Uligamu 8/4- 11/4

8/4 We had a nice swim in the, turquoise clean, water before breakfast. Lars lower the dingy and we took Helene and Tommy with us to the harbor. Our agent Asadhula met us with his motorbike. There is no cars on this small island. We went home to him and was treated with very nice star-apple red and green. Afterwords we were invited for lunch at a little cafe were we got local food, like deep fried triangle pirogi and spring-rolls, served with slosh-ice.

9/4 All of us were picked up, in the afternoon, to go to an other island for ATM and shopping at a supermarket. Here the eggs comes from India and are white and very small. Not as good as the once in Thailand that are big and bright colored egg yolk. Tommy bought diesel in jerrycans. Afterwords we were treated to coffee and sweets at a nice cafe.

10/4 We snorkel with Helene and Tommy on the reef close by. In the afternoon Lars and Tommy sailed in to the beach, and met Hammadh, to test our drone. Unfortunately there were dew on the lens so no good picture. At sundown we had a visit of the to agents. I made coffee and water to them. We said farewell and thanks for all help when they got picked up by friends in a speed boat taking them to land.

11/4 Running generator and water-maker and having a last swim before leaving Uligamu. We sailed 21.5 NM to Dhapparuhuraa and dropped anchor at 13:30, after a boring sail for motor. A dip in the water to cool down did not help because the water temperature was almost the same as the air 32.7°C.

12/4 Easy morning with dip in the water and sailing, at 8:30 the 22.8 NM, to Kulhudhuffushi were we could get diesel from the cay the next day.

13/4 We went in to the village, in the morning, to shop at the vegetable and fruit marked. Lars payed the harbor fee about 70 dkk. We left Kulhudhuffushi with help from local fishermen to take the lines.

We sailed outside the atoll 28.6 NM to Farukulhu. Lars got a nap. It is very hot in the salon 33.3°C. We got lunch and coffee and it was 35.9°C at 14 hour. When we sail in, to reach the way-point for anchoring according to the guide, we hit the reef. Lars backed out and we waited for Bonnie to arrive. Bonnie tried to anchor but it was to shallow for her too. We had to go further out on deeper ground and anchor. A dip in the water made the day.14/4 We left Farukulhu after having a nice swim on the reef with many fish. When we should have the anchor up the winch couldn’t run. It was a cable that had corroded. There were also a cable that were lose.

14/4 We sail out after Bonnie and after 22 NM we anchor at Maafaru close to the reef. We swam to the reef and it was beautifully colorful and many fish. We saw a little stingray on the way back.15/4 Before we left Maafaru we snorkel on the reef. We took pictures but I had problem with the camera. Lars gave the camera service afterwords.

15/4 Sailing 44,18 NM to Huravalhi and anchor outside the resort, but not to close, at 13:30. We took a swim over to Bonnie. Later on, after being pushed away from a little sand island, we took the dingy to Bonnie for a sun-downer. Helene had made nice tun-mus on rytva hard-bread.16/4 All four of us snorkeled on nice, but small, reef a bit away from Alexandra. We took some nice picture with a clean camera. Some rain in the afternoon so collected water. 17/4 Huravalhi. Nice dip in the water and washing clothes, while generator and water-maker is running an hour.

17/4 We sail 8,05 NM for motor, inside the atoll, one hour to Hinnaaruva and anchored outside the village. We visited the village, and in the evening, got dinner at a restaurant overlooking our boats. Lars downloaded a program to make maps out of satellite pictures. 18/4 Quick shopping in the morning.

18/4 Sailing to Kanafushi 8,1 NM. Anchor up at 11 and we continue sailing south in the atoll. We reach the southeast anchorage in 2 hour. We were getting a lot of rain so good for collecting rain water. We checked out google earth pictures between here and Male and also tourist guides. Dinner in a quite and wet cockpit.

19/4 Long-Friday. Anchor up at 7:45 and sail to Kagi Kanduolhi. Cloudy and sunny and no wind so motoring. We sail 48 NM in 10 hour. We met only a “cobra-ship”. We anchor on 27 meter but Bonnie wanted less depth so up with the anchor and sail into the next bay between reefs and fortunately more shallow water.

20/4 Easter evening. Sailing to Thulusdhoo 19.92 NM but first run the water-maker. Much wind up to 27 knots and sometimes rein. I wash mattress covers to cockpit using rain-water and was lucky that they dried ind the wind. We followed Bonnie into the harbor and anchored. We had nice Easter lunch at Alexandra. Helene had several kinds of herrings, eggs, relish and hard bred to offer and both of us had snaps. We had Janssons frestelse (temptation) and cocktail sausages from pork. The best thing was a very good protected anchorage in a little charming island that also is called Coca Cola island. We expected bad sailing weather for a week!

21/4 Lars roved us in to the cay and we had nice lunch at a cafe in the village. Also checked out the small shops for food. On the way back we stopped at the Coca Cola factory and got a guided tour. Tommy helped Lars with getting the 24 volt Victron inverter to work.

22/4 In the afternoon we all took a tour around the village to see if there were any beach to swim and snorkel. No success but we found a coffee bar, at a resort, were Helene and I could bathe after coffee! We came there several times. We also so the backside, a big garbage mountain.

23/4 Lunch on land and shopping. Lars tried to get top up but no success. He also went in, in the evening, but no help.

24/4 Lunch at a resort in the village and coffee at the beach. Lars bought 10 GB 700MVR but he had to by a new sim-card 35 MVR

25/4 All four of us sailed to Male The capital of Maldives with the blue ferry. It took 1.5 hours each way so not much time in town. The town was very crowded with a lot of cars and motor-bikes. First we had lunch. So Dhiraagu for more data. We found a shop that had some international food and on our way out we met Kimi and Trevor from SV Slowfligh. They were off to Gan in the evening. We split and Lars and I went in the direction of the ferry terminal because I had heel spurs (hæle spore) in my left foot and could not walk fast.

26/4 Thulusdhoo. Sailing to Velassaru Falhu. Anchor up 8:50 and sailed out of the harbor after Bonnie av Stockholm. Sat jib 09:20 and main 10:10. sunny morning with wind from north-east. At 12 a clock shallow water like 7 meter so dropped the main and rolled the jib and start motor. Drop anchor between reefs at 13:20. In the afternoon we put the dingy in the water and motor on. We picked up Helene and Tommy and went to the reef. A lot of colorful fish but the reef looked dead. Lars took pictures and GoPro film. Helene saw a big turtle. We clean filters to gen-set and salt water filter. There were a lot of algae and mussels. At Bonnie for sun-downer we had nice home made tun-mus on rye hard bread and beans that Helene had spiced. Tasted a little like almond.

27/4 Velassaru Falhu: Lars was running the gen-set and water-maker in one hour. Also ad cooling-water to Yanmaar. Lars download google earth maps and off we go. We sailed between the reefs following Navionics automatic route but also google earth maps. For motor 5.3 knots with one knots of current with us, wind 5.1 knots in the nose, blue sky.

We sailed into the little harbor Guraidhoo, after Bonnie. We got picked up by Tommy and sailed in for dinner at a restaurant overlooking the harbor and our boats. Nice dinner like chicken steak for me and burger for Lars. Freshly made juice from papaya and apple. 300MVR 130DKK.

28/4 Lars made new cable to freezer box and fridge box. Now the freezer works. I got a haircut by the captain. Washed clothes. Tommy and Lars bought a big tuna each from a fisherman in the harbor. Nice tuna with rice and corn.

29/4 Good message from Donna in Trincomale. Her daughter and husband left Sri Lanca the day before terror bombs in Colombo. A lot of wind in between. We move Alexandra further ind so giving more space to the boats coming in and out. Lars ad a fuse box to the fuse in the anchor well.

30/4 We took the dingy up to the breakwater and climbed the stones so not disturbing the local boats at the cay. I got a bracelet from the old women at the gift shop. Later on I bought a nice bawl made out of coconut and cinnamon-tree. We went to the beach cafe and later on lunch with our friends there. We had to wait a long time for club-sandwiches and fish and chips. We went to find the pharmacy and it was cited at the clinic. I could by ibuprofen pills, very cheap, for my aching heel spore in left foot.

1/5 Lars was taking a dive with, the local dive center, Manta dive. They had good new equipment’s 10:40-12.30. A lot of colorful fish but the corals were not recovered from the tsunami.

2/5 Lars could by a poster of reef-fish after the owner of the shop was called. Coffey at the cafe when we wait for the shops to open after prayer time. Sun-downer on Alexandra with Tommy and Helene and freshly made humus.

3/5 We went too Town for dinner. The dingy could be placed behind the diving boat so we did not have to go back on the stones in darkness. We had very nice fish-soup and fresh juices at the restaurant overlooking the boats.

4/5 Lars try to get data but the nice guy have not opened yet. He have to days more education in Male before he could start working I the nice office. The man in the shop, that should have top up available, told us to leave, after we had waited a long time for him to come to the shop after prayer time.

5/5-6/5 Guraidhoo sailing to Veligaufinolhu. (Ramadan starts 5/5). 142 NM. We sail out of the harbor thirst and showed the way to pass the reefs. Outside the atoll we sail a 5 hours long leg with motor and jib. Not much wind, 8.9 knots. It was very hot, 34.3°C, so difficult to sleep. We toke speed of the motor several time so Bonnie could ketch up on us and they did at 20:00. Very hot night also and I had a headache. Lars could make to safety lines for Go-pro and the diving torch. Finally we are at the anchorage by the reef. I got into the water immediately and swam to the reef. It was beautiful.

7/5 Al four of us snorkeled, on the beautiful reef, before we hoist the anchor and sailed in to Hithadhoo Harbour. Ramadan effects everything here. The shops are only opened short times compared to most of the day normally. Restaurants are not open during day time because they fast at Ramadan. We were “kidnapped” by the locals. They wanted to show us there island. First home to a fisherman. He had an Aquarius with beautiful colored fish. We got coconut drink, star-fruit and jamburoalu (water apple or rose apple) red, very fresh taste. After that a walk threw his beautiful coconut plantation. We reached a beach and was, after a long walk, put behind a scooter and driven to another beach for tasting coconut soda and coconut juice. The fisherman climbed the tree and fetched the nuts. Finally we had to ask the nice people to drive us home to the boats. We needed to secure our mooring-lines because of the tide. We stayed another night because of the weather. People were very nice to us and offered food and fruit and showed us there village.

8/9 We took it easy on board Alexandra the whole day. A lot of people came by to check out the two sailing boats. When the alarm on the phone rang for prayer they left. Also, Tommy and Lars were invited to see the big fishing-boat. In the late afternoon they sailed out and waived to us. They start fishing bait fish and the next day they catch tuna with fishing poles. We heard that, in Maldives, the fishing is regulated with how much and what methods to use.

9/5-10/5 Sailing from Hithadho Harbourto Faydhoo Gan island, the southeast island in Maldives, 162,47 NM. We leave the harbor at 6 in the morning and sail for motor only until 18:35 when we sat main and jib. It gave 0.5 knots. Lars got a big yellow tuna on the hook but it managed to get of just before we got it in. At 19 hour we sail 6.1 knots with wind 4.2 knots.

10/5 Kristoffer 31 years birthday ! We anchor outside little harbor and wait for Bonnie to sail ind. We followed them in, hit a coral and anchored close to police, border control and rescue boats.

10/5-31/5 Faydhoo Gan.

11/5 A lot of mosquitoes here. Both of us were bit all over during night. No internet but can use messenger and right to Kristoffer. Our agent, Ihthisham Najeeb (Indi), came with a car and drove us to two supermarket, one far away up north that had good vegetable and cheese and then the one closet by to the anchorage, but first a stop at the pharmacy to get top up.

Now it was Ramadan fasting in 30 days were the Muslims are not eating between sunset and sundown. Al restaurants and cafes were closed at that time. We recommend sailor to stay away Muslim countries when it is Ramadan especially Maldives because they are 100% Muslim and no other religion are allowed. In Faydhoo only pharmacy and two supermarket were open during day time. Often they were closed for prayer.

12/5 Indi and a friend, both on motorcycle, meat us on land and take us to the diving shop and Marina Monaco. Lars agreed to get three dive the next day.

13/5 Lars got diving with Marina and Pavel. A wreck dive and to overs. I stayed on board and wrote to website about Sri Lanka.

14/5 Lars connected spare bilge pump to electrical cord so we could drain the bilge from water. Now we could run the generator and water-maker. Starry Horizon anchor in the harbour. Indi came with the clean laundry to us and Bonnie. All of us went shopping for food. Lars met Marina at the diving shop and got pictures on a USB stick.

15/5 We tanked 300 liter diesel and water at the Large harbour in town. Indi came with the drinking water three times with a friends car. Lars recalled the call for prayer at 18:08 and 19.08. Lars got the last beer and I gin and tonic.

16/5 Sleep late after a very difficult night. Hot up to 35C, mosquitoes and traffic noise. Lars put new rubber membrane on bilge pump. Also cleaned filter to salt water intake. I wrote to web site. I find two lime beer from NZ and a gin tonic for me. You can by tonic water but off cause no beer or gin. Alcoholic beverage are forbidden in Maldives. Special exercise for my hale spore helps a little. Try to make my training program every evening before sundown because after that we have to close down because of mosquitoes.

17/5 Lars take the filter to the gen set for cleaning. I cleaned up after killing a cockroach. We had one every night it seemed. Friday prayer is longer when normal in Ramadan. / times instead of normally 5 times. We here not only calling for prayer but also prayer with response from the congregation. We find a mosquito net to the bed and hopefully we could sleep bedder tonight.

18/5 Full moon had to run generator during night. No mosquitoes in the net. 29°C, cleaned the filter to the shower. We went to the village and pharmacist for 10 GB and supermarket. Gym, elastic, hale spore training. I did it every evening if it did not rain.

19/5 Wind up to 20 knots and a lot of rain. We had a mosquito in the net during night. Not good. I had to fix the net from wholes.

20/5 Lars made a photo collection of Sri Lanka. I worked with the text. We had a nice snorkeling on the reef with Tommy. We talked with Kristoffer. He had gotten a bad cold.

21/5 Lars had an arrangement with Amy and David to dive with Marina. Unfortunately it did not work out. The weather was very bad with a lot of wind, 34 knots, and a lot of rain. We had to move Alexandra further in so that the police boats could come in. 27.9 ºC at 19:30 and now no wind.

22/5 Mosquitoes during night. A lot of wind and heat made it difficult to sleep. I mended the net. Hope it helps.

23/5 Washing up covers etc using rain water.

24/5 We had a lot of mosquitoes in the net during night. A not so nice walk to time because of my left hale spoor.

25/5 A big turtle swam around Alexandra for quite a time. We enjoyed looking at her.

26/5 Lars fix BB navigation light by changing some electrical parts.

27/5 Lars had to go in the water and move a fishing-boat at a mooring that were coming to close to us. He also scrubbed the bottom while he was down.

28/5 Office work.

29/5 Rain the whole day.

30/5 We had a nice snorkel on the reef with Tommy. Specially there were a beautiful brown movable coral with a lot of fish. Helene had made delicious guacamole for sun-downer on Bonnie afterwords.

31/5 Finally last day at Gan after a rainy night. Cleaning filters before running the generator. Breakfast in a dry cockpit. Tommy help Lars with a new mail program for SSB Winlink express. We all four get on land to meet Indi and his boss about clearing out. Shopping and ATM in the village. Heavy load of food with us to the dingy dock 1.5 km walk.