Beez Neez now Chy Whella

To Diffushi

Big Bear and Pepe Millard

Mon 13 May 2019 22:47

To Diffushi - Day One

Friday the 10th of May. Ready to roll by 16:10, Bear did all the untying and then I eased in reverse, all well. As I moved into first gear, not much. Mmm, maybe it was me having been a landlubber five five weeks but for now, I had a bowsprit to miss on the boat to my right and the eddy at the end of the far side pontoon to not get mixed up in. Enough forward motion and the bow thruster kept us out of mischief but as soon as we had cleared the marina proper I called for the skipper who was about his rope and fender tidying. Quick decision to anchor two hundred metres beyond the marina by the hotel in 1.7 metres. Time 16:25, tide rising for the next twenty-five minutes and now counting. With my sprained ankle Bear went over for a feel. Up he came and asked for the dive kit. The propeller had serious barnacle problems. Kitted up, he went down with his trusty scraper tied to his wrist, I sat watching for bubbles and crossing everything. Up he came at 17:05, hands bleeding but hopeful. Quick shower and we got ready to try again. At 17:20, anchor up and we headed out under power, YAY. Mincing around the tour boats whose passengers had taken us from many an angle, we entered the main channel. I radioed Port Control and we had our permission to leave. Time to take a chum. I tried the autopilot YAY, it’s working. How thrilling.

To our left a repair yard with a few working girls ashore for TLC.

JAG Aabha of Mumbai looked rather attractive.

To our left a small passenger ship called Kavaratti as working girl Ocean Pioneer pootled by.

On the left Port Control and on the right the main unloading dock.

Car ferry pulling out. Oooo and one from the right, Time to step up the speed a bit.

Fishing nets at rest but expectant herons at the ready.

Meanwhile behind us, Sethusagar I and her sister Sethusagar II happily passed each other.

Time for the fishing girls to race in to be first to market. Chandra led the charge with Buraq a few minutes later.

Ramadan has just begun. Sunset beach party perhaps.

A happy and relieved skipper, albeit with very sore hands and sunset.

Sagararani II, a tour boat we thought to be doing a sunset harbour cruise, overtook us and went a long way out to sea ??? plenty more waves and photographs of the girl.

This particular green buoy was my cue to begin to turn left.

A very elderly lady.

Bharath Sagar’s crew busy at work but time to wave and take pictures.

Our final girl, loved her name – Four Start, wished she was more loved and maintained. By 19:30 the genoa was out and the engine was off, heading out to sea. The first of the fishing fleets, I for one was delighted that as we were heading offshore these were the big trawling girls, they are great at being a) lit b) will shine a light as to where their rig is and c) get about their business. Bear had another fleet and when I came on at two had very small fairy lights twinkling on the horizon, Mmmm. Later, they turned out to be flashing groups of small lights marking a massive fishing net. I found the only red and went further right. A wonderful first night actually sailing.

Saturday the 11th of May. I came up at a quarter to six to see quite a big squall cloud behind us.

Asian Progress V passed a mile in front of us at 10:08. 333 metres long, 60 metres wide and 11 metres of draught on her way to Ras Laffan in Qatar. This crude oil tanker was built in 2006 and her home port is Singapore. She can bowl along at 16.3 knots and her average is 12.8, she passed by at 13.7, not to be sniffed at.

Loved watching her nose catching the waves as the sea became noticeably bluer.

After lunch, BW Boss. What a wonderful name for an LPG tanker. Statistics 230 by 36 by 7 metres, she is also on her way to Ras Laffan. She was built in 2001 and carries the flag of India. She can canter along at a brisk 17.2 knots but trotted by at 14.9.

Lovely to settle into life at sea and I won at backgammon. Growling. A gentle sunset.

Sunday the 12th of May. For the first time in 34,000 miles I overslept. Apparently Bear came down at wake up time (a quarter to two) and again at three thirty to find me flat out and left me. I woke, looked at my watch, I thought it said ten to four. It went dark and I relit the screen, yes, ten to four. Oh, wow, rush to clean teeth, make pineapple powder drink and race , well hobble, on duty. Bear had put the engine on at 03:15 and I hadn’t noticed that either, mmmm. At 04:50 I was approaching the Maldives sea boundary. At changeover, Bear insisted it still happen at six, bless him, he thought it best to take down the Indian flag.

164 miles to Diffushi an impromptu stop I’m sure just to allow me a rest......., hence no Maldives flag going up just yet. If anyone approaches us we have all our paperwork to log in to Gan.

Sunrise but within half an hour clouds were beginning to gather.

At ten injury inspection, very sore hands for the skipper, everything he touches makes him wince. My ankle gathering bruises on the inner side and everything else either aches or feel bruised. Groin, hip, ribs, head and arms. What a right pair, eh. I couldn’t believe I went straight to sleep and by ten felt a little brighter but my right foot came up like a balloon........

At 11:15 on went the radar as the barometer had changed and there were a few squall lines about. A cluster ahead so we turned right. Wind only went up to 14 knots but the sea became a little rougher. I watched the lightning cloud to our left which eventually stopped flashing at 17:30.