Xena passage report from Iris

Report in from Iris 29 Jan, 11:20 UT:
Hi Peter and Jing
I hope this email finds you both well and happy in Hong Kong.
I spoke with Grant briefly 15 minutes ago..Saturday 29th Jan..1600hrs his end [09:00 UT] ..coverage not the best.  [Click on "Read more" for the rest....]

Xena departs Phuket's Yacht Haven, returning to Hong Kong

This in this morning from Grant, who is with Noel and Mike ("the Boyz", Iris calls them), at Yacht Haven in Phuket....

Yesterday spent the day repairing auto pilot,checking Xena ready for sea then by taxi to provision so killed two birds with one stone and checked out at immigration.

Now just waiting for fuel dock here to open so I can fuel up and leave. [....]

Sorry no cruising [Busuanga] this time , looks like you guys will just have to come cruise Bay of Islands.....known as one of the best in the world .

Cheers for now, Grant
  

Photos from the Similans, Phang Nga cruise

The cute little hut at the north end of Koh Racha.  South is a Five-Star resort.
Note a striding PF, heading off to find someone to help with our broken outboard...

Photos of the week's trip (8-16 Jan) below (click on "Read more").  Joining us were my old school chum Barry Faux and his partner Thereiza, of Canberra, who had come up for the cruise.  The final itinerary was:

• 8 Jan: arrive Yacht Haven and provision
• 9 Jan: to Ao Chalong, overnight, with dinner at the Kan Eang restaurant (the one we had crew dinner at, during King's Cup)
• 10 Jan: to Kata beach, and depart for Similans 22:00 -- overnight motor, 60 NM to Similan No. 9 Island (zip wind; but big rain storm an hour out)
• 11 Jan: lazy day at Similans, lunch at the hut on the beach, then 21:00 depart Similans for Kata Beach.  Day at Kata -- shopping, massages, dinner at Mom Tri's, next to the Rasta coffee house.  PM depart for Koh Racha
• 12 Jan: Koh Racha to Phi-Phi Don
• 13-14 Jan: Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Le (Maya Beach, as in "The Beach" movie)
• 15 Jan: return to Yacht Haven: 35 miles, nice morning sail, then motoring as wind died and water shallowed (to 1 foot under keel near YH).

Phuket cruise; Phang Nga Bay and Beyond...

Draft itinerary for next week's cruising in Phuket and surrounds, below.  Click on the image for large, printable format.  Subject to change at our whim, and whim of the wind, of course....
And below the itinerary are scans from the latest "Southeast Asia Pilot",  (Third Edition), for the relevant stops around Phuket.

The champagne photo after some champagne sailing...

Bit late getting this, but it's such a nice photo I have to post it now.  It's just after the finish of Race Two King's Cup, for which we had Line Honors and Corrected time win, the full story is here.  The champers was tossed over to us by the Committee boat, and photo by Guy Nowell, who says he has "lots of nice photos" of Xena, which I must follow up....

L to R: Bicky, G, Ray, Babs, Jing, Petra, Klaus & Stevo (obscured), TC blows the champers, Iris, Peter, MC. (missing: Noel)

Xena Cruising Phuket, Similan, and other islands...

Great news: old school chum (Canberra Grammar, '67) Barry Faux ("Baz") & partner Therezia from Oz, and Peter & Eva Honeyman from Israel, will join us in our cruise ex Phuket starting this Saturday 8th.  We're much looking forward to that.
Below some email corro with Baz on the likely itinerary for the cruise.  Of course, detail will change as the wind takes us....