Getting out of the mangrove swamps proved difficult because of a sand bar that barely had enough depth for Sal Darago. It was flat calm but surf was breaking on both sides of us as we motored out. It was good to reach open sea again. Our next stop was off a beach called Hat Nai Yang, where there was an extensive local market. We dined at a restaurant on the beach. Our table was on the sand and we looked out to Sal Darago and thunder clouds beyond. We thought of those people who had been doing the same in 2004 when the tsunami devastated this beach, killing many and destroying livelihoods.
Our next two stops were at Kata beach and Ao Chalong on our way to the Royal Phuket Marina. We had to wait for half tide to start our entry to RPM. We had to motor several miles across a mangrove swamp with only two feet of water under our keels at times, following a channel marked by concrete posts. We had hoped to go to Boat Lagoon Marina, which is next door to RPM and has 
many chandleries and boat maintenance shops, but they were full; so we paid English prices for our berth at RPM. Not surprisingly, considering the shallow approach, most of the yachts in the marina were of the motor type. We hope our sister-in-law likes her namesake shown in the picture. My namesake, Kathleen, was berthed further along the pontoon. The main road was a 20 minute walk up a drive. We walked it three times, each time failing to find gaps in the hedge that we could dodge through to Boat Lagoon. We bought a water filter for our drinking water, deck paint and a solar panel.
We left the marina at 1700, two hours before high tide; found a convenient island to anchor off for the night before continuing to Ko Raya Ring, AKA James Bond Island. Here we found a Bond girl posing for photos and took a quick shot. The islands of Ao Phrang Nga National Park are fantastic, made of limestone and called karsts. Some are so riddled with erosion that it is a wonder that they are still standing. Sometimes the outer caves lead through to hidden hollows in the centre of the islands called hongs. The stalactites which adorn all the islands have weird, fantastic and grotesque shapes. We spent a couple of hours dinghying around some of the smaller quieter islands.
many chandleries and boat maintenance shops, but they were full; so we paid English prices for our berth at RPM. Not surprisingly, considering the shallow approach, most of the yachts in the marina were of the motor type. We hope our sister-in-law likes her namesake shown in the picture. My namesake, Kathleen, was berthed further along the pontoon. The main road was a 20 minute walk up a drive. We walked it three times, each time failing to find gaps in the hedge that we could dodge through to Boat Lagoon. We bought a water filter for our drinking water, deck paint and a solar panel.
We left the marina at 1700, two hours before high tide; found a convenient island to anchor off for the night before continuing to Ko Raya Ring, AKA James Bond Island. Here we found a Bond girl posing for photos and took a quick shot. The islands of Ao Phrang Nga National Park are fantastic, made of limestone and called karsts. Some are so riddled with erosion that it is a wonder that they are still standing. Sometimes the outer caves lead through to hidden hollows in the centre of the islands called hongs. The stalactites which adorn all the islands have weird, fantastic and grotesque shapes. We spent a couple of hours dinghying around some of the smaller quieter islands.
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