Sept. - Oct. 2011 - The Coastal Passage Home Page

Yacht Haven Anchorage Ratanachai Workshop crew & Lloyd
www.greatcircleliferafts.com.au
www.greatcircleliferafts.com.au
For anyone pining for some more complaint. It was too hot!!
organised sailing, just hang around We have no idea what made us
long enough and you can take part in decide to sail Chappie north, when our
the regatta madness that seems to original plans were to go east into the
grab Phuket from time to time during Pacific, but we enjoyed every day of
the year. The Phuket King's Cup our cruise to Darwin, into Indonesia,
Regatta, indisputably Asia's premier Singapore and Malaysia and on to
race gets underway in early Thailand. Our twelve-month stay has
December, and is followed by the been an incredible learning curve as
slightly more sociable Phang Nga Bay well as an incredibly good time.
Regatta to name just a couple.
But good news travels fast, and
The Island of Phuket has two very already we have cruising friends back
nice marinas one on the mid east home, who are asking questions about
coast of the island and the other is on how to get here and what to bring. An
the northern tip not too far from the Aussie guy we have met up here has
Sarisin Bridge which joins the island to this to say: "Be sure you are tired of
the mainland Thailand. Both marinas the Thailand before you leave, it's the
offer long-term stays, and Boat world's best kept secret, and hard to
Lagoon has a very good haul-out beat as a cruising destination". That
facility with most of the other probably explains why we've met so
conveniences yachties like to have many people who arrived here as long
nearby such as electricians, as 10 years ago, and haven't been
woodworkers, painters, mechanics, able to drag themselves away. In all
and chandleries. probability, we might still be here when
you arrive...
Yacht Haven Marina in the north is
quiet and peaceful and managed by a Our cruise so far:
young couple who have cruised
extensively themselves and Chappie departed Darwin 08 Aug
understand our cruising lifestyle. We 2002, sailing via Roti Island,Timor
often anchor just off the marina where Island, and north to Flores Island in
the anchorage is sheltered in both Indonesia. We then sailed westward
seasons and enjoy going ashore to across the northern shores of the
eat at the small restaurants that line Indonesian Archipelago to Bali before
the waters edge. We don't mind that going on to Kalimantan, and up the
it's a long way from Phuket town; a Kumai River. Leaving Kalimantan we
friendly little man delivers meat, fruit turned west and then north again for
and vegetables daily and water and Singapore, and the Malacca Straits.
fuel are available nearby. We like the In November we continued on to
simplicity of the place and this is our Langkawi in Malaysia arriving Phuket
favourite spot. Island in Thailand 02 Jan 2003.
A rather large shipyard is situated on Chappie is a 40ft Joe Adams design
the southeastern side of the island, aft cockpit built of steel, and she looks
and caters for all kinds of craft from after us just fine. She’s comfortable
huge 100 plus footers to small fishing for two people on board. OK for 3 or 4
vessels. We slipped our boat here but only in short bursts. She's our
this year, and only had one major home!
TCP NOTE:
Lynelle at work at Shipyard
This feature was in TCP #8, in 2004
Bob & I met Lynelle and Lloyd while
anchored at Haycock Island in the
Hinchinbrook Channel the winter of
2001, on White Bird. TCP did not exist
then, though meeting up with cruisers
like "The Chappies" planted the seed.
Lynelle & Lloyd spent 9 years on
Chappie with 8 years abroad. After time
in Indonesia, onward to the Indian
Ocean, Africa, the Red Sea and the
Mediterranean, then Atlantic and Pacific
and back to Australia.
Chappie has new owners now and they
too are planning on going offshore.
"The Chappies" are shore-bound for
now, but....? We look forward to
meeting up with "The Chappies" again,
maybe back in Hinchinbrook?