Follow our Track @ A dockyard again!!!
I am not a religious person. My parents made a half baked attempt at putting me through Sunday School, partly, I presume, to show the neighbourhood we were a fine upstanding family, partly to try to instill some behavioural guidelines, but mostly because they served Arnotts assorted biscuits after the lesson. I was eating anything that wasnt moving at home, this was an inexpensive way to keep a growing boy growing!
Being non-religious is just as valid as any other worldview. Plenty of people find meaning, ethics, and purpose through reason, science, relationships, art, or personal values without needing religion. But I do possess a quiet, intuitive attunement to the subtle cues life offers—little nudges, patterns, synchronicities, or just gut feelings that help guide us along the way.
It was the lead in to the 2025 festive season. Plans were to travel to Australia for Christmas. We had taken Luna Blu out for one of her last trips to take stock of what else was needed to be done before we finally depart. Boat life is as much maintenance and upkeep as it is sailing 15 knot winds with a beam reach, in crystal clear waters, around palm tree rimmed islands. That’s a lie of course. Boat life is 80% maintenance and upkeep!
As had been the custom for the previous 6 years being based at Yaght Haven Marina, I would message the marina office when we departed, indicate our estimated return date, and on each and every previous occasion, a vacant berth was available upon our return. It had just always been this way, clockwork! However on this occasion, when it came to the return date, i messaged ahead to advise i was coming back. Usually their reply was prompt and welcoming. On this occasion, there was no immediate reply. No matter, i thought, they were busy on other marina related matters, and that I’d hear back from them in due course, and if not, well, my dock would be available, as it was always!
An hour passed, and another, and there was no reply. Odd! And then the eventual reply arrived. “Now is fully booked sir, could you wait for 1-2 weeks please”. Ahhh, this is Luna Blu, Khun Andrew, the same Luna Blu that has been based inside your Marina for over 6 years. Radio silence followed. I’d anticipated a message to advise a free space had been arranged, but there was nothing, literally nothing. There still remains nothing.
What to do now, we thought, amongst increasing levels of agitation and confusion! We rang around some other Marinas, they had available space, but they were a little further away than we’d have otherwise preferred. We could pick up a mooring ball and leave the boat there for the 2-3 weeks while we were away. Not ideal, but if it had to be, it could be. And then it hit me. There was a dockyard literally a single mile from the marina. We could lift out, clean the hull, polish propellers, service engines and deal with a through-hull that had a tiny little leak that was easily manageable, but frustrating an otherwise bone dry bilge.
A few phone calls later and we were lining up at the dock yard entrance and soon being lifted out of the water.
Once she was placed down on blocks, it became evident that this might have been a signal to get a few things done that needed to be done. The hull wasn’t great, and needed a good clean. The propeller anti-foul had been worn away, they needed recoating. The anodes also needed replacing. I removed the propellers and found a few wraps of fishing line behind the propeller hub. Further inspection revealed that the sail drive seal which kept sea water from entering the gearbox, whilst hadn’t yet been breached by the fishing line, was in fact moments away from breaching. The expansion ring keeping things tight in place had been broken and it was just a matter of time before a breach would have occurred. This was a huge surprise to us. Whatever annoyance toward the marina for their lack of custom immediately turned to relief that we had taken the decision to lift the boat out
This was indeed a sign, and we were grateful to have heeded it!
I was soon back in Australia for Christmas, and Zippy, having had her tourist visa application rejected by the thought police from the countries department of home affairs, now turned her hand to managing work on the boat whilst it was up on blocks.
Some new coats of antifoul, removal of a rudder blade to drill a hole through the stock for a bolt to pass through, replacing the locking pin system that had failed during our Malaysian debacle. Sail drive seals replaced. Engines serviced, propellers polished and coated, anodes renewed. Through Hull valves replaced and some minor gelcoat repairs while we were at it.
Additionally Zippy had, and unbeknownst to me, arranged for a team to come and re-coat the topsides. This time a darker blue hue. We had always been a little disappointed at how the color we had originally chosen turned out. A shade or two light of the deep navy blue we were after. There were hints that something was afoot while i was away. “Did I like this color blue”, came the question. Odd, I thought, given that there wasn’t any painting of blue to be done. But behind the scenes, Zippy was already through coats one and two of “Ocean Blue”. A third followed. Despite Zippy’s concern I might not approve, I was presented with a wonderfully glossy, reflective deep blue hull that had long been the vision!
Exactly 20 days later, back from Christmas holidays, we were onboard as Luna Blu was returned to the water. This time with a perfectly clean hull that would hopefully see us slice effortlessly through oceans.
Hard work sets the stage, luck opens (or closes) doors, and that quiet ability to read the signs—those subtle signals along the pathway—lets you step aside just in time. Dodging an oncoming bus like this brought a special kind of relief: not just “phew, it’s over,” but a deeper gratitude for having listened to that inner sense when it mattered. It’s almost like the universe, or life, or chance, gave us a nudge, and we trusted it. These moments remind us how precious—and fragile—the path can be.
The boat was unquestionably ready, but we’re we?
Full time life aboard begins
Back in the water, we left the dockyard behind us, and passed abeam of the marina that had been home to Luna Blu for 6 years, I didn’t wave. I’ve still not heard back from them as to an available berth, not withstanding the fact we didn’t need one. It was so very odd, the silence!
The days sunset was two hours henceforth so we decided to anchor on the western side of Ko Nakha Yai. This brought with it a sense of serendipity, full circle, call it what you will, for it was this very anchorage that I first taken Luna Blu or perhaps she had taken me, some six years earlier. It would likely be the last time she would anchor anywhere along this east coast of Phuket. Waters that had been covered so often in the preceding years.
The fly-like buzz of a school of jet skiers enjoying the evenings sunset carried off into the distance and eventually disappeared, leaving behind the beautiful silence of this anchorage. I was feeling just a little emotional a gentle, wordless “thank you” and “farewell” all at once, acknowledging the bookend of this particular chapter in Luna Blu’s life!
We sat enjoying the last of the says rays of light, discussing what might lay ahead of us as we looked now with growing enthusiasm for what might be ahead for us.
The next day we headed to the southern end of the island. Nai Harn. The sizeable bay on the south west corner was playing host to a great many boats that were arriving to stage for their own planned passages westward. We had a few more things to complete and so elected to continue up the west coast to Nai Yang. Once there we would anchor for a week or two, completing last minute tasks, filling up with diesel, fresh water and provisioning.
The longer we sat and thought about things, the list of more things needed grew and grew. It’s a vicious circle. At some point you have to say enough to the constant lists of things needed, make sure the criticals are onboard. What is forgotton or couldnt be found, can be picked up elsewhere along the way.
It was time now to study the weather predictions for first leg of this odyssey, Phuket to Sri Lanka!
The boat was ready, we are ready but are the gods going to afford us free passage?
The Monk and his blessing
I opened this chapter highlighting my athiest tendencies. Zippy’s beliefs are quite the oposite, for she holds a deep association with the Buddhist faith. A night devoid of prayer and meditation is very foreign to her, and the world isnt right until these rituals are completed.
The Noble Eightfold Path :
Wisdom: Right Understanding, Right Thought.
Ethical Conduct: Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood.
Mental Discipline: Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration (Meditation).
So strong is her faith, that we weren’t to be departing until her Buddhist Monk came to give his blessing for us to do so!!!
The growing crowds of beach goers witnessed a Monk, adorned in ocre colored robe, alm bowl and prayer mat carried by myself (woman aren’t allowed to assist,) climbing into a dinghy and being chaperoned across the bay toward Luna Blu.
A table of an array of foods and drinks were offered, and graciously accepted. But before eating, he blessed us and the boat. The ceremony was carried out in Thai, of course, and I understood none of it, but Zippy did and she was pleased this last hurdle toward readiness had been completed.
The boat was ready, we were ready, the blessings had been performed.
it’s time to leave. Its time to start this.
We watch the weather, we watch the movement of other boats awaiting to leave for the same route. We wait now. All is ready, we wait, we are ready, we wait…..patiently, we wait.
It is time now.
Leave a Reply