Sat 19 to Fri 25 Feb Surin Isles to Khao Lak

Saturday 19 Feb –Surins
We had a really rough night with the swell coming through. A fishing boat had left the big yellow buoy in front of Cilantro so we headed over and took that one up. We jumped in Bob and went up through the channel where the really good coral was supposed to be but it was all dead so we didn’t bother snorkelling. Went back to the beach where we had first been and snorkelled there but the coral was all dead and there weren’t many fish. So we tried the other side near the boats but it was the same. A yacht left so we moved buoys a bit closer in away from where all the fishing boats raft up and give their catch to the waiting boat which must then deliver it to the market. Had sundowners with Cilantro and planned for next day. The Surins were a big disappointment.

Sunday 20 Feb – Surins – Koh Bungu Similan Islands
08°40.524N 097°38.737E
We left at 6.45 in sloppy seas with no wind so we motored. We put the spinnaker up but it was only up for 15 minutes then it fell in the water! Peter hooked a 5 ft wahoo and got it to the back of the boat – biggest fish we have ever seen – but it bit through the wire trace when he tried to gaff it. We tied up on a buoy at Koh Bangu at 4.15. There were fish everywhere under the boat so we jumped in to watch them – big fish and all different sorts. A lady of the German yacht next to us snorkelled by following a turtle and it came right up to her about a foot away from her face. Really beautiful turtle. A lovely place. The rangers came out and collected 400 bht each ($13) and 100 bht for the boat per day. We had a quiet night on board with Cilantro on the next buoy.

Monday 21 Feb – Koh Bungu
At 10am all the speedboats came in and bought heaps of snorkelers. We had a snorkel at lunch time when they had left. Heaps of huge big colourful fish. The reef is pretty much dead but the fish are fabulous. In the afternoon Cilantro collected us in their dinghy and we went across the channel to Island 8 (there are 9 islands in the Similan group) which is where the ranger station is. It has a beautiful beach and big boulders all round and is full of boats and tourists. We had a look around and went up the walk to the high boulders which overlooks both islands (8 and 9). Fabulous view. We had a swim and waited till all the tour boats left – the beach was lovely without anyone on it. Had sundowners on Pacific Express.

Tuesday 22 Feb – Koh Banhu to Koh Miang (island 4) Similans
Had a snorkel at 9am – all the boats came in at 10am and they were hand feeding the turtle with bananas. This explained why the turtle was so friendly!!! We left at 12.15 and motored to Koh Miang (Island 4) where we tied up on a buoy but it was too rough. Cilantro went around the other side of the island and radioed that it was better so we went round there too and tied up to a buoy –anchoring is only allowed in really deep water. We picked Cilantro up in Bob and went to shore for a swim. It is pure white sand with clear aqua water – just gorgeous. We had sundowners on our boat watching schools of lovely fish all around the boat. Had a lovely still night.

Wednesday 23 Feb – Koh Miang Similans
Cilantro left at 6.30 to head back to the mainland. Their visa is almost up and then they return to Australia for three weeks. After they left it got really rough here so we left to circumnavigate the southern three islands. The southern one had a gorgeous beach but only one buoy and unfortunately someone was on it. Came back to Koh Miang and tied up on the buoy Cilantro had been on. Went for a snorkel and saw a huge cow fish red with white spots and also another one with army camouflage and big cow eyes. Not sure if they weren’t some sort of puffer fish or cow fish. But very pretty. Tried snorkelling in a few different places and then back to the boat. The seas have settled a bit but it is still rocky.

Thursday 24 Feb – Koh Miang to Ban Thap Lamu
08°34.144N 098°13.032E
Woke at 2am with very strong winds and lightning high in the clouds all around us but no thunder. The large ketch anchored next to us started dragging backwards at a great rate of knots. We could hear thunder but the storm passed about 10 miles south of us. Daylight found us side on to the swell and rolling quite a bit so dropped the buoy and headed for the mainland. Thought we could see small dolphins frolicking around us but we think they may have been very large tuna! It was a lumpy trip till we got closer to the mainland and then the seas flattened out. We had wind on the nose all the way but just as we were going into Khao Lak it went SW (supposed to be NE) and the sky had a strange look and the weather felt weird so we went another 10nm up to the river at Ban Thap Lamu where the naval base is. We came in a picked up a buoy (which saved us putting our anchor in the mud!) Had a really peaceful night and slept really well.

Friday 25 Feb – Ban Thap Lamu – Khao Lak
It was a beautiful day so we went across the river to the town to get our internet topped up. Its rather a smelly kind of place. The last time we were here there were heaps of fishing boats all rafted up and the river was brown. There’s not half as many boats now and the river is a lovely green. Had lunch and then headed back up to Khao Lak where we hope to catch up with Peter’s cousin from Germany. We anchored off the little plastic jetty and went in for dinner at the beach side restaurant. As soon as we got to the jetty a young man came down to ask us about the boat and where we were from as he is trying to convince his wife to go sailing. He even offered us the use of the shower in his unit! We went for a walk up the street to see a bit of the town and to work out where we are to tell Peter’s cousin Axel and his wife Elisabeth. We last saw them about 27 years ago when we visited them in Germany. We came back and had a lovely dinner chatting to the couple at the table next door as they would like to have a sailing holiday here in December.


Well we have booked ourselves on the Sail Malaysia rally to the East leaving at the end of April. It will take us down the west coast of Malaysia and half way up the east coast and then across to Borneo – Sarawak and Sabah. If you are interested the website is www.sailmalaysia.net. There is also the Rainforest World Music Festival on in July in Kuching (www.rainforestmusic-borneo.com) so have bought three day passes for that. The rally ends in August. There are quite a few boats that we know doing it and at the end of it will be decision time for us all as to which direction we go next.

Meanwhile take care.
Calm seas be careful what you wish for!!
Dell and Peter