Year 2- 3 -6 December 2025 –Phuket -Thailand

3rd December 2025

We arrived about 6.00pm landing in Phuket to a warm evening and once we collected our luggage we met our pre-arranged taxi to take us to the Supalai Hotel which is about 2 nm from the AOPO Marina where Stormbird was moored. The hotel was on a hill and our room had a great view over the sea and we could see the marina North of us and I could see Stormbird’s mast. We had a light dinner and headed to bed.

4th December 2025

We had a reasonable night’s sleep and a good breakfast. I headed over to the marina to see Stormbird. She was locked up and fine. I had arranged various things and the laundry arrived at about 10.45 am and there were a number of wrapped up bags including sheets etc which was good to have had done. The cleaned and repaired genoa and staysail arrived and we got them into the cabin to be put up again in January 2026. The electrical engineers came and they tested the batteries as I wanted them checked properly. Luckily the batteries were all fine and none needed replacing. The same company were servicing the generator and they were part of the way through that and they will complete the service tomorrow.

I tidied things up and prepared for the lift out on the 6th. I was able to to put things on board that I had brought out with me which was good. I made contact with some other tradesmen to ensure they would get on with the works required. Once I did all I could I got a taxi back to the Supalai to be in time for lunch.

5th December 2025

We had a good night’s sleep and a relaxing morning but had to check out by 12.00noon and we then got a taxi to AOPO Marina where we got a speedboat to the Santhiya Resort on Koh Yai Yai which took about 25-30 minutes crossing areas that we had come through on Stormbird. The hotel is large but lovely and set in the jungle on the West side of the island. The villas and apartments are all in carved wood and all large so you feel you have space. We have a lovely room with a balcony looking straight across to Phuket. We shall spend hopefully a relaxing 2 weeks here which will allow me to quite a lot of planning for Year 3.

6 December 2025

We had a good first night’s sleep but there was a thunderstorm in the night and we had no power in our room for a while. However, it was a lovely sunny morning when we woke and we had a great breakfast where there was an extensive choice of food. I got the 10.00am speedboat back to AOPO Marina and arrived about 10.30am. Stormbird was due to be lifted out at 11.00am and so I prepared the lines on my own and then about 10.50am the marina guys came to help and so we left the mooring and headed round to the lift out area which was a ramp essentially and a trailer that came into the water and a diver that came in and placed various hydraulic parts of the trailer on to Stormbird’s hull. At first the marina crew put 4 lines on each corner on Stormbird so they could hold her in position and then the trailer was lowered into the water and over about 20 minutes the supports were put in position. This is the first time that she has been lifted out this way as normally there is a crane with slings. The marina guys got off but I was left on my own whilst this was all going on. I put the fenders away and the ropes and lines. I waited and after about 30 minutes all seemed to be in place and very gradually the large John Deere tractor started to pull the trailer gradually and slowly out of the water. This seemed to take some time but we were towed past the local buildings and trees which I could almost touch until we came to an area where they were to give Stormbird a jetwash.

I made contact with some of the contractors who were going to work on her and met them. However, I could not do everything and will probably need to come back on Monday again briefly. I left Stormbird being jet washed and got the 1.00pm boat back to Santhiya resort where Jules and I had lunch and reasonably relaxing afternoon. We did go to the gym which was good and had a good supper with lightning in the distance.       

 The picture for this blog is Stormbird on the trolley.

 Need/Opportunity Year Three

In year three I will be going from Thailand to Sri Lanka, India, Maldives and then on to Chagos, Mauritius, Reunion, Cape Town, St Helena, Azores and back to the UK.  I am looking for crew from Mauritius/ Reunion Island to Cape Town and from Cape Town to the UK. If of any interest do email me.

The blog will continue as we continue the journey. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com