Sailing- Malaysia to Thailand

After seven days of sailing and three nights in a Thailand harbor with Gary, the skipper of 'Shearwater' (the 32' vessel that carried us from Langkawi, Malaysia to Phuket, Thailand), I'm back on land.

It was an educational experience full of beauty, challenges, and uncommonly good weather. For two weeks the sun was shining and the skies were blissfully blue. At night the clear skies, unpolluted by artificial light, revealed layers of stars – bright burning fires and misty clusters that hinted at the far of galaxies. Every morning I drank coffee to the sun rising over the ocean, emerging from the horizon or from behind the islands that protected throughout the night from crashing waves. During the evenings I had a front row seat to some of the most majestic sunsets. The reddened sun would spread a pink blush through out the sky that faded into a rosy glow- the final hint of the blazing heat that burned and browned my skin throughout the afternoon.

The sun was fierce throughout the day and even with 50 SPF and a sun shade across the stern (back of the boat) I debarked from the boat browner than I had entered. My tan is relatively even because I rotated bathing suits and outfits to balance the sun-exposed skin.

En route to Phuket the scenery was straight from a fairy tale with lush green islands standing erect amid an ocean so vast that often these green and rocky giants were our only companions. Above the surface paradise reigned, but below was a sadder story over-fishing and polluting. Everyday I was snorkeling and swimming in waters with 15' visibility and I would rarely see fish – never a shark (no complaints there). The ocean has been raped of her resources...I only hope it is resilient enough to bounce back should we ever give it the opportunity to.

In addition to the scenery, life on the boat was a study -- an educational experienced coached by Gary. Working the boat and daily duties weren't easy and for a novice sailor I had a lot to learn and even little things like cooking while the boat is rocking to and fro was challenging. I'm happy to report that I didn't suffer seasickness and that helped pave the way for an easier assimilation into this lifestyle.

There was a daily routine: we sailed, or rather motored because often the wind wasn't in our favor, for about 5.5 hours a day, would anchor in a bay sheltered by island – rarely would we go to shore, but instead we swam and snorkeled near our anchorage. A few days we geared up the dingy, a small paddle or motored boat that is on the sailboat, and headed to an island beach. Mornings we were up early and starting the day before the sun could heat the wood and metal deck, making it difficult to work around the deck. The sails were up or the motor on by 9 a.m. and the anchor was dropped around 2 or 3 p.m. Mass amounts of water and peanuts were consumed before testing the waters. We had to check and double check that everything was in order on the boat, lest we were hit by bad weather. There is little to no forgiveness for errors on a boat because a simple mistake or failing to properly prepare could mean life or death in a storm.

When we weren't in commute or preparing the boat for sailing and anchorage we did a lot of relaxing, eating and sweating in the blazing sun, which is not only raining down from the heavens but is being reflected from the water all around the boat.

The living space available was conservative and keeps all on board in close proximity to one another. On deck there was a small walking space around the perimeter (along the railings) and below deck there was space in the front where Gary slept, a tiny bathroom, kitchen and two cushioned benched that acted as storage, seating and bedding (this is where I slept). Usually every surface (including my pseudo bed) was covered in things not being used- mast covers, sails, ropes, cushions, etc. and only one person could easily walk from one end of the boat to the other without a traffic jam.

The heat, conservative space and limited entertainment demanded a slower-paced life and boredom was usually creeping in on me when I wasn't looking. There were few distractions (no TV, media, or other societal distractions) and since 'Shearwater' wasn't my boat I was completely dependent on Gary's instruction, permission and time-tables. We sailed, ate, swam, went to shore and turned on music according to his convenience and mood, which is understandable since this is his home for 11 months a year and a 2 week seaside escape for me. This trip afforded me views and opportunities that others pay thousands of dollars to see and do. I paid about $100 bucks to share fuel and food costs. A steal.

More updates to come...