Indian Ocean

The joys of sailing

After four years in Asia with the dramatic passing of Mieke in 2013 it feels good to be moving on. It feels bad not to do it with my long time partner and I am a lucky guy to have found a new companion on my travels.

Many mixed feelings that are eased by the beauty of the ocean, the welcoming by groups of dolphins at sunset and sunrise, the magnificent milky way for the first time really visible as a long cloud on the pitch black night sky.

Thanks again Drew for the lovely poem you send me:

Now is the hour that longing turns around

for sailors towards what they left behind.

The hour that melts their hearts when outward bound

for just one day the last light brings to mind

that they have said goodbye to dearest friends.

The hour that pierces the new pilgrims deep with love

Sailing passages on new oceans is different from coastal sailing: much more preparation to make sure you have planned for any circumstance that could arise, Stamper in top condition, all spares on board and supplies as much as it can carry. And then the routine of checking if all is OK, finding small things that need repairing and the joy that you can with some ingenuity when your normal tool-set breaks down on the job.

Cocos Keeling is a delightful spot of beauty in the ocean. Only 600 inhabitants with a history of being ruled by a Scottish family who chose to come here and owned all the land from the 19th century until the 1980's. No pollution and pristine sandy beaches and 50 shades of blue water around us.

On our way here we passed through a mostly windless Indonesia, 400 nautical miles, mostly anchoring somewhere for the night. Only one time our planned anchorage was not accessible as it had shallowed much more than indicated on the map. Boy were we lucky! two hours later, looking back we saw four waterspouts right on that spot, one quite big.

These unlit houses are found mre than 20 miles offshore. A reason for us not to sail at night in Indonesia

Anak Krakatau

The photo's of Cocos Keeling: