DM Konni: Scubadiving to check on the anchor and at the same time watching the up to 70-cm long titan triggerfish (Balistoides viridescens) at each coral head, without getting too close, since they are very territorial and have big, big teeth, agh.
SY "Kamu II" at anchor, south of Kurali Island, at 9 m of depth, on coral, in a wild 5-knot tidal stream (only a day anchorage with unreliable holding and unsuitable for overnight stops).
Sailing uneventfully from Gaafaru Falhu to the Mulaku Atoll, to our risky and not recommendable lunch anchorage at N 02° 46.37' E 073° 22.45', applauding on the way the incredible acrobatic display of a pod of spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) who leap through the air, up to half a dozen times, in quick succession, whilst spinning longitudinally along their axis, and wondering if they are that keen because the great cauldron of bubbles created on exit and re-entry may act as a target for echolocation by other individuals in the pod or if it is simply play-acting and practising. Anchoring in a 5-knot outgoing tidal stream, watching villagers collect coconuts and load them onto their dhoni in order to ship them to one of the 200 plus inhabited islands of the Maldives.
Redefining a ship's anchor as "...a heavy and back-breaking device which is designed to
bring up hunks of dead coral and samples of seaweed from the bottom of the sea at extremely inconvenient
times..."
Sailing through a large shoal of lively pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus), holding our breath and freezing in marvel.
Entering the Kolhumadulu Atoll through Olhugiri Kandu, the NE entrance at waypoint N 02° 30.66' E 073° 15.89', which has a least charted depth of 9 m, and following a friendly fishing dhoni into a very protected reef anchorage at N 02° 30.25' E 073° 16.65'.
Eyeballing our course through the Northern Thiladhunmathee Atoll, which was surveyed the last time between 1829 CE and 1837 CE by Commander Robert Moresby of the Royal Navy with the help of a good old-fashioned lead line, and finally entering Gaafaru Falhu through the northwest entrance at waypoint N 04° 46.66' E 073° 23.74'.
Stargazing at the omnipresent Orion, the northern Great Baer and the Southern Cross which are simultaneously visible in these low latitudes near the equator.
DM Konni: Scubadiving the inner reef, relaxing under water and socialising with plenty of the most colourful reef fish and with all kinds or rays.
Click below for a summary of this year's travels 2008 Map Konni & Matt Click below and see more Konni & Matt Pictures
SY "Kamu II" at anchor, southwest of Uligamu Island, at 12 m of depth, good enough holding on soft sand. Anchoring fee of MVR 50.- or US$ 4.- for two weeks, payable at the Island Office before departure.
Click below for an interactive satellite view of our anchorage off Uligamu Island: N 07° 04.60' E 072° 55.33'
Moving the ship from our risky one-night anchorage to her final laying-up position at N 07° 04.60' E 072° 55.33' and welcoming on board a weird bunch of well-groomed and very polite youngsters, all sitting in SY “Kamu II’s” cockpit with five different newly starched, fancy uniforms (customs, coast guard, immigration, health, defence force), completing together at least a dozen of meaningless forms and so-called “nil lists”, letting our ship’s stamp work overtime, getting sheaves of signed forms and permits back, eventually being issued with the coveted 30-day entry permit to the Maldives on arrival, free of any charge, and wondering about the unknown donor for this operetta-like job-creation scheme in such a small and poor country.
Exploring “properly dressed” (in accordance with one of the leaflets) the straightened up, swept and raked village of Uligamu with its traditional and rather conservative Muslim community, meeting friendly locals and stocking up with provisions from the well-prepared Sailor’s Choice Shop.
Refuelling with 80 litres of diesel fuel for MVR 16.58 or US$ 1.30 per litre and 40 litres of petrol for MVR 19.12 or US$ 1.50 per litre, delivered to SY “Kamu II” by the young entrepreneurs of the Sailor’s Choice Shop.
Buying an additional gas cylinder with 10 kg LPG for Chagos (MVR 190.- or US$ 14.90 for both tank and gas) and having our laundry done (MVR 200.- or US$ 15.70 for a 10-kg load) at Sailor’s Choice.
Partying with our friends Nana & Spencer on board of their SY "Adverse Conditions" far into the smallest hours and having a very, very good time together (thanks, Spencer, for sharing your last Maraschino cherry with us and for your perfect Dry Manhattans; thanks, Nana from Colombia, for all the rest of it...), thus giving evidence to the fact that Jimmy Buffett was spot-on in Margaritaville: “We are the people our parents warned us about!” - Can anyone remember how our faithful dinghy managed to take us back to SY "Kamu II"?
DM Konni: Scubadiving underneath SY “Kamu II”, meeting my first moorish idol (Zanclus cornutus) after a long time again, which got its name from the Moors of Africa who purportedly believed the fish to be a bringer of happiness, thus understanding to be back in the Indian Ocean, whilst checking the holding of our heavy and reliable CQR anchor.
Click below for an interactive satellite view of our safe anchorage:
