Sunday 10 June: “Farewell Chargos”.
We lifted anchor this morning at 08:30 and went through the NW Pass and is now 1.5 h later on a 236° (T) course heading for the WP at 12° S which is about 737 NM away. The total distance for Mayotte is 1.775 NM and I estimate it will take us about 12-13 days to reach, unless we will take a break around the NW of Madagascar. The forecast is for strong winds of 15-42 kn and with some parts with rain, as well as a big swell of 4 meters, but as there is not forecast any low, I don’t expect anything nasty - as it looks at the moment. But the Indian Ocean is a tricky Ocean and things can change rapidly.
Why am I not considering heading for Rodrigues, Mauritius, Reunion and Saint Maria islands? The reason is that I have crew problems since a while and one crew will leave at the next airport and will take her boyfriend Knut with her. Thus, if I sail to these islands, I would have to single hand a lot of long distances, which I don’t like and I feel it will be best to get as close to Madagascar as possible while I still have Knut on board, as he is an excellent sailor and have sailed with me from Spain to Cartagena, Columbia. In addition I seem to have developed a problem in the Gall Bladder with perhaps stones or infection. One of the best hospitals is located in Mayotte and it is a French island and I am in contact with one of the Dr at the hospital whom will line me up for the tests, as soon as I arrive.
Some reflections on the Salomon Atoll and Chagos might be of interest. We spend 21 days at the Atoll and it was an absolutely wonderful experience. It is a completely unspoiled paradise. The water is generally clear and the snorkelling is outstanding where the coral are some of the best I have ever seen.
As for the wildlife there are loads of different birds and as they hardly have any predators, they are mostly tame and curious. I managed to touch and pad them on the head (brown ones), as they sat on the pulpit. All they did was to look at me. Others are curious and followed me above the tender and glide above me at an arms length (see video).
In the sea there are a massive amount of different fish in all colors like one expect to see in an aquarium, also different Turtles, but also Black Tip and Lemon Sharks, as well as Dolphins. When we wanted to catch fish, all we had to do was to drop a line overboard with some baits (fish) and within minutes we caught fish, but it had to be hauled inboards quickly, or a Shark would only leave us the head, if anything at all.
The Turtles come in medium and large size and I noted that “Hi Turtle” was also there. On a small island I spotted several freshly made “tracks” of bigger Turtles and took photos of their “tracks” that looks a bit like a tractor had driven by. In the bushes were three large holes where they had laid their eggs.
As for the population, there are no inhabitants on any of the many Atolls, as they were expelled in the 1960’s to give room for a US airbase. So apart from the wildlife mentioned above, there were only us sailors and we were usually 8-14 boats, with about 20-30 sailors, anchored at “our” Salomon Atoll.
Each couple of days someone would announce on VHF channel 16 that they would arrange a drink, or potluck on the beach with a bonfire. Most of us went each time and it was very nice meeting all these friendly people. Most, if not all, are circumnavigate with a massive amount of sailing experience and have sailed a huge amount of NM and we have nearly all been to the same places during the last years, as well as many I have met several times. Most are retired couples, but at times I have met younger couples with children in the 5-16 years range.
Will I go back to Chagos? Yes definitively I would go back if I ever get the chance, and I can recommend the place, providing one don’t get bored and that one can entertain oneself. There is no other entertainment other than the beauty of the place, the wildlife and the other like minded sailors.
Another observation is that as soon as arriving in the Chagos, the water temperature dropped from 31.5 °C in the Maldives to “only” 29 °, which felt cold after getting used to the warmer waters further north. We are about 6°S whereas the Maldives is almost 0-7° N, meaning about the same distance from Equator. OK it is summer in the northern hemisphere and winter in the southern one, but can that really make the difference? I wonder about this and the only explanation I have found is that there is hardly any wind to the N, but S of the Equator we have the SE trade wind which brings cooler wind from the Antarctic.
Back to the boat: It is 22:55 as I am writing this and I am on watch. We have sailed 110 NM since leaving Salomon Atoll, which mean we might reach 182 NM during the first 24 hours at sea, which is a good milage. The wind has been SE 12-25 kn and the speed 7-8.5 kn. Have 1.665 NM to go.
Monday 11 June (day 2):
The wind continue to be strong at 14-27 kn from SE and the swell is 4+ meter, making us sail fast and rolling to rough. The apparent wind is 90-100° on port and the speed is 7.5-9 kn.
Knut seems to have gotten seasick and need some additional rest. This is the first time I have seen him sick and I have offered him the seasickness pills I have on board.
A huge amount of Dolphins passed us today and I believe there were several hundred, but they did not approach us to play in front of the bow, so I did not manage to video, or photo them. In any case the sea was too rough to venture out on deck with my cameras.
Tuesday 12 June (day 3):
Last evening and night was very rough and we were carrying too much sail. The movements of the boat made it dangerous to move around the boat and as soon as I started my watch at 21:00 I reduced the sails a lot with four reefs in both sails. What a difference that made. The violent movements stopped and the steering wheel changed with almost none of the previous big (90°) SB rudder angel. The speed dropped only modestly from 9 kn to 8.5 kn and the ride became much more pleasant. OK the swell of 4 meters would still make some movements, but as the sails were now better balanced the boat acted happy to the change. This sail configuration was kept all night and life on board was again acceptable.
When Knut came on watch at midnight, I offered to take his watch if he was not feeling better, but he felt better and preferred to do his three hours watch. To me, I am not sure it was seasickness he had yesterday, as he speculated it might have been the food, or too much of it. Well I was the cook Sunday and had made pasta Pesto, so perhaps it was the food…. But I did not get sick. I hope there is not another reason for him to feel sick. Will check today how he feels.
We have sailed 363 NM during the first two days and have 1.412 NM to go. This average is 181.5 NM/24 hours.
On the Indian Ocean Net, which run each day at 07:00 and 18:00 (Maldive time) it is clear that all the boats have experienced rough conditions with strong winds and heavy seas. Some reported a lot of squalls, but so far we have been spared for most of them. The big swell and waves tend to run over the deck and I am glad for the new spray hood, as we hardly get wet in the cockpit.
So far this morning the sun shined brilliantly, but we have 40% cloud cover and some of the clouds are dark and low hanging, meaning they contain wind and rain.
Thuesday 14 June (day 4):
The last 12 hours has been the most pleasant sailing so far on this trip to Mayotte, as the SE-SSE trade wind has been steady of about 20-24 kn and fortunately the swell has diminished from almost 5 m to 3 m. We have been spared, so far, from the squally conditions many of the other boats has encountered.
But the Indian Ocean is a tricky Ocean with strong wind, big swell, confused sea and a lot of current. To me it is the most challenging Ocean I have sailed. The Atlantic and the Pacific were more pleasant and predictable.
We should reach my first WP (12°30S) this evening and have thus covered nearly 800 NM since leaving the Chagos, four days ago. At that WP I will alter the course to almost due W (270°) and stay on that course for the coming 700 NM, but several friends have reported difficulties along the 12° 30S , so I might go further S to avoid these problems.
We are now in an area with 10° W magnetic variation and further S it will increase to 30° W, which is the biggest variation I have sailed in.
Knut seems to get better and had a good appetite last night, but also seems to have slowed down and become moody. I know he wanted to visit Rodrigues, Mauritius, Reunion and Madagascar, but don’t seem to appreciate that, as they will depart prematurely at the next island with an airport, and that I would have to single hand for perhaps a thousand NM in this difficult Ocean. In addition with my possible Gal Bladder problem, I must get to an island that has a good medical facility. So the combination of these things, I find Mayotte my best alternative and I just can’t accommodate their desires anymore. After all it is Knut that has changed his mind and not to stick to our agreement to sail with me to Cape Town. The atmosphere on board remain unpleasant and these problems has messed up not only my plans, but also Knut trip and last, but not least, Kristin has messed up her own trip as well. Silly she is and it is all unnecessarily, in my opinion. Well there are solutions to all problems and I will find t;he way forward.
I have had a Lizard on board since Pangkor Marina. It has been in the tender chain locker, seen on the mainsail, crawling into the ventilation and on the deck. I have not been able to catch it, but this morning it was in the cockpit and I caught it with a towel and it got a crash course in swimming. No more Lizard poo on the boat. I cut the corner for the 12°30S WP and New Dawn accelerated to 8.5-11.2 kn as I rolled out the full Genoa, but left the mainsail with three reefs; the speed later went to 13.4 kn, which is very fast.
Friday 15 June (day 5):
When I came on watch this morning at 06:00 the boat was in a wild motion and I found that we had 31.4 kn wind. To my surprise (again) the sails configuration was not good with full Genoa and half mainsail. So immediately I reefed the Genoa and the boat’s motion became calm, controlled and agreeable. How can I teach that, all time, we have to adjust the sails accordingly and not just sit and read her book and wait for me to come on watch?
Yesterday the freezer stopped working, which is no good news. OK the content of the freezer is getting low, but some parts like fish and meat had to be dumped or cooked quickly. Knut found that the thermostat might be faulty and managed to make a bridge cutting out the thermostat, so we are now in manual mode. I replaced the R134a gas and the freezer is now back up working. Knut quickly cooked one of the fish in green curry, one of his specialties, and it was tasty although the curry tends to overpower the taste of the fish. He is able to cook a meal in only a few minutes, it seems, and he has a lot of imagination.
I changed the next WP’s and we are now heading on a 268° course, which we should keep for the next couple of days and until we reach 51°E, before we can join the NW going Equatorial Current up to the Cap D’Ambre located on the northern tip of Madagascar, which is an area with a very bad reputation and I expect a 24 hours wild and difficult ride until we can get to the W coast of Madagascar and thus in shelter.
We have 867 NM to go to Mayotte and have averaged 181 NM/24 H since Chagos.
This morning I spotted five flying fish on the deck. Four were small ones and one a very big one. The flying fish are always present in the sea I have sailed. But otherwise I have seen no other fish since Chagos. A few birds are around us and they are a very long way away from land. The nearest land is about 1.000 km away.
Sunday 17 June (day 7):
Today the wind dropped and we slowed for a while early morning. I then took off the Wing-on-Wing and changed the course and the speed increased nicely. Once the speed increased the big swell is less annoying as the boat just plough through them.
We are 195 NM from the Cap D’Ambre and are racing so we can round the Cap before it will be dark tomorrow evening. Thus the speed has to be average 7.5 kn. I have calculated and recalculated and looked at the various options and WP’s to optimize the speed and get the timing right to round the Cap by Monday afternoon.
The weather is nice and warm even in the strong wind, but the water temperature keeps dropping and is now “only” 27° C.
It is 22:59 and I am on watch. We are now approaching Madagascar and entering into the Equatorial Current going NW-N, which together with the SE trade wind tend to run along the E coast of Madagascar and accelerate, giving very strong wind and confused sea with huge waves. It is rough sailing and feels like a Gale. The wind is currently 27 kn from S and the waves are 4-5 m and the wind is hauling in the rigging.
The wind generator has developed a noise and we had to stop it to avoid it being damaged. More work for me in Mayotte.
Monday 18 June (day 8):
As was forecast we have had a wild run during the last 18 hours with winds of up to 34 kn from the south and 5 m waves, fortunately also from the S. It is now 07:55 and it is still blowing hard.
This is how a 5 m wave looks like when it is approaching New Dawn. No the horizon can't be seen in thes photos.
I asked Knut that we double the watch between 03:00-06:00, which is Kristin’s watch and suggested we both take half of the watch. However, he did not like that idea which is strange, as once a sailing boat gets into rough conditions, it is always best to have two persons or more on watch, especially during the night time. I believe he did not want to “upset” Kristin, so he took the watch together with her. She has no night and long distance sailing experience except from what she has sailed with me on this trip, so I thought it would be prudent to double up. Well a matter of lack of off shore sailing experience coupled with a personal ego, I imagine?
After rounding the Cap I expect little and variable wind for the 260 NM to Mayotte. At the moment we have 55 NM to the Cap and 322 NM to Mayotte.
By 10:30 I sighted land - “Land-Ohoy” - and started to slowly change the course heading closer to the Cap D’Ambre. As it is always rough sailing here, the aim is to get close to the land at about 1-2 NM off the top so we can make a quick turn to port and get under the NW coast as fast as possible and thus get out of this washing machine and into shelter. We shall soon see if this theory will hold water.
At 14:00 (09:00GMT) we rounder the light tower of Cap D’Ambre and once passed the Cap the waves dropped to 1 m and the wind turned E at 20 kn. Great sailing again, but it will not last long.
Rounding the Cap.
Sunset at the W of Madagascar with flat sea.
We have 260 NM to go to Mayotte.
