Hi to all,

OK guys. FINALLY it was time to go on our sailing trip. It coincided with Helms Man Knut's bachelor-trip, but no-one knew in advance that they were getting married, so it all was a secret. Sailing Master Morten had been to Queensway mall and made the uniforms. White t-shirts for the day and marine blue for evening attire. Shorts and t-shirts complete with Stavanger emblem and Singapore flag, so we were looking GREAT getting on the Tiger Airways flight to Phuket.

We left Singapore at 0700 on Saturday 14th Octobers and after a provisions supply shopping we were sailing by 1100. A bit of wind the first day, but generally the engines were running. Weather turned out to be the best in weeks according to the locals, but no WIND.

As we had no real idea of where to go we booked a captain to come with us. Steve comes highly recommended and took good care of the piloting and hopefully will be able to give us the certification next time we go. He can also do diving certification. Good guy.

After serious evaluation of the wind conditions (or lack of) we headed for James Bond Island the first day and got there by sunset having drunk all the beers and it is Muslim village in Koh Panji, so no reprovientearing ....... but they had excellent sea-food farmed right there at the restaurant. We came after all the day-tourists from Phuket had gone home, so it was a nice quiet night until the imam decided it was prayer time and started hauling from the speakers at the local mosque. It got us up....

A lovely sun-rise over Koh Panji with the houses on stilts and fishermen heading out in their long tail boats to get the nights catch in the nets and traps. Left Koh Panji at 0630 and stopped at a resort on "small long Island" (cannot remember the Thai name). Nice resort run by a Singaporean and they had beer, so suddenly the future was a lot brighter. More motoring and keeping the sails up mainly to provide shade towards Phi Phi islands. Still some damage to be seen after the Tsunami that pretty much wiped out the complete built-up area here. I think there are more Swedes on Phi Phi than in Stockholm. Even the bar-maids serving us were Swedish. Not quite why we go to Thailand.... Another superb seafood dinner and relatively early night. On Sunday we were up with the sun again and headed towards the smaller of the Phi Phi island where the movie "The Beach" was filmed. No, Leonardo De-Caprio was not there any more. a couple of hours snorkeling in the clear blue water with lots of fish and coral before we were heading back to Phuket and Jimmy's Lighthouse before we went to the hotel.

Click here for a picture of the route. GPS downloaded to Google Earth.

2 more lovely days in Phuket before getting on that o'my god it is early Tiger flight back to Singapore.

A trip we will remember for LIFE and definitely recommended. Already planning to go there for Chinese new-year or easter with the families.

Best Regards

Helmsman (and recently married) Knut,

Sailing Master Morten and

Captain Atle