There is a fuel dock on the long pier near it's outward end, iffy taking boat to it as is just some palm tree stumps lashed together and very busy with tour boats. We took jerry cans and got some diesel and gasoline there. Someone said there was a fuel barge but we never saw it.
-We got a new Sim card at a Seven Eleven store, for $4.00, 1 hr, 1 month for our mobile phone.
Used my old Indonesian dongle for internet that I also used in Malaysia and Indonesia. had a sim card put in it as well for $5.00 for 5 hrs. Later after I tested that it worked, got more time added, 30 hrs for 1 month unlimited data for $4.00 more. Using it for this, speed about as good as Malaysia which surprised us as we read that it was extremely slow for surfing in Thailand, shall see as we go along.
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