Sam Holmes Sailing · video

What this video covers

Sam Holmes sails to Ko Panyi (also called Gypsy Island), a village built on stilts over the water in Thailand by nomadic Indonesian fishermen roughly 200 years ago, after land-ownership laws barred non-Thai nationals from owning land.13:42 The passage runs at 7–9 knots for most of the trip, with both daggerboards down and a freshly repaired screecher.0:58 Wind builds from around 12 knots to 16–17 on a beam reach, prompting two reefs in the main and two in the jib; Sam sets a personal threshold of 18 knots for a third reef to stay ahead of squalls.2:54 Fishermen laying nets across the river require a careful watch early in the passage.0:31 A stop at a national park island features a notably large hollow tree; Sam notes the $20-per-visit national park fees charged at multiple islands in the area.6:00 At Ko Panyi, the dinghy ties up for 1.50 baht.3:38 The village has a floating soccer field, a mosque, convenience stores, and resident families.14:02 A side trip by dinghy at low tide reveals cave drawings on nearby rock faces, though high tide is needed for full access.12:52

More from Sam Holmes Sailing

Hundreds of miles of rough sailing only to be turned away from our dream destinationOct 2026Making big miles offshore sailing through IndonesiaSept 2026Orca sighting! we repair one daggerboard only to break another oneSept 2026Sailing to Maratua, a rarely visited Indonesian island Sept 2026

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