Position                    19:38.98 S 063:05.95 E

Date                          1200 (UTC+4) Tuesday 24 May 2016

Distance run             in 2hrs 50 mins 20nm over the ground, 21nm through the water

Trip total                  20nm over the ground, 21nm through the water

To go to                    Port Louis, Mauritius course distance 327nm

Route distance         346nm as originally planned

There are a number of entries to be posted later about our stay in Rodrigues. One of the little visited gems of the Indian Ocean.  Great scenery, friendly hospitable people and generally clean tidy and well organised.  We have walked, relaxed and even visited a giant tortoise sanctuary.

Rodriguez may be a part of Mauritius but they wish to think otherwise and it is necessary to clear out with Immigration and Customs on the day that you leave for Mauritius.  The Immigration Officer was on the dock at 0800 as promised and the Customs Officer appeared five minutes early at 0855.  All completed and with the help of Dagmar and Christoph, they are following in 2-3 days’ time, we were off the dock and under way by 0905.  Planning says that you require at least 2.5 days to get to Port Louis, Mauritius which is 350nm in order to arrive in daylight, so as early a start as bureaucracy would allow was deemed essential.

Two hours later and clear of the island we were back into big seas and winds of 20 to 25 knots and gusts to 35 knots and the issue that may face us is arriving too early.  Watch this space for tomorrows thrilling instalment.  In the meantime, we are quickly getting used to our home being thrown around by the sea and laid over by the wind.  For the start of this passage the wind is aft the beam as is the sea and these conditions can roll us around very effectively.  Fortunately, we have two good meals in the freezer, two days rice to go with them cooked and in the fridge and six baguettes to fill in the gaps.

Memories of our visit to the Giant Tortoise Sanctuary