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Tuesday 16th January 2007

Emma's Birthday today, the four guys have booked into the resort on the east coast of the island, we are on the west, we looked at the resort on this side, as it had a higher rating, five star, but it was fully booked.
We all got the tractor, trailer over to the other side, at 1000 hours, the resort was wonderful, the whole place was so relaxing, and we all loved it, far, far better than the resort on the west side, and costing £50 per night per couple with breakfast, as apposed to £240.
Their rooms have king size beds, satellite TV, air conditioning, a large shower room, and lovely views, all set in an area of undulating, manicured lawns, with coconut trees, it is magnificent, against a back drop of the blue ocean.
We had lunch, after spending the morning swimming in the beautiful swimming pool, the food was very good, and fairly priced.
Spent the afternoon, again around the pool, then went up to the restaurant at 1600 hours, where we had arranged a birthday cake of Emma.
Had a wonder down to the beach, and spent some time there, Ben and Nichol went for a Thai massage, Lindy and I left at 1800 hours, with Izzi and Mima, taking the tractor/ trailer back to Racha Bay and Mr Bean.
The anchorage was quite rolly, but the girls were not any trouble, in fact they prefect, Mima, who we though, may have been a problem, was asleep by 2015 hours, whilst watching a DVD.

Wednesday 17th January 2007

The guys like the Banraya resort so much, they have booked another night there, but they will have the girls with them tonight. This means, we can spend today around the resort, and of course it is Darren's Birthday, this is a great resort, booking can be made via the web site, at www.banraya.com , this is for our future reference.
Izzi and Mima and I spent an hour feeding a little shark like fish, with bread, the fish, we have seen lots of them, live under the boat, they stick to the hull with a sucker on its head, the girls had so much fun, just throwing the bread in, then calling sharky, it would then come out, and eat the bread, the girls would fall about laughing, at the fact that the fish was obeying them.
We all left the boat at 0930 hours, and got the tractor back to the resort by 1015 hours, had breakfast there, then went and spent the morning around he pool, with all the family, again, we all had so much fun, Izzi, swims under the water most of the time, and a special eye is needed on her, she has no fear! The kids had Jack ad Amy to play with, so every thing is great. I went and had a head, face, and back massage before we all met up for lunch
In the afternoon, Lindy and I went to Darren's and Em's Chalet, and watched a film on there TV, in air conditioned splendour, napping now and then, stepping back out into the real word by about1600 hours.
We all met up again for dinner at 1800 hours, the menu is very good, and every thing well cooked, but after two day's it would be nice to have a bit more variation in the menu.
We celebrated Darrens birthday, with a cake and candles, and we have arranged for them all to leave at 1500 hours, tomorrow, and have a speed boat take them all to Phuket, at Ao Chaong, and then a taxi will take them to Kata Beach. We will sail up there in the morning and met them all there at about 1630 hrs.

Tuesday 16th January 2007

Emma's Birthday today, the four guys have booked into the resort on the east coast of the island, we are on the west, we looked at the resort on this side, as it had a higher rating, five star, but it was fully booked.
We all got the tractor, trailer over to the other side, at 1000 hours, the resort was wonderful, the whole place was so relaxing, and we all loved it, far, far better than the resort on the west side, and costing £50 per night per couple with breakfast, as apposed to £240.
Their rooms have king size beds, satellite TV, air conditioning, a large shower room, and lovely views, all set in an area of undulating, manicured lawns, with coconut trees, it is magnificent, against a back drop of the blue ocean.
We had lunch, after spending the morning swimming in the beautiful swimming pool, the food was very good, and fairly priced.
Spent the afternoon, again around the pool, then went up to the restaurant at 1600 hours, where we had arranged a birthday cake of Emma.
Had a wonder down to the beach, and spent some time there, Ben and Nichol went for a Thai massage, Lindy and I left at 1800 hours, with Izzi and Mima, taking the tractor/ trailer back to Racha Bay and Mr Bean.
The anchorage was quite rolly, but the girls were not any trouble, in fact they prefect, Mima, who we though, may have been a problem, was asleep by 2015 hours, whilst watching a DVD.

Wednesday 17th January 2007

The guys like the Banraya resort so much, they have booked another night there, but they will have the girls with them tonight. This means, we can spend today around the resort, and of course it is Darren's Birthday, this is a great resort, booking can be made via the web site, at www.banraya.com , this is for our future reference.
Izzi and Mima and I spent an hour feeding a little shark like fish, with bread, the fish, we have seen lots of them, live under the boat, they stick to the hull with a sucker on its head, the girls had so much fun, just throwing the bread in, then calling sharky, it would then come out, and eat the bread, the girls would fall about laughing, at the fact that the fish was obeying them.
We all left the boat at 0930 hours, and got the tractor back to the resort by 1015 hours, had breakfast there, then went and spent the morning around he pool, with all the family, again, we all had so much fun, Izzi, swims under the water most of the time, and a special eye is needed on her, she has no fear! The kids had Jack ad Amy to play with, so every thing is great. I went and had a head, face, and back massage before we all met up for lunch
In the afternoon, Lindy and I went to Darren's and Em's Chalet, and watched a film on there TV, in air conditioned splendour, napping now and then, stepping back out into the real word by about1600 hours.
We all met up again for dinner at 1800 hours, the menu is very good, and every thing well cooked, but after two day's it would be nice to have a bit more variation in the menu.
We celebrated Darrens birthday, with a cake and candles, and we have arranged for them all to leave at 1500 hours, tomorrow, and have a speed boat take them all to Phuket, at Ao Chaong, and then a taxi will take them to Kata Beach. We will sail up there in the morning and met them all there at about 1630 hrs.

Thursday 18th January 2007

Left Koh Racha Yai at 0700 hours, on passage to Kata Beach, Phuket, arrived there at 1000 hours, anchored in 6 metres of clear water, ready to pick up the family this afternoon.
The guys arrived at 1530 hours, and we met them ashore, and spent some time playing on the beach, come 1730 hours, we allwent to have and drink, getting off the beach, away from the attacking sand flies, followed by dinner, back to the boat by1930 hours.

Friday 19thJanuary 2007

Darren, Em, Ben and Nichol, took a Tuk Tuk to Patong, at 1030 hours, whilst Lindy and I looked after Izzi and Mima, we had a lovely time on the beach, had lunch, then back to the boat.

The guys got back from Patong about 1530 hors, and motored around to Nai Harn 5 miles away, The beach there was sand and coral, not what we had wanted of the girls, but it was a lovely calm anchorage, Daz, Ben and Em swam ashore, Lindy took Nichol, Mimi, in the dingy.
We had a great BBQ, of chilli prawns, honey and ginger chicken breast, boiled potato, and a lovely salad, whilst watching the sunset.
Spent the evening watching a DVD in the cockpit, Lindy and I are now sleeping in it, so that Mima can sleep in the forepeak, as she was getting to hot in the single cabin.

Saturday 20th January 2007

We left Nai Harn after breakfast, so we could split the trip up, on our way back to the Marina, we have booked to go back into the Royal Phuket marina on Monday, we should be OK with the depth thing , as we will have high spring tides of 3.1 metres on Monday at 1139 hours
We anchored in Ao Cholong, in Ao Yon bay, we hope to go to the aquarium, and sent Ben and Nichol off to find it.....On writing this they had not returned......!!!!
Ben and Nichol did return, with news that the Aquarium was a mile away, so we all decided to up anchor and anchor by it, which we did. We all went ashore, and enjoyed it very much, but we all seemed to enjoy the ice cream better, especially as a Corneto was 20p.
After that checked out the area, and there was some good restaurants around, We had planned to go back to the boat, as it was very hot, and come back tonight. Unfortunately the tide had not come in enough, and there lots of rocks to get over, so we had a BBQ on board instead. Again it was very successful, although the sausages where of poor flavour.
We got to close to another moored boat, so had to re-anchor, unfortunately it had just got dark, but all went well, the wind started to blow, but it was OK.
We got the big TV on deck and watched a very good DVD, Kiss, Kiss Bang Bang, with Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmar, it looked a super film, we had to have the generator going to run the TV, so with that and the wind blowing, we could not hear it very well, so we will have to see it again.

Sunday 21st January 2007

Lindy and I, where up at 0615 hours, and go the boat ready to go up to Koh Rang Island, ready to go into The Royal Phuket Marina tomorrow.
The wind was blowing 20 knots from the NE, which meant it would be nearly on the nose, and as we had the tide with us, we would have a wind over tide situation, making it quite rough.
I made the decision to go, so that the rest of the holiday could go on as planned, and it was only 10 miles away, and the anchorage where we were was nothing special !
So we got the anchor up by 0700 hours, got the main sail up, with two reefs in it, and off we went, with all the family still asleep. Darren and Izzi came on deck before we had rounded the point
We arrived at Koh Rang at 0930 hours, after an awful trip, we had 23 knots of wind nearly on the nose, waves of 1.5 metres, Mima was seasick, Nichol was very quiet, Darren was very brave, I think he was feeling a little sick. Izzi and Em were seemed fine, Ben slelp most of the way, but all of us where very happy to be in this calm delightful anchorage, and the holiday, can now carry on as we planned it.
The family went ashore to spend the day on the beach, whilst Lindy spent the morning tidying up the boat, then joined the guys for lunch.
The lunch was very poor, the prawns were off, so we sent them back, Nichol got her chicken kebabs, after we all had finished our meals, but it is a lovely setting.
We planned to spend the afternoon relaxing on the beach, but things charged some-what; when a coconut fell from a tree. Darren wanted to get the machete from the boat to cut it open, we suggested he take it to the restaurant, but no, he wanted to do it him self.
Darren, Ben and Nichol went to the boat, after Ben and Nichol got off, Darren went for the joy ride and flipped the dingy, He was very lucky not to have been badly hurt, also, he was lucky that another boat saw it happen, and was able to get to him quickly in his dingy.
The engine stopped once sea water got into the working parts, and now the whole thing was up-side down, the rescue boat, helped turn it over, then tow him back to Mr Bean.
The first we all knew about it, was when we saw Darren being towed back to Mr Bean, with Ben and Nichol on Mr Bean.
I went along the beach and got a lift out from one of the power boats, that was anchored off the beach, it was them that told me, that the dingy had turned over.
On reaching the boat, I saw Darren, who was in mild shock, so got him to sit down a recover. Once we knew he was all right, we had to deal with the 15 hp outboard, if left too long, after being in sea water, it would seize up and die.
We got the out board on to Mr Bean, and washed it in lots of fresh water and boiling water, taking out the spark plugs to clean out the combustion chamber. Once this was done, we put the 2 hp outboard on and I went ashore to let the other's know what was going on.
I also arranged to bring the outboard ashore, and have it left over night in a bath of fresh water, so I went back to the boat and with Daz and Ben's help, we did just that.
After getting every one back on board, we enjoyed one of Ben's , bacon, onion pasta's, and being pretty hot on making this dish myself, I, and every one else was very impressed with it.

Monday 22nd January 2007

Went over after breakfast, to get the out board, and was very pleased to see that it was still immersed in water. We took it out the water, got as much off as possible, then filled the combustion chamber up with oil, sprayed WD40 over everything else, then took it back to the boat.
Got it back on board, and sat it on the granny rails, till we could do more with it, I was hoping to have it looked at by the Yamaha service agent, but they could not look at it till Friday, which was much too late, to save it. Anyway, we had given it the best first aid we could, and will deal with it once in the marina.
The family went on the beach for the morning, back on board by noon, then upped anchor, and headed for Royal Phuket marina. We arrived at the marina at 1300 hours, after a very trying trip to it, in very shallow water.
I started on the outboard, emptying the 19 litres of petrol away, and using fresh, removing all the oil from the combustion chamber, getting it back on the dingy from the yacht, and after pulling the starter line.about a 100 times, it bust it life. As recommended by the agent, I left it running for an hour at just over tick over, and it looks as good as new.
The guys came back after a lunch, and watched TV on the boat, in air conditioned splendour, then had long showers at the marina, with no fear of using too much.
That evening we had a lovely meal in the marina restaurant, which every one thought was brilliant, and a great one to finish a fabulous fortnight with all of them, and we think they all enjoyed it, we certainly enjoyed having them all.

Tuesday 23rd January 2007

We all went up to Les Anges for breakfast, which as always was first class, then the family packed their bags, whilst Lindy and I took Izzy and Mima to the fountain to play.
A farewell photo was taken on the bow of Mr Bean, Shown above, before the taxi came to take them all to the airport, we could not go, as we could not fit into one taxi, and economics' made two taxi's a poor idea.

We will see them all again in England at the end of April, next stop Langkawi, to met John and Pat.