Island-hopping across the vast Indian Ocean

There’s a saying amongst sailors that plans are solely ever made within the sand at low tide. Crusing the world requires meticulous planning and preparation – but additionally the flexibility to waft. In 2024 this was introduced into sharp reduction when occasions within the Center East compelled many world cruisers, myself and my husband Ross included, to judge our plans for the 12 months forward.

We ended our 2023 cruising 12 months within the yacht haven of Phuket, Thailand – the premier boat elements and repair centre of Asia – with our eyes set on transiting the Suez Canal and getting into the Mediterranean. However with the rising battle in Yemen choking off entry to the Crimson Sea, we made the tough determination to as an alternative level Acushnet’s bow south, in the direction of the Cape of Good hope by way of the Maldives and Chagos.

In consequence we spent days assessing a brand new swirl of climate maps, cruising guides and authorities web sites. These international locations are a longtime route for world cruisers, however maybe not the commonest, as many boats trying to go South Africa will make the most of the tradewinds and go by way of southern Indonesia and Mauritius/Réunion, a lot additional south.

Our new route, a detour of grand proportions, would take extra miles and be extra upwind than different alternate options. Our Maldives agent estimated that simply 60 or so non-public crusing yachts had checked in by way of the Maldives throughout our season, with almost half of them solely touching the northernmost island on their approach as much as the Crimson Sea. We don’t understand how correct that quantity is, however both approach we knew we had been experiencing one thing that only a few sailors get to see, and for that cause each day felt like a present.

Threading the needle

Because the Maldives and Chagos straddle the Equator, and subsequently two opposing tradewinds and monsoon seasons, crusing this route required meticulous planning to string the climate needle. We left Thailand in March, simply earlier than the tip of the north-easterly monsoon season, permitting for beneficial winds over to the Maldives. Our plan was to then transition south throughout the equator because the monsoon season switched, and discover protected harbour in Chagos whereas we waited for the south-easterly trades to get established.

So as to add some additional stress, Chagos, the most effective place to attend for the climate change, solely grants fastened date permits of no a couple of month to sailors, which in flip should be utilized for 6-8 weeks prematurely of your arrival date, and normally can’t be modified. So, if we wished to see Chagos, we’d should sail to a schedule.

Discovering good anchorages in The Maldives was difficult; this one was a gem. Photograph: Saskia Stainer-Hutchins

Our begin to this journey couldn’t have gone higher; the sail from Thailand to the north of the Maldives was maybe the most effective passage we’ve got ever made; only a few waves and a gradual 15 knots on the beam had us flying alongside at about 7 knots with our Code 0 and full important up. We barely needed to change the sail set over six days, making for some very environment friendly Velocity Made Good miles in the direction of our vacation spot (our greatest VMG day in our Lagoon 46 was 175 miles!).

Magical expertise

After close to excellent wind and sea state circumstances between Thailand and Sri Lanka we then had completely no wind throughout our final two days of passage.

It was not crusing, per se, however the expertise itself was completely magical. We discovered ourselves motoring over a sea that was as flat as glass. In these circumstances recognizing wildlife was straightforward and we noticed all of it from the bow, together with an unbelievable variety of turtles.

Nonetheless, crystal clear waters meant diving on the boat for routine checks was straightforward. Photograph: Saskia Stainer-Hutchins

It was suffocatingly sizzling, so we repeatedly took the chance to kill the diesels and leap off the boat lots of of miles offshore. I’ll always remember the sensation of wanting down into the abyss, how small and but how linked to the ocean I felt.

The calm circumstances even allowed us to creep into our first Maldives harbour at night time (one thing we normally attempt to keep away from); I stood on the bow with a flashlight on the lookout for hazards whereas we adopted coordinates that some buddies who’d arrived a day beforehand had despatched us.

Maldives contrasts

We checked in at Uligan, the northernmost port of entry. The Maldives is a really conservative Islamic nation and consequently, native islands are wildly completely different from something vacationers expertise throughout the resorts. Uligan was a beautiful instance of this; the decision to prayer segmented our days there and ruled life on the island.

Anchoring by protected reefs was doable when the wind died for days at a time. Photograph: Saskia Stainer-Hutchins

The tidy sand streets and coral stone homes had been so not like something we’d anticipated to see and charmed us immediately. The truth is, this island proved to be one in every of our favorite stops because the anchorage was excellent; 20ft of crystal-clear water with an excellent sandy backside surrounded by reefs teeming with life. It was cruising heaven.

As we turned south, we didn’t realise how uncommon a discover that will be. There are over 200 resorts within the Maldives and lots of of those now occupy the most effective islands with ideally suited anchorages for sailboats. Most of those resorts both don’t permit cruisers to cease at their islands or cost prohibitive charges.

The remaining anchorages had been usually very deep or unprotected from wind or swell. Native islands had man-made harbours with concrete partitions to tie as much as, however these had been usually full, and sailors wanted to use for specific permission from the federal government to cease in these locations. As an alternative, we incessantly had no alternative however to drop the anchor in over 30m of water, usually in very rolly circumstances. The very best we might do at these depths was a 3:1 scope, so we had been usually on anchor watch as squalls rolled previous us.

Deserted vacation resort on the island of Dholhiyadhoo. Photograph: Saskia Stainer-Hutchins

Crusing circumstances as we turned south had been additionally very changeable. I’m undecided I’ve ever labored so laborious to sail as incessantly various wind strengths and instructions had us switching always between our Code 0, parasail and standard jib and important arrange. We had been passing by way of in April, proper earlier than the monsoon season was setting in, so squalls had been at the least a day by day incidence, and have become extra frequent the additional south we went.

One in every of our most memorable stops was the island of Dholhiyadhoo which housed an deserted luxurious resort, full with crumbling cabanas over the water. Exploring the ruins of that resort felt like we’d stepped right into a post-apocalyptic future and gave us an actual sense of journey.

We additionally visited the one marina within the nation and tried a style of the resort life, as there have been two on Dholhiyadhoo island. It was deliciously stimulating to bounce between sleepy Islamic villages, lonely atolls with excellent snorkelling, and opulent resorts all within the area of some days. This breadth of experiences was why I discovered the Maldives to be one of the crucial thrilling international locations we’ve got ever sailed, as each cease was completely completely different.

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Combined critiques

Sadly, this view of the Maldives was not one thing echoed by all our fellow cruisers. Throughout our time travelling this nation there have been a number of fierce spats on cruisers’ Fb teams the place a number of individuals expressed how a lot they disliked crusing these waters.

The complaints had been usually legitimate: it proved to be costly; the crusing and anchoring had been difficult; contemporary provisions had been laborious to return by, and assist and supplies for repairs had been even more durable… the record goes on. To prime all of it off the federal government insisted that each boat carry a tracker (which we needed to pay for on a per day foundation) to permit them to watch our actions. This didn’t hassle us as we’re at all times broadcasting our place on AIS, nevertheless it made lots of our journey companions irate with rage.

So cruising the Maldives isn’t for everybody.

An surprising facet of shifting by way of these waters was the truth that the Maldives are constructing new islands in every single place. In distant waters we’re used to our digital charts being merely indicative of what may be on the market, however we by no means anticipated total new land lots to be uncharted.

Sea turtle sculpture at a Maldives seaside resort. Photograph: Saskia Stainer-Hutchins

One night time we pulled right into a lonely anchorage marked on a map solely to seek out that there was a completely new piece of land rising proper the place we might have dropped the anchor. Satellite tv for pc maps had been wanted, as Navionics charts proved to be unreliable, and even then typically these maps would present ocean the place islands now flourished. We noticed a number of unusual sights associated to this building, together with a 1,000ft-long dredging ship and a barge full of fully-grown palm timber.

As soon as we handed the Maldives’ densely populated capital of Malé, roughly midway down the nation, the breeze began to select up. Usually, the winds ought to have blown from the north-east however clocked round to south-west as we neared the equator, which inconveniently was the course we wished to journey.

The extra populated and attention-grabbing islands lay to the west, however as we couldn’t sail straight into the wind with 20-30 knots of true wind opposing us, and couldn’t afford the look forward to a niche within the climate, we skipped many highlights to as an alternative island hop down the much less fashionable and extra distant jap atolls.

Beautiful reefs teeming with life. Photograph: Saskia Stainer-Hutchins

Dangerous technique

This technique proved dangerous. For instance, one night we determined to attempt to break for a push south with an in a single day keep inside an uninhabited reef atoll because the winds had been constructing to a predicted 30 knots. The anchorages we’d discovered on the cruising apps didn’t have a wind break, however they did have a wave break, and we thought this might be a great possibility for ready out the anticipated climate.

We arrived with a number of hours of daylight to spare and went on the lookout for our deliberate spot. The anchorages had been deep (18m-plus), however we had been fortunate sufficient to have a 3D scanner on board and will see the underside intimately. As the sunshine slowly leaked from the storm-strewn sky we desperately spent over two hours motoring round, however couldn’t discover the promised sand, solely a subject of bommies. This isn’t the primary time this has occurred to us.

In distant anchorages I believe sailors typically take an opportunity and drop on lower than ideally suited backside varieties, then write them up as sand if they’re fortunate sufficient to carry with no points. The final lack of site visitors implies that there’s not often one other boat to corroborate or problem the belief.

Exploring native islands within the Maldives revealed a fascinating tradition that was very completely different to the resorts. Photograph: Saskia Stainer-Hutchins

However we couldn’t discover a spot we had been completely happy to cease in and so, because the solar set, we turned reluctantly again out to sea. The wind blew a gradual 30 knots obvious at a wind angle of about 45° and we spent a lot of the night time beating upwind in the direction of our subsequent vacation spot, closely reefed.

At about this latitude the equatorial present had began to make itself obvious, flowing at about 3 knots to the east. This meant we wanted to move even greater into the wind to succeed in our vacation spot and in addition made the experience down extraordinarily uncomfortable. It was a sample that we’d repeat for the subsequent 400 miles all the way in which right down to Chagos.

We reached the southernmost Maldives island of Gan simply in time to utilize the final two weeks of our month-long Chagos allow, assuming we might discover a appropriate climate window to hop south. We spent our time in Gan diving (there’s a great shark dive, and the reef passes had been gorgeous) and provisioning.

Discovering contemporary meals was a problem and I spent a full day on a employed scooter visiting six completely different meals markets up and down the island. It was a obligatory job: we wanted sufficient meals for at the least 4 weeks away from civilisation.

Drifting squalls supplied a dramatic backdrop to an remoted seaside on the strategy to sundown. Photograph: Saskia Stainer-Hutchins

Mysterious Chagos

The sail to Chagos took three days and was dominated by the equatorial present as soon as once more pushing us off target. We’d employed a climate router who informed us it ought to have died out a day or so from Chagos however in follow we solely noticed it reduce and by no means change completely. We crossed the doldrums the place the wind disappeared and was changed by small squall cells, lightning, a giant southern swell and our outdated good friend the east-setting equatorial present.

It was fairly a mélange of circumstances and we burned loads of gas punching by way of this zone – nerve wracking as we wanted to preserve gas with the next passage to the Seychelles firmly in our minds. On our last day we fortunately discovered 10-15 knots of beneficial south-easterly which we might harness utilizing our Code 0.

Chagos affords the chance to discover gorgeous seashores, and as one of many largest wildlife sanctuaries on the planet there’s ample wildlife that’s seemingly unafraid of individuals. Photograph: Saskia Stainer-Hutchins

Till it hit the information headlines not too long ago, the archipelago of Chagos was little-known, however there’s a difficult historical past behind this large, remoted Indian island group. Chagos is made up of seven atolls, overlaying an space bigger than France. The primary inhabitants had been introduced as slaves by the French within the 1700s to farm coconuts.

Over time management handed to the British who continued to import individuals to work the farms as staff. As slaves, after which staff, the native individuals by no means owned any of the land, and this possession nuance allowed the UK to expel the native inhabitants between 1967 and 1973 after Chagos was bought to the UK for £3m by Mauritius, as a situation to gaining their independence in 1968.

The USA subsequently constructed a naval base in Chagos, and that is the explanation, alongside the closure of the farms that supported them, the native inhabitants was compelled to depart their houses. Since that point Mauritius has sought sovereignty of Chagos and as of October 2024 this bid was profitable: the UK Authorities has confirmed that the islands will probably be returned to Mauritius.

Surprising south-west winds compelled Acushnet to take a much less fashionable route down the jap atolls ofthe Maldives. Photograph: Saskia Stainer-Hutchins

Politically charged

It’s a deeply politically charged space. Chagos was a stupendous place, however very lonely. The atoll we visited harboured an deserted city and it was indescribably shifting to stroll the ruins. The graveyard was particularly powerful; are you able to think about having to depart your family members behind? The shipwrecks and ruins spoke of a deep ache. Travelling the world you be taught to understand the worth of ‘residence’, and it was clear this was as soon as somebody’s residence. And nonetheless is, even when they’re not there.

Snorkelling within the distant paradise of Chagos. Photograph: Saskia Stainer-Hutchins

Solely a tiny variety of persons are permitted to enter Chagos waters; navy personnel, a number of scientists and a few very fortunate sailors. The correct to go to as a sailor was closely restricted and the allow dates had been ruthlessly managed. Lots of our fellow cruisers weren’t granted permits and altering or extending permits was principally denied. Whereas we had been within the nation two boats’ permits expired proper on the time {that a} revolving tropical storm was forming to the west.

They requested to remain however had been informed they have to go away or face a large effective. Each made it to the Seychelles safely, however their passage was not a simple one. We realized our lesson and didn’t push our luck. We solely stayed for 10 days and left as quickly as a great climate window opened, properly earlier than our allow dates expired.

Distant paradise

Placing all the executive difficulties and geopolitical injustices apart, Chagos was one of the crucial magical experiences of my life. We had been extremely remoted and spent our days fishing, snorkelling and strolling abandoned seashores. We had been lots of of miles from the closest city and a thousand miles from the closest mainland nation.

Chagos is at present one of many largest wildlife sanctuaries on the planet; 545,000 sq. miles. The quantity of wildlife we noticed was breathtaking. Birds choked the sky. It was so distant that we discovered the animals weren’t afraid of us.

One night we took the dinghy out to an remoted seaside to observe the sundown the place the drifting squalls supplied a dramatic backdrop. 4 months prior we by no means would have anticipated to be the place we had been, however I used to be extraordinarily grateful to have discovered myself washed up on that seaside. Crusing teaches me many issues each day, however the skill to ‘waft’ was a present this area has blessed me with without end.

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