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Loading the longtail boat to go from Krabi to Railey East
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Date: 04/14/2007
Views: 9
04/14/2007
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Longtail boats
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Date: 04/14/2007
Views: 12
Longtail boats are everywhere. They are obnoxiously loud due to the propulsion system: a car engine bolted onto the back and coupled to a rotor on a long pole.
04/14/2007
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Turning around
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Date: 04/14/2007
Views: 7
The long prop-shaft allows the boats to pretty much pivot in place.
04/14/2007
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On the way to Railey East.
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Date: 04/14/2007
Views: 9
04/14/2007
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Brandon, Cristina, and Sebastian on the boat.
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Date: 04/14/2007
Views: 9
04/14/2007
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Railey East
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Date: 04/14/2007
Views: 8
04/14/2007
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The Diamond Cave Wall at Railey East
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Date: 04/14/2007
Views: 12
04/14/2007
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Getting off the boat at Railey East
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Date: 04/14/2007
Views: 9
The water comes right up to the bars and restaurants at high tide, but at low tide it is a quarter mile out! We arrived at low tide and had to slog our way up to the resort.
04/14/2007
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Our bungalos at Diamond Cave Resort
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Date: 04/14/2007
Views: 7
Diamond Cave was not the best resort, Tonsai is the center of the climbing and Railey West is the nice beach- but this resort was cheaper than Railey West and was much nicer than anywhere on Tonsai (plus it had a nice pool)
04/14/2007
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Bungalos with Diamon Cave Wall
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 6
There were some good moderate routes on Diamond Cave Wall, but they were often busy due to the climbing school. There is one long route on the wall which Brandon and I attempted but it turned out to be the worst route we did (though also one of the hardest)
04/15/2007
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Lizard on broken pot
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 8
04/15/2007
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Tonsai Beach
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 7
I think the wildly overhanging wall is called the "Cobra Wall"- we did a couple of amazing routes here.
04/15/2007
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Sand Patterns 1
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Date: 04/19/2007
Views: 6
Little crabs live in these holes, and every day during low tide they make these spiral patterns out of little sand balls.
04/19/2007
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Sand Patterns 2
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Date: 04/19/2007
Views: 5
There are lots of them...
04/19/2007
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Sand Patterns 3
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Date: 04/19/2007
Views: 6
In fact, they cover the whole beach!
04/19/2007
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Point between Tonsai and Railey West
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 8
At low tide you can walk between Railey West and Tonsai, but at high tide you have to take a boat or walk the long way through the jungle.
04/15/2007
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Base of "Humanality"
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 13
This was the first route we climbed, 4 pitches rated 6B I think, which for Americans is something like 5.10c.
04/15/2007
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Humanality, pitch 1
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 5
The first pitch starts up the roots of this huge tree, 30 feet up to a big ledge, where I was surprised by a large Macaque monkey who walked right up to me, within arms reach, checked me out, and then moved on traversing further along the cliff!
04/15/2007
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Humanality pitch 2
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 6
I am now at the bottom of pitch 2, which climbs the corner behind me and then heads up above that gigantic stalactite.
04/15/2007
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Humanality- Stalagtite pitch
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 7
If you look closely you can just see Brandon leaning out to the stalactite- the blank wall here forces you to climb the stalactite instead; spectacular!
04/15/2007
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Neal starting the stalactite pitch
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 4
04/15/2007
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Neal leaning out to the stalactite
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 7
Committing to the stalactite is the crux of the route- once you cut your feet loose there's no going back!
04/15/2007
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Committed to the stalactite
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 10
04/15/2007
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Climbing the stalactite
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 6
04/15/2007
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Feet on the stalactite
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 5
04/15/2007
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Made it!
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 7
04/15/2007
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Humanlity, pitch 4
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 7
04/15/2007
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Final moves on Humanlity
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 5
04/15/2007
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Just when you think its over, theres one more hard move...
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 5
04/15/2007
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Brandon with Tonsai in the background
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 6
04/15/2007
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Neal rappels off of Humanality, Tonsai Beach below
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 7
04/15/2007
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Tonsai, the Andaman Sea, and limestone cliffs
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 6
04/15/2007
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The Jungle
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 10
To get to Tonsai from Railey East you have to do a 15 minute walk through the jungle.
04/15/2007
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Macaque Monkey
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 6
04/15/2007
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Macaque Monkey 2
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 11
04/15/2007
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Jungle path to the lagoon
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 5
Hidden in the middle of one of the large limestone karsts there is a hidden freshwater lagoon, but to get there you have to do some 3rd class scrambling through the jungle.
04/15/2007
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View of the Railey peninsula
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 10
Before descending down to the lagoon, a great view of Railey is found- the near side (bottom right) is Railey East, and the far side is Railey West (middle of photo) and Tonsai (to the right).
04/15/2007
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View of Railey East
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 7
04/15/2007
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The Lagoon
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 5
04/15/2007
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Phra Nang Beach
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Date: 04/18/2007
Views: 9
This was the best of the beaches, at the southern end of the Railay peninsula.
04/18/2007
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The Thaiwand
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Date: 04/16/2007
Views: 7
The best route we did, "Lord of the Thais" goes right up the middle of this impressive formation.
04/16/2007
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Railey West with the Thaiwand beyond
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Date: 04/15/2007
Views: 6
04/15/2007
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Looking out from the base of the Thaiwand
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Date: 04/16/2007
Views: 7
04/16/2007
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Brandon at the base of the Thaiwand
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Date: 04/16/2007
Views: 10
04/16/2007
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Neal at the base of the Thaiwand
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Date: 04/16/2007
Views: 5
04/16/2007
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Neal leads the first pitch of The Lord of the Thais
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Date: 04/16/2007
Views: 3
This route is 7b I think, or about 5.12a. The first 5.12a pitch is the most spectacular ropelength I have ever led- going out a wild overhang on perfect knobs.
04/16/2007
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Brandon on lead, looking down at Neal on the belay ledge
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Date: 04/16/2007
Views: 10
04/16/2007
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Brandon follows on Lord of the Thais
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Date: 04/16/2007
Views: 5
04/16/2007
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The second 5.12 pitch
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Date: 04/16/2007
Views: 7
This traversing pitch is the true crux of the route, and the sun and humidity were overpowering.
04/16/2007
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Neal getting heat exhaustion
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Date: 04/16/2007
Views: 13
The guidebook said the wall was in the shade all day- but thats in the dry season. In the monsoon season its in the sun all day. We carried no water with us, and by the top of the second 5.12 pitch I was a mess. Leading the final pitch I was afraid of passing out and taking a nasty fall!
04/16/2007
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View of Railay from the top of the Thaiwand
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Date: 04/16/2007
Views: 5
04/16/2007
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Neal rappelling off Lord of the Thais
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Date: 04/16/2007
Views: 3
04/16/2007
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Neal Rappelling, with the Andaman Sea behind
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Date: 04/16/2007
Views: 8
The wall was so steep that several rappels left you hanging 20 feet out from the face.
04/16/2007
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Delicious Thai Food
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Date: 04/17/2007
Views: 6
04/17/2007
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Climbing at Diamond Cave Wall
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Date: 04/16/2007
Views: 8
04/16/2007
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Cristina spots her son Sebastian on Diamond Cave Wall
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Date: 04/16/2007
Views: 6
04/16/2007
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Scuba Diving
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Date: 04/18/2007
Views: 6
I didn't have an underwater camera, but the scuba diving was amazing- my first tropical diving experience.
04/18/2007
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Friends on the dive boat
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Date: 04/18/2007
Views: 13
04/18/2007
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Chicken Island
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Date: 04/18/2007
Views: 6
04/18/2007
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Neal and the Dive Master
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Date: 04/18/2007
Views: 11
04/18/2007
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