10 March 2013 Koh Phayam, Thailand.

We have been sailing up the west coast of Thailand in the company of Dave and 
Marian on Kilkea. The first day found us in a delightful little bay on the south 
of Phuket called Nia Harn. We went ashore for lunch and a walk on the beach. 
Lots of Russian tourists all working on their melanomas. The beach restaurants 
were very good and we took a look at a resort called the Phuket Yacht Club which 
was not in fact a yacht club but quite an upscale hotel.
Our next stop was at Nai Yang Bay in the north west of Phuket very close to the 
airport. We met our old pals Justin and Debra on Miss Behaving. More beach 
walking and a very interesting street market with local Thai fare.
The weather has been fine with the occasional heavy rain shower. If anything the 
weather is a little too hot and humid!
We visited Ban Than Banu the site of a Thai Navy Base up a protected river. 
There was some initial excitement as all the tourist boats came back between 
4.30 and 5.00pm. after visiting the outer islands. For them, it was extreme 
sport to speed past about five feet from us at thirty knots causing us to bounce 
about a bit.   
We visited the nearby village where there was a superb hardware store servicing 
the local fishing boats. This was a traditional village, no tourists at all and 
it was good to see after all the resorts. Dinner was at the Navy Wive's Club 
overlooking the bay and delightful it was too.
Last night, we went inshore through a sand bar into an inland waterway called Ko 
Phra Thong and anchored up next to a tiny village on stilts where they 
apparently fish for jellyfish. Why, I an not entirely sure. After a very quiet 
but hot night we left this morning for our current location at a little bay in 
the northwest corner of the Island of Phayam.
We can't get any internet here so photos to follow.
We should get to the Surin Islands in a day or two.