Arabian Sea
Sea Topaz
Duncan Briggs
Wed 11 Mar 2015 10:06
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12.00.84 N 58.41.10 E
We have been on passage exactly one week now. Leaving
Male was not as easy as we would have hoped. Getting the weapons became a
nightmare with them charging us very high extra charges etc. It became a real
muddle, but the guys managed to find another source. Our agent turned out to be
useless. There were many delays getting the fuel and checking out. We waited for
hours for him to come with our passports, but he never came. He eventually sent
someone else to whom we also had to pay the bills. We were charged astronomical
amounts for laundry, gaz and ice and they charged GST twice at 12% on the
authorities and agents fees. The diesel and water were reasonably priced.
This took some sorting with numerous phone calls. Only then could we take the
weapons on board.
We finally left with three days delay and three weapons
on one boat.
When we were a few days out we stopped and transferred a
weapon onto each boat. We have one security guard on the two sail boats and two
on the motor boat.
We also stopped to test the weapons and fire a few
shots.
So in the convoy we have "Equanimity" with Roger and
Sher, plus Max in the lead, us with Ben in the middle and "Highland Duck" making
up the rear with Bob and Margaret and Ben and Will.
Weather has been variable so far with a lot of motoring,
some sailing, but mostly motor sailing.
Unfortunately Highland Duck developed a problem with
their auto-helm, which they have been trying to sort for a few days now. So it
is all manual steering! But the two guys have stepped in and they are taking it
in turns to drive the boat. Hopefully they will be able to sort it out on the
way. We have seen only a few large commercial vessels so far.
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