Racha Noi

by Darrel

During the SW Monsoon season, Loretta and I have to stay on the east coast of Phuket. The most common anchorage is Ao Chalong which is a great port for provisioning, getting massages, eating out, finding spare parts, catching local bus to Phuket Town, and socializing with other cruisers.  However the water is less than idyllic and during a real blow there is often a boat or two that goes AWOL. We have recently had a near miss and in fact had to start the engines to motor out of the way of a drifting diving boat.

We have made a few trips up to Phangna Bay as well as to some local islands close to Ao Chalong to get away, but even then the water is not clear enough to don our snorkel gear.

Lately we have been making trips to Racha Noi, an uninhabited island, which is located about 22 miles due south of Ao Chalong which makes for a nice beam or broad reach sail. Even when the wind is blowing like stink, i.e., 34 knots, and as long as the seas have not built more than 6 feet, it can still be a decent sail. During one of our last trips, returning from Racha Noi, we recorded just over 10 knots which is very fast for CanKata.

CanKata anchored at Racha Noi, all alone.

So now we are in the habit of heading out to Racha Noi whenever there is a decent break in the weather. Unfortunately, we cannot receive internet, or telephone, there so once there we are out of “the know”.

We anchor in a well protected bay along the east coast of Rocha Noi and are usually the only boat there, giving us the seclusion and peace that we often can only dream of. The water is crystal clear, the coral is on the rebound, and there are numerous fishes to keep us entertained when we go snorkelling. There is also a clothing optional beach with white powdery sand, all to ourselves.

When we spent our first two years in the Caribbean, it was places like this that we were always on the lookout for. Here we have one almost in our own backyard.

Sometimes we share the anchorage with a raft of fishing boats.

There is a beautiful beach at our anchorage.

The beach has a shady spot, perfect for dinghy maintenance.

Loretta has started a "broken operculum garden" on the beach.

L:  "It's my kind of place."