Shortly after leaving the shelter of the hills on Ko Muk the predominant north easterly monsoon wind became more apparent. I was able to raise the sails and turn off the motor. Ken the autopilot, predicably, fell apart again when the wind picked up. Smithy the Windpilot was, a little stiff through lack of use, engaged for the job of steering the boat. It was so very good to be sailing again with the wind on a beam reach around 12 to 15 knots, the boat travelling at around 5 and 6 knots. This was the Land Breeze and is stronger in the early morning. Being winter in this part of the world the land cools to below the temperature of the sea (30 degrees Celsius), the sea heats the air, causing the air to rise and draw in the air from the land. I had been more aware of the afternoon sea breeze or Fremantle Doctor off Western Australia where the opposite effect occurs.
By 8.00am the wind dropped to 6 to 10 knots, the boat speed was below 4 knots, I raised the MPS or dreaded coloured sail. The boat speed was soon up to 6 knots. An hour later the winds were back up to 15 knots so had to drop the MPS and set the jib. Shortly after midday the winds dropped and I raised the MPS (asymmetrical spinnaker). The best point of sail with the MPS in light airs is to have the apparent wind right on the beam. Sailing on a broad reach or further aft in anything below 15 knots wind (apparent) is hot and less effective. After midday we passed the island of Ko Pi Pi – Thailand’s legendary island. Well it may have been 20 years ago, now sadly it is just another overcrowded island festooned with tourist resorts.
I dropped anchor in Ao Chalong bay, Phuket and 17.30. This had been my longest sail, 13.5 hours, since leaving Indonesia almost 4 months previously. Ao Chalong was more crowded with yachts and busy with tourist tripper boats zooming in and out than when I was here last. November to January is the tourist high season in Thailand.
On the morning of January 3 I headed for Immigration, Customs and Harbour Master to check in. The formalities took less than an hour and about $30 disappeared. It would appear graft and corruption are affected by inflation.
