Another big load - two huge ceramic vases, and other ceramic goods. See Buddha right of the tail light.
The bus delivered us to the Tuan Chau Pier where our boat was moored, along with several hundred other similar vessels. We waited at one of the pavilions on the shore where the Bhaya Cruises waiting room is located. I spotted our luggage being carted to the boat and was thus able to pick our boat out of the line-up (it was quite a line!) of vessels arrayed side-by-side at the harbor’s edge. A couple other boats were called before ours was, and when it was we trooped down the pier and entered the boat by a door in the stern.
After dropping our bags in cabin 203 located on the starboard side and inspecting the accommodations, the group met in the dining room for the safety briefing and then a buffet lunch while our boat (along with over 100 more) left the harbor en masse heading into Ha Long Bay. The procession of the tour boats was most impressive and a little depressing. We were going to have a lot of company out there.
The afternoon activity was a visit to floating fishing village of Cua Van. We transferred from the Classic IV via a launch to a pier where we transferred again into six-passenger sampans (row boats) staffed with a single rower. In a pair of these craft we were rowed around the village which hugged either side of the passage/inlet. Four of our party opted for kayaking while two remained on the Classic IV. We were impressed by the number of dogs on the various boats and floating platforms (no cats were sighted), and I got a series of shots of one of the canine residents swimming out to a platform and climbing aboard.
Another big load - two huge ceramic vases, and other ceramic goods. See Buddha right of the tail light.
Approaching Ha Long Bay - a snap from the bus. Those are fishing shacks out on the water.
The line-up of the Bhaya Cruise ships.
Jonathan dockside.
That's my bag (complete with Country Walkers yellow hiking boot tag) being loaded on board.
Luggage on board.
The Classic IV - our home for the next ~48 hours.
Boarding through the stern entry.
Some KP on an adjacent boat.
The dining room.
Exploring the top deck.
An open air kitchen on the boat on the other side.
The procession of boats ahead of us heading out into Ha Long Bay.
And the procession behind us.
Ti Tốp (Titov) Island. We went there the next day.
Jonathan on the top deck.
Getting ready to board the sampans for the tour of Cua Van, a floating fishing village.
A junk anchored near a karst.
A floating grocery store/delivery service.
A long view of the inlet.
Showing some of the village.
John and Barbara in the closer kayak - Steve and Gwen in the distant kayak.
A floating platform/home.
The other folks in the the other sampan.
We wondered how the village dogs got along on the water, until we spotted this fellow swimming out to a platform…
…climbing aboard…
…shaking out the water…
…and continuing on his business.
Returning to the Classic IV.
Alan and Carol in the front of the other sampan.
Twilight on Ha Long Bay.
Black kite (Milvus migrans) - we were surprised at the scarcity of seabirds, seeing only one or two other varieties.
A cave entry in a the karst of Dong Tien.
Happy hour!
Another cruise boat - lights reflecting across the water.
We returned to the Classic IV for happy hour and dinner. After one glass of red wine, I was ready to retire for the evening and we hadn't even had dinner yet!
The Classic IV dropped anchor in a cove called Dong Tien Lake which seemed to be the exclusive preserve of Bhaya Cruises as there were over a dozen other Bhaya junks that dropped anchor around us.
After dinner, we went right to bed.
Creamy Broccoli Soup.
“Pho con bo” and Steamed Prawn in Coconut Milk.
Salad Vegetable with Chicken.
Pan-Fried Sea Bass with Mashed Potato, Steamed Broccoli, Glazed Carrot.
House Made Crepe with Sautéed Banana Butter and Fresh Cream.
Carved and illuminated watermelon celebrating November birthdays.