Leaving Langkawi

We leave Langkawi mid-day January 17 heading for Cochin, India. Once beyond the lee of the island we have a boisterous sail and several hours of getting ourselves accustomed to the boat motion. We pass south of the Nicobar Islands and see just a few ships as we are staying north of the shipping lanes. We have sunny days and no squalls and except for one day of very light wind we have 15-20 kts on the beam. We have one-plus kt of current with us and we make amazing speed. We cover a record 185 nautical miles in one 24 hr period, 1192 miles in 7 days and average 7.1 kts for the passage. Richard keeps close track of all this stuff.

On our 7th morning out we reach the south coast of Sri Lanka, which is on our route to Cochin. We follow the coastline looking at the beaches, palm trees and the hills off in the distance. Finally I can resist Sri Lanka's apparent charms no longer and suggest we stop at Galle for a couple of days instead of continuing on. So we turn into the bay and call port control on the VHF radio. A small navy boat comes out and shows us where to anchor just outside the breakwater. After awhile another navy boat approaches and a man comes aboard to direct us into Galle Harbor. He has us raft to a sailboat from Italy, three boats out from the wharf. This means to go ashore we climb across two other boats and then up a ladder onto the wharf. There are probably 20 cruising boats in the harbor.

Because of attacks by the Tamil Liberation Tigers farther north there is tight security here. Military guards with automatic weapons are posted all around the harbor. Nets are stretched across the harbor entrance and the river at night to keep out Tamil frogmen. Depth charges explode periodically during the night, sounding like the loud crack of a rifle shot. There is a bombing in Columbo Harbor on the west coast the day after we arrive and Galle Harbor is closed for the day. I am thinking we might be at risk here and wonder about the sanity of cruisers who stop in Sri Lanka. But then we are people who sail the oceans in small boats. Not exactly overly cautious types.

We stayed only three days in Galle. We visited a government sponsored handicraft center where people are trained in jewelry making, amazing lace work and batik. On our way there we walked past a wedding party coming out of a photography studio. The bride and groom allowed Richard to take their picture. We went to a hundred year old government tea factory and tea research center in the hills outside of town. Much of the tea processing is done by hand. The very last step of sorting through the tea leaves before packaging is done by about 10 women sitting on the floor around a huge mound of tea. They sift through the tea, picking out any errant stems and anything else that doesn't belong.

Thousand of people died here in southern Sri Lanka when the tsunami hit two years ago. Many who lost their homes are now living with extended family. Some, who wanted to get away from the sea, moved into villages in the hills where homes are constructed for tsunami victims. Andrew, a 50 yr old local man, drives us around sight seeing one morning, first taking us to his 2 storey house across the highway from the harbor. He shows us how high the water rose--very close to the ceiling of the first floor. Andre is extremely proud of his two sons, one a 3rd year medical student and the other a 1st year engineering student. He shows us a recent term exam report for his younger son--mostly A's.

The next day we do a walking tour of Fort Galle, built by the Portugese in the mid 1500's, taken over by the Dutch one hundred years later and then the British, until Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948. The walls of the fort and many buildings are remarkably preserved. We see some beautiful old churches and hotels that are still in use.

The Sri Lanka countryside is green and lush and mountainous. There is much to see if only we could take a few more days and travel inland. Alas we have neither the time nor money to tour each country we sail to, so ... we set off for Cochin, India.

Langkawi for Christmas

Our Thai visas are about to expire and our boat permit as well so it is time to leave Thailand. We make a couple of provisioning trips into town and do a few boat jobs. Richard decides to remove the remaining varnish from the caprail and try teak oil. After several coats it looks almost as good as varnish. However it later proves unable to withstand going to weather.

We leave Phuket allowing time for overnight anchorages but arriving at Langkawi before Christmas. We have more wind and choppier seas than we expect. After 5 days we drop the anchor in Bass Harbor near Kuah town. We have a delicious dinner onboard Hannakin Christmas Day with Jean and Clive, also John and Isabel from Pathfinder. We make phone calls to the family.

After Christmas we start working away on our list of things to do before we head for the Red Sea. We pay a return visit to Dr. Chew to have our teeth cleaned. We go through our charts to see what we are missing. We have new fitted sheets made for the v-berth. We buy liquor and Cadbury chocolate bars at the duty-free shop. Richard takes apart the head.

One morning Richard goes to town on a hunt for miscellaneous plumbing and electrical parts. At 2pm I receive a call on our mobile phone from someone who tells me Richard has been in an accident and is at Langkawi Hospital. I scan the bay and spot another cruiser in a dinghy. I wave him down and get a ride ashore, then get a taxi to the hospital.

It takes me awhile to find Richard--this is not Bumrungrad and not many people speak English--but eventually I spot him in a bed in the Male Ward. He doesn't look as bad as I had feared. Some cuts and scrapes, lots of bruises and perhaps a cracked rib. Fortunately no broken bones. I ask what happened. He doesn't know. He remembers standing by the side of a street waiting to cross. Next thing he knows he is waking up and looking at three muslim women in headscarves looking down at him. He soon discovers he is in a hospital and the women are two nurses and a doctor. It takes awhile for him to remember that he is in Langkawi and has a sailboat at anchor in the bay. Then he asks a nurse to call me.

After discussing the situation Richard says he would feel better if "nurse Jean" came to see him. I had already alerted Clive and Jean so they were ready to hop into a taxi and come to the hospital. Richard felt reassured after Jean arrived and looked him over. Later two local women appear at his bedside, one the driver of the car Richard apparently collided with. We are unable to determine exactly what happened but the women tell us they brought Richard to the hospital.

The doctor says Richard should stay in the hospital at least 24 hours so I head back to the boat before dark. The next morning, with Clive's help, I move Moonshadow into the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club marina where it will be easier for Richard to get on and off the boat. Around mid-day New Year's Eve Richard releases himself from the hospital. The bill is U.S. $40.

The accident slows Richard down for a few days and delays our departure. He is now recovered except for occasional soreness around his ribs.

Visitors from Home

It had been a long time since anyone came to stay onboard Moonshadow. Thailand must be particularly enticing. My younger daughter Inga came to visit the last week of October. Her favorite amenity may have been the mosquito netting hanging down over her bunk at night.
We kept Inga busy the week she was here. She was fortunate to arrive in time to enjoy the strangeness of Phuket's vegetarian festival which I have previously described.

One day we drove around Phang Nga province which is north of Phuket island. We stopped to see the golden reclining Buddha in a large cavern. We visited the wat (temple) with the walk-through dragon and life-sized sculptural scenes of hell constructed by monks. Our favorite place was Sa Nang Manora Forest Park east of the town of Phang Nga where we hiked alongside a river with cascading waterfalls and pools. Another day we hiked to Bang Pae waterfall on Phuket island. Quite a few local people were at these parks cooling off in the water and enjoying picnics.

Wanting to give Inga a glimpse into our life on the water we spend 3 days aboard Moonshadow touring the west side of Phang Nga Bay with its beautiful and dramatic karst formations. We explored Koh Hong by dingy late one afternoon after the tour boats had gone. A hong is a cave with a collapsed roof so you can look up and see the sky.

Early the next morning we motored a couple of hours and anchored near Koh Pan Yi, a muslim stilt village. We explored the narrow pathways between the small homes and shops of this island community. The tour companies like to call this a sea gypsy village but it really is not. There are no cars or motorbikes here, just a few bicycles and lots of boats. In the afternoon we anchor for the night in the shade of a high cliff not far from "James Bond Island." For a spectatcular aerial view of Phang Nga Bay rent "The Man With the Golden Gun."

Inga's visit ended all too soon and we were a bit lonesome after she left. But her presence was required at work and she wanted to get home in time for husband Tim's birthday.

Four weeks later our friend Garry came to see us. Garry did most of the refit work on Moonshadow after we purchased her several years ago so he feels very much at home onboard.

Leaving the Yacht Haven anchorage we sailed (and motored--not much wind here) throughout Phang Nga Bay, dropping the hook at a different island just about every night. We again stopped at Koh Hong and Koh Pan Yi. We anchored at Rai Le Beach west of the town of Krabi, which is on the mainland. After rowing ashore for a walk we ate dinner at a beachfront restaurant. Too many tour boats coming and going through this anchorage for our taste so we leave in the morning and head for Phi Phi Don. We anchored in beautiful Yongkasem Bay along with half a dozen other yachts. Here we could snorkel off the boat in clear water and watch monkeys play on the beach.

Although Phi Phi Don is a popular tourist destination it has a charm to it with lots of nice little shops and restaurants. Stepping into a small bookstore we chatted with the young owner and discovered that he is from Portland. There was terrible destruction and loss of life on Phi Phi Don caused by the Dec. 2004 tsunami. Rebuilding of tourist facilities is ongoing.

Our last day out we finally have a good sail. I may have even relinquished the helm and allowed Garry to steer for awhile. Back at Yacht Haven the next day I get a break from boat talk while Richard and Garry tour Phuket island on motorbikes. The last evening of Garry's visit we go to a buffet and "Lady Boy" show at the nearby Haven Restaurant. Excusing myself after dinner I head for the ladies room. Opening the door I am greeted by a dozen preening young men (?) in satin gowns and feather boas. They smile at me and clear a path to a stall which fortunately has a door.

Vegetarian Festival / Back to Bangkok

Vegetarian Festival. Sounds rather benign doesn't it. Conjures up images of Portland's Waterfront Park in August. Local restaurants setting up food stalls with tables and chairs under large canopies. Granola types exhibiting their handicrafts, local musicians providing music. This is not the scene in Phuket. Yes, vegetarian food is served by restaurants, announced by flying yellow banners and food stalls are set up next to some of the Chinese temples. But the focus of Phuket's Vegetarian Festival is really quite bizarre.

Early one morning, soon after my daughter Inga arrives for a visit to Thailand, we set off for one of Phuket town's Chinese temples. Standing amidst a crowd of spectators we watch marchers stream out from the temple into the street accompanied by drumming and cymbal crashing. This is just one of the many processions that will take place during the week long festival. One by one the men who have chosen to practice self-mutilation join the parade along with their handlers. At the temple each man has gone into a trance. This is evidenced by an uncontrollable shaking of the head. Slits are cut into the men's cheeks by a doctor or someone with medical training. These slits are then skewered by an unusual array of objects. One man has a sword, one sports an umbrella, another has several 2 ft long metal rods radiating from around his mouth. We follow the procession, taking pictures and then turning away because it is unnerving to look at them for very long. Firecrackers are set off on small shrines carried along by groups of young men. Back at the temple the grounds are littered with blood soaked gauze and latex gloves.

In the evening we go to a different Chinese temple to see firewalking. There is a protracted buildup to this event with much stirring and raking of the rectangular bed of coals. Finally a few men who are in a trance run back and forth through the coals. They are soon followed by others who decide to join in the fun. Later we climb the steps to the temple, flanked by long colorful sea dragons, take off our shoes and go inside. In the back a man is being released from his trance. All we are able to see is a gong being struck and the man falling back into another man's arms. He then walks away looking quite normal. Reminds us of TV evangelism.

The vegetarian festival in Phuket originated with the Chinese in the early 1800's. Many of the local people wear white all week to signify their purity. This means they will refrain from eating meat and drinking alcohol and will abstain from sex.



After much discussion we have decided to go through the Red Sea rather than sail around South Africa as we had previously planned to do. Wanting to stop at Cochin, India along the way means getting visas in advance. So we fly back to Bangkok and apply for visas at the Indian consulate. This takes 5 days. This trip we stay at the Reno Hotel. While waiting for our visas we take a train to the old Thai capital of Ayutthaya. We get 3rd class tickets for about 50 cents. No air conditioning but there are opening windows and fans. The train stops everywhere.

After taking a ferry across to the island we rent bicycles and tour the ruins. While riding along a quiet road in the afternoon a young man on a motorbike zooms up alongside Richard and grabs his backpack out of the bicycle basket. We pedal as fast as we can but there is no way we can catch him. We report our loss to the Tourist Police but the incident happened so fast we have no real description of the man or the bike. Fortunately there was not much of any value stolen except we did lose our digital camera and memory stick with photos taken at Angkor and the vegetarian festival. The following day in Bangkok we shopped for a new backpack and camera.

Boatwork / Yacht Haven

Very early one morning while we were anchored at Yacht Haven, Richard was having his coffee in the cockpit when something caught his eye across the bay at the marina. Suddenly realizing it was a fire on a boat he grabbed one of our fire extinguishers and hurriedly rowed over to the dock. The boat was locked up, the owner away on a trip. Richard put out the fire, apparently caused by a short in an extension cord being used by boatworkers. The fire damaged the outside of the cabin and the instruments installed there in the cockpit. Not wanting to break into the boat to check the interior Richard finally found someone to call the marina managers at home and they came to take care of it.

After we moved Moonshadow into the marina and had returned from our Bangkok and Cambodia trip we got back to work on boat projects. Mr. Marley and his crew of excellent woodworkers repaired our bowsprit and built a beautiful new teak bowsprit platform for us. Richard designed new bow roller brackets which we had made out of stainless steel by Mr. Nop. Muzza, a transplanted New Zealander, made a new sunbrella bimini and other canvas items for us. The tropical sun and salt water are very hard on a boat and some of our canvas had rotted.

One morning, instead of renting a car to drive to town, we walked through the village of Koh En to the highway where we caught a sawngthaew (truck with bench seats in the back) into Phuket town. On our return trip we were seated amidst teenaged girls in their school uniforms of navy pleated skirt and white short sleeved blouse. Along the way a few Muslim girls climbed aboard in ankle length skirts, long sleeved white blouses and white headscarves. Two of them stood on the rear bumper as we drove along the highway, hanging on, laughing and flirting with young men in passing vehicles.