Yacht Haven

As we head to Ao Chalong after our haulout we notice how nicely Moonshadow moves through the water with her new bottom paint. We anchor and go ashore to visit immigration to renew our visas for one more month. This costs us a whopping $50 each. Twice as much as we paid at the Thai embassy in Kuala Lumpur for the first two months. We had thought we might stay at Chalong for a few days as it is convenient to shops and public transportation. But after two bouncy nights we have had enough and decide to return to peaceful Yacht Haven.

The anchorage at Yacht Haven is usually flat and calm with an easy rowing distance to a dinghy dock. For $10 a month we have the use of the marina facilities. The managers, Australians Nick and Zara, are exceptionally friendly and helpful. The marina is unusual in that the buildings are situated on a narrow strip of land at the base of a cliff. Water flows continuously from small pipes protruding from the face of the cliff in the parking area. As the rainy season winds down it is nice to have another source of good drinking water.

Most evenings we go ashore and walk to the end of the road to Papa and Mama's Restaurant. Constructed of scrap lumber and corrugated tin, Mama's is an open air establishment built out over the water. Not a fancy place but the Thai food is good and very reasonable. Daughter Kit does the cooking with various family members helping with clean-up. Some of them live here and there are always a few children about.

One evening we walk into the nearby Muslim village of Koh En during a 3-day festival. We check out the clothing, jewelry and other items for sale in tents which line the road and sample the food prepared at the hawker stands. We wander into a large courtyard where it appears something is going on. As usual, we are not sure what is happening but figure it might be interesting. Under a large canopy hang several small hammock like swings. Each is individually decorated with flowers, small stuffed animals, dolls, etc. Several families come to this area and place a small child of about one year to eighteen months old into a hammock. Someone sits next to the hammock to try to keep the child occupied and happy. A group of men seat themselves behind the hammocks and begin to beat on drums and chant. This goes on for a long time. Some of the children grow tired of staying in their hammocks. While we stand and watch a man brings chairs for us. Someone else gives us plates of food. The local people seem pleased that we are here. The following day we confirm with a Muslim friend that this was a religious rite to initiate the children into Islam.