Leaving Galle and a Detour to The Maldives

We left Galle on Mar 24 for Chagos about 800 miles South West of us. The last 2 days in Galle were hectic as we topped all our supplies up. There would be no resuppling for up to two months, so our small boat was over flowing with food. We checked out through our agent the Winsors, no hassles with the officials, it was only our agent that asked for a "gift" and I said sorry spent all our local money.

We called up port control on the radio for their okay to leave and the boats beside us helped throw off our stern lines and we were away. After an hour of motoring we picked up the wind and were sailing along nicely in a 12 knot beam wind. Two hours later we had crossed a busy shipping lane, 12 ships on our AIS screen and lucked out that none came near us.

The wind came more on the nose and we still sailed but could not quite make our coarse. There is a knot or so of current helping push us along. We sailed all night except for an hour to get around a tight group of fish boats. The fish boats were moving strangely could just see their lights in the dark and then seemed to be coming at us, so we shut our lights off and altered course until they disappeared. We kept our radar on through all this

The next day we had to motor most of the day and then sailed all night. A big squall just missed us during the night, we could see it on the radar which we turn on every hour or so. It uses too much power to leave on full time. Sometimes we use the timer function which turns the radar on every 5 mins for 20 scans. A 60 foot fish boat we saw in the distance changed course and came for us which had us worried. As no one around but them and they had about 6 people on board. They came right up along side us gesturing that they wanted cigarettes.  We threw them a pack and they left.

Our first propane tank that we supposedly had filled in Langkawi at Kuah ran out today. I brought it half full to the guy to fill it and later wondered why he not charge me much, I dont think he put anything in it. So we hope our remaining tank will get us to Mauritius. We are talking to 3 other yachts on the SSB radio every morning to exchange weather info and positions.

Now mostly motoring seem to have lost all our wind and when we did have wind it was right on the nose. Crossed the equator for our third time since leaving home. Still motoring. We have decided to alter course slightly to go to Gan on Addu the Southern most island in the Maldives to get more diesel. It is not much out of the way. We arrived off the pass about 9am, sailing for a change in a light wind. We arrived March 31 after seven days at sea. Still almost 300 miles to Chagos Islands.

It is a very easy big pass to enter the lagoon waters of Addu and we then motored across to where the anchorage is between Gan and Feydhoo. Gan is only 40 miles South of the equator so very hot here. The entranced to the inner anchorage is a bit tight and had to be careful entering. We tried to call the Gan coast guard but got no response so waited for customs people to arrive. Later we saw another yacht getting some fuel delivered so we got his agent to call the customs people for us and they eventually arrived about 4:30pm There was 5 of them sitting in our small cockpit and after a half hour all the paper work was done and they left. The only problem was it use to be free if you only stayed for three days, now they charge $130 dollars and if you stay up to 7 days you pay an extra 50 because then you must have an agent. This is bit of a rip off as it is very expensive for only three days. There is some political changes going on in the Maldives now and the rules will probably change again next year.

We spent a busy three days here. Got our diesel and some water and a bit of food though not much here for fresh food as is very remote. Did a bit of snorkeling around the pass to inner anchorage, water very clear and Dorothy saw several huge fish and grouper by the pass entrance, but not much corral. We walked around the two islands we anchored between quite a bit, found the post office on Gan by airport. It was interesting to see this area, the people here are all Muslim. No beaches around here. Generally the people were not that friendly, more reserved. Though there were notable exceptions of some people coming up to us and offering a ride or water and just wanting to talk.

The second day we went to check out and then they give you 24 hours to leave so you get 3 days. We had to take a bus all the way to far end of islands by port terminal and spend 2 hours going around to all the officials. All very old fashioned. Then we tried to take a bus back but got tired of waiting and walked the 6 or 7 miles back. It was actually an interesting walk and glad we did it as bus goes up the back streets and we walked the water front road.



-INFO

- Routing- From our experience and some boats that came behind us it seemed it is better to try to get west as soon as you leave Galle rather than do the rumb line like we did. Then you could sail the head winds that we got.

-After first day at sea we saw almost no boat traffic, just a few fish boats and a couple of ships.

Gan Info

-We anchored at 00 41.146S 73 08.631E The channel entrance Waypoints are 1. 00 41.055S 73 08.746E 2. 00 41.073S 73 08.728E But you want good light to enter as is very narrow and use eyeball navigation as well. There is two steel posts that you keep to starboard as you enter. It is deep enough for boats at least to 9ft draft and then gets deeper inside. With mostly sand but some rocky patches and some cables crossing bottom. Try to stay away from main inflow by bridge. A couple of bigger yachts we saw anchored just to the South of pass entrance to our anchorage, in about 30 meters.

-Call Gan Coast guard, they might answer. The customs officers seem to ask each boat did you call the coast guard, yes but they never answer. The rules just made this year is $130 dollars which includes check in and out for a 2 day stay and then allowing another 24 hours to leave after checking out for a total of three days. If you stay longer you need a agent for another $50, dont totally trust the agents they may try to charge you for other fees they make up, check with customs on what fees you must pay, this from two another yacht we talked to. For check out you need to get your self down to the other end of islands by taxi, rent a scooter or by bus. Best to catch bus up by 3S store, at bus stop sign. Buses wont stop except at bus stop signs. Note: I was amazed that our Phone with the Galle sim card worked here in Gan as we had time left on it from Galle. We used it to call customs +960 775 1085 we left the phone off when not using as it said roaming activated.

-For diesel you can go to the hassle and expensive of getting your agent to arrange for you. One yacht the agent just drove the guy with his cans to the gas station and then drove him back, for a fee. Or you can do it like us who don't like to waste money on silliness. Just take your dinghy up to small boat harbour. Ten minutes with our 5hp engine. Leave dingy at far end of wall and walk up to gas station another 300 meters up street. Fill your gerry cans and carry them across street to sea wall and then go get your dinghy and motor up to sea wall ( may not want to do at low tide.) and load jerry cans into dinghy with one person holding dinghy. Need to carry cans down 5 feet of rip rap rock breakwater but not a big deal. Diesel was just over a $1 a liter. They were out of gasoline when we first arrived, but got some in later, so maybe wise to get all your fuel when you first arrive.

-It is not easy to get a lot of water here. They had no big jugs of water here they said were out of them. A local gave us some water out of his rain catchment system which every body uses here. There is a hose by coast guard boats at sea wall in inner harbor where we anchored but it is not drinkable they said, for washing only. We used it for laundry.

-The best supermarket is the 3s store up by the small boat harbor but still not a lot of stuff there. Not much for fresh fruit and veggies. Saw cans of baked beans in other store by bridge at North end of Feydhoo. The bread we bought was pretty gross. Definitely better to provision in Galle.