Water, Water Everywhere

Next time you turn on the tap for a glass of water or you have a shower, remember how easy it was to perform that simple, everyday act. In our latest episode we explain why it can take us over two hours to do the same…

Having delayed our check-in to Thailand for far too long, it was time to get to Ao Chalong, the main commercial bay of Phuket Island.

It’s normal for us to wake at dawn, but Millie is usually the first on deck, often because she’s been keeping watch throughout the night. Today the horizon was filled with another spectacular sunrise–a bit like dolphins, you never get tired of them.

Millie the ship's cat keeps watch
Millie the ship’s cat keeps watch

After breakfast we took a last look at the view, weighed anchor and motored off in clear skies with little wind. As we picked up speed a few startled tiddlers jumped out of the water and landed on the swim platform, so Liz put them in a bucket for Millie to hone her fishing skills.

millie-practices-fishing

We were soon entering Ao Chalong, a huge, protected anchorage on the southeast corner of Phuket island. As it was packed with every kind of boat, we played it safe and stayed away from the crowded mooring buoys. This meant a long dinghy ride to shore, and timing our landings carefully to avoid the very low tides.

Checking in is easy in Ao Chalong, with harbour master, customs and immigration in three rooms next to each other. The whole efficient process took 15 minutes (this was after registering on their computer system first). No-one seemed to mind that it had taken us over two weeks to get from Malaysia to Thailand–a journey that should only take a couple of days–so all the doom-laden warnings we had been given by the bar-fly sailing fraternity evaporated in the friendly offices.

checking-in-ao-chalong

Like many sailors before us, we discovered the Phuket Cruising Yacht Club, a warm, rustic spot run by Captain Brent McInnes. It soon became a regular stopover whenever we went ashore.

phuket-cruising-yacht-club

Catch all this and more in the video clip at the top of the page (if you don’t see the clip you can catch it here on youtube).

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2 thoughts on “Water, Water Everywhere”

  1. Hey Richard, great to hear from you.Particularly interested in your clock past-time. My father has been researching his family history and his ancestors, by the surname of Pettit, were clock makers based in Essex. I wonder if you’ve heard of them? Dad’s done a fair bit of research into this already and has identified a number of Pettit clocks in the region, from tall farmer’s clocks to clock-towers built into farm houses.

  2. Love follow the boat, Millie at sunrise looking out, the first frame she looked like a Lioness, Hope you have given Jamie a kick and got the water maker now fixed,
    Funny enough, I have been looking for a Catalina 30ft mk11 that I could buy, then enjoy some blue water sailing, make a change from my Kovolam visits which I do enjoy, Being retired and on my own, I have plenty of time on my hands, I would need to find a catery for Mi Mi. She is curled up on the end of my bed.
    Have you both considered sailing, closer to Europe, or the Caribbean? One Catalina I found on eBay was moored on the river Rio Dulce Isabal in Guatemala, but having opened a thread on YBW headed Catalina 30ft, was soon put off the area and the boat on eBay that I found there, by the lads on the thread. But not the boat, it has a lot to offer, but one important thing I had over looked was that it would have to be post 1986 to have a CE certificate if I wanted to bring it at some further date to the UK. So looking to see what might find out there in Europe.
    One of the things I do enjoy, is buying and selling Antique Clocks, I’m a member of the NAWCC which is an American clock forum, that deals with everything to do with clocks,I currently have about 55 clocks in the house, manly German and French, so if ever you fancy a clock then let me know, I also do clock repairs, that helps with buying new equipment as well. Attached is one of my favourite French clocks. Well that’s me for now, will follow the boat, kind regards Richard.

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