HMTS Chonburi on Childrens Day, Thailand 2012

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What a fantastic day out at the Tabla Mu Naval base in the South of Thailand.   Childrens day in Thailand falls on the second Saturday of January, a time of year when it is a bit less hot and the little ones can run and play without overcooking.

We closed the shop for the day, which is a first.   Went three up on the bike over the Khao Lak mountain and into the Naval Base that lies between the main Petchkasem Highway and the Pier at Tapla Mu where the hundreds of diveboats, speedboats and fishing boats more up.

No diving for us today, I have not dived now for 7 years and sadly don't have any desire to dive again.  Shame really as it is so beautiful out there.  So, it was a day of guns, toys and turtles.

Great turtle sanctuary there and you can see the babies in various stages of growth, larger turtles that have been damaged and probably would not survive in the ocean, and a few very large laying specimens.  Again, I think these are held due to being damaged rather than just to lay eggs.

After this we found a really dangerous looking mooring boy hanging from a tree which children were using as a swing, so that was a major pull.

Then a sit in a sailing boat.  I am a very keen sailor and I'll be getting him down to the sailing clubs on the dingies when he is a year older.  He seemed to take to it and even managed to walk round it whilst it was on a 20 degree tilt.

Highlight of the day was a trip out to sea on HMTS Chonburi.  This boat had been out in the Indian Ocean battling pirates from Somalia.  Certainly had some big guns on display.

All in all there were 3 full sized battle ships that we had free range over, and they were certainly popular with what looked like the entire population of "The Lak" turning out.   The popular part of the battleship was the tuck shop and they were doing a roaring trade.  My family really cannot go to sea for even one hour without eating.  And so it was, as I took pics of the beautiful scenery and the picturesque fishing boats, the other half and a quarter munched on crisps and went to see what a ships toilet looked like.