Guest Post – Joleen’s blog of our time in Thailand

Mustang Sally at Koh Phayam

I meet Warren back in 2004 after famously presenting him with a Mount Gay Rum jacket from Cronin’s Pub in Crosshaven, Co. Cork. Sure how could he resist the charms of an Irish cailín when I cheekily asked could I join them for the Atlantic crossing. Back then I set off with Sam and Trish and we sailed from the Canaries to the Cape Verdes and onwards to Barbados. I left them in Trinidad to join Star of the West, but they hadn’t seen the last of me, as we’ve been in touch ever since and after several rendezvous in New Zealand, we all met again in Thailand!

Joleen, our guest blogger for this post

Laden down with enough sun screen to open a shop, sarong, several swimsuits and snorkelling gear I was excited to join Mustang Sally and the crew again. Warren since bought a new boat Kanaloa, an Oyster 55, but she was sitting in the yard at Premier in Phuket getting some work done to her. We had planned to set off in her to Myanmar and the Andaman islands on this trip but it simply was not to be this time.

Sundown at Yacht Haven Marina, Phuket

We waited in the marina at Yacht Haven for a week for several jobs to be completed to Mustang Sally. It was a great insight into what life has been like for Warren, Trish and young Morgan who had rented a little room near the marina and life was filled with boat duties, corresponding for work back in NZ, home schooling, weekly Maui Thai and swimming lessons and playing with kids at the marina.

Our first stop was a short sail to Phang Nga Bay. Exploding for a swim, we all jumped into the water but I managed to swim into jellyfish soup and got some nasty stings, so we reverted to kayaks for Hong hunting and cave exploration from then on.

Hong hunting at Koh Phanak

Phang Nga Bay

No adventure could go undocumented and as Warren had been gifted a new Go Pro from his family. We set that up on route and recorded a fun time lapse of our motor sail to Nai Harn on the south western tip of Phuket.

This was a lovely little town, which seemed to be overrun with fitness fanatics who were out running, cycling, saluting the sun and doing press ups by the roundabouts and enjoying the free outdoor gyms. The sun set over the bay for a delightful sight as we sipped cold beers at the dinghy dock and ate the best pizza in Thailand (after a year in the country, we think that Morgan and Trish are qualified experts to warrant such a claim!)

Nah Hairn Beach

From here it was onto the uninhabited islands of Koh Surin and Koh Similan. The Similans, known for pristine waters, great diving and snorkelling did not disappoint. We picked up a mooring on the north western side of island #8. We arrived in the evening and had the beach and all it’s funny shaped rocks pretty much to ourselves, except for a few campers who were pitched up for the night. The following day, the bay seemed like a different place with oodles upon oodles of speed boats and dive boats joining us. At one point we counted just under 50 boats, each of whom would have been carrying between 20 and 50 passengers. The beach did not have a square inch free and so we waited onboard until the crowds left and then escaped by dinghy to a little island opposite us, where we enjoyed a lovely snorkel amongst schools of bright fish and a zippy little turtle!.

Snorkelling at the Similan Islands

Dinghy ride at the Similan Islands

Crossing into Burmese Waters

We were also joined by Ray and Shaunnaugh and their 15 year old dog Whiskey on their boat Parlay. We sailed onwards with them to the Surin Islands, another un-inhabited island group which is part of the national park and the closest island group to Burmese waters. Of course, since Myanmar was initially on our to-do list, we made a point of sailing over the border. Check!

Ray from Parley, snorkelling at the Similan islands

By now, Morgan and I had a morning routine of kayaking, swimming, beach combing and what not. At this point you would think that a holiday couldn’t get any better, but a longer morning swim undisturbed by jellyfish, was followed by amazing snorkelling topped my daily list.

Rumour on the sailing circuit that Koh Phayam was a must visit island. The type of place that once you arrive, you just don’t want to leave. It’s not in the pilot book and by all accounts was  a hidden paradise. Curious for what was on offer, we sailed the 35 nautical miles for Aow Yai or “Big Bay” on the south west of the island. The island is certainly a little gem that hasn’t been overrun by the typical Thai tourist scene. It is calm, beautiful, clean, remote and friendly. Our first stop was the Rasta Bar where we chatted with a guy Mark who owned a Fish and Chip shop near Butlins in the UK and met Stephanie, a hypnotherapist who lived in Paris with her 6 year old son Milo. Milo and Morgan became best friends in minutes and entertained each other over the following days as we were quite happy to stay.

Set back from the beach were several bars, shops and restaurants. We hired scooters and combed all 35 sq km of the island and found possibly the most unique bar in the world!. Built like a pirate ship from driftwood the bow juts out of the jungle at Buffalo Bay. It’s quite amazing and a treasure trove of nooks and crannies and little driftwood details.

“The Hippy Bar” built like a pirate ship at Buffalo Bay, Koh Phayam

Trish and Morgan on the scooter

We are now sitting at anchor in that same bay. We motored here yesterday and were joined by Stephanie and Milo who were very excited by the alternative travel arrangements we offered them. We’ve meet more cruisers, more families and enjoyed a happy hour at the beach yesterday evening with Graham and Caitriona and their kids Max and Jude on Shanti.

For me it’s the final days of another super time on Mustang Sally. I’ve enjoyed not having to wear shoes for three weeks, watching Trish chew through books, Morgan building all types of Lego ships, our endless games of the pirate brothers Olonso and Alfonso and Warren’s detailed planning and logging with tipples of rum in the evening and general goodness all round. There’s a Full Moon party tonight, so it’s glow sticks and luminous paint at the ready. On a scale of one to ten, we are at about eleven right now

Happy hour on the beach with Ray and Shaunagh from Parlay and Caitriona and Graham from Shanti

“Aye aye me hearties”

Sundown at Koh Similan

Trish, Morgan and Warren at Aoi Yai, Koh Phayam with Mustang Sally in the background.