SEA GEM LOG
December 9, 1999
SOLVED MYSTERY
 A
mystery has been solved for us. I mentioned in the log of
the passage up through the Malaka Straits that twice fishing
boats ran very close to us for no apparent reason. One time
one crossed our bow, coming very close and then stopped soon after,
on the other side. The other instance a native boat came from
a long distance off, pulled along side and just stared at us.
We felt a bit uncomfortable for neither time was there reason
for such action. Now we understand. It seems there is
a superstition that if you are not having good luck with your fishing
(or maybe with your life) you run very close to another boat,
then the bad luck will jump off your boat and onto the other.
I don't know whether the fellows have caught any more fish but so
far I think the bad luck stayed where it was. We heard this
from several sources so it is a well known myth. I wonder
if some Americans try to apply this theory on the interstate?
Today has been glorious. Don arranged for two of the long tailed boats to take us on an excursion.
We left this morning at eight-thirty from our anchorage on Phi Phi Don to go to the nearby island of Phi Phi Le. It has been the prettiest weather we have had so far with sunshine and
a nice breeze. The water was fairly rough which made the ride in the long tail a bit wet but we were all in bathing suits anyway.
The long tails are so named because of the way the engines are mounted with a long (ten to twelve foot drive shaft) with the propeller on the end. The boat is both powered and
steered by the drive shaft with the pilot standing in the rear and hefting the shaft around. The prop never goes deeply into the water and it leaves quite a rooster tail and makes a big
racket. Of course there is no reverse and the boats are made of very heavy timber with a high bow sprit. The young men that pilot them are capable and seem to cooperate with each
other. They are thick as fleas in the area, can run in shallow water and pull right up to a beach. The boats are decorated on the bow with large ribbons and painted or stained in colorful shades.
 Our
first stop was the Viking
Caves.
The water
crashes hard into the rocks and the boat must be swung around and
brought to a dock to unload the passengers. There was already
a boat there when we arrived so after two passes we were brought
along side of the other boat. Then the only trick was climbing
over all the heaving boats and onto the dock. The young Thai
men kept warning , "Hand, Hand!!" and pointing at the
gunwales. To put a hand there and then have the boats crash
together would create some real big problems. We all exited
without mishap and paid the admission price to the attraction.
The cave is huge with stalactites dripping from the ceiling in many shapes. One resembles a waterfall cascading over rocky steps and another a giant mushroom in psychedelic hews.
There is flimsy bamboo scaffolding throughout the cave and we were trying to figure out what it was for when Brad told us the ladders and scaffolds are built for the egg hunters who
climb to dizzying heights to steal the bird eggs that are laid in the caves. There was also a type of shrine set up in the middle of the cave with offerings of flowers and things left there.
When the language is so different and there is no guide you just have to do the best you can with understanding what you see.
We climbed back into the boats and headed to our next stop which was for snorkeling. Since we had come early there were few other people there and we enjoyed feeding and
watching the eager schools of tropical fish and watching the clams with the brilliant colored lips "clam up" as we approached. The water is clear and warm but the little stinging critters
still annoy us from time to time. The long tail boats are high sided but they do carry a basic iron boarding ladder. We got back in and headed for the exceptionally beautiful Maya Bay
beach where we went ashore and took our picnic lunches that we had packed that morning. By then the sandwiches and cold drinks tasted good and so did the cold watermelon that
Lois and Don had brought. The bay was crowded with many long tails and other excursion boats and tourists from all over the world.
The water and cliffs of Thailand are beautiful. The cliffs tower several hundred feet, soaring straight up from the crystal clear water. Rugged boulders jut up sporadically as a constant
reminder to mariners to pay attention. Each time you turn a corner the scenery seems more spectacular than the panorama just passed.
The anchorage here in Ton Sai Bay is secure and the resort village is delightful. We had lunch there yesterday and will go in to one of the multiple restaurants tonight for dinner. Of
course sea food is the specialty and yesterday we shared a bowl of the special spicy Thai soup with fish, shrimp, octopus and who knows what else. It was delicious. Then we had
the big tiger prawns in sweet and sour sauce. I had canceled my order for curried chicken but we got it anyway. We didn't go back in for dinner, lunch was enough.
After leaving the restaurant Brad wanted to treat everyone to a special Thai pancake. We walked to one of the stands and had their very thin pancakes with banana and coconut
inside, sprinkled with sugar and drizzled with chocolate sauce. Thank goodness they aren't too big. As we waddled off down the little lanes we looked over the merchandise on display and
were constantly invited into the shed like structures for a "Thai massage." We stopped at one place that advertised for a "foot massage" and the temptation was too much so we both
went in and stretched out to digest lunch and be massaged. All this is done just off the sidewalk . As Brad and Rosie passed and saw us they came in also and soon we were all
stretched out being ministered to by an assortment of masseuses. Massage is very popular in Thailand as it is anywhere where people will give it a try.
Yesterday we went and got our messages from Hot Mail. It was wonderful to hear from family and friends and sad to hear from our friends in Port Vila, Vanautu about the death and
destruction on the lovely island of Pentecost. It is such a beautiful and peaceful place, untouched by the violence of the modern world yet not immune from the violence of nature.
I remembered thinking that the children growing up on Pentecost could grow up with no fear yet I can think of nothing more terrifying than an earthquake and a tsunami. |
