July 16, 2011

We’re very glad that our “sweet” day wasn’t on July 15, because on that day we had a bad storm. The sky turned black, the wind howled, and the rain came pouring down. We were okay on CanKata (still anchored in Ao Chalong) because her anchor holds very well and we can close everything up to stay nice and dry.

On July 16, the weather was lovely! We rode our bicycles to a very nice restaurant and had red meat – which we don’t eat very often here in Thailand. We have decided that on every Sweet 16 day, we’ll go out for a special meal and eat red meat. We wish it could be Alberta beef but we will have to settle for Australian beef, which is almost as good.

That evening, we had friends over to visit and play a dice game called “Farkle”. Next time we meet up, we’ll bring our dice so we can teach you to play. Here is a coincidence: one of the friends we had over was celebrating her birthday – another Sweet Sixteen!

By the way, we have a couple of SpongeBob jokes for you:

How does Gary get to the beach?

He takes the shell-evator.

Why did SpongeBob buy a new karate outfit?

It was on his chopping list.

Bye for now. We hope you are having a Super Sweet Summer!

July 15: These buckets are ready to catch rain. We love fresh rain water!

July 15: Grandpa is watching the coming storm very carefully.

Grandma and Grandpa enjoying red meat to celebrate Sweet 16 Day.

Grandma, Grandpa, Gerd & Sylvia (SY Daedalus), Richard & Susannah (SY Ultimate Dream)
(Susannah was celebrating her birthday on the 16th too)

June 16, 2011 - Grandma and Grandpa have an address

Today, Grandma and Grandpa Sailor are still anchored in Ao Chalong, Phuket, Thailand. It is very windy today! Our wind generator is making lots of noise (but giving us lots of electricity) and we can’t put up our shade awning because the heavy wind might rip it.

The big news we have for you is that we now have an address in Phuket. We have bought a little apartment at Nai Yang Beach and we will move into it after we sell CanKata. It might take a long time before we find someone who wants to buy CanKata, so we will rent out our apartment until that happens. So don’t send us any mail just yet.

This is our address:

Loretta and Darrel Smith

#1403, Dewa Phuket

65 Moo 1, T. Sakoo

A. Thalang, Phuket 83110

How to say Dewa Phuket:  day-wah poo-ket.

We are also very excited because you two are just about done school for the year, and then you will be on summer vacation. We hope you have a great summer and have lots of fun adventures that you can tell us about.

This is "Jenny", our wind generator, working hard.
The Canadian flag below Jenny is wrapped up so the wind won't rip it.



A job for Grandpa on a windy day:
Fixing a pump in the bilge
(which is something like the boat's basement)



One of the pools at the Dewa Phuket
and the apartment building in the background



Grandma thinking she might go for a swim

Grandma swimming in the bubbly section of the pool
(the little pool with the elephants is for little kids)

May 16, 2011 – Cycling in Chalong

Today, Grandma and Grandpa Sailor were anchored in Ao Chalong, Phuket, Thailand.

It’s not great for swimming, but it is nice and calm.

 

Do you recognize CanKata?





This was a busy day.

First of all, Grandma and Grandpa did some cleaning on CanKata.

This is Grandma cleaning the cushions.

Then we went shopping at one of Grandpa’s favourite stores.

We rode our bikes.





Grandma didn’t fall off her bike,

but this photograph reminds us of what it was like

when we were learning to ride.



Grandpa never falls off his bike. Well, hardly ever. 

 



On our way home to CanKata,

we passed a ship that burnt and sunk two days ago.

Nobody was hurt.



Later today, we’ll have a game of Chess

and then probably watch a movie

and have some popcorn on the foredeck (unless it rains!)

We hope we get some photos of you riding on your bikes.

Bye for now.



April 16, 2011: Thinking of selling CanKata

What a busy day this was for Grandma and Grandpa Sailor!  We were still anchored in Nai Yang Bay. We love it here so much that we might buy a place on land and stay forever! Then we would sell CanKata.

One of the things we talked about on this Sweet 16 Day was trying to talk you two into coming to visit CanKata before we sell her.  We know it’s a long way away and that means a very long flight, so we know it might not be possible. But we’re hoping!!

Here in Thailand they just celebrated their Songkran Festival, which is their new year but seemed more like a July 1 Celebration in Canada. It was lots of fun because people celebrate by throwing or splashing water on one another. We got very wet when we went to the festivities! 

Here are some photos of people in Thailand having lots of fun during the Songkran Festival.

Everyone who passed this crowd got very wet.

Lots of cars and trucks lined up to get into the Park
where the festivities were held.

 

Grandma got very wet when she cut through the traffic.

There was lots of yummy Thai food at the festival.

Having fun in the back of a truck, and getting very wet.

Someone is going to be busy trying to get this car clean again.

 

If you look closely, you can see CanKata.
She was the only boat in the bay during the festival.



March 16, 2011

On this Sweet 16 day, Grandma and Grandpa Sailor are anchored in Nai Yang Bay. We’re going to be here for a while, maybe until May. Here’s a map of Phuket Island (which is in Thailand). Can you see the airplane? That’s very close to where we are. And yes, we see and hear lots of airplanes everyday.

These days, we also see lots of jelly fish. Normally there are none, but lately they are a bit of a nuisance. Today we will see if we can count 16. When you were in PEI, did you ever see 16 jelly fish in one day? Are there any jelly fish in Alberta?

To celebrate today, we rented a motorcycle and went to Boat Lagoon Marina to join some friends for a yummy Thai food lunch. While we were there, Grandpa bought 16 stainless-steel fasteners for CanKata. Then, when we came back to CanKata, we had a very special Sweet 16 snack: 16 M&Ms, 16 peanut pieces, and 16 raisins. We wonder what you did on this special day.

Grandpa, Grandma, Mike, Rosie, Ray, Judy, Irene, Rolf and JJ

4 times 4

Dylan and Laura and Tehja and Tate

If doubled up would equal 8.

If you took that 8 and doubled once more

You’d get the same as 4 times 4.

And what do you think that number would be?

It’s Sweet 16, as sure as can be!

4+4+4+4

Is a number that we truly adore.

It’s 4 times more than the number 4,

It’s also 16 – which we adore even more!

                                                     How many Smiths below?

__________________________



These are "operculums" from the Andamans.
They act as doors for some snail shells.
What is 4 x 4?
What is 2 x 8?



February 16, 2011

Our email to Tehja and Taylor on this day:

Happy Sweet 16 Day greetings from the Andaman Islands! We started our day off in a special way: had bbq fish for breakfast. Our friend caught a huge barracuda and gave it to us because they don't eat fish. On their advice, we also kept the "rib" (the backbone and all the bones attached), applied a bunch of salt and pepper, and threw it on the Q. We didn't realize how much meat was on it - it was quite a feast!

We will go snorkelling today, on the search for some Nemo fish. We went snorkelling yesterday and saw hundreds and hundreds of colorful fish, but no Nemos. We are very happy to hear that you are enjoying school and swimming and having lots of fun with your friends. You are such wonderful kids and it is no wonder that you have made some great friends. We hope your Sweet 16 day was sweet.

All our love and at least 16 big kisses,

Grandma and Grandpa Sailor xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

CanKata in the Andamans (India)

Grandpa Sailor fishing in the Andamans.

Grandma Sailor snorkelling in the Andamans.