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Published: June 19th 2010
Here's Ed
The premier longtail boatman of the Earth
As agreed, the next morning at 7a.m., we found him bailing out his boat and tidying up. To provide the shade he had promised, he simply borrowed a canopy from the boat next to his who was not using it at the time. Very neighborly. And just like that, long before the heat of the day or other tourists, we were off on another unforgettable adventure.
In addition to exploring the shores of Koh Tao, we also had our heart set on seeing the three immensely scenic islands known collectively as Ko Naang Yuan, which are three islands connected by sandbars. They are surrounded by coral reef and have some of the absolute best diving in Overview of Ko Nang Yuan
Taken from atop one of the three islands the entire world, so it's said. The Thais have made it a national park.
We made the first stop after about twenty minutes at a very secluded cove, Aow Leuk, that someone had given us a tip about. Ed joined us and kept an eye on us, showing underwater by sign language how NOT to put your foot in the GIANT CLAM, as it would close on your toes.
Dane and I had purchased some well fitting snorkeling equipment that suited us perfectly and I didn't have to wonder about someone else's spit in the mask or a leaking snorkel (like the one that ruined a dive for me when we were in Phi Phi in 2008). My mask is clear all the way around which helps with that claustrophobic feeling somewhat. There were fins available for us, but we really didn't need them.
It was the most enjoyable time I've ever had snorkeling, with Dane holding my hand underwater and showing me stuff. There were huge "forests" of shocking white, snowflake like trees of coral beds. Every once in a while we would see one that was florescent green or pink or purple. Underwater is sensory
Songsem Pier in the wee hours
We went of in search of adventure before anyone else was even up. overload, and just "another world" in itself. Easy to see why people are willing to tote huge bags of scuba equipment around just so they can do the deep underwater diving.
By the time we had gotten all the way around Koh Tao, having made stops at different bays along the way, the tourist diving boats had arrived at Ko Naang Yuan.
Noticing a rickety boardwalk built around the largest island of the three, we decided to walk it, since there was absolutely no one heading in that direction. The boardwalk had funny handrails made out of twigs, and many missing planks which you could somehow walk over without looking down after a while.
The Thais assume you will have common sense and NOT fall onto the rocks and razor sharp coral below. It is only about a twenty foot drop anyway, not too bad. The fish and coral were clearly visible through the jewel-like water, like a liquid aquamarine. There were glorious shades of blue all the way out to the horizon, a day I will never forget as long as I live.
Checking out the next day was really hard to do. Leaving the
Boats near the pier
Just a few minutes walk from our hut, we went down to meet our Longtail Boatman. hut, leaving the beach dogs, leaving Paradise; it was sad to think about maybe never coming back again.
We hung around town and waited for the last Lompraya to take us to Koh Samui. As we were waiting on the dock, who showed up to say goodbye to us but Ed! I was shocked, as he really did not speak much English, so he must have just known the ferry schedule. He asked us, "When come back?" And we told him, "Long time."
I left a piece of my heart on Koh Tao forever.
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