|
SEA GEM LOG
January 28, 2000
THE ISLAND OF MALE The anchorages around the island of Male' are very limited. The water is very deep, (over one hundred and fifty feet) almost everywhere and the small enclosed harbors
are for specific boats. We went to the only available place to anchor and put the anchor down in about twenty five feet of water. There were several other boats there including Stampede and Pimalo. We
settled in for the day to await the arrival of all the officials. As we had arrived on Friday, a Holy Day, we were told everyone left for prayers at ten in the morning and did not resume work until after two in
the afternoon. We decided to invite the Stampede and Pimalo folks for dinner and issued the invitation. By six in the evening we were convinced that we would just enjoy our dinner,
retire early and get a full nights sleep. Ern, his wife Christine, their daughter Lynn and crew member Claude had arrived for dinner when the Customs officials showed up. As you are not supposed to leave
your boat we hoped we were not already in trouble. Actually the officials were quite nice and towed the Pimalo folks back to their own boat. The wind was blowing quite hard, about twenty five knots and
there was a current running also. The officials then informed us that they were moving us to another anchorage and to follow them. There were six yachts involved and we all raised our anchors and prepared
to follow them for what we thought would be a short distance. Dark came and going through the maze of commercial ships in an unknown harbor was difficult, especially making sure that we were following the correct
light. Pimalo had difficulty getting out of the anchorage and we turned on our strobe so they could see us ahead and follow. We progressed beyond the city and into darkness following the Customs boat we knew
not where. Taking six yachts in close formation through an unknown area is a lot of responsibility and since we did not know but three of the other boats communication was not very good. Customs people speak
English, (as a second language) and over a radio, at night, things got pretty confusing. We knew they were taking us through a channel and on the chart it showed the depth of the channel at low water at only
one and a half meters. Stampede draws nine feet so they were really worried. We got to the channel and it was narrow and we had our spot light out flashing it on the very limited markings (one post and
one stake) and the sides of the newly dredged channel. When we got to the inside of the lagoon the customs boat was waving us to turn left, turn left. We did and proceeded past one boat that had already
dropped his anchor right in the middle of the channel. As we went around Stampede the wind was pushing us sideways and we went aground. Stu and Joe jumped into their dingy and used it as a bow thruster to
push our bow around so we could turn back and get to a safer place. The officials were very proud that they had gotten all of us into the lagoon, except one boat that turned around and went all the way back to
the original anchorage. When we were finally anchored one of the fellows made the mistake of asking me what I thought. I told him what they had done was "very dangerous." He seemed
amazed that I thought so, or dared to say so, but they had absolutely no idea what risk they had placed us under by insisting that we move six boats to an unfamiliar location at night. When we were anchored,
they boarded each boat. We filled in the never ending pile of forms each of which has the same information. We also stamped each form with our "official stamp" and the captain/master signed
each one. Having an official stamp is a big help, stamps are good. By now it was nine o'clock and the dinner that was prepared for six was well done but our friends came over and we ate and everyone was
so hungry that it didn't matter that things were less than perfect. Being at anchor after a passage is always a good feeling and we looked forward to our first glimpse of the Maldives. Until later...at the
airport lagoon, Male', The Maldives... |
