When Stainless Steel Isn't

On any sea going boat corrosion is a constant companion, but a dangerous one.  Like a sore tooth, it will flare up sometimes with no warning.  We use grade 316 stainless steel fasteners whenever we can, to reduce the impact of corrosion, however every now and then we are reminded how even the 316 has its problems - namely crevice corrosion.

When removing the old Onan generator a while back, we found one bolt head sheared completely (a real knuckle skinner !) as it was loosened. On bolts like this the thread is usually roll formed, while the head is forged, a process called "rolling and heading". Its a cold formed process, and it can clearly lead to problems, specially if sea water collects where the metal is deformed and stressed.  316L stainless steel in an oxygen deprived environment can and will corrode.  Fortunately this bolt didn't cost a lot to replace, but in the past we've had to replace an entire propeller shaft due to crevice corrosion.

The Hidden Cost Of Piracy

The Admiral is busy planning our crossing of the Indian Ocean as I write this - she's counting and calculating everything from courtesy flags to bread flour, from tissue boxes to lube oil, so we have plenty of provisions on board.  But it's the southern Indian Ocean we're looking at, not the easier northern route that would have lead us through the Red Sea to the Med.  Piracy is still a real problem in the northern areas, so we need to head south and travel via the Cape Of Good Hope into the southern Atlantic. That's an extra 5000 miles of sailing to reach Gibraltar.

MV Sea Bird Fitting Slings For Loading

For others, the option of shipping the boat to the Med is proving attractive.  Many yachts travel as deck cargo on ships, transiting the piracy zone quickly and in relative safety at 20 knots or so.  Our good friends Steve and Carol on MV Sea Bird shipped to Turkey back in March on-board the transport ship MV Thorco Svendborg, and are now enjoying the delights of the Turkish coast.  Rates for shipping from Phuket to Turkey start at around US$1,000.00 per foot, and this year there were three ships loading yachts and motor vessels in Phuket for the trip west.  It is big business, and it is a hidden cost of piracy.  Five thousand miles or fifty thousand dollars ?

Sea Bird Lifting

Ley (the Admiral) and I have spent several years here in Asia, hoping the piracy would diminish - but it is not safe yet.  Some are saying there hasn't been a yacht taken in the past year, but then again no yachtsman with any common sense would enter the northern Indian Ocean or the Arabian Sea at the moment.  Further, the military folks charged with policing the "bad zone" are saying that yachts are more at risk right now, because the shipping is better protected and the pirates are looking for targets of opportunity.  See the information provided by the Ocean Cruising Club here.

Sea Bird Joins The Cargo On Deck

Consequently, this year around 40 boats sail from Asia via the Cape and South Africa, commiting to that extra 5000 nautical miles.  We estimate another 50 or so will book places aboard the several ships that are offering to carry smaller vessels through the troubled area.

What ever path you choose, it is now costing much more to travel from Asia to Europe and beyond.

Information on the voyage of  Sea Bird is on their blog here.

For more information you should review the information provided by the Ocean Cruising Club.  That page also includes a number of other useful links, plus details of some shipping schedules for next year.

Penang - Its All About The Food

We arrived in Penang just over two weeks ago, with plans to complete our new generator installation before moving on south towards Singapore.  Here we found our good friends Dana and Susan onboard Villa-G.  A few days later Larry and Peggy arrived on Blue Star, so the gang was complete.

Food, Glorious Food

There are many reasons to visit Penang, stunning Buddhists temples to photograph, a cable car to ride, Botanic Gardens, World Heritage restored buildings, art galleries and many cultural events and religious celebrations....but for us, Penang is all about food.

The crews of Villa G and Blue Star enjoying the flavours of Penang.               

Indian roti canai and mango lassi or fluffy, soft pau filled with char sew pork for breakfast, Indian Biryani platter for lunch topped off with dim sum for dinner?  Then there is our favourite Buddhist vegetarian lunch stalls and the fabulous seafood from the Shade Tree Restaurant on Weld Quay and ever so much more.

If you would like to visit any of our favourite local restaurants click here to download our Georgetown food map.

Tanjong City Marina

Sad remnants of Tanjong City Marina

Over the past seven years we have spent quite a bit of time exploring Penang.  For us, the demise of the Tanjong City Marina is a very sad affair. This marina was within walking distance of Little India and China Town, covering many of our favourite restaurants and the old buildings that have made Penang a World Heritage Town.

The marina started to deteriorate just after it was built in 2005.  Through lack of maintenance, storms and ferry wash all that remains today are a few poles and a walkway that leads to the murky, muddy shallows....though there is talk that it will be rebuilt!



Straits Quay Marina

Crystal Blues along side the service dock and sea wall

Fortunately for cruisers a new marina in Penang has been built, with a solid sea-wall protecting the 40 floating pontoon berths. Straits Quay Marina is professionally run by John and his magnificent team.

The berths, power supply, amenities and cruiser's room are managed on world best practice for marinas, so don't miss visiting here, though you certainly need to book ahead as spare berths are very scarce.

There is a large shopping mall with Tesco as its main tenant, and access to public transport all within walking distance, it is a delight to stay here.

Welcome Home To Yacht Haven - Animal Farm

Fish, Lizards, Snakes & Rats

After four weeks away it was good for both Ley and I to be back on board.  It had been a stressful month.  We arrived home to find rat poop on the deck, so the marina provided rat traps and bait, and sure enough we caught the culprits by the nearest rubbish bins (one reason many marinas don't provide bins on the docks).

As usual the propeller, shaft and thru-hulls needed cleaning.  The shellfish growth here is incredibly fast - it took 2 hours to scrape clean the propeller and shaft, which had last been cleaned only 12 weeks before.

Crystal Blues has a single large (1.5") thru-hull that delivers sea water to several services, including the water cooled refrigeration and the air conditioning system.  The constant flow of warm, nutrient filled water means we also need to clean the intake pipe and hoses quite regularly.  It doesn't seem to be a problem in cooler climates and clear water, but here in the warm silty water at Yacht Haven the little devils grow thick and fast.

Whilst cleaning I had constant company from a growing school of beautiful tropical fish, all chomping on the growth I was removing.

What I didn't see (until later) is that there are larger creatures in the water here, like our friend at left.  This water monitor was resting on our fenders yesterday, oblivious to us watching through the port-light from our navigation station.

Last night the critter was even bigger - we stopped and watched a 3 meter reticulated python cross the road at the marina entrance and disappear into the trees above our pathway home. 

What next ?   If only we could get the lizard to eat the shell fish and the snake to eat the rats for us .... but lets not go there, we've had three snakes on board Crystal Blues over the years, and three is enough.

Vale Ray Worrall, 1921 - 2013

My father in law Ray Worrall passed away on April 16th. That's him in the yellow jacket, sailing aboard Shamrock back in 2006. 

He loved boats, loved sailing, and really loved his fishing.  Ray was a glorious man who helped others and gave endlessly.  In his retirement he eventually worked part time in the workshop at my business, where he was best mates with my father Dean, and a friend to all our team.  Ray encouraged us to always do the best job, never to accept second rate, and to value our own work and contributions.  He brightened our lives at work.

Ray treated me like a son from day one, and welcomed me into his family.  It is a privilege to have shared in his life.  Neil.

Whitby Harbour - Living Sailing History



The River Esk, Whitby Harbour

In Whitby, the locals say there are three ways of doing things - the right way, the wrong way, and the Whitby way.  The latter way seems to be enthusiastic, friendly, and sailing mad !

Whitby Yacht Club Pontoon

Captain James Cook earned his apprenticeship here in Whitby, serving on a range of vessels in his early sailing life.  Cook's later voyages of discovery were remarkable, including the charting of the eastern Australian coast.  His early masters residence is now the Captain Cook Museum in Whitby, and it was this connection that brought the traveling Langford clan to North Yorkshire.

Whitby Yacht Club View

My father Dean was keen to see the port and the museum, so on we came. Whitby Yacht Club (who have the best harbour view in town) gave us a very warm welcome, as did the friendly Port Controller and marina staff.  This place is tailor made for sailors - and for fisherman. We enjoyed their hospitality.

Sailing Tradition

 Peter & I In The Model Room

In London for a family reunion, I'm staying at the Royal Thames Yacht Club.

The club house is located in Knightsbridge, adjacent to Hyde Park, and is full of history. 

Among the many canon, flags, trophies and paintings that decorate the club, the main bar has a large half-model of Australia II, Alan Bond's revolutionary Americas Cup winner.  

Of course today is the 30th Anniversary of that great victory.

My father Dean, sister Julie and brother Peter have also made the trip, a chance for the Langford clan to visit with distant relatives in England & Wales. Ley has stayed with Crystal Blues in Phuket. Today we move on to Cambridge and beyond.

Super Yacht Neighbourhood

There go the neighbours - at 213 feet (65 meters) Callisto is an incredibly beautiful motor yacht.  Built in 2006 by Feadship in Holland, she cruises at 15 knots, driven by dual Caterpillar engines totalling 4000 horse power,  and carries 128,000 litres of fuel.  Sixteen crew keep the guests happy and the vessel on course.

Its all very different to the way Crystal Blues functions, but I think we're fairly comfortable just the same.  Callisto was berthed right adjacent to us on "A Dock" here at Yacht Haven Marina.

At over 1,300 tons she dwarfed our mere 22 tons, but she did keep us shaded for several hours each morning.

She kindly shut down her port side generator for us, so we wouldn't have to live with the noise.  Hats off to the Callisto crew, who also offered assistance and tools when we were removing our Onan generator.  From our Rogue Wave wifi bridge I could count eight (8) wi-fi hot spots onboard Callisto, with 3 dedicated just to the audiovisual systems - my sort of boat !  On departure she pushed out from the berth sideways, against a 1.5 knot tide, with absolutely no effort.

The Cruising Life At Yacht Haven Marina

The Admiral Is An Expert Painter

After four months of cruising we berthed at Yacht Haven Marina two weeks ago and immediately started preparations for our next voyage.  One big job was the removal of the old generator, but (as always) there are many on the work list.

We've cleaned and refreshed the hull paint where the old generator was, and we're now working on the support base and fuel tank for the new generator.

Paper Navigation Charts - A Disappearing Story

With The Admiral away in Singapore on a visa run, I was tasked with reviewing our huge collection of paper charts, and disposing of those we don't need to carry.  However, as I sorted through the first of many chart packs, I had a real panic attack - how could we get rid of these ?  They're a treasure trove of information.

For me, they're also an instant connection to the past, rightfully carrying the names of often famous cartographers and navigators.  Many of these charts are beautiful works of art - the land mass is carefully drawn, shaded and defined, not just filled with a color wash as we see on our modern electronic systems.

Onboard Crystal Blues we keep a paper log and an electronic log, so we have a trail of position fixes available if needed.  For years we've told ourselves that if the electronics died we'd transfer those position fixes to paper charts and work from there with conventional navigation tools.  But would we really ?

Examine the images at right, then compare them with the old paper chart image at the top of this screen - its the same area - there is so much more information readily available in the modern electronic systems.

Fact is that we have have four full functional electronic chart systems on board - two computers that run Transas Navigator and Open CPN software, plus two iPads running Navionics HD and various other charting or mapping apps.  How much redundancy do we need ?  What could cause all four of those systems to fail at the same time ? Nothing short of a nuclear holocaust or perhaps a major meteor strike I think.

So, should we continue to carry around hundreds and hundreds of paper charts, most of which are inevitably out of date and not corrected ?

Things That Work For Us # 2 - The Rogue Wave WiFi

Almost a year ago we wrote about the Rogue Wave - a WiFi bridge built for cruising sailors (read that story here). At the time our only issue was the chrome plated antenna base, which looked pretty tacky after six months of salt air.

Some months later Randy from Land and Sea WiFi wrote to us saying the Rogue Wave was now shipping with a new stainless steel base.  He promptly sent a unit to us for testing, which has now been installed for over six months and still looks perfect.

Randy  also pointed out that a "pro" version of the Rogue Wave is now available, with a complete stainless steel body.  So now there are two models .... I'll be buying the stainless steel unit next time.

Here at Yacht Haven marina in Phuket the Rogue Wave is giving us amazing connection speeds.   Our friend Dana Fowlkes from SV Villa G reported that at Boat Lagoon marina, where connectivity is ALWAYS flaky, adding a Rogue Wave to his system clearly improved the stability and the connection speeds.

Just Cruising - The Boat Shack At Ko Phayam

Cruising Sailors Enjoy The View At Ko Phayam.  The Crew Includes Fellow OCC Members Gordon & Helen MacKenzie (Mantra of Glasgow),  Aussie Cruisers Mark Ainscough & Cathy Charlick (Catch A Star) And Our Newly Minted First Mate, Ray Pitt.    Photo By Jan Pitt

It did take us seven years to discover the place, for which we are kicking ourselves, but this year we've spent seven weeks at Ko Phayam.  The island is beautiful, the people are friendly and the pace of life is oh-so laid back.  No cars, no AC power distribution, but lots of small independent resorts right on the beach with basic facilities and great food. 

Tony & Pen - Photo By Mark Ainscough

Then of course there is The Boat Shack, a dreamy thatch roofed pavilion right on the beach in Buffalo Bay - the northern bay on the western side of the island.  Its run by Tony, an expatriate Aussie, and Pen his wife of over 30 years.  They've traveled widely together but settled on Ko Phayam 20 years ago.  Now they run a small guest house plus The Boat Shack, from where they rent out paddle boards, small boats, wind surfers etc.

Tony and Pen welcome cruising sailors to the island, providing local knowledge, advice and logistical support with many of the things that cruisers need. I should add that Pen is a mean cook and her Thai food is delicious.

As long term cruisers, its the people we meet who make a difference in our lives - thanks Tony and Pen for treating us as old friends - you're special people.

For Buffalo Bay & Boat Shack location & details, read on.

No Tears Were Shed For The Onan MDK-AU

This morning at 8.30am we finished the job.  The Onan is gone.  Local mechanic Graeme Eaton arrived with a chain hoist and simple scaffold arrangement.  It lifted straight out, then we slid it down on to the dock using our timber barge board plank.

AME picked it up at 2.00pm and it disappeared on the back of a motorcycle sidecar.  Good riddance.
If you type Onan into the search field on this page you'll see why no tears were shed.  We promise not to mention it again.

Eventually we'll talk about the unit that will replace it, but that's another story.

Fish Traps In Paradise

A common hazard in Thai coastal waters, fish traps create differing reactions among cruisers in the region.
Onboard Crystal Blues we work hard to avoid them, though it is common to be sitting in the cockpit and see one slide past only a metre away.  Oops.

The flags are often poorly maintained and they can be very hard to see subject to daylight conditions. Of course at night we have no chance, so our coastal navigation is almost always in daylight.

The dark fish trap flag in the photo above, a good boat length from Crystal Blues, is easy to see against the sky, but difficult against the darker water.  We pass many hundreds of these in a coastal day sail, and they are prolific north of Phuket, between Ban Thap Lamu and the Myanmar border.  One sailor I spoke to says he has given up worrying about them - he just ignores them.  Others I know have spent frustrating hours hooked up to traps, working to clear lines from rudders, skegs and propellers.  We value our paint job, so we do everything we can to avoid them.

The Onan Genset Blues / 2812 Hours

Fault Code 41 - It's a slow blues in E, with a fat bass line and lots of open space between the notes.....those open spaces represent the quiet times when the generator doesn't work.  OK, so I'm really really cynical..... but the music stopped at 2812 hours, as you can see on the meter reading at left.

Onan MDK-AU Installed

10 years ago we bought a shiny new Onan generator, model MDK-AU, and (stupidly) paid to have someone else install it in the boat.  Whilst the installation problems were sorted out eventually, the inherent defects in the generator were beyond repair.  Just twelve months later the good folks at Cummins Power Generation (who had recently purchased Onan worldwide) agreed that we had a lemon and gave us a new unit !  To their enduring credit they paid for everything - berthing, labour, cranes, technicians etc.  So, nine years ago we started again with a new unit .... the only problem was this unit had most of the same problems the old unit did.  Last month it finally stopped producing power, again.  The great Kubota engine is willing, the alternator is willing, but the Onan control board is faulty.  Should we spend over A$2000.00 on a new control board ?  No way.  We decided it was time to say goodbye.

Sailing Is In The Family

NS38 Moneypenny On Port Philip Bay

I learned sailing from my father Dean, as did my brother Peter.  He sails his North Shore 38 Moneypenny from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, in Williamstown.  This great photograph was taken during Geelong Race Week over the Australia Day weekend.  Peter tells me the snazzy red hats let him find the crew in the bar after the racing ....

Things That Work For Us ..... Turtle-Pac Flexible Tanks

Whilst we aren't happy about the demise of our Onan genset (more on that in the future), we are rewarded when we see other systems that work as advertised .... and keep on working.  We're also pleased when we get great manufacturers support.

Turtle-Pac Water Deck Tank

Eleven years ago we installed four Turtle-Pac flexible water tanks inside our re-finished steel water tanks.  They're still going strong, and were recently expertly serviced by Turtle-Pac in Queensland.  In 2004 we added two more tanks for fresh water and in 2007 one more as a black-water waste tank.


We also have two deck tanks - one for fuel and one for water - of 200 litres each.   These are filled and tied down under the boom for long passages, then rolled up and stored away when not required.

That's First Mate Ray Pitt stowing away a 200 litre water tank at left.

They're very lightweight and easy to stow.

Double The Crew, Double The Fun

A couple of weeks back we were joined on board by good friends Ray & Jan Pitt, veteran Crystal Blues holiday sailors and determined thrill seekers. As you can see from this photograph, they're very comfortable onboard.

That is Ley and Jan at left, having fun at the Hippy Bar on Ko Phayam.

What a time we had - a week at beautiful Ko Phayam and then a slow cruise south to Phuket, including Ko Ra, Ban Tap Lamu and the Similan Islands.

Ray has become a great First Mate on Crystal Blues, whilst Jan continues to perfect her role as Galley Bitch Extrordinaire - when they're not sleeping of course. 

Check below for images from our cruise with Ray and Jan.

Onan Genset Blues

Fault Code 41 :  There is no way my hands will be clean for days - have just removed the control board on our Onan MDK-AU genset, which took about 4 hours.  Tomorrow I'll put it back again, after cleaning, in the vain hope that it might work.

This is very frustrating - the generator runs perfectly, when the controller will let it.  But an intermittent fault in the control board now prevents it from starting, most of the time. The controller reports that the rotor (field) is grounded (fault code 41),  however when we test the field circuit it is not grounded.  So the control board is faulty.  We've heard of similar problems with Onan control boards, but even knowing we're not the first, its still VERY frustrating.

A phone call to Onan back in Australia revealed that a new control board would set us back $2700.00.  Yikes. 
If anyone has any clues on this issue we'd be pleased to hear from them !  We hear that our friends on SV Sea Bunny and SV Tweed are also working on their generators, so we're not the only ones nashing our teeth.

Offshore Sailing With A 406 EPIRB - What Price Safety ?

Like many cruising sailors, we've been is Asia for some time, in our case over seven years.  We frequently look westward, hoping that the piracy problems will go away and allow us to continue our voyage towards Europe.  Unfortunately the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden are still not safe, as confirmed in recent sailing advisories. There is a strong trend amongst cruising boats to travel westwards on a safer route, via Rodriguez, Mauritius, La Reunion, South Africa and the Cape of Good Hope.  A loose but effective communication network has been established for those boats, supported with great energy by Richard & Susan Kidd on SV Sea Bunny, who are this year maintaining a list of vessels planning to head west, and sharing information on weather, anchorages, pilotage etc.

Here on Crystal Blues we're busy servicing and checking everything we need to cross oceans safely.  As cruising sailors we absolutely depend on our primary safety tools - a sound vessel and responsible seamanship.  However when things go really wrong we would turn to our secondary safety systems to help us out - life jackets, life rafts, radio communications and the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon, or 406 EPIRB. 

This is the first of several stories discussing the recent changes in technology and the challenges we have selecting the right safety tools for a life afloat.

406 Emergency Beacons

Ten years ago we invested significantly in the latest and greatest EPIRB, a 406mhz device with built in GPS, designed to alert the rescue services and tell them (accurately) where we were.  It cost over $2,000.00 !  This year, we wanted to replace the battery, as required, preparing the unit for further service.

Here Is What We Found .....

First of all, a "certified" new battery installation for our beacon, installed by the nominated agents in nearby Singapore, will cost around US$750.00.  However, a brand new McMurdo 406 GPS EPIRB, a later generation with improved specifications, will cost about $20.00 less !  Other brands have similar options.  Understandably, many cruisers are opting to buy the new product, though we've now found there is an attractive option. Our research has also uncovered some interesting gaps in our understanding and some surprises regarding the performance of existing EPIRB products!

Gong Xi Fa Chai

The year of the snake is upon us ... it started a few weeks back with a green and yellow sea snake trying to climb aboard the dinghy at Kata beach in Phuket.  No photos I'm sorry, we were too busy trying to discourage it !

However this year is set to be an interesting one for us - we're up to our necks in planning a departure from Asia, after seven years.  The current plan (and it may change of course) is to head down to Singapore in May, then move down through Indonesia to the Sunda Strait, Krakatoa and then the Cocos Keeling Islands.  From there we'd head south west, across the Southern Indian Ocean to Rodriguez, Mauritius and La Reunion, about 4000 nautical miles in total we estimate.

I Love My Onan Genset ....?

So everything is being serviced and updated in preparation for our first long distance voyaging in some years.  This rush of activity has not been helped by yet another genset breakdown - working on it this morning I couldn't help but remember the sea snake that called our genset home for a few days back in New Caledonia - quite exciting to remove him.  This year may well be equally exciting !

We're presently anchored at beautiful Nai Yang Beach in northern Phuket, ticking off maintenance jobs and updating all our safety systems for the voyaging ahead.

The list of changes and updates required is a little daunting, and it includes some new technology that we hope will improve crew safety at sea.  We'll post news on that work over the coming weeks.  Visitors are expected later this month, so we hope to cruise back to beautiful Ko Phayam again in a week or so.

Nai Yang Beach & Anchorage

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Our iPad On Board

iPad Can Display Your Existing PC Navigation System

Many cruising sailors have PC's installed onboard, running navigation applications such as Fugawi, C.Map, MaxSea, OpenCPN or other programs.  Then along came the iPad and muddied the waters somewhat.... well quite a lot actually !

The iPad is great for reading e-books, handling email, web viewing, skype calling, music listening, video replay and a million other tasks. It connects simply to our PC and has changed the way we communicate with others.

Like many other sailors, we use the excellent Navionics HD charting application on our iPad - it's a great tool.  Intuitive and simple to use, it keeps getting better with every upgrade.  I understand that Navionics sales via the Apple iTunes store are enormous.  Of course with the Navionics app the iPad is not linked to the boat's instrument systems, so it won't display ARPA or AIS targets, wind, depth or any of the other NMEA data relating to the boat or its environment.  But the mobility of the device is attractive - we can use it anywhere on board, subject to prevailing weather. 

However there is a simple way to have the best of both worlds - the mobility and convenience of the iPad and the complete suite of information that is already displayed on your PC screen.  You have two options ........

Gear For Sale - Pumps, Solar Controllers & More

Ley and I hate throwing good equipment away, yet somehow each year we accumulate items that just don't have a home aboard.  Over the past few months we've accumulated quite a hoard, and we want to get rid of it !

So, if you need a 12v watermaker pump or a 3/4" water strainer, or new valves for your inflatable dinghy, we've got a deal waiting for you.


Check the full details by clicking here.


If you need a solar controller, small pressure storage vessel, priming tank or a DC ammeter, give us a call. Its all functional and in good condition, some is new.

We'll gladly accept beer in lieu of cash - A$20 equals one IBU (International Beer Unit), which is 24 cans.  You get the idea.... and postage is extra !

A Room With A View

Ley reminded me the other day that it has been a few years since we were "serious" cruisers.  It's taken three months since we re-launched at Boat Lagoon, but it now really does feel good to be cruising "properly".  We're discovering new places, meeting new cruising friends and getting back into the regular swing of life afloat.

So I thought we should share this image, taken during our rigging inspection a few days ago at Ko Phayam. Those who've been following our work will pick the new solar panels on the bimini, but no one can pick the 30 or so plastic cable ties that needed replacing between the bottom of the mast and the top.  Fortunately I love the view.

Thai Trawlers

Clean & Tidy,  But The Smell ..... !

In this part of the world cruising sailors quickly become familiar with the local Thai trawlers and squid boats.  At sea they often move in unpredictable and haphazard directions, keeping us on our toes as we pass them off the coast.  They also often work in pairs, trawling a huge net between the two boats, and we do know of yachts that have been "netted" in this way - not a lot of fun !

Can You Keep a Secret ?

Buffalo Bay

We're anchored in a slice of paradise at Ko Phayam, near the Burmese border.  After a week, we now find a new excuse each day not to leave. There are a few jobs to finish where we need a quiet anchorage - tick. We have friends arriving soon...still waiting - tick. There is another side of the bay, yet to be explored - tick.  We could go on ....

We do love it here, and have to ask ourselves why it has taken us 7 years to sail here. It is some comfort that we met another boat that has been in Asia since the mid 1990's arrived here for the first time the same day we did.  Is this the best kept secret in Thailand?  Many say that Ko Phayam is now like Phuket was 30 years ago.

Our first anchorage was at Long Beach, which many cruisers have christened as "Wide Beach", as it shallows very slowly and at low tide the dinghy drag back from the high water mark is across a firm 50 meter beach. We rented a motor bike, criss crossed the island on the narrow concrete paths and dirt tracks.

There are no cars here, a few tractors that cart around drinking water and generator fuel, and many motor bikes. The paths took us through acres of cashew nut and rubber tree plantations and also natural jungle.

We rode across to the pier and the main village, purchased fresh fruit and vegetables, explored all points of the compass and then collapsed at the first village. Neil recovered with a massage, Ley with her book.