Indian Ocean 5 31.25N 86 34.43E

Yachtsongster
Brian Palmer
Sat 22 Jan 2011 03:17
We are now well into our passage with 700+ nautical miles under our belt heading for a point 100 nautical miles from Galle, Sri Lanka.    The winds have picked up and having had very little we have almost too much now with rough rolly seas making it difficult to settle to do things.
 
Two days ago we had a disaster when a huge ship passed us over a mile away causing a huge wake which we then shipped through four open deck hatches.   Gallons of salt water poured into the boat soaking through mattresses and then pouring into the lockers below.     Thankfully the day was fine, the sea flat and we had the energy to sort the whole thing out.    At the time we looked like a shipwreck with mattresses, carpets, cushions clothing, electric tools all drying in the cockpit.      It took all day for us to get ourselves shipshape once more but we now have a massivee clean up job to do once we eventually arrive in Turkey.     Each day we have seen great numbers of huge vessels but this one has been the only one to cause such a wake.     Hopefully we have now learned our lesson as this was the third drenching we have suffered over the years, it was by far the worst.
 
We have just over 800 nm in total to do to get to the Maldives so with good weather we should arrive as planned in one week's time.