Day 3: Ko Libong to Had Yao Beach
A local-style breakfast near the pier
Areeya greets the day!
10 January Had Yao Beach (mainland)
18km
The sun reigned in the blue
sky until thin clouds moved in late afternoon. I fixed my own breakfast of two
hardboiled eggs (provided by Areeya), muesli, yogurt, and hot Ovaltine. The rest
of the group procured food at stalls. We bought take-out food for lunch.
This time I joined the group for a walk with the fisherman out in the shallow
water in search of dugongs, but we didn’t find any. We did get a look at the sea
grasses that the dugongs graze on.
Day 3: Ko
Libong to Had Yao Beach
A local-style breakfast near the pier
Areeya greets the day!
Although the tide was rising, Chris
didn’t wish to wait any longer than necessary as we had a full day ahead, so we
dragged the kayaks and carried gear out to the end of the pier where we could
just barely float the kayaks and set off. We felt hot under the sun, then caught
a cooling headwind after rounding the southernmost tip of Ko Libong. When Chris
reached this point on his scouting trip last May during the rainy season, strong
winds and big waves forced him back, but now we found conditions ideal. We
paddled through shallow and very clear water in the south past rocky shorelines
and the small Sea Cucumber and Abalone beaches.
Ian gives Eew a tow into deeper waters.
We paddle past Point Dugongs
Panyang Beach
Areeya and Chris pose off Panyang Beach.
At Lang Khao Beach on
the west we stopped at a resort area for cold drinks, and I went with a tea Oreo
smoothie. Back on the water, we paddled north beside very long Tung Yaka Beach,
then pulled in to see Stone Bridge, an unimpressively small rock arch but in a
pretty spot. We had our packed lunch here, then continued one kilometer farther
north to Toh Chai Cape—the northern tip of Ko Libong—then began the 3-kilometer
crossing back to the mainland, helped by a nice tailwind. Before arriving at Had
Yao Beach I swung into a cave-like overhang in towering cliffs, but Chow felt uncomfortable inside.
This lady fixed our delightful cold drinks.
Cool kayakers
We paddle toward Stone Bridge.
Beach time at Stone Bridge
The highly mineralized rock of Stone Bridge has fins with these tiny holes.
After we unloaded the kayaks at Had Yao Beach, I hopped back in
my kayak to journey a bit south to Magic Beach, a pretty patch of sand enclosed
by massive limestone pinnacles. I beached the kayak and walked around to
explore.
Magic Beach has a “lost world” feel about it!
The limestone had eroded into a little canyon with overhangs, but no real caves.
I enjoyed a visit
to this very peaceful spot.
Although Hat Yao Beach is considered on the mainland and is connected
by road, tidal channels completely surround it, so it’s really an island, and we
would go through the encircling channels tomorrow. We got nice rooms at Chao Mai
Resort. A bit of rain at dinner time sent us scurrying from the outdoor
tables to the dining room. I had a very tasty green curry with vegetables and
basil. A colorful sunset concluded the day. Barking dogs in the middle of the
night made sleep difficult until the worthless animals tired themselves out.