Arrived Port Blair
My Way
Mike Kopman
Thu 2 Apr 2009 07:26
Hello from Port Blair, Andaman Islands. Got here this morning after a pretty quick trip, motor sailing in light winds and calm (ish) seas. Mostly good (we caught a yummy dorado yesterday for dinner) but had our share of problems as usual: it seems the fuel we got in Thailand was pretty dirty and we've gone through fuel filters at an annoying rate. The good news is there is no sign of the fuel darkening yet. Keep those fingers crossed. Unfortuantely the mainsail furler has given more problems: this time failing to keep the rolled sail from unrolling again in just 15 knots of wind.
We've been clearing in for the last three hours and it looks like it'll carry on for another several hours. Don, to get here (or leave here) you would have had to fly via India. No other flights come or go. We've just been told we'll be cleared in by 4 o'clock today. Not bad... only 7 hours. And again when we leave. Then there's the paperwork: 6 copies of crewlists, 12 of passports, 4 of equipment lists, 4 of radio equipment, 3 of registration, 4 of customs forms, 6 of personal property declaration, 4 itineraries, 4 of ship's stores (detailing diesel, petrol, oil, alcohol, tobacco, currency, dry stores, frozen stores, fresh stores, safety equipment, flares etc etc etc.) And then twice every day we have to contact Port Blair and the coast guard with our current position and where and when we plan to move to next. But they say it's worth it... We'll let you know!
Lots of love from all aboard, Mike and co.