Departed Ao Chalong Thursday 15 September. 6.30am. Good winds to start with up to 20knots with the boat slicing through the water at just over 6 knots – good sailing. The winds lasted until midday, then didn’t.
We arrived at Ko Rok Nok at 18.15 – 55 mile motor sail. I watched a spectacular sunset as I picked up a mooring. I gave the mooring a good tug with the engine to see if it would hold. The water is crystal clear on these islands as there is no cultivation and very little habitation.
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| Moored off Ko Rawi. Ko Adang in the background |
The following day it was a long motor sail, 45 miles, to the Butangs (Adang, Rawi, Butang and Lipe). The Volvo behaved well. I anchored toward the western end of the Butang group of islands to get protection from the wind and waves. I decided not to take mooring as the location was too close to the channel where there was a strong current. I did some snorkelling in the clear water and cleaned some of the barnacles off the bottom of the boat. It was good to actually see the bottom of the boat to clean it as opposed to bumping into things in murky water around Phuket and Langkawi.
I headed to the eastern end of Ko Rawi to get water. I picked up a mooring. I snorkelled the reef and was impressed with the coral and fish life. The season has not started in the Butangs yet so there were very few people about other than the local Cow Ley (Sea Gypsies) . After spending not a very pleasant night with the mooring bumping into the hull and rolling around in the current and swell I decided to head to Ko Tarutao. The weather was overcast and foreboding. The winds picked up 20 knots and we had a great sail on a beam reach to Tarutao doing 5 to 6 knots.
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| Thai fishing boats off Ko Tarutao |
There were several fishing boats in the area where I anchored. Toward sunset more fishing boats arrived. I could only assume that this was a safe anchorage and the fishing boats sort shelter. I spent tow nights at Tarutoa doing chores, baking bread, reading etc.
I arrived back in Langkawi, Telaga on Wednesday September 22 just on the equinox.
