| As the anchor slid into the Andaman Sea, a hush of | | | | ceilings. You can imagine at this point I was beginning |
| anticipation descended on the boat. Here we were, a | | | | to question the sanity of my decision to drag myself |
| dozen or so tourists, dwarfed by the limestone | | | | out of bed early that morning simply to put myself in |
| karsts that punctuate the seascape between Phuket | | | | mortal danger. At the same time I was trying to |
| Island and Krabi on Thailand's southern shore, looking | | | | work out which way the tide was running. If these |
| forward to our adventure. | | | | caves were only accessible at low tide, how much |
| I for one did not really know what to expect as the | | | | time did we have to get in and out before the tide |
| crew unloaded the bright yellow kayaks. Will I have | | | | turned? |
| to paddle? Will I be able to find my way in the dark | | | | "And when you get inside", Nit's voice interrupted my |
| caves? | | | | thoughts, "to protect the environment, there is no |
| My questions were soon answered as the head guide | | | | talking and no smoking". Excellent, now I remembered |
| gave the briefing. Once we had put on our life vests, | | | | why I was risking life and limb. It was this idea of |
| he explained, we would pair-up and join one of the | | | | visiting a pristine environment that had first attracted |
| guides waiting in their kayaks which by now had | | | | me. |
| spread out around the boat like ducklings around their | | | | The caves were becoming narrower now as Nit |
| mother. | | | | manoeuvred our kayak through the dark. "Lie down" |
| Stepping gingerly onto my allotted kayak, I grinned | | | | he whispered as his torchlight captured a low hanging |
| nervously at my guide who beamed a typical Thai | | | | rock. The ceiling of the cave was getting closer to |
| smile. If you know Thailand you will know what I | | | | my face and I had to turn my head to prevent my |
| mean: the type of smile that can be seen from | | | | nose scraping along the sharp limestone. This was |
| space. Our guide, 'Nit' was his name, paddled us | | | | actually getting exciting although I wasn't sure how |
| effortlessly away from the mother ship and closer to | | | | long I could cope with this claustrophobic feeling that |
| the, by now, imposing cliffs of the island, the first of | | | | was starting to creep over me. |
| many we would be getting to know intimately that | | | | But within minutes the cave started to open up again |
| day. | | | | and a hint of daylight caressed the cavern wall. |
| This excursion was pioneered by an American John | | | | I squinted as we emerged into the bright sunlight, |
| 'Caveman' Gray. It was in 1989 that John discovered | | | | into a land that time forgot. Trees were clinging to |
| the 'hongs' of Phang Nga Bay in Thailand: the Thai | | | | the steep scrub-covered walls of the 'hong' and |
| word 'hong' means room and it refers to the open | | | | reaching out for the brilliant blue sky above. A sea |
| area inside these limestone islands. If you can imagine | | | | eagle swooped down low to see who these |
| that some of these islands in Phang Nga Bay are | | | | interlopers were. And all was peace and tranquillity. |
| shaped like donuts, the type with a hole in the middle. | | | | The family of kayaks paddled slowly through the |
| John discovered that at low tide it is possible to | | | | hong, the occupants in awe of this magical, secret |
| follow a network of caves through the limestone | | | | place in southern Thailand. The only sounds were the |
| rock into an inner world. | | | | lapping of water, the call of the cicadas, the clicking |
| In that same year John set-up his company, Sea | | | | of cameras and whispers of excitement. |
| Canoe; and so successful was his concept that he | | | | All too soon it was time to head back. John Gray's |
| spawned many copycat companies including more | | | | professional guides were well aware of the |
| than a few Sea Canoes. To avoid confusion John has | | | | movement of the tides and making sure we were |
| re-named his company John Gray's Sea Canoe. | | | | through those caves in good time. |
| 'Nit' explained in his very good English that at certain | | | | The excitement only increased with each 'hong' we |
| points on our journey through the caves we would | | | | explored and the memories of that day will never |
| have to lie flat on our backs because of the low | | | | leave me. |
