06:02.06N 80:13.87E
Calliope
Andrew Smyth
Tue 7 Oct 2008 05:37
continuous motoring. The trip was enlivened by numerous visits from dolphins
and one from a turtle. The dolphins were particularly wonderful at night
when they left great foaming tracks of milky-white phosphorescence. Our last
few hours were spent dodging ships since the bottom of Sri Lankas is on the
route of major shipping lanes.
Paperwork for entry appeared never-ending but we were finally released
through the security booms into into the well-fortified naval port. There
was once a Tamil Tiger suicide attack here and since then frogment regularly
patrol underwater and depth charges are let off during the night. It's now a
pretty safe place to leave a boat. The town is bustling with countless shops
and appears to have been largely rebuilt since the Tsunami. The Old Fort,
where the Dutcch first established a base, is now a World Heritage site, but
unfortunately many tourists (and yachts) have been frightened off by the
fighting. When we arrived, a suicide attack in the north killed 20 at a bus
station.
Tomorrow we're going to take a trip inland.