Our Next Adventure- The Andaman Islands!



These beautiful dolphins fill me with such love for them and such appreciation for being able to be part of their joy...I wish they would swim at our bow forever...



They appeared in the far off distance and I got so hopeful. Would they come to swim with our boat? I rushed to get my camera and in a flash- they were there- a school of about 20 beautiful dolphins:) It was such an exquisite  treat to have them sharing our adventure with us. How can anyone ever want to hurt these mystical creatures who radiate purity and goodness? This was one of the highlights of my Andaman adventure!! The dolphins:)
I love the way my camera captured the fin out of the water cutting and splicing so beautifully between their world and ours...



More exciting times to come included some great photographic opportunities which I have included below:)

A beautiful young lady with a sad face...



My beautiful daughter looking stunning in all colours!

We have arrived at last in the Andaman Islands:)) It is the 12th January 2012. It has been a long long three day and night sail across the deep of 3000m2 plus ocean!! Right now- we are anchored at Port Blaire and various groups of officials are coming aboard now to inspect Micah and fill out reams of paperwork.


jack and jackie from our buddy yacht-Barbara Ann:)

It was so hilarious having all these officials on our yachts. They arrive in a huge group and they settle themselves very comfortably in our boats, poking and prodding and inspecting everything...Jacqui had bought a giant onion which was lying in her kitchen (galley). Us yachties are quite possessive about our precious veggies as we really do not know when we are sailing in remote areas, when we are going to find more such healthy veggies:) Well the one official took quite a liking to this onion:) He brought it up to all the other guys and they all hummed and ha'ed about this prize of an onion, admiring it and giving it tons of official attention:))) Jacqui was dreading he was going to ask if he could have it or even confiscate it:)) She was ready to say -um no but then he got distracted and forgot it behind:))

Jacqui and I -a cemented friendship:)

 The Andaman islands are going to be very interesting:)


One of my favourite photos of the Andaman Islands! This pic taken in Port Blaire.


Firstly- they fall under India but were colonised by the British- so the people are Indian but the islands all have British names:) What I am looking forward to here:)- great fishing and an active volcano:) What I am frightened about here - huge salt water crocs!


Look at this lovely big Mackeral that Caden brought aboard:)



 The boys swimming at an island between the Surins and the Similans:)

 The women in their vibrant colours, are so perfect for photographing:)

Brent and Cody after a great ocean swimming training session!

 Cally looking sizzling hot in Similan islands:)

Caden is just loving his life!

Our wonderful friends Jacs and her son Austin- the Barbara Ann crew:) We are buddy sailing with them!We had been looking for crocodiles and forgotten tribes in the mangroves!

:)



My favourite day and my favourite photo! This is the only pic that I got of them jumping out of the water and it is perfect:) Having these magical creatures swim at our bow:)))-just made my day!

Shew, I still cannot believe that we are here in the Andaman Islands! But hold on a second:) Just before I carry on with our month in the Andaman Islands I must include a glimpse into the month before that...



Here is Brent on our dingy in the Andamans:)

 Christmas and New Year in Phuket,have flown by and we had a lot of fun both with family and friends:)!

We stopped in the Similan islands on the way to the Andamans and on the way back to Phuket. I love this island:) White powdery sands and blue soft water- it just brings out the best in me:)

As I have not done a blog December, I thought I would include some photos of my highlights of that time!



Cally and little cousin Sydney:)

  Just doing a quick summary of December before we left for the Andamans ( as I may never get around to putting a blog on of those times:) )

Alone on an island and loving  it:) Forgot that this was croc territory...

Firstly, my sister Jacqui and my gorgeous little niece Sydney, arrived from the USA to spend two weeks with us:) while Jacqui trained for her half Ironman triathlon early December in Phuket.



My sister trained so hard while she was here and ate nothing that I felt I had to make up for it by having a massage or two and eating for two as well:) We are well
balanced together:))



My sister did very well in the Marathon! I am so proud of her. She is the most focused ,disciplined person that I know:)

Andaman Flowers:)

She had had a serious accident on her bike 11 weeks before and had cracked her pelvis and broken her collar bone which now had a pin in it. Despite her trainer saying it was too early for her to compete- visiting us in the same place as a big race was too inviting:) Crazy girl!

And here is my sister at the finish line:)- looking fit and strong after a challenging ocean swim, a dangerous cycle on wet roads and a long long run...

 The little cousins reunited after many years and it was like a first time for all of them , but Sydney's lovable nature just endeared her to the boys and they were all best buddies from day one:) Cally was still in South Africa writing her exams but she arrived shortly after my sister.

Cousins catching up:)

Big Acts!!Sydney fitted in perfectly with Cody and Caden:)

  



Sydney is so lovable with those beautiful blueblue eyes,and her compassionate soul and cheeky grin.. She looked at me on her arrival and said that she was happy to stay with me while her mom was training because we looked the same :) -like having two moms!

She did however grab my bicep the one day thinking I was her mom and then she squeezed it a few times and said,"aunty shasha, your arm is all squishy..."say no more. Tomorrow I start with the weights:)

Our time together flew by and here we are saying our goodbyes so soon:(

Sydney and Caden choosing some fruit from one of the many many fruit and veg stalls in Phuket:)

She just fitted in perfectly with our way of life on a boat and she loved it!!


And so I guess I should get on with our Andaman trip as I seemed to have got a bit distracted with our lives in Phuket before we left for the Andamans:)
I will carry on with my sister's visit and our friends in the next blog...but for now-back to the Andamans!


an Andaman love leaf...

As usual on a boat-time flies and unlike being cooped up in a marina doing boat repairs and schooling-sailing to foreign and new lands is so exciting! This is living life- not knowing what the day holds in store for us:)



Button Island- no-one is allowed ashore here but it was so beautiful and peaceful that we had to go and explore...

 

Beautiful Soul:)

 Our first stop in the Andamans, after 3 day and nights of sailing, was Port Blaire where we had to check-in. They are very strict in the Andamans. As it is part of India, we had to get visas etc. Everything involves lots of official paperwork and money...
What caught my eye and attention the most in Port Blaire- the many colourful saris, the crazy old fashioned taxis, the cows trundling along the middle of very busy roads ( they are treated with great respect there:) ),the little tuctucs which precariously tear around on their 3 wheels with disco music thumping out of them and drivers with suped up hairdoes:)!

These cows just stayed in the middle of a busy turning circle. It really looked like the one was protecting the other and trying to get it to move...and there are those crazy little tuctucs:)

Here we are with the crazy yet lovely old fashioned taxis that Port Blaire has:)

And here is our taxi driver:) You got to love his impeccable look!



Cody is growing up:) Training everyday and loving it!







The blues suit Cally:)

 

Cody and Caden with their Dad:) They had all just come back from fishing off this little island and Cody had caught a nice Kingfish:)







Our yacht Micah painstakingly moored both bow and stern onto two underwater ledges and all this at the end of the petrified lava flow from a huge active volcano on Baron island:)



A beautiful Sailfish that chased our lures:( The good news is that Brent got the lure out and released this magical fish back into the ocean.

Caden posing with our catch of the day- delicious dorado:)
But it does make me very sad to hear that when you catch one of these you leave behind its heartbroken partner as they mate for life:(((

caden having fun at Surin Islands

Brent relaxing at the helm:)

Our yacht and our friends monohull anchored pretty perfect off Button Island:)



Brent,Caden and Cally.