1 September Change direction

I ended our last blog post with us leaving Koh Samui and bound for Kuala Terenngganu with stops at the Malaysian islands on the way.  However on the second day of our coastal hop down the Thailand coast I received and email from my sister telling me our Dad was in hospital and very ill, I should come home without delay.
Most fortunately we still had internet connection and as we were sailing and motoring along I was able to book a flight back to England.  Despite the urgency we still stopped and anchored at night.  There are numerous hazards of fishing pots, fishing nets and fishing fleets which make night passages a form of Russian roulette, run over a line and your propeller might be fouled.
Our final night stop was off the smaller of the Perhantian islands, but in order to reach KT in time for my flight we had to leave an hour before mariners dawn. (Mariners dawn is thirty minutes before dawn and is when you see the first lightening of sky in the east.)  In our dark getaway David sat on the bow with a light searching out the fishing buoys.  We had to change direction a couple of times before it was light enough to see without the torch.
Luck was with us today. We made good time to KT and we arrived a t slack water which is necessary for safe docking in the river marina.  Immigration department were on hand to clear me in to Malaysia so I could fly out 4 hours later and I was able to be with my Dad by lunchtime next day.  He was in hospital for two weeks and has now made a good recovery.

sooo good

bliss

I came back from UK yesterday to a very warm welcome from David and Polly.  While I was away we Skyped regularly so I kept up with the ongoing boats jobs and Polly's adventures as she makes the most of access to terra firma.  She's being making the most of my absence too; daily grooming sessions by her hairdresser David and sleeping in my spot in the bed.  I left with an empty bag and returned with a bag filled with boat bits, new clothes and shoes for me and some foodie treats which we don't see on our travels.
It was lovely to see my family and to see my Dad better and it's lovely to be home on Jackster once more.