Indian Ocean
Laccadive
Republic of Maldives
Gan
Small-craft Harbour
SY "Kamu II" anchoring off, at 4 m depth, on sand.
Click below for an interactive satellite view of our very protected anchorage:
S 00° 41.14' E 073° 08.65'
S 00° 41.14' E 073° 08.65'
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Zigzagging and shifting before light following winds and, every now and then, dodging the odd squall with its fireworks display of electrical storms which looked from a distance as intimidating as a mushroom cloud from an atomic bomb.
Travelling the distance of 285 nm during four squally and skyless days with an average daily run of just 71 nm between Chagos and Addu Atoll, the most southerly of the long chain of Maldivian atolls, and saving many litres of diesel fuel.
Entering Addu Atoll at the entry point S 00° 42.00' E 073° 10.75', motoring through the five-cables wide Gan Kandu between the east side of the reef fringing Gan Island and the west side of the reef fringing Vilingili Island, 1 nm to the nord-east, and thereafter entering the small-craft harbour at Gan at the entry point S 00° 41.04' E 073° 08.75' during high tide.
Enjoying a repetition of the operetta-like clearing procedure from Uligamu and entertaining a troop of redundant but well-trained and polite young men in the cockpit of SY “Kamu II” (customs, coast guard, immigration, health and defence force - Aldous Huxley says Hello), completing together piles of meaningless forms and so-called “nil lists”, letting our ship’s stamp work overtime and getting lots of signed forms, permits, receipts, declarations and copies back, again free of any charge, and thereafter being issued with another 30-day entry permit to the Republic of Maldives on arrival and meeting again our ever helpful friend and yacht agent Masood from MNS Maldives +9606893433 mns@dhinet.net.mv.
Watching fruit bats, herons, rays, turtles and an unknown rooinek who (i) could not set his anchor, regardless how many times he tried, (ii) watched like a babe in the woods when his anchor dragged, (iii) could not retrieve his anchor, (iv) bumped a few times into other boats, (v) could not secure his boat to the jetty with mooring lines, (vi) could not tie knots properly and lost his dinghy twice within two hours, (vi) caught lines in his prop and did not know how to deal with it and (vii) declined any help from others, all things considered, who was totally unapt to control his brand-new Beneteau sailing yacht - a complete balagan usually only seen from so-called professional crews but rarely from owners/liveaboards.
Meeting and socialising with international yotties from far and wide: Natalie & Robert (SY “Wilhelm”) from the United States - many thanks for speaking German, Maryse & Jacques (SY “Mareja”) from France - thanks for the beers, Sunny & Martin (SY “Mahi Mahi”) from the Czech Republic - thanks for the recipe, and our young old fellows from Chagos, Marlyse & Bill (SY “Jenain”), Deena & Jacob (SY “Crimson Tide”) and Joergen (SY “Sea Tramp”).
Touring the island by hired scooter (MVR 125.- or US$ 10.- for a half day rental from Cause Way Rental in Gan) and exploring the villages of Feydhoo, Maradhoo and Hithadhoo (all are laid out on a rectangular grid with wide, straight, sandy streets and white coral-stone houses) all the way up to Demon Point, the tip of the island, which bends to the east.
DM Konni: Scubadiving at S 00° 38.42' E 073° 06.96' through big holes into the famous wreck of the WWII-tanker MV “British Loyalty” which was torpedoed in 1944 CE by the German U-boat U-183 whose captain had aimed and fired through a small opening in the antisubmarine nets at the entrance to Gan Kandu.
Dining out regularly at Gan's Eye Café and Centre Park together with fellow yotties and having a great time together.
Refuelling with 382 litres of clean diesel fuel for MVR 17.80 or US$ 1.40 per litre from Gan's petrol station near the airport using our own jerry cans and our dinghy for the half-mile long ride and buying 4 litres of kerosene (for our Petromax pressure lantern) for MVR 16.20 or US$ 1.27 per litre from the same petrol station.
Refilling one of our two 11-kg LPG cylinders for together MVR 250.- or US$ 19.60 at the local hardware shop but being frowned upon suspiciously when we asked the conservative Muslim owner for some white spirit.
Refilling one of our two 11-kg LPG cylinders for together MVR 250.- or US$ 19.60 at the local hardware shop but being frowned upon suspiciously when we asked the conservative Muslim owner for some white spirit.
Clearing immigration and customs (MVT 700.- or US$ 54.90 anchor fee for one month and MVR 300.- or US$ 23.50 harbour fee) with the help of our good friend and local yacht agent Masood from MNS Maldives +9606893433 mns@dhinet.net.mv (US$ 50.- for his expenses for in/out clearing) - many thanks, Najeema & Masood, for your hospitality and for the delicious smoked fish.
Click below for more blog entries about wreck diving
20 Mar - 07 Apr 2012 Sumatra: Iboih Beach
16 Aug - 15 Sep 2011 Sulawesi: Tanjung Karang
16 Mar - 16 Jun 2007 Egypt: El Gouna
Click below for a summary of this year's travels
2008 Map Konni & Matt
Click below and see more Konni & Matt Pictures
Photos 2008-04 Maldives II
Photos 2008-03 Chagos
Photos 2008-02 Maldives I
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