Snorkeling For The Second Time

Friday 20 October

The weather was overcast and very windy when we got up this morning, but by the time we had eaten our breakfast the skies were clearing and the sun appearing. Continental breakfast here consisted of two pieces of white toast with jam and a glass of orange or lemon juice! not a croissant in sight!

We had arranged to meet Nok, with Phil and Warren, Simone and Tim at 09.00 for our trip around four of the offshore islands. We wandered along the beach away from the other long boat tours to find our man and his boat (our man was charging us much less than the tours organized locally by the hotels and travel agents, so we needed to sneak away – like undercover agents!?!). Sure enough he was there, and after we had paid him our 400 bahts each (some of the other tours were as much as 1500 bahts each), we climbed into the boat and set off for the first distant island. The water was very calm, hardly a splash over the side, and with the sun out and wind in our faces, it was a very pleasant ride. There are loads of islands off the coast here, from small bare rocks jutting ten feet or so above the water’s surface to large islands with trees and bushes growing from rocky ledges reaching fifty feet high. On the larger islands, the cliff faces support large stalagmites hanging from the sides and there are many caves indenting into the cliff surfaces. They are all remnants of limestone ‘karst’ – large lumps of limestone that originally culminated in pointed tops (similar to those we saw at Yunshao in China), but over thousands of years, have been eroded to form blunt or undulating tops – depending on the size of the rock remaining. Many of the outcrops have faulted and fragmented and there are many underwater caves and caverns to explore in sea kayaks - another time maybe. Many of the islands are named for the forms that you can imagine from the shapes of the rocks: chicken, sleeping lady.

We rounded several islands before dropping anchor in a small sheltered bay, where we could see the sea bed about three metres below through the clear turquoise water. Yellow and black striped fish were swimming in shoals close to the surface and we were eager to don our snorkel gear, and find out what else was hiding amongst the rocks and coral. I jumped in the water from the boat and at first found it difficult to breathe correctly with my snorkel gear in place. But after Colin had helped me sort out my breathing tube, I was away. We all swam around the bay, spotting lots of different fish – angel fish, some spotty brown and white ‘goldfish sized’ fish, others silver with black markings on the side, and blue and pink larger fish, nosing in and out of large crevices, lots of shoals of small guppy style fish, mostly with yellow tails, but some with electric blue bodies, others with red/brown bodies. We saw so many different varieties of fish, and then there were the sea urchins and horrid huge sea slugs with black patches on their slimy bodies (the dalmation dogs of the ocean), snuffling for food on the very bottom of the sea usually coiled against a rock. There was very little coral, mostly just a rocky seabed – Nok told us that most of the coral in this area died after the Tsunami, which although not damaging the mainland here (the hundreds of islands protected the coasts in this area) the knock-on effects destroyed much marine and plant life in a large area of the ocean around here. The seawater was very salty and we didn’t really need life jackets to keep us afloat, although they gave confidence to some. We spent over an hour here, before moving on to the second island, as the several more longboats had arrived and the area was getting crowded.

The next stop was another island just a short ride away, where were to have lunch at the Visitor Centre. As we approached we could see a sandbar ahead, where the waves collided from two directions in white water rivulets – on one side the beach shelved steeply, while on the other it was a shallow strand of white sand. We moored on the shallow side, leapt overboard and made our way to a small cluster of wooden buildings containing a kitchen a bar and an information centre. We ate chicken fried rice and pineapple, washed down with icy cold water – again simple fare that tasted great.

As we finished the island was inundated with lots more long boats, speed boats and inflatables transporting hoards of tourists from the surrounding bays and islands for lunch. We were lucky to have arrived early. We set off for the third island of our tour – just a short hop away, at the other end of the sand bar. The water continued to be shallow and calm on our side, but where the sandbar connected to outcrops of rock, the water on the other side of the sandbar became very choppy with much stronger waves. We did snorkel on this side for a short while, but there weren’t many fish to watch – only lots of slugs again – yuukk – so we moved back to the sheltered side, where hundreds of fish swam in the shallows around your legs – you didn’t need to snorkel to see a large variety. We stayed here about half an hour, and then moved on to our fourth and last island – where only a few other long boats came.

As we set foot on the beach near the far end of the cove, we spied a troupe of five monkeys under a tree, scrabbling for food amongst the droppings of the overhead coconut palms, lying on the sand. Simone tried to get very close to take some photos, but they chased her away, sensing she was a threat to their food supply. We all then stayed a little further away, less than a foot at times, as they scavenged amongst the debris of dead wood and leaves and peeling the outer tough fibres of some coconuts to reach the fruit and milk inside. We watched fascinated for some time, until they made their way back along the beach and into the trees and rocks at the back. We had another swim or snorkel, or some just laid out on the sand in shade to escape the hot sun rays. A little later another boat arrived and the visitors came with bananas and apples for the monkeys. The monkeys leapt high in the air in an attempt to take the food directly from the proffered hands, often snatching large pieces and running off to consume their prize before others came and stole it. One particular monkey, having grabbed a large piece of apple, walked on two long legs (it was surprising just how long they were) in front of the tourists, trying to get another chunk of fruit. He was thwarted by his ‘mates’ as they claimed the prizes. Eventually they all retired to the trees at the back of the beach to munch on the unexpected goodies.

Off on the horizon to the right, we could see large black clouds gathering and moving towards us. It was time to pack up and return to the hotel – although we were already wet, we would prefer to avoid another drenching from the torrents of icy cold rain we experienced yesterday. Tim was still off round the point snorkeling, but, coming up for breath and to see where we all were, we were able to indicate it was time to go. As we set off, we seemed to be heading straight for the dark mass of cloud, and all the while the winds were strengthening and whipping up the white-topped waves that crashed into the side of the boat. We were bouncing along as fast as possible, to get back to the beach before the rain came, but with still one more island to round, it began to spit and then rain lightly – for about five minutes only. Then, although the sun had disappeared, the dark clouds disintegrated over the surrounding cliff tops and we were remained dry. The boat was moored about 100 yards off the beach, in shallow water, as it was low tide. There was a concrete walkway, a few inches under water, to provide a level walkway to the shore. Another longtail boat was disgorging its passengers at the same time, but they must have been just arriving at the resort, as they had to carry their loaded backpacks with them. We reached the beach and walked back to the chalet, collecting the washing on the way. The hot shower awaiting us to remove the salt from our hair and bodies was extremely welcome and we celebrated with a couple of beers and a tub of “Pringles”, all that was left in the store cupboard. I then wrote this blog, and Colin had a nap (!) until it was time for cocktails.

We both really enjoyed our day snorkeling and swimming in the Andaman Sea. The water was really warm and until mid-afternoon, the sun shone warmly – Colin and a couple of others were showing signs of becoming pink on the way home. We had our first go at snorkeling when we were with Juz and Dave in Thailand last year, so it isn’t another first for me – just a refresher course – but I was very glad we managed to have another go, as I am hoping that we will have lots of time for snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsunday Islands in Australia next month.

We took a stroll along the beach to see was happening in the bars and restaurants – not a lot as it was still too early for any action. We went back to the Diamond Cove restaurant – where we ate yesterday – and settled down for a few cocktails before dinner. Halfway through our first drinks, Linda and Jill joined us, and we reminisced over the trip so far, and put the world to rights about life in Australia and back home. After another round of cocktails, it was time to eat, and three of us chose mussels – cooked on the barbeque (I have not eaten mussels this way before, and they were extremely tasty, but needed a bit of sauce – we asked for garlic butter, but they don’t know what that is here!). Colin had barbequed white snapper – he remembered enjoying this fish in Koh Samui. All dishes were accompanied by jacket potatoes and corn on the cob – I think I have got my withdrawal symptoms for these two foods well and truly satisfied now – having eaten them for two nights running.

Feeling fairly tired from the day’s exertions, we returned to the room, for me to finish this blog and Colin to watch some television (Striptease – with Demi Moore).

The toes are healing really well now – I thought the nails were adhering back to my feet again, as the doctor had predicted last week, but now they have dried out after their salt water bath today one is particularly loose and is obviously going to come off soon (urrgh naked toe nails). But the bruising is going down and they look a more normal colour.

Tomorrow is likely to be an easy day, with nothing formal planned, before our nightmare trip on Sunday from here to Penang – by local bus! – a journey of about ten hours we have heard!!!! – another example of cutting costs by Kumuka.