The Beach

The Royal Thai Navy 1, photo Guy Nowell

As we leave Kata we wander to the beach for a last look. There's Walawala, now buried up to her cockpit coamings in sand. Ichi-ban is beside her, facing the beach, forlorn, as she has dug her own grave, the keel yawing a big sand hole with the constant buffeting. Rapscallion, nearby, on her side, like Walawala, slowly being buried by sand. The Royal Thai Navy sloop and Sea Bees, make the five yachts beached and written off.

Watching this from the beach yesterday was like seeing tragedy in slow motion. There are the boats right there -- surely, there's something we can do? But no, nothing to be done, but watch, as the loves of their owners are slowly ruined, washed away, by sand, tide and waves.

Sailors on the beach felt particular sadness on behalf of the yachts' owners.

As a matter of record, the winners of King's Cup 2010: IRC 1, IRC 2 and the Multihull Divisions were all beached and written off: Ichi-ban, Sea Bees and Miss Saigon. No bareboat charters were lost.

More reporting here.

Ichi-Ban and Walawala, photo Guy Nowell