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updated August 18, 2010
Visitors
to CanKata
Click on the heading you would like to read.
Nothing new this update.
Before March 2006
Larry
and Sue from S/V Affiah joined us in Guadeloupe at Christmas and shared our
first turkey cooked aboard CanKata.
Jan and
Dave from Alberta, who we met in St‑Martin a number of years ago, joined
us again in January in St‑Martin (almost an annual event). We shared the best mud bath ever with them
on Tintamarre and they created our signature toast: May you never have sand in your mud.
André,
Jean, Bruce, Ed, Gary, Anna, Karen, Janet and Lynn went on a couple of
excursions with us in January to small islands off St-Martin. They faced seasickness and hair-raising
dinghy rides, but, according to the guest book, had “an education to remember”. They were the largest group CanKata has ever
taken for a sail.
We
joined up with colleagues and friends Sue Ann, Kathy, Donald and Ken in
St-Kitts and had some terrific snorkelling excursions and other miscellaneous
mischief. We are hoping this “annual
event” can occur for years to come!
We had
other day visitors: Roger and Sally, Charlie and Sue, Ian and Ryan, and Dani
and Kenny. Cat Tales, Roamer, Just in
Time, Sea Witch and Alaté are the boats that entertained us as visitors. What a social life we have!
Don and Sharon – March 1-9, 2006
Excerpts
from the guest log:
March 2
– Just snorkelled at Tintamarre and are now enjoying ti-punch in the
evening. Sharon is cruising on
anti-seasickness drugs and Sudoku. We
had a major shopping trip this morning following the tour de fort. Sharon was a white wraith in the water
beside the brown locals.
March 3
– Mud babies were greeted by 100 visitors at the Tintamarre beach where two
head stands provoked applause. After,
we sailed and motored to Fourchue Island where a barracuda wondered what to
bite. We lost millions in Texas
Hold’em.
March 4
– Light-footed Darrel escaped the death cactus. Don, Sharon and Darrel climbed to the highest point of Fourchue
and marvelled at the flowers and the baby birds. Took lots of pictures.
Afterwards we all snorkelled and met two barracuda and many smaller
fish. We played dominoes until late in
the evening – 9:00 p.m. The night was
calm. Jenny was quiet.
March 5
– Fleeing from Fourchue, Loretta’s line snagged a barracuda. Said fish snagged Darrel’s hand when
removing the hook. We had a quick stop
in crowded island (Pinel) before a Creole lunch with owner Hercules (in Cul de
Sac). Then we moved to Orient and
caught conch. Don won at dominoes but
he said he wouldn’t mention it.
March 6
– Lazy day at Orient with a beach walk, snorkelling, shell picking on the
island, etc., before heading to Grande Case.
Played Euchre then sang songs in the hammock before retiring.
March 7
– Lots of people day with Al and Carol arriving at 10:00 and then Dawn and Laurie
cruising in to moor beside us. Evening
at carnival in Grande Case with the entire island population, including the
martial arts dancing troupe. Great
snorkelling at noon with needlefish and parrotfish.
Sharon: I’ve just spent a week on paradise. Before we came on this trip I said to Don,
this is a chanced of a lifetime. It has
been better than imagined. Sitting at
the bow seat while at sail has been my favourite spot. I learned to dive while snorkelling and
caught my own conch for dinner. Most
nights we played a game, I especially liked dominoes. The water has been perfect.
Loretta and Darrel, you are the BEST hostesses. The food has been great and the
accommodation very comfortable. I’ve
been able to have a taste of “life a-cruisin” on a catamaran. The Caribbean is beautiful. The warm welcome from you both has made this
a special trip. Thanks!
Carol and Al – March 7, 2006
What a
surprise! Carol and Al Caouette
vacationed in St-Martin and were able to meet up with us for a snorkel and lunch
on CanKata in Grande Case. Thanks for
the wine and books, you two, and we’re sorry we didn’t get to spend more time
with you.
Dylan and Laura – March 14 – 19, 2006
Excerpts
from the guest log:
March
14: D: We arrived late, but better than
never! “Boy, are you two white”, was
the captain’s welcome. Our first 24
hours had enough adventure to fill a whole vacation – the best salad in the
world, shopping in Marigot, hike and sightseeing at Fort Louis, ti punch while
visiting with “best friends”, Grande Case’s $4 ribs, $1 beer (“One dollar!?”),
and we’ll never forget the Jump-Up, featuring Laurie’s rhythm rattle. Then sleeping to the gentle noise of Jenny
and the Jump-Up bands. L: So much fun! It’s just begun! So nice
to see you’re where you belong, in our hearts and in Paradise.
March 17:
L: What a fantastic time we are
having!! Our hike yesterday (Tintamarre) was unbelievable! What beauty!! You have shown me so much
wonder and so many firsts. Snorkelling
and the mud baths, truly magical! D:
Since our last entry, we’ve snorkelled, sailed to Tintamarre, beach
combed, saw an amazing shoreline, had a mud bath, had a feast of fresh yellow
snapper (from Cat Tales), played dominoes, visited Green Cay and added to the
conch memorial. Just a typical couple
of days for us! We really enjoyed
showing Mom and Dad the pictures and videos (of grandchildren Tehja and
Taylor). Now it is time for a mudslide!
March 18:
L: We can’t believe it is our
last day already. We’ve got memories to
last a lifetime. Thank you for teaching
me to dive and dolphin kick while snorkelling.
Until we meet again, remember we look at the same moon, even when we’re
oceans away!
Passing By
Both Darrel and I agree that one of the
highlights of our adventures is meeting people – on the beach, in the
anchorage, in a restaurant – wherever we might pass by. We’d like to take this opportunity to say
hello to the great folks who we have recently been aboard CanKata and who
quickly became good friends with us:
Chloe and her folks Ksenija and Gary from
Burlington. When you meet someone like
little Chloe, you know there is lots of hope for the future.
Claude, Nicole and Pierre from Montreal who
helped us practice our French a little.
Caroline, Alan and Laura of “Malice” from
France, who helped us practice our French a lot.
Mark and Judy of “Magic Dragon”, who we hope to
meet again and again as we travel down island.
Dick – the charter captain – and his
company. It was fun sharing ti punch
with his last crowd – Art, Sharon, Cindy, John and Ken.
Francis and Kathleen, Eileen and Joe, Bill and
Linda – friendly and outgoing (and some a little chatty) Americans who joined
us on a day-sail to Tintamarre. We met
them when Frank stopped us to ask us about our boat. We also shared a couple of memorable happy hours, ice cream and a
breakfast with them. What we
discovered: state troopers can be fun,
Sicilians might actually try saving you from a shark, skinny guys can be
awfully strong, and it only takes a couple of days to make lifelong friends.
Joe and Norma – also part of the above crowd, a
little more timid about swimming out to CanKata, but they eventually made it!
Marie and Tom – also swam out to see us on
CanKata. Americans, like the above
crew. Our southern neighbours are not
shy, are very friendly, and you can’t find anyone more generous.
John and Fay – fellow Canucks who plan to sail
the Caribbean in the near future. Fay
snorkelled for her first time in order to get out to CanKata. Way to go, Fay!
Freddy and Jim – whom we met in St. Pierre,
Martinique and who are also sailing a catamaran. It was the only way Jim could get Freddy sold on the idea, and
he’s happy with his choice.
Hello to all our new friends, and we hope
to meet you again someday!
Familiar Faces in Bequia – May 2006
On our way from St-Martin to Trinidad, we
stopped for a few days in Bequia to catch our breath and have some shore
time. We were thrilled to see that a
few of our cruising friends had also made a stop there. We were able to have sundowners with Susan
and Keith of “Roamer” and the next night with Pat and Jim of “Mirus”. We also hiked to the turtle sanctuary with
Pat and Jim then on to a great Mexican Restaurant, “Tommy Cantina” for Pam’s (the
owner) delicious special. Our plan was
actually to have pizza, but it was May 1 – Labour Day in the Caribbean – and
most of the establishments were closed.
But going Mexican was certainly no hardship.
We also ran into Roger of “Cover Shot” – we
had met him in Trinidad, and met the friendly folks from “Bagheera” who had
stopped and talked to us because they thought we were someone else.
As we get closer to Trinidad, we expect to
be running into lots of old friends.
This is the time of year that cruisers are all heading south to get out
of the hurricane zone. Many will be
leaving their boats on the hard, like we did last year, then heading to North
America for the summer. But CanKata
will be keeping her crew aboard as she starts to head westward, toward the
South Pacific and new adventures!
Trinidad 2006
We were surprised to see that, by the time
we got to Trinidad, (May 25, 2006) most boats had been hauled and many of our
friends had headed back north. There
are still some who, like us, will stay with their boats and eventually head west. We have already met one boat that will be
leaving for Venezuela and then the ABC islands at the same time as us. We hope to get better acquainted with them.
We are expecting no visitors in Trinidad,
but are trying hard to encourage a few family members and friends to meet up
with us a little further west. Until
that time, this section will be a little slim.
Las Perlas, Pacific Ocean – 2007
“The Pearl Islands” are on the east coast
of the Gulf of Panama. One of the
islands, Contadora, has an airport and a resort, so we were able to convince
some family and friends to visit us there in January and February.
The visit in January of Sue Ann, Ken and
Donald was our Third Annual Rendezvous with this group of friends. As has become the custom, there was much
fun, snorkelling, eating, drinking, and catching up on a year’s worth of
news. Here are some log excerpts:
“Isla Contadora has been another great
experience, made so much better for being with you. Spectacular beach on Isla Chapera and bountiful beach
combing”. (Sue Ann)
“CanKata in the Las Perlas Islands – what a
great place to be for our 2007 visit.
Our trip to Chapera was very nice, and the snorkelling too!” (Ken)
“So glad we could meet up with you again
this year. I had the ride of my life
coming back from Chapera Island. Loved
the beach, snorkelling, and most of all being in your company.” (Donald)
Dawn and Rob (Darrel’s sister and her
husband) visited us for two weeks in February, and stayed aboard CanKata. We hopped from anchorage to anchorage in Las
Perlas and left our footprints on a number of beaches. Rob trolled and speared and supplied many
fish for our meals. Dawn was introduced
to a new laundry method – stomping on the clothes in a bucket – and got hooked
on rock collecting. The girls regularly
beat the guys at Kaiser (a card game) and all of us enjoyed the flying antics
of the hundreds of pelicans in the area.
Here are a few log excerpts:
“We made it! Flew from Panama and saw CanKata as we were about to
touchdown. Wow, Paradise at last!!! Los
Perlas and the water is more than we could have imagined. The bioluminescence of the sea organisms
were amazing, like fireflies of the ocean.
… We have done a little hiking, some beach combing, coconut hunting, and
had the best beach picnic possible. We
gathered fresh water from a creek for washing clothes. The tide is very dramatic, over 16 feet in
difference, so islands appear and disappear within six hours. … Dawn is looking
very tanned – like she has been here for a while. … On our way to Contadora we must have spotted over 100 stingrays
all heading in the same direction (south).
We toured Contadora and saw the “Survivor” set for Tribal Council. Out of the four of us, no one got voted off
the island. Had another great day in
Paradise”. (Rob and Dawn)
So that’s it for visitors in 2007. We will spend the rest of the year making
our way towards Australia, where we expect to land in November.
Messages from Afar
Many of our friends and family
will never be able to visit CanKata, but that doesn’t stop them from writing to
us.
Here are some excerpts from
messages we have received … messages that keep us going, that make us laugh,
that sometimes cause us to cry, but that always warm our hearts and make us
very happy that we can still keep in touch.
I must say I am a little envious of how
much happiness and contentment you have achieved with your choice. I just wanted to say hello and wish you
nothing but the best in your endeavors, congratulations in successfully
achieving the lifestyle you had desired. Colin and Margaret Griffin, Calgary.
You are taxing my geography knowledge. I had to look on the world map to see where
in the world New Caledonia was located. Looks like just another
beautiful place. Happy sailing to you.
Roger
& Sally, USA.
My boat is a cat too,
also a Privilege and also a 37 (Kendipi has hull number 39 and was launched at
the end of July 1999). That makes it a sister-ship of CanKata. I hope you
will enjoy many years of happy cruising and who knows, maybe one day we will
meet each other on one of the seven seas! Kind regards from Holland, Eric van der Zeyst.
It is definitely not
hard to tell that you guys are sailors by looking at the pictures you have
taken. Now I am not being critical here, just observant. I don't know if you
have noticed, but almost all of your pictures are taken at about a
15- 20 degree angle to port - check them out. Guess that is what comes from
living life at an angle - but I thought cats didn't do that. Eric, Prince Edward Island.
Living in Canada this winter really makes us pine for the
Southern latitudes! When you mention places like Rangiroa and Tahiti, I have to
really give my head a shake. Can you
imagine that you'd ever get to places like that?? Dawn and Laurie, New Brunswick
That's amazing! I just
finished looking through your website. Looks like you folks are on the
adventure of a lifetime! I wish you the
best of luck on your journey. Be sure to include in your diaries online that a
man from Alberta saved your food from getting spoiled by hooking you up with
brushes [for the refrigerator motor]. Happy sailing! Kevin Kiehn, Leeson Canada Incorporated.
It sounds like you are continuing to have a good
time in beautiful places. We have had
about 20 cm of snow lately with another 10-20 predicted in the next day or
two. They are forecasting a cooler
winter than normal. The skiing is
beautiful, and so early. We are very
lucky; just a different lucky than you. Sharon and Don, Ottawa.
I'm not sure if you
remember me. We met in St. Martin in April 2006. John and I were in
the process of buying our boat to spend a year in the Caribbean. It was
my first snorkelling experience from Orient beach to your boat. Our
Morgan 38 arrived here in Halifax on July 1st 2006 and we were so
excited. Things went along great getting the boat ready for our year-long
trip until October 2006 when John had a sore eye. It was diagnosed as a
tumour in his sinus cavity. He died on Nov 11, 2006. I keep
thinking about John's dream to live aboard a boat and think of you guys.
Hopefully our paths will cross again ... take care and live every moment like
it's your last. Faye, Halifax. (We certainly remembered John and Faye, and were deeply
saddened by Faye’s news).
Hi. My name is Dick and
I am gaining immense enjoyment reading your website and all the details of your
wonderful sailing adventure. My wife and I are Australians, but we are
currently living in Toronto. We previously lived in Calgary prior to moving
here, and we have travelled over a lot of Western Canada. So much spectacular
scenery to enjoy and we just fell in love with the truly stunning Canadian
Rockies. We also love the Canadian people who we find are very much like
Australians (i.e. pretty laid back, enjoy a party, and not prepared to take
life too seriously). Upon checking your current position I find that you are
moored in our hometown of Brisbane, and I hope that you are enjoying some good
Oz hospitality and are being well looked after. My wife and I are looking
forward to just such a cruising adventure as yours in two or three years. It is very dangerous for me to read such web
sites as yours because I want to go and jump on to a boat tomorrow, but we just
have to maintain some discipline for a few more years! Please enjoy our
homeland as much as we are enjoying yours and who knows … we may run into each
other "out there" some day. One of the things that we quickly
discovered upon arriving in Canada is that all Canadians want to visit
Australia, and all Australians want to visit Canada. We could all just swap
over for a year or two and get it over and done with! Dick, Australian in Toronto.
Thanks, everyone, for your wonderful
emails. We look forward to hearing more
from you!
Jan and Dave – December 2007
It was great to have Jan and Dave with us
again on CanKata for a few days. We
spent most of our time off the boat, touring Tamborine Mountain, Burleigh Head,
and the Gold Coast beaches. In our
guest log, Jan has written, “We are already anticipating Where in the World we will be together again!” We’re working on it.
More Messages (early 2008)
From our
cruising buddies on Cat Tales who we plan on meeting in the Caribbean someday:
We know
you have a long way,
And we
can't plan for which day.
But if
you just keep sailing, then
We'll
all be together again.
From
Dylan, Laura, Tehja, and Taylor – our son and his family:
§
If we get your visa cards,
we'll be sure to try them out at the Jaguar dealership to see if they work.
§
Tehja says hi, and we're in
our new house now, it's really awesome and I wish you could come and see it and
have a snack. Abcdefg.
§
Taylor says hello and we're
in PEI.
§
A lot here in PEI makes us
think of you, so you're in our thoughts quite often.
Jim and Freddy – February 2008
While we
were in the Caribbean, we met a lovely American couple on S/Y Chez Freddy: Jim and Freddy Powell. Freddy is really “Patricia” but she was
nicknamed Freddy when she was in her teens.
Jim and
Freddy have since sold Chez Freddy and live in a condo in Colorado – close to
four ski hills – but still travel extensively.
This winter, they paid a visit to CanKata in Australia.
Their
entry in the guest log:
“Our
week on CanKata went by so quickly. We
even saw the sun – as well as wallabies, dolphins and parrots. Great food, great fun and great friends –
life doesn’t get any better. Bon
courage and bon voyage.”
We also
body surfed in the ocean, tobogganed on the sand dunes, walked in the tree tops
in a rain forest, saw a goanna, drummed and sang, watched a couple of moon
rises, and drove around the area without an incident … way to go Jim! It was a great week, and we hope they come
to visit us again sometime. They
invited us to join them for a ski holiday.
Brrrrr!
Sue Ann, Nancy and Lenore – March 2008
One of our best friends, Sue Ann
Rothwell – aka SAR, aka Sandal Girl, visited CanKata once again! This is her fourth visit to CanKata, and
this time she brought along her sister Nancy and her friend Lenore. The three of them spent three days on the
boat, enjoying some fine Aussie weather and lots of laughs. One highlight was Nancy’s 50th
birthday party, which included a lift up the mast in the bosun’s chair.
Excerpts from the guest log:
“Our three nights on board are
an amazing part of our world tour”. – Lenore
“The high point was definitely
going up the mast!” – Nancy
“See you next year … somewhere!”
– Sue Ann
Cousin Edna – March 15, 2008
My cousin Edna lives in Sydney
with her husband John, and I was looking forward to visiting them when we
sailed further south. So I was
thoroughly disappointed when the northerlies didn’t kick in, causing us to stay
put in Bum’s Bay.
But I was pleasantly surprised
when Edna emailed me, “All is not lost.
If you let me know where exactly you are likely to be over the next few
weeks, I can come to see you (don’t ask me to stay on the boat, though). I really would like to meet you.”
Well, I really wanted to meet
Edna, too, so it was wonderful when she flew up to the Gold Coast and paid us a
visit on March 15. Her taxi driver
dropped her off at the wrong spot, but Edna walked around until she found us,
and we had a great day on the boat.
We’re hoping to arrange another
rendezvous somewhere further north as we make our way to Darwin.
And that was it for visitors “from away” over the past few months.
Buddy Boats
CanKata has had a few buddy
boats over the course of our adventures.
Our travels wouldn’t have been near as much fun or as safe without the
companionship of the wonderful people who have travelled alongside us from time
to time.
The captain and crew of a buddy boat have quite a bill to fill. They:
v
travel a distance with CanKata and do route planning with us
v
trade photos, recipes, movies, music and books with us
v
go on hikes with us
v
sometimes face Customs and Immigration officials with us
v
eat, drink and be merry with us
v
cry when we say goodbye
So far on our journeys, we have
had eleven buddy boats:
Alaté (Dale and Rita)
Affiah (Larry and
Sue)
Cat Tales (Laurie and
Dawn)
Roamer (Keith and
Susan)
Wind Machine (Jim and
Michelle)
Apparition (Rico and
Jackson)
Nakiska (Trevor and Bev)
Trius (Nicholas and
Lynn)
Talerra (Dave and Melanie)
www.w7ytz.net –click
on KE7ABE
Daedalus (Gerd and Sylvia)
Nemo (Kerry and Diane)
Thanks, guys, for being such
wonderful friends and travelling companions.
Cheers, and may you never have sand in your mud!
Our Alor Guides – August 2008
After spending some time touring around the
island of Alor, we brought four guides (who had been very attentive to us) onto CanKata
for cookies and juice. None of them had been on a yacht before, and were
thrilled at the invitation. They took
photos galore. These were young
university students with very good English. One of the young women, Lia, said
"I will remember this all of my life", and asked to borrow my
sunglasses and an orange and then had another guide take her photo. I showed them a pictorial book of Canada,
and they were amazed at the pictures in it.
We can only hope that if they ever manage to visit Canada, they can do
it in the summer time.
Kids, Kids and More Kids – August 2008
The children of Indonesia seem quite attracted to us rally members. I guess there are a number of reasons: most of us are white, we dress terribly, they encourage us to repeat Indonesian words that are no doubt obscenities and we willingly comply, we have sailed from places so far away that they can’t imagine it’s possible, and we come bearing gifts.
It’s probably the gifts that are
the biggest attraction. As a group, we
have discussed the pros and cons of giving away stuff to the children without
asking anything in return. So sometimes
we have asked them to bring us fruit or coconuts, sometimes we have asked them
for directions, or sometimes we have asked them to sing. We are running out of worthy gifts, such as
t-shirts, fish hooks, ball caps, pens and booklets, but still have a collection
of bars of soap, cookies, mints, old sunglasses and costume jewellery that we
can bargain with. Or maybe I could bake
them cookies. Darrel laughs at that
thought.
More Indonesian Friends – October 2008
We had a number of Indonesians
aboard CanKata for a quick visit. Most
of them are not boaters and were quite happy to leave after just a few moments
aboard, a little green around the gills. But it was fun to have them sign the
guest book, take their picture, try to exchange bits of information about each
other, and to giggle with the children about nothing in particular. Thank you
Noriza, Johan, Jau, Anak Sahit, Tijah (almost our granddaughter’s name!) /
Juandi, Zaura, Kandar, Roniy, Lia, Diana, Toyop / Yofi, Sis, Nila / Ros, Sari,
Rahman, Yayan, Aida / Fitra, Rizki, Rifaldo, Eti, Fitri and Jona for rowing out
to see us, for welcoming us to your anchorage, for keeping us fed and safe, and
for teaching us a bit of Indonesian. Terima kasih … thank you!
Edna and John – November 2008
Last March, my cousin Edna, who lives in
Sydney, made a huge effort to come and visit us on CanKata while we were in
Australia. It was great to meet her, but we were a bit disappointed that her husband
John couldn’t make the trip. “No worries, Mate”, as the Aussies say. Sure
enough, while we were in our first anchorage in Malaysia, we got an email from
Edna via our son:
“If you
have a more direct contact with Loretta and Darrel, can you ask them if they
will be very busy in the last couple of days before their departure. There is a slight chance John and I could go
to Singapore for a couple of days, arriving on Monday evening 10 November. I know the rally starts on the 14th,
but perhaps we could see them on the 11th or 12th for a
short time. I think it only takes
about 45 minutes from Singapore. Is
there any way of contacting them by telephone? Regards, Edna.”
So Edna
and John flew to Singapore and then took a taxi to Danga Bay just to see us!
They repeated the taxi trip a second time to take us out to a wonderful lunch
at a wharf … fish, prawns, crab, squid and all the trimmings. What a special
treat from a cousin I had only met just once before in Australia. Thank you
Edna and John – it was a wonderful visit!
Big Fat Zero – May 2009
The best
season for visitors has just ended, and now CanKata has left Thailand and is
back in Malaysia. We had arrived in Thailand in early January, and expected to
receive countless requests from family and friends to be their home base while
they visited Phuket. We encouraged a few people to come, but didn’t send out
any broad invitation because, as mentioned, we expected to be inundated.
We were wrong. Here is the number of people who came from away to see us while
we were in Thailand: 0. Zero. Not a one.
Those who realize they have
missed a great window of opportunity have written to us saying, “People say we
are crazy for not visiting you in Thailand”.
Those people are right.
Vagalong – July 2009
While backpacking in Vietnam, Darrel and I
met a lovely young American couple who we immediately fell in love with. We
invited them to visit us on CanKata when they visited Langkawi, and they did,
and we had a terrific time, and now we will be friends forever. Here is the
story:
From
the web log of Kevin Perkins and Idalis Alvarez – vagalong.blogspot.com:
Hue, Vietnam
Sweaty and tired, after miles of
walking around Hue city, dodging crazy moto drivers and storm clouds, Kevin and
I find an oasis: a small Vietnamese cafe. We sit, grateful for the shade and
respite. A smiling couple is sitting next to us, enjoying their Sudoku puzzles
and fresh fruit shakes. We exchange greetings, where are you froms, and
ridiculous travel stories. Several hours and many fruit shakes later, we've
become fast friends. Darrel and Loretta, the friendly Canadian couple, are our
new role models. They left Canada five years ago to live their dream: to sail
around the world on their catamaran. They've been to the most exotic places
imaginable (Bora Bora, San Blas, etc.) and expect to finish their first
circumnavigation in a few years. After a few more weeks of overland travel in
Vietnam, they'll go back to their boat, which is in Malaysia. They'll be in
Pulau Langkawi for several months, so if we're interested, “Come see us on
CanKata!”
Telaga Harbour, Pulau Langkawi,
Malaysia (six weeks later)
At the small marina, Kevin walks
up the several flights to the Harbour Master's office. Tuning in to channel 69,
he reads out the greeting we've been told to say, “CanKata, CanKata, CanKata.
This is Vagalong!” Ten minutes later, Darrel and Loretta are picking us up in
their dingy, with many adventures awaiting us!
CanKata is a beautiful boat. It is a Privilege 37 catamaran that is SPOTLESS!
It has a total of three berths, two heads, lots of space on the cockpit, and my
personal favorite: trampolines (not for jumping!) on the bow where you can
relax and listen to the sound of the dual hauls sliding through the water.
Perfect napping environment!
Our time on CanKata with Darrel
and Loretta flew by. We cruised around the island of Langkawi for nine days,
enjoying the knife-edged peaks and ocean waters. Our day trips were so much
fun! While in Telaga Harbour, we visited a waterfall and bathed in its cool
waters. Too bad I got ten leeches on my butt from it! We hiked up a hill and at
the top we were rewarded with views of . . . a U-turn sign! But bloody bottoms
and anti-climactic treks couldn't spoil our mood. Kevin and I took a cable car
that went up to Langkawi's highest peak and gave us aerial views of parts of
the island. While docked in Tanjung Rhu, Darrel and Loretta took us on their
dingy to visit some caves, see some mischievous monkeys, and watch the famous
Langkawi eagles being fed. Being on their boat was so peaceful, and Kevin and I
got to see secret spots and hidden coves that we would never have been able to
experience otherwise.
If our day trips were fun, then
our nights were a blast. Boy do “cruisers” know how to party! Darrel and
Loretta introduced us to the tradition of the evening “sundowner.” One night's
liberal consumption of Mekong whisky, although fun at the time, proved to be
our demise the next day. We had to sail through choppy waters, and as CanKata's
crew, we were all looking green around the gills! Every night was filled with
laughter. We learned how to play new card games (Winners and Losers) and
Farkle, a dice game that we didn't tire of! Darrel and Loretta showed off their
telepathic abilities with Snaps and Clicks, and drove us crazy because we
couldn't figure out their secret language! Some nights we just stayed up
talking into the wee hours about everything under the sun: politics, travel,
religion, and the infamous burka.
Not everything on CanKata is fun
and games, though. Darrel and Loretta work hard, getting up early every morning
to perform chores and keep the boat in tiptop shape. Things that seem harmless
on land, like salt water and heat, can wreak havoc on a boat. They've come up
with a calendar system to make sure everything gets checked routinely, and
their suggestions have been published as articles in cruiser magazines. Their
hard work and attention to detail has paid off. CanKata is a beautiful boat,
and their pride shows through in its immaculate condition.
Darrel and Loretta, Kevin and I
will always be grateful for the hospitality and friendship you've extended to
us. It was a pleasure and an honor being aboard CanKata. We are so happy that
you two, an amazing and loving couple, are living out your dreams. Thank you so
much for this opportunity and we look forward to the next barrel of laughs with
you. May the rum be cheap in every port and may you never have sand in your
mud! Terima kasih!
Excerpts from CanKata’s Guest
Log:
July
16: It just goes to show – not even ten
leeches on your butt or attacking plants can ruin a great day aboard CanKata.
(Signed, Storage space for blood-thirsty leeches)
July
17: The day is young and adventure is
sure to abound as we go underway. Until later … I have chores to tend to!
July
18: A beautiful day in Tanjung Rhu, exploring the caves and watching the
Langkawi birds get fed. Then, it was our turn! We had a long, lazy lunch, took
a dip to cool off, and joined Rubi for wings and drinks – yum. (Signed, Cruiser wanna-bes)
July
19:
Another
great day in Tanjung Rhu
Hangin’
out with the CanKata crew
Reading
and snoozing, a lazy day
Spent
the whole night yakking away
(Signed: Amateur Poets)
July 20: We moved onto another gorgeous and quiet
spot today. It felt so good to take a dip in the cool waters! We had a
delicious meal cooked by Loretta and had lemony drinks as the sun went down.
Our “Farkling” skills are still being tested and Kevin really wants to catch some squid. (Signed, Loretta’s
cinnamon-bun-addicts).
July 21: A nice boat ride that ended in a freshwater
shower! We all got to touch the top of a jellyfish (not as smooth as you’d
think) and drink some red wine as evening came (smoother than you think).
Another night of great talks, solving the world’s problems, and looking up many words in the dictionary. (Signed, Members of the CanKata Think Tank).
July 22: Not even the rain could dampen our spirits.
Another great day despite the weather. Everyone spread out and relaxed – some
reading, some snoozing (rather loudly). Our last evening with you guys was as
memorable as the others – laughter, drinks and lots of “Farkling”. (Signed,
Spoiled Backpackers).
July 23: This is our last day on CanKata. It has been
an amazing experience. Thank you for your hospitality and friendship. I am
certain our paths will cross again. May you never have sand in your mud! (Signed, your friends for life).
Kevin and Merc – November 2009
They arrived without luggage, but with a
spirit of adventure! Darrel’s nephew and mother arrived from Canada on November
16 after a very long flight, welcomed by hot and humid weather and two very
excited hosts. Following are Kevin and Merc’s “Guest Log” entries that give a
bit of an indication as to how they felt about their adventure on CanKata:
“NOVEMBER 17:
Timing was everything. Made it home before
the rain. Mom.
Awesome wake-up swim at Datai waterfall!!
Kevin.
NOVEMBER 18:
Went headfirst down waterfall at Seven
Pools … was OK but nobody else should try that. Spent more money and saw the
Langkawi Bird Statue. Kevin.
NOVEMBER 19:
Another good day … went to the beach for a
swim and Grandma and I got our butts kicked at Kaiser. Tomorrow we will try the
cable car once more. Kevin.
NOVEMBER 20:
Made it up the cable car but some clouds
rolled in and blocked the view. Had another good lunch ashore. Did some more
snorkelling at about 2 feet clarity. Tomorrow we set sail! Kevin.
NOVEMBER 21:
A bumpy ride to Tan Jung Rhu but nice. Calm
once in the river. Slept out under the stars for half the night until the rain
started. Kevin.
NOVEMBER 22:
Went to the beach and saw a movie being
shot. Found some nice shells, sand dollars and had another good lunch. Did some
more snorkelling. Kevin.
NOVEMBER 18-19-20-21
They were all the best days (that we could
do in the rain). Enjoyed them all. Mom.
NOVEMBER 23:
Awesome day! Started by climbing up the
mast. Then went up river for a tour to see monkeys, bats, Langkawi eagles and
had lunch at the “Hole in the Wall” restaurant on the water. Then set sail to a
new anchorage on the east side of Langkawi where we went swimming and had
another perfect night playing Kaiser. Got some sun too! Kevin.
NOVEMBER 22-23-24-25-26
All I can say is that it has been “awesome”
as the kids say. Nice and peaceful. Crib was good, but the Michigan Rummy, well
that’s another story. Merc.
NOVEMBER 26-27-28-29
Took a trip to Thailand, met a lot of
people and saw a lot of stuff … time of my life! Phi Phi is amazing. Am glad to
be back on CanKata. Kevin.
NOVEMBER 30:
Had a good sleep last night and sailed to
Tengah Beach this morning. Going to parasail this afternoon and the air show is
starting, so there is a lot of action in the sky. Kevin.
DECEMBER 1:
Spent the day at Chenang Beach. Went to
Underwater World, parasailing, sat at the beach. Had fireworks to end it off!
Kevin.
DECEMBER 2:
Set sail back to Kuah but rough seas. Had
Happy Hour out on the deck all afternoon then had the Grand Finale games of
Kaiser and Farkle. The winners were Team CanKata but they have no proof! It has
been an amazing trip. I have seen so much and also have had many new
experiences. Thank you so much for having me aboard and making everything so
memorable. I’m looking forward to taking you for a ride in my BMW when you pass
through the Med. Kevin.
DECEMBER 3:
Thanks a lot for a good time. Go and have a
meal on us. Mom and Kevin.”
Mom & Kevin – thanks for the treat!
Believe it or not, the rain stopped right after you left. We can’t tell you how
much we appreciate you travelling all those hours and miles to come see us.
Loads of love, D & L
Dr. Elaine M.
Barnes – New Year’s Eve to January 9, 2010
I awaited
Elaine’s arrival on the evening of January 31 under the well-lit “Courtyard
Marriott” sign in Kamala. Barefoot and in a sundress, I must have looked like I
was seeking work, and two different cars with single males stopped to offer a
“ride”. Finally, the shuttle bus carrying my long-lost cousin from England (I
last saw her in 1973) delivered her to the well-lit sign, and her adventures in
Thailand began.
Her log entry:
“31 December 2009
I arrived in time to spend the New Year on
CanKata, and what an amazing experience that was. Moored in Kamala Bay, we had
a ringside location for a spectacular show. On shore the “prayer lanterns” (not
sure of their real name) were lit and set off in steady streams and from a
number of locations until the sky was patterned with them – heading upwards
into the sky. The full moon shone, and in Blue Moon tradition the Kingdom of
CanKata celebrated in style. The king and queen, suitably crowned and gowned,
made their proclamations, and hosted a great evening in truly royal style! At
midnight the firework displays all around the bay were fabulous – a 180-degree
display for us to enjoy from our prime viewing position, and 2010 began wonderfully
well.
January 1 – 8 2010
So many good times and loads of great
memories! Spending time on CanKata brings great hospitality and that also
includes other friends and boats nearby. Rubicon Star, with Tim, Barb and Jane,
and Fat Annie with Jill and Robert both shared some good times. Lunches in
Kamala Bay, then at the Orchid in Kata were all great, but the Tuk Tuk Tour and
lunch at Phong Phang near the zoo was best of all. Loretta’s crab took her ages
to devour, and my deep fried fish Phuket style involved wrapping fish, salsa
and sauce in green leaf parcels. Amazing experience and wonderful
tastes!
9 January 2010
My time on CanKata is nearly over, and it
has been a very, very special vacation! Loretta and Darrel have made me so
welcome and have adapted their schedules to make my holiday perfect. (I’ll
think of you guys cleaning mirrors and fulfilling your chores when I leave, so
apologies for making your tasks build up!)
Drinks, food, conversations, games, excellent company, beautiful boat,
fabulous beaches, elephant clouds, “escorted snorkelling”, overflowing
rain-collection buckets, ever-replenished drinking glasses … what a wonderful
time I’ve had. Thank you both for
letting me share your dream life, and remember to keep your website up-to-date
so we land-lubbers can keep up with your travels.
Be happy, safe and HAVE FUN!
Lots of love,
Elaine”
***********************************************************************************************
Elaine – it was so great having you aboard
CanKata. Darrel and I loved our conversations with you and sharing sights and
experiences that thrilled the three of us. We hope you can make visits to
CanKata a regular event in your life, and we look forward to your next trip to
join us. Hugs and kisses, D & L
Catherine Carden – February 2010
“Cat” is what we called her. She came to
visit us from England. She’s a second cousin of mine – a cousin I had never met
or even heard of before. She first contacted me through “Facebook”, and then my
cousin Elaine filled me in on the details.
It didn’t matter that we hadn’t met before
– it was like two old friends seeing each other again. We had three days of fun
and laughter and good eating, and then got to meet her son and his girlfriend –
Jonny and Priya. It was great to have met you all!
Cat’s log entries:
8 February 2010:
From snowy Manchester 11 hours I flew,
To meet with a cousin I barely knew.
We met by the beach, a sunny day
And headed for CanKata out in Nai Yang Bay.
On board the boat, a quick dip in the sea,
And off to the market, it started at 3.
There I ate chicken on sticks – it was
nice,
And “pop in a bag” with a straw and some
ice.
An afternoon chilling, drinks under the
stars,
Loretta knows them all, I only know Mars.
9 February:
Lovely breakfast was waiting when I got out
of bed,
Of mango, bananas, eggs and brown bread.
I lazed on the deck; I gazed to the shore,
I dozed and rolled over and gazed ever
more.
A swim in the sea, by then hanger pangs.
So off in the dinghy for lunch in Nai Yang.
Lunch on the beach in a little food shack,
A lemon shake, some beer and then headed
back.
We visited Nereid and had some iced tea,
And cinnamon buns made for us by Judy.
Back to CanKata, more dips in the sea.
And sunset and nibbles and a large
“G&T”.
We chatted and laughed, I had so much fun.
You taught me a card game, which I
constantly won!!
10 February:
(Not in verse)
I cannot thank you enough for letting me
stay with you on CanKata. This has made the start of my month away very special
indeed. I am so glad we have been able to meet. I hope we will always remain
friends as well and 2nd cousins!
Love from Catherine, also known as “Cat”.
(I love my new name!)
Dawn and Rob – February 2010
No one has visited us as often as Dawn and
Rob. Darrel’s little sister and her husband visited us twice in Lake Ontario,
once in Las Perlas Islands, Panama, and now here in Thailand. More than relatives, these two are super
friends. And they always bring us sunflower seeds … how great is that.
Their log entries:
February 11, 2010:
We made it, finally, no thanks to Thai Air,
but it was worth the travel. Despite the time change, etc., we were too excited
to rest and got right at the “fun” stuff of experiencing the sights and culture
of Thailand. We spent the afternoon getting our bearings and seeing some of the
area from our anchorage at Nai Yang Bay. What a beautiful spot, and excellent
food. The time change is catching up to us … it’ll be an early night. (Rob)
February 12:
Went for a walk along Nai Yang beach, went
for a shore swim, played some water games, then went for a great supper on the
beach. Met up with some friends of Darrel and Loretta. They invited all of us
over for drinks on their boat. I was not feeling well and puked over the side
of their boat. I cut the party short. (Dawn)
February 13:
Chinese New Year’s Eve. Today we went on a
day tour: James Bond Island, sea canoe ride, elephant ride, lunch. Loved it and
had lots of fun but still feeling a little sick. (Dawn)
February 14:
Valentine’s Day. Chinese New Year – Year of
the Tiger. Sailing to next bay – Kamala Beach.
(February 15-27:
No log entries. Here’s where they were:
Freedom Bay, Kata Bay,
On a tuk-tuk tour of Phuket, Nai Harn, Ao
Yon, Phi Phi Don, Ko Rok Nok, Ko Adang, Ko Lipe North, and, finally, Langkawi,
Malaysia.)
February 28:
Sad day. We would like to thank you both
for all the great food and entertainment and great company. Thanks for making
this a great holiday for us to always remember. But Darrel has to work on
winning at cards. Dawn & Rob.
P.S.
And yes, I do love my brother.
Ron and
Cindy – March 2010
We met Ron and Cindy Latin five years ago
in St. Martin. Although we spent less than 24 hours together, we kept in touch,
and then Ron and Cindy took advantage of our open invitation for visitors. They spent ten days on CanKata, and although
they suffered from the heat, seasickness, bug bites, sore muscles, and lack of
ice, they were amazed at the water clarity, colourful underwater life, beaches,
and people. Here’s what Ron had to say:
“We have thoroughly enjoyed visiting the
islands, taking hikes, snorkelling in crystal clear, turquoise waters, chatting
with the locals, meeting other cruisers like Tim and Barb, Graham and Joan and
Neil, cavorting on the beach, hunting for seashells, showering in the scoops,
and dinghying around everywhere as new vistas were discovered”.
John Black – April 2010
Back in October of 2006, John Black joined
us for twelve days as crew for our journey from the ABC islands to the San Blas
Islands, a journey that took us ten days, and a journey that saw us travelling
25 miles backwards (!) after we hove-to to enable the three of us to get some
much-needed rest. John was a huge asset because it was a rough journey, and
having an extra pair of hands on board and a huge dose of positive energy made
it much more pleasant.
John joined us again in Thailand this
April, and this time there was no need to hove-to, no need for night watches,
just the need to get plenty of food, rest, snorkelling, sun and fun. I think
all our needs were met. We’re pretty
certain we’ll see John on CanKata again.
John’s Log Entry:
“Again, thank you for a magnificent time on
board your fine boat, CanKata. You are able to offer a non-pareil vacation.
Each day was different and full of interest and at times adventure. You have
introduced me to a new activity – snorkelling. I will not forget the long,
challenging conversations, the great stories, like that of D’s BBQ, the
stargazing and the run-in with the bommy. The world under the water is
multi-colored and varied, like life aboard CanKata. I will of course remind all
back home upon my return how wretched you have it. May the winds be fair. May
your adventure be smooth. Johnnie the
Crew.”
Until
next update,
Best
regards from Loretta and Darrel, S/Y CanKata