Day 43, Year 5: Ko Tarutao to Ko Kradan-Happy Birthday, Jed!
Date: Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Weather: Variable Winds from .5 to 15 knots; Temps in the mid-80’s F
Latitude: N 07 degrees 18.882 minutes
Longitude: E 099 degrees 14.942 minutes
Location: Ko Kradan, Thailand
Today is our son-in-laws birthday, so Happy Birthday, Jed. It is also Tina of Shirena’s birthday and we traveled here to Ko Kradan to have a birthday dinner at Paradise Lost, but it seems to be lost. We couldn’t find it. Robert and Tina went exploring, which means taking a trail through the thick woods and tall grass to the other side of the island, and they did find a small resort with a restaurant, but not Paradise Lost, and they decided they didn’t want to trek back through the woods and grass at night. So we are both eating aboard tonight and we will have Tina’s birthday celebration in a couple of days when we reach Ko Lanta.
Today’s sail started out great, but then the winds went down to 8-10 knots from the hind quarter, so we put up the spinnaker. No sooner had we done this than the winds totally died. So back down with the asymmetrical spinner and on with the motor. Then the winds returned and we had a great sail for a couple of hours. All of this time, we are negotiating between little black flags that mark fish traps. They are everywhere and make navigating most difficult. Add to that the fishing boats that travel in tandem and drag a net between the two. At one point, a pair headed straight for us and we could not avert. I think they were fishing for a cruising boat, but we simply disengaged the motor and floated over their drag net. We ended up motoring through the later afternoon, but that one good sail in the middle of the day was great. We are not supposed to have good sailing winds for the next couple of days, so we will make a one-hour motor sail to Ko Muk tomorrow and then leave there for Ko Lanta in another day or so. We will stay there until the winds are favorable for a passage to Phuket.
It is so great being out here cruising once again. I had time today to do a laundry, reply to a number of over-due emails, and even read a chapter or two in my current novel. It is relaxing out here and the scenery is beautiful. The limestone karsts (cliffs) rise out of the water and look ghostly but dramatic in distance. We haven’t reached snorkeling territory yet, but we will get there. I can’t wait to get in the water again.
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| 091208 Day 43 Thailand–Ko Tarutao to Ko Kradan |
