Back Burma 2006-05-15/28 2006-06-08 by Fiona Strathern, guest on Boléro MONDAY, MAY 15 2006 The adventure begins at Phuket airport – a small, pretty, overly air-conditioned facility. Fiona and Thad fly in after a few days in Bangkok. Willem and Svetlana arrived yesterday from Port Dickson, Malaysia, and Rob flies in directly from New York, via Frankfurt and Singapore. Ed, wearing a distinctive red Boléro shirt, meets everybody with a van to transport to Boléro anchored one hour’s drive south in Ao Rahway. While Ed handles check out with Thai immigration, guests take a long tail boat out to Boléro and board. This long tail was an open, wood boat, approximately 30’ long and 7’ wide with engine mounted on a deck pivot at stern, connected to outboard shaft and propeller. Carla offers a very welcome glass of champagne and directs Rob to the aft stateroom, Fiona and Thad to the port stateroom with over and under bunks and Willem and Svetlana to a similar one at starboard. Carla and Ed will use the forward cabin with drop down bunks, aka the sail locker. Boléro is a 59’ Swan, built in 1991, and finished below with beautiful mahogany on all interior surfaces. Decks are gorgeous teak. Anchor is hauled early afternoon and Boléro sails smoothly around the south end of Phuket and north to Ao Kata Noi to the evening anchorage in the lee of a small island. Cocktail hour starts with Fiona and Thad opening the first of their six requested bottles of Sang Som, a Thai rum. Willem expresses doubt that 6 bottles are needed for the two week trip – little does he realize that more would be consumed. At 7 pm, everybody goes ashore, in two dinghy trips, to the Boathouse restaurant on Kata Beach. During these trips, the sky turns black and there’s torrential rain. The Boathouse is part of the Mom Tri resort and has a nautical theme – it has hosted the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta since 1998. Lonely Planet praises the food and allows that it’s a suitable spot to take ‘fussy dates’. Rob treats everybody to dinner and Willem springs for the wine. Returning to the boat is a little tricky as sea rougher. Fiona miss-times her hop onto the dinghy and is submerged by a wave. A rough night for sleeping. TUESDAY, MAY 16 Awaken to grey skies and the first of Carla’s great breakfasts. She makes yoghurt on board which, with muesli, honey and fruit, is a great hit with Rob and Willem. Thad’s particularly keen on the concept of Dutch cheese to start his day. Fairly rough sailing north to Ban Lam Ru and we anchor across from the village – about a mile inland on the banks of a river. Only industry of any consequence is the local navy base with several cruisers approximately 75’. Svetlana hasn’t been able to overcome her sea sickness so decides to leave the trip and Willem leaves just for the evening to take her back to a hotel in Phuket. Midst torrential rain, Ed, Rob, Thad and Fiona dinghy ashore to the Navy Club, a pleasant, newish concrete structure open to the prevailing breezes. Restaurant is staffed by some very young girls who dish up some of the best food – Thai seasonings, no accommodation for namby pamby farang palates. Fiona is particularly impressed by the vegetable salad – dressed with a bright, lively blend of nam plaa and lime juice – and skirts the small dried shrimp. Another winner is the fish cake with egg – hard boiled egg yolks surrounded by fish cake/paste – way superior to the oft seen, rubbery, tod man plaa. It’s a terrific meal – doubly terrific because it costs 990 baht, including 4 big boy Chang beers. Rob is a very good sport and enjoys some shrimp and avoids the peppers. Meanwhile, back on Boléro, Carla has been reorganizing her stores and produces meringues for dessert. WEDNESDAY, MAY 17 Willem arrives promptly at the dock at 5:30 am and, amidst grey skies and medium swells and Boléro sails north from Ban Lam Ru to the outskirts of Ranong. Despite some fairly heavy weather, Carla provides a hearty breakfast of fried bread, egg, ham, and cheese. Boléro skips through 85 miles of aggressive weather at speeds over 11 knots in winds up to 40 mph. Terrific sailing enjoyed by all (and Fiona finally gets her sea legs about noon). This evening’s anchorage is a protected spot about 5 miles from Ranong where Carla serves up a wonderfully comforting dinner of pasta with broccoli and cheese. Sidebar Boléro’s galley has a wonderfully gimbaled gas stove, small fridge, larger freezer with adjoining cold box and a microwave. Given the uncertainty of re-provisioning, Carla is organized for over 300 meals, plus morning tea, afternoon coffee and cocktail hour nibbles. She’s brought dozens of eggs on board – purchased from a local market and never refrigerated – which remain fresh during the entire voyage. Eggs are delicious and have vividly orange yolks. THURSDAY, MAY 18 A grey, wet start – Boléro motors north to Ranong – the northernmost Thai town on this peninsula, across the river from Burma. Anchor midstream awaiting Svetlana who is rejoining the trip. Since all passengers officially departed Thailand on Monday, Ed proceeds directly to anchor off Kaw Thaung, the entry port for Burma. No yellow quarantine flag required, but the official Myanmar flag is hoisted. Ed dinghies ashore and returns with local agent, Mojo, in longyi, and official customs in uniform. Once legalized, Fiona, Thad and Rob hop ashore and negotiate the waterfront. The local market building burned down a year or so ago so vendors are now strung along the quay selling a variety of fruits and vegetables, including long beans requested by Carla. Rob relaxes at the waterfront Moby Dick complex (where he engages the owner in conversation) while Thad and Fiona strike out on a scouting trip. Aspirin (for Thad’s sore throat) are about 10 for $1 equivalent – all prices are quoted in Thai baht – there’s a lot of commerce across the river border. Burmese rum is $1.80/bottle (same price as all other hard liquor – this may be the farang hard liquor price). Rob gets a bundle of cheroots for couple of dollars in baht. According to Lonely, there are two good handicraft shops a few blocks north of the waterfront – Supermarket Cherry and Acme Fabric. A small child is engaged to show the way. The stores are side by side, across from the town mosque, and are run by Muslim women. Good selection of lacquer-ware, fabric for longyish and silk fabric sets for women’s skirts and coordinating blouses. After a quick lunch at Moby Dick – shrimp tempura for the boys and laab gai for Fiona – back to Bolero to set sail for Barwell Island. Weather is overcast but rain has stopped and there’s good sailing wind. En route, Burmese Navy patrol boat #414 motors slowly past. Boléro is the last vessel scheduled for the season since the coming (arrived?) monsoon deters the usual diving live-aboard charters from Thailand. On board is our government mandated guide/minder – Zaw Min Thant (Zaw Zaw) – a delightful young man who relocated from Yangon 8 years ago for this job. Good English, good sailing skills and a most agreeable personality. His wife teaches English to middle school students in Kaw Thaung. Boléro anchors in the lee of Barwell Island and Carla produces a great dinner of beef, fried potatoes and a killer zucchini/cream cheese/cheese dish. Sidebar Foreign travel to Myanmar has been fairly restricted over the past twenty years. Fiona remembers a visa limit of seven days in the mid 80’s and no independent travel permitted. Boat travel in the Andaman Sea/Mergui Archipelago has only been allowed since 1996 and all boats are required to engage a government guide during time spent in Burmese waters. British brothers Graham and Adam Frost were the first charter operators to obtain permission to travel in this area. FRIDAY, MAY 19 Today’s intended destination is Frost Island, about 30 miles distant. Weather is squally, grey, with winds averaging 25 kts and gusts up to 38. Ed decides to anchor in the lee of Pockok Island which has an attractive beach and good, inshore reef. After a fairly rugged day’s sailing, everybody gets into the water and Fiona enjoys maneuvering an open air shower on the stern while modestly wrapped in her Jim Thompson pareo. Boléro has two complete heads but it’s pretty hot showering below and a bit of a fiddle wiping down the head after showering. There are four Burmese long tail fishing boats anchored nearby and a deal is struck – a pail of small mackerel for a bag of T-shirts and a soggy mango tart. After experiencing some extreme wind and blinding rain, Ed repositions Boléro to Middle Island and anchors with 150 meters of chain. An enjoyable cocktail hour with Asian chicken meatballs and the famous Harry James Marinated Cucumbers. Beef Stroganoff for dinner followed by an uneasy night. Wind picks up and, at 3 am, the anchor chain snubbers snap. Ed remains at the helm station all night. Sidebar Islands in the Mergui Archipelago are all heavily forested and rise steeply up from the shoreline. Lonely indicates an abundance of wildlife on islands including macaques who come to the shoreline to eat crabs. Although many of the islands have fresh water, the only inhabitants are Moken, aka Sea Gypsies, who live ashore during the monsoon season. SATURDAY, MAY 20 Uneasy with the Middle Island anchorage, Ed sets off just after 6 am for a one hour trip to Great Swinton Island – pretty choppy seas with overcast skies and some wind squalls. After staying up most of the night, Ed lies down. Everybody else tucks into an Asian style omelets for breakfast. Sidebar Boléro had emailed all guests a dining/drinking preference questionnaire several weeks beforehand. For breakfast preferences, Thad had wanted to list ‘leftovers’ but had been persuaded to list just coffee/fruit/toast; however, after a private chat with Carla, Thad now is enjoying some delicious leftover breakfasts. Carla has provided a variety of noodle soups for Zaw Zaw, thinking that European breakfasts might not be to his taste. Fiona discovers this stash and enjoys several Mama brand noodle meals. Later, she finds this brand at Bangkok’s Central department store for 5 baht (13 cents) and, back in the states, at 50 cents online. Arriving at Great Swinton, there are three decent sized trawler type fishing boats rafted up. Later in the day, a fourth pulls in and circles around Boléro while broadcasting loud Burmese music. None of the fishing boats have dinghies. Willem and Svetlana swim to shore and negotiate passage back on one of the long tails pulled up on the beach – more old T-shirts are passed out. Mid afternoon, Rob, Thad, Ed and Fiona dinghy ashore and investigate an abandoned camp complete with off-ground sleeping platforms and a framed photograph of the Thai king. Thad snorkels for an hour and reports the reef gorgeous but visibility not ideal. After dinner, noticing the neighboring four fishing boats all lit up and rafted up, Rob, Ed, Zaw Zaw, Thad and Fiona hop into the dinghy to pay a courtesy visit. Boats’ hull guards appear to be crafted from railroad ties and not that easy to clamber up but many, willing, young hands heave everybody aboard. Picking carefully through nets, small trash fish, the party makes for the captain’s helm station to pay respects with a bottle of Sang Som which is well received. Captain has color chart plotter and a fish finder screen. Behind his cramped helm station is a small area covered with tatami mats and an elaborate shrine at the rear. Captain and head mate have been eating dinner which includes smoked squid – handed around. Drinks are offered – Shine whiskey in an elaborately shaped glass bottle, drunk neat. Rob has fun offering his cheroots to the young crew who seem quite taken and amused by our group. Zaw Zaw translates – weather too poor for fishing, hence at anchor; three of the boats carry 30 crew and the larger one has 60; no dinghy so they couldn’t come to visit us. After 15-20 minutes, take leave and are asked if interested in lobsters – why, yes – and leave with 3 lively boys in a net. A miracle nobody comes to grief maneuvering back into the dinghy. SUNDAY, MAY 21 After a calm night, awaken to grey, overcast skies. Rob teaches everybody a dice game – Thad leads all the way but loses to Ed on the last throw. Afterwards, heave anchor and head for Loughborough Island. Squally, grey weather but the new anchorage is very protected – reached through a narrow channel. At the end of the anchorage is a a string of floats protecting a pearl cultivation area. Carla prepares a great, long, lazy Sunday lunch with salmon soup followed by the lobster tails obtained last night – blanched, then broiled by Thad. Followed by naps for all and then some dinghy exploring by Rob, Ed and Thad. Loughborough Island is an awesome anchorage and could keep a crew busy for days exploring around. After a great cheese-fondue supper, Thad brings out his special Lenscrafter cloths and cleans all binoculars, sunglasses and glasses. MONDAY, MAY 22 Awake to calm weather and SUNSHINE. Sun vanishes at 8:05 am. Zaw Zaw points out a small boat nearby running a compressor to supply air to divers collecting sea cucumbers – a Chinese delicacy, purported to be an aphrodisiac. Water-maker is not working – turns out to be filter instruction paper which was left inside during installation and blocked water intake – good fix by Ed. The high quality, fresh water on call was wonderful. Sidebar Boléro’s water-maker is powered by the generator and is capable of making 80 liters of fresh water per hour using 3 reverse osmosis filters, a Cat high pressure pump and a 220 volt electric motor. Set off mid morning for the twenty five mile trip to McKenzie island. Some serious squalls enroute sending Fiona and Svetlana to their bunks. Passage includes a stretch of water open to the Bay of Bengal. Sidebar The Mergui Archipelago was first mapped by the British in the 18th century and many of the islands have British names. Around McKenzie Island are MacKay, MacLeod, Mackie, McBride and Cockburn islands. TUESDAY, MAY 23 Today’s destination is Tongue Island, located on the west side of St. Matthew’s – which is a ‘no go’ area since home to a naval base. Zaw Zaw says navy primarily concerned with illegal fishing by Thai boats. It’s another rugged passage with quite a bit of rain. While anchoring off Tongue, are approached by a local boat in search of cheroots and weather information. Rob had left his package of 50 cheroots with the fishing boats at Great Swinton but graciously hands over a dozen of his extremely fine quality Davidoff cigarillos, plus two plastic ponchos, in return for 3 slipper lobsters, aka rock lobsters – fishing boat has a big pile of these in a large ice box. Thad and Zaw Zaw decide these might be best cooked whole and they’re fridged for Wednesday’s dinner. Carla prepares a terrific Nasi Goreng and serves it with pork satay and peanut sauce. Afterwards Rob introduces everybody to a devilish game – one participant is blindfolded and then given ten glasses of red or white wine and is required to identify color. Contrary to Rob’s predictions, everybody scores well except Fiona who gets only 4 correct. WEDNESDAY, MAY 24 Up at 7 am and hoist anchor at 7:20 amidst sunny skies. Sun lasts for thirty minutes then grey and rain. Some delicious left over nasi goreng, fried with egg, for breakfast en route to Kaw Thaung – our last stop in Burma. On arrival, Boléro is met by a long tail that seems to have the garbage concession – free service in return for any pickings. Rob, Thad, Carla, Fiona and Ed go first to shore – dinghy sputters repeatedly and stops resulting in paddling to a precarious rock pile and clambering ashore. After fixing the engine, Ed brings Willem and Svetlana ashore – they’re leaving Boléro in Kaw Thaung and will travel overland back to Phuket. Rendezvous at Moby Dick and Zaw Zaw organizes a songthaew for an hour’s sightseeing. Weather is hot and lots mosquitoes. First to hill overlooking harbour to visit park with statue of 15th century Burmese king. Then to very elaborate religious complex with multiple statues of Buddha and a couple of dozen dioramas of religious events, some quite gruesome. Entire complex is floored in slippery, wet tiles – treacherous with bare feet. Central temple building is surrounded by statues of Buddha as represented in different cultures – Thai, Lao, Vietnamese, etc. Interior of building entirely covered in faceted glass. Then to the central fish market, set on pilings over the river. There’s not much stock but there is a central board listing prices in a variety of currencies. Finally to Supermarket Cherry where Rob stocks up on jewellery for some of the women in his life – Maria, Carmen, Natalie, Stephanie, Johanna – pretty grey pearl necklaces and bracelets with multi-colored stones. Other purchases include lacquer-ware and rosewood boxes. Return to Moby Dick for lunch amidst torrential rain. Find Willem and Svetlana still there awaiting cessation rain before boarding long tail to Ranong. Thad stocks up on more of the $1.80 Myanmar rum before returning to boat. Sidebar Many women and children have a yellowish paste applied to their cheeks and foreheads. It’s ‘thanaka’, a liquid derived from tree bark and serves as both sunscreen and moisturizer. Pale complexions are prized in Burma. Weather grey and no wind so start south under power. Pass Andaman Club Resort, a five star resort on small island west of Kaw Thaung still in Burmese waters. Has own boats for transporting the ‘rich Singaporean gamblers’ from Ranong airport. Also pass the Kong Olav, a very pretty, old 300’ passenger/freighter with a canoe stern. Engine’s temperature alarm sounds due to a broken belt. Repaired after an hour and anchor is dropped a few miles later. Peaceful anchorage, except for major rain storm in the middle of the night. Thad prepares the slipper lobsters to accompany a fine dinner selection from Carla. THURSDAY, MAY 25 An 8:25 start under blue skies. Very pleasant 35 mile journey, with engine and mainsail, on glassy seas to the Surin Islands National Park. After arriving at 3:30, Boléro takes a required mooring buoy off Ko Surin Nua. There are plenty of mooring buoys, color coded for different boat sizes. Even the local fishing boats are using the moorings. Everybody, except Fiona, takes to the water and reports wonderful coral in just a few feet of water – Rob said he’d never seen such fantastically colored coral at such shallow depths. Ed, Rob and Fiona dinghy over to shore to visit the Park Ranger Station. Normally the Park requires a mooring fee but none is assessed since the Park is officially closed – open November to mid May. During the off season, there are about 30 people staying on the island. In season, bungalows are available for 2,000 Baht/day and three daily meals for 400Baht. A Ranger tells us there’s still tsunami damage awaiting repair. Also, several beaches in the park are off limits during to turtles nesting. Eggs from nests on the beach adjacent to the Ranger Station are collected and placed in a safe area to hatch. Afterwards, the baby turtles are kept for a year in concrete ponds before being returned to the sea. There are currently two ponds of babies – who raise their little heads when they hear people approaching – probably expecting to be fed. Meanwhile, back aboard Bolero, Carla and Thad are approached by a small long tail with a new Honda motor, operated by a very dark man who persistently gestures for gasoline by holding up an empty gas can. Having no gasoline, they can’t oblige but fill his second request for D cell batteries and he leaves waving his empty gas can – motoring back to the “official” Mokken village. This may have been the only up-close Mokken sighting; however, did previously see some large, covered, full family Mokken style boats in Loughborough Island – one of which towed two teeny pointed canoes. For cocktails, Thad tries a different Burmese rum – in a square bottle with a red label reminiscent of Johnnie Walker whiskey – a disgusting blend of sugar water with carmel coloring. Carla serves a delicious chicken curry for dinner. FRIDAY, MAY 26 Heave anchor at 7 am for passage to the Similan Island group. Sunshine to start. En route narrowly miss some black clouds but weather deteriorates to clouds, wind and rain in the afternoon. Around midday, a perfect rainbow ring around the sun was sighted – a first for everyone on board. Thad photographed part of the rainbow using the boom and sail to block the sun. The Similan Islands are also a protected National Park and Boléro is again required to take a mooring buoy. As with the Surins, this group of islands has a cell tower but only provides GSM (telephone) service, not the GRSM required for data. But a phone call to Johanna gives us the very welcome news that the Enron trial in Houston has resulted in convictions for both Jeff Skilling and Ken Lay. Thad, Carla and Rob snorkel and report good coral with only a small amount of tsunami damage visible. Later dinghy to shore and attempt to walk the 650 meters to the Ranger station but are beaten back by mosquito’s. Sidebar Malaria is supposedly pretty much wiped out in Thailand, except in the border areas; however, it’s endemic in Burma to the point where several anti-malaria medications no longer offer protection. Fiona and Thad decide to play it safe and take Malarone, starting two days before anticipated exposure and continuing for seven days after leaving No side effects noted. Anchored close to a brand new, shiny,Thai trawler on its maiden voyage. Ed checks with his local agent and discovers that the immigration department at the south end of Phuket will close Saturday afternoon, mandating a night sail, starting at 11 pm, to arrive in time to formally check in to Thailand. Sidebar Boléro’s return leg was basically south with wind generally from the southwest so motor sailing, with the main up for stability and lift, was the norm. SATURDAY, MAY 27 Arrive Ao Rawai at 9 am under blue, blue skies and really hot temperatures. Anchor offshore the attractive Evason resort. Ed sets off in taxi for Immigration at Ao Chalong and everybody else melts in the heat. Ed returns at 11:30 and puts up the most heavenly canvas awning stretching from the stern to the main mast. Haul anchor and motor (impossible to sail with awning) to lee side of Ko Bon for a leisurely lunch and a swim. Water is very clear but a strong current and many, many large jellyfish. Fiona only manages to ‘swim in place’ due to the current and unknowingly bops a jellyfish while swimming. The anchorage is visually hidden from the mainland and there are about a dozen attractive, high quality long tails lurking about – not fishing. Suspicious says Thad. A lovely cool trip back to offshore Evason – a pretty resort of villas and hotel rooms placed on the side of a steel hill. With only a very small beach, Evason guests are ferried by speedboats and long tails to a nearby island/beach resort. Everybody dinghies over to Evason for dinner. Of the three restaurants, their Thai one, Into Thai, is chosen. Other options were a Mediterranean one and a casual, sand floored seafood restaurant and bar at ground level. Design is clean, modern and uses lots of plain cement and local woods. Everything is open air, but shaded, including the swish, modern bathrooms. Into Thai has a great menu including numerous vegetarian and spa options. Only negative is the extremely low lighting at table. Willem and Svetlana are staying at a hotel near one of Phuket’s marinas and join the group for dinner. SUNDAY, MAY 28 Anchor up at 7:30 midst blue skies and hot weather. Motor over a glassy sea, with the awning still thankfully shading us, north to Ko Rang Yai to rendezvous Willem and Svetlana who arrive on a long tail bearing cinnamon buns. Travel north of the entrance to Yacht Haven, anchor and swim briefly in a treacherous current – Carla kindly attached a line to Boléro so no one was swept away. Carla totally outdoes herself with a killer last lunch – champagne, multiple bottles chilled white wine, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, parma ham with melon, smoked fish from Langkawi. Reluctantly motor back to Yacht Haven to deliver Rob for his flight to New York and Fiona and Thad to their Bangkok plane.