Navy Base to Nai Harn Bay
03 March 2016
18/2/16 “Ban Thap Lamu” (Navy Base is a nick name because the Thai Navy is situated in this town) -Today we decided to go to Khao Lak for shopping for Jan’s cushions & lunch. Before we left the boat we decided to check that the anchorage was secure, we found that we were near a 5-12m bank. While re-anchoring we found that something was on our propeller, Ray dived and discovered a net, which he removed. With the boat anchored safe we were ready to go to Khao Lak. We hired a car with a driver for 400bht (approximately AUD16) each way but we had to be back by 2:30 as he had his other passengers to pick up. We took Whiskey with us as it is too hot to leave her in the boat. We walked around the shops, until Ray suggested we go to the “Happy bungalows” for lunch and a swim. As Jan & I didn’t have any swimwear with us we went on a shopping spree for swimwear as you can’t have too many and met Ray and Nathan at Happy Bungalows for lunch. Happy Bungalows charged us 200bht to use the pool but it was worth it. After lunch, drinks and swim we went back to the boats. It was a very relaxing day.
Anchorage at Ban Thap Lamu is very good except when the tourist boats return in the afternoon.
Dogs at Ban Thap Lamu – there are local dogs, most are good and under control.
19/2/16 Nai Yang - We decided to leave the Navy Base for Nai Yang (nick name Airport Beach because the airport is close). We left about 9am, we motored until the wind came in then sailed in fluctuating winds, and I suggested we stop at Thai Muang Beach. We tried to anchor but the anchor wouldn’t bite, we had 4 tries with no luck so we gave up and continued to Nai Yang. Once in Nai Yang we tried to anchor again, 4 times with no luck. We moved to another part of the bay this time 3 times with no luck. The daylight was coming to an end and in desperation we decided to change anchors and see if it would work. This was not a small mission, it involved lowering the dinghy, taking the dinghy to the bow, securing dinghy to bow and lowering the spare anchor into it, then winching up the other anchor that was bouncing along the seabed and lowering that into the dinghy. Swapping over the chain/warp onto the anchor we want to use, winching the anchor out of the dinghy. All this while the wind picked up and decided to blow us towards the reef. So every so often I had to start up and move us away from the reef very slowly so not to upset the work that was happening at the bow. Finally when ready we re-anchored and even thou it wasn’t a very good drop it bit straight away, which meant something must be wrong with the other anchor. After we were anchored safely we had to stow the broken anchor and get ready for dinner with “Hebjeb. We had a shower and a stiff drink while getting ready, Jan rang to say they had had their dinner and were going back to the boat. We decided to go in anyway and eat at the Indian Restaurant, the meal was wonderful. We grabbed some takeaway Tandoori Chicken for lunch the next day and went back to the boat for a well-earned rest.
20/2/16 Nai Yang to Nai Harn Bay Day 1 - We arrived at Nai Harn Bay about 11:45, after anchoring we lowered the dingy and drove around for a meet and greet with all our other sailing buddies, this is a very popular bay. We decided to go with the sailors from “New Views” to lunch at the beach restaurants on the east side of the bay; it was tricky getting in with the rocks and the people swimming. In the future I will moor at the dinghy wharf and walk down to this beach as there are too many swimmers and rocks. The meal was nice but nothing to rave about, I felt it was a bit more pricey then the other side as well.
21/2/16 Nai Harn Bay Day 2 - Today I met a person who told me they had their dinghy on the main beach and a big Russian man came to the dinghy, picked up their anchor, took the anchor and dinghy into deeper water and threw the anchor into the deeper water. When challenged he said that the anchors could hurt someone’s foot and should be in deeper water. This may help explain the dinghies that have gone missing in December and January; if the dinghy anchor is not secure it would just float away on the tide.
22/2/16 Nai Harn Bay day 3 “Happy Buddha Day” – Today is Happy Buddha Day, there is not takeaway alcohol allowed to be sold today from any of the shops. It is also a public holiday for those in government offices. We have enough alcohol and we are not checking out so this doesn’t affect us at all. We found a good pizzeria today, expensive compared to Thai food but very good quality and taste so well worth the little bit extra.
Nai Harn Bay anchorage – great in strong winds
Nai Harn Bay dogs – Need to keep your dog on a lead and take magic stick.
23/2/16 Nai Harn to Raca Yai Bay then to Koh Yai – We left Nai Harn for Raca Yai Bay approximately 10am, wind 15knots E/NE. When we arrived we found a mooring straight away, I cooked lunch of steak, corn and roast tomato salad, yum. While I was cooking Ray saw a tourist boat looking for a mooring, he felt sorry for him to he told him he could tie onto us. It felt weird a boat larger tied onto the back of us, maybe Ray was trying to impress with a really big dinghy? After lunch and a swim we decided to check on the arrival time for Cheryl, shit we’ve mixed up the dates when we extended the visa. We immediately dropped the mooring and high tailed it for the marina, after making sure the large boat tied onto us had moved onto another mooring. No wind so we are going to motor to Koh Rang Yai tonight and Yacht Haven Marina the next day.
Sorry I am a bit behind I have lost this information while posting it when the internet dropped out suddenly. I will continue tomorrow. Cheers Shaunnaugh