The dream islands of Chagos!
The next day we decided it was time to return to Ile
Takamaka. That same day at lunch time, Norbert and Andrea on board Pamela left Chagos
bound for Madagascar. As I needed to return a computer disk to them, I radioed
them and organized to meet them outside the atoll. I hopped in the rubber duck
and shot out over the reef. They motored up the coast and I met Pamela just
outside the Saloman atoll. I climbed on board and had a farewell beer with
them. Ian on Sabi Star and Jim on Moonlighter had “hitched” a lift with Pamela
as they intended fishing outside the atoll. Their ducky was tied up behind
Pamela. We all sat around and chatted before we all said our goodbyes and
Norbert and Andrea headed off. With that, I headed back to Shayile whilst Ian
and Jim tried their luck at a bit of fishing.
Back at Shayile we wasted no time in getting a few things
together and heading for the beach. It was Bert on the yacht Cirrus’s birthday
and a small party was taking place at Boddam. We joined everyone for a few
drinks and a chat, catching up with happenings across the atoll at Boddam. A
few yachts were still anchored here, but conditions were not that great. The SE
trades were making it an extremely rolly anchorage with an onshore wind! Having caught up on the news and shared a few
drinks, we headed back to Shayile and left for Takamaka. On the way back I
brought out a bottle of rum and B made a great pineapple cocktail mix. With rum
punch on the table we slowly made our way across the atoll, playing “dodge the
bommies”.
Within an hour, we were back at Takamaka and dropped the
anchor. Soon Christine and Donna on Sabi Star joined us, followed by Lindy on
Moonlighter. Then the party began!
Half past clock in the morning we called it a night! After
eating most of our fish and drinking vast quantities of B’s rum punch, playing
guitars, singing and generally making our names Tupperware, those with tenders
stumbled off Shayile and departed, trying to find their yachts! A great night
was had by all.
B: Maya from Iron Lady
turned one and we had a wonderful party on the beach. I made date loaf and
cupcakes with sprinkles which the kids loved. Nadine baked something delicious
as usual and Nathalie mad two large baking trays of cake. As cakes and sweet
things are such a treat, everyone tucks in with gusto. We continued on into the
night with a farewell party for Iron Lady. I was quite relived they were moving
on as Shayile had become the tea and cigarette stop, up to 4 times a day! As
they had no morning school but both needed time alone for the various business
deals, they would often pop in independently of each other. I found it
extremely disruptive but felt powerless to stop it. We did share coffee and cake
on their boat one afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed a bottle of Champagne on
Maya’s birthday.
Jim, B and Lindi in party mode!
Unfortunately the port engine still needed attention and no
amount of partying would make the problem go away. The next day however was
ruled out and it was only a few days later that we decided to tackle the
problem.
Ian on Sabi Star had very kindly offered his assistance and
we both climbed into the engine room and got to work. Now the engine was
turning over, but would not start. First up was fuel. Perhaps there was a
blockage somewhere? Most of the day was spend trying to find the problem and,
at the same time, sorting out other minor issues inside the engine room. By the
end of the day, we were still without success. She would not start.
Next day we were back at it. This time Kim on Rival Chief
joined us and we tackled the problem. Later that day, after no success, Ian
suggested it may be the exhaust. We pulled that apart and finally discovered
the problem. At the elbow joint, just after the exhaust manifold, it was caked
solid with soot, rust and gunk! There
had been a steady build up of carbon, rust and soot over the years. We needed
to chisel it out, clearing a passage through for the exhaust fumes to go. With
the task complete we assembled the engine and away she went! Thanks to Ian and
Kim, I again had my engines back. We went on to clean both engines as the other
one was also caked up with carbon and soot. I now had 2 engines with a whole
new breathing system in place and I was looking forward to taking Shayile for a
burn around the atoll to try her engines and feel that extra power which was
sure to come from an improved exhaust system.
So, with fish on board, both engines going and 5 weeks to go
on Chagos; all was well with Shayile and the Bentley clan!
Rob, doing some checking of the mast & rigging
B: One of the highlights
for me was The Ladies Picnic. Dianne on ‘Lady Guinevere’ is a French Canadian
lady married to an ex-SAS Brit and they have been coming to Chagos for years.
Di is a very capable, hard working lady but she also likes a good party. One
day after much planning 5 of us set out to Il de Passe, an island about a mile
away where no-one was anchored. We went equipped with great snacks, little
clothing and lots of booze. Christine, a hung over Sinead, and I went in one
dingy and Lindy and Di in another. I had wanted Nadine to come but it was sort
of by invitation only. Anyway we had a wonderful, relaxing day walking around
the island, swimming topless in the sea and snacking on delicious treats. But for
most of the day we lay around under the palm trees chatting. We had a great
time discussing how we first met our partners and how long it was before we
were married etc. Sadly the day flew by and we all had to return to our
families and chores but we did manage to ‘flash’ a few boats to let them know
what them know what they had missed!
And so the days just melted into each other as we lapped up
the life on Chagos. And what a fantastic life it was! What we found totally
amazing was how our days were filled with activities. It was pretty much go,
go, go all day and by the end of the day, we were all totally bushed! It was
also the problem of; so much time but no time at all. No sooner have we kicked
off the day, it was dinner time. The days just flew by and, after lifting our
heads, we found ourselves celebrating 2 months at Chagos.
With the SE trade winds firmly established and a steady 10 –
15 knots blowing regularly, the first of the yachts start to leave Saloman.
Slowly the yacht club was starting to thin out. Rival Chief, with Kim and
Sinead departed for Thailand. Others left for the Seychelles and Madagascar.
Many had planned to leave towards the end June, beginning of July.
We were still on track to leave early July. However when B
and I chatted about it, we both agreed that we were not nearly ready to leave
this stunning place. Another 3 months would be great!
Another yachtie activity for Chagos : Kathy on Mr Curly
organized a weaving lesson and those keen to learn how to make hats ands
baskets out of coconut leaves attended. Although I was not there, B came back
with a hat and a mat made of coconut leaves. One has to learn all you can out
here!
Kids having fun on Takamaka
Let’s talk fishing: Although I come from a “fishing family”,
there was (and still is!) a lot for me to learn about fishing. Chagos is
renowned for its fishing and fishing stories.
This extract is for those fishermen and fisherwomen out
there, Chagos is paradise! The fish are big and plentiful and with a bit of
knowledge and not much luck, you will catch fish at Chagos.
Basically there are 2 preferred methods of fishing that one
can participate in. Bottom fishing and trawling. (Yes, there are others like
spear fishing but not enjoyed by most)
Bottom fishing, using rod and reel off the back of the yacht
or off the rocks involves bait. It’s a great way to fish from the comfort of
ones yacht. Using strong tackle, rod and reel, reef fish are plentiful. Fish
most commonly caught are: Coral Trout, Emperors, Rock cod, Sweet lips, Wrasse
and Snapper. Using bait and equipped with a bit of skill, by dinner time
something tasty is on the menu! I do not really do too much bottom fishing, but
when Belinda yells, desperate for a fish, on goes the bait and over the side.
Boring fishing but, hey, a fish for the pan or the braai is virtually
guaranteed.
The bottom fishing was so good that choosing your dinner was
an option. By putting on a mask and dropping your bait over the side, we could
watch as fish approached the bait. If it was not what you wanted, we just
lifted the bait up, ensuring the fish did not get it. If you liked what you
saw, nab it!!
The other fishing method, which I preferred, was game
fishing by trawling a lure. When the time is right, i.e. when we have no fish,
Chagos fishermen head out into the open ocean and trawl a lure. These are
usually the Rapala type lures and skirts. These lures are trawled behind the
ducky at speeds that vary from 4 knots to 15 knots, depending on the lure and
the fishermen! There are 2 methods used out at sea and this is where it gets
interesting. Either a rod and reel or a hand line. Conventional rod and reel is
easy to explain, and with some heavy duty tackle, you’re in business. Hand
lines are different. The line strength varies from anything between 100kg line
and 350 kg line! Some can only be classified as rope. So, with rod or hand
lines, out we went. I preferred trawling at slower speeds and I always used a
rod and reel. This can give rise to lively debate on Chagos, with merit to both
sides on what method to use. Why slower speed trawling? Well, the fish out here
are not your average sized fish. They are huge and with a fish swimming at 25
knots and the ducky doing 15 knots, the strike and impact is enormous. At high
speeds, when a large fish strikes, quite often something gives; usually the
trace. I prefer slower speeds and still they hit! I also prefer a rod and reel.
I like to “fight” the fish, letting it take line as it runs and retrieving as
it tires. When a big Tuna or Wahoo takes the lure, it is able to run; there is
give and the battle begins! Using a hand line has its advantages as the fish
has no where to go and with the chance of breaking 200kg line, quite slim, it
is soon hauled in. However when a big Tuna of say 30kg’s smashes into a hand
line, my interpretation says something has to give, and usually it is the hooks
that break or straightens out. So many fishermen return to the yacht club with
smashed lures and hooks. This is rather the exception than the rule, but I
still back the good old rod and reel and a battle of strength and skill!
However the disadvantage in Chagos on rod and reel is
sharks!! The longer it takes to bring in a fish, the more chance one has of
losing it to a shark. Sharks are everywhere and quite disconcerting!
So, hand line or rod, fish of all sizes are caught and
enjoyed at Chagos.
My other favorite method of catching fish is fly fishing.
Having been introduced to fly fishing by Ben and Pam Pretorious of Ufudu
Flyfishing, I will continue to seek perfection in this art of fishing! Nothing
beats tying a fly and then catching a fish on that fly. A certain amount of
self gratification can be enjoyed from this. Success with a fly is nowhere near
that of bait or trawling. Simply stated, it is not easy, and perhaps this is
why I and so many others enjoy it. Hard work and a real challenge but very,
very rewarding.
That’s my experience of fishing in Chagos, but one thing
guaranteed, fish are plentiful. 
A typical Chagos anchorage, this one at Boddam
Late June and most of the yachts in Chagos were anchored off
Takamaka and Fouquet Islands. These islands offered the best protection during
this time. However nothing is guaranteed when it comes to weather and every
once in a while, it is bound to throw something unexpected your way. We got our
first dose of this on the early morning of the 16th June, Comrades
Marathon Day. (And I was thinking of my brother Donald, as he tackled yet
another grueling race from Durban to Pietermaritzburg!) B and I woke up at the
same time to the sound of grating anchor chain. The wind had changed direction
and we were now swinging around onto a lee shore! As we swung around and the
chain stretched out, it dragged across rock and coral! I jumped up, switched on
the GPS / Chart plotter and set the anchor alarm; at the same time taking a
note of our depth, and writing down Shayile’s co-ordinates in order to monitor
movement. I then went outside and started the engines, ensuring everything was
ready in the event of an emergency “lets get out of here”, scenario developing.
We then prepared Shayile for a blow.
The wind swung putting Shayile, and all the yachts at the
anchorage, up against the reef on a lee shore!
All around us lights were going on. Then the radio started with concerns
over some yachts getting close to the reef with one yacht virtually on it. They
had 2 anchors down and one parted. They came very close to the reef before
starting their engine and motoring away. Others were concerned with the amount
of chain they had out and a few even upped anchor and moved further out. The
blow continued for some 2 – 3 hours. Those yachts anchored just off the channel
between Takamaka and Fouquet had a hard time. There was wind and weather over
current and waves were developing as the 2 met. Erias upped anchor and moved
out of the area. Jean-Ives later said they were about to surf! However as her
motored away from the situation, he hit a bommie as he maneuvered into a new
anchoring position. Fortunately Erias is solid steel and, with a retractable keel,
he was able to lift the keel and motor off the bommie. Not a good day for him! Although
we were ok, I was concerned with dragging and being on a lee shore, but Shayile
held fast. As the morning arrived, the wind changed to a southerly and
moderated.
It was quite some experience and a few days later, I let out
a further 20 meters of chain, just to be sure. The wind did not quite reach 35
knots, but it has been known to blow up to 40 knots in the atoll. This is when
things can go horribly wrong and proof of this was lying on the reef off
Fouquet, the yacht that dragged, hit the reef, and sunk!
The yacht wreck off
Fouquet
Fun with the
dolphins!
I love to rig up memorable moments in life. You know, we all
have a special filing section in our brain labeled “Special memories and
moments”. This needs to be filled to the top! One can look back on life,
extract one, and savour the memory.
One afternoon Jim and Lindi were on board Shayile having
coffee. Daniel came in to say there were Spinner Dolphin in the atoll and that
he wanted to go see them.
Jim, Daniel, Jenna and I jumped into the ducky and headed
out towards them. As we approached, they came across and joined us. Soon we had
them all around us and the playing began! Spinner Dolphin love just that; spinning!
As they surfed along with the ducky, they leapt out of the water, almost
playing with the duck. Like kids at a fun fare, they were almost smiling as
they played! Jenna was leaning over the front of the ducky, almost able to
touch the dolphin. Daniel was standing, holding the rope up front and riding
like a cowboy! I was driving whilst Jim held onto his coffee mug and took in all
the action. Seeing those dolphins so close that you could almost touch them was
unreal. Up and down we went, even drawing them in closer to Shayile where Lindi
and B were. B got a few great shots of the action and, as they swam away, we
headed back to Shayile. I logged that one down under “Special memories and
moments”!
Fun with the dolphins
There was a clear sign developing on Shayile; a sign that
our weeks were drawing to a close on Chagos. The sign : we were fast running
out of provisions! Gone were the days of digging into the grocery cupboard
choosing from an assortment of meal options! The bulk storage areas were empty
and all the food was now in the galley and salon.
Pasta and rice we had plenty, but the small bits that make eating
enjoyable and tasty had now disappeared! Further to this our diesel was down to
just that needed to get us to the Maldives. Petrol was almost finished and even
our clothes were looking tatty! We provisioned for 3 months on Chagos.
Something we were not running short of was water. Rain
water! For the past 10 days the weather has turned and it seemed to rain most
days. One reason for this was we were slap bang in the middle of the ITCZ
(Doldrums). During the SE monsoons, the ITCZ moves north. Within the ITCZ,
squally bad weather often occurs and often the winds are hard to predict. They
can change within minutes and no anchorage is clear of a lee shore. Further to
this, the weathermen had been predicting a low pressure moving through the
area, bringing with it a shift in weather from the good old SE winds to NW,
northerly and even NE winds.
Both Fouquet and Takamaka offer no protection in these winds
and slowly the yachts anchored here, started to move back to Ile Boddam. We
stayed a while longer before we upped anchor. Sabi Star, Belagear and ourselves
left one morning and made our way across the atoll towards Boddam. Not only was
the weather a factor, but there was a party happening on Boddam. Ron on Tigger
and Bernadette on Garelec were celebrating birthdays. Virtually every yacht at
Saloman was there for the occasion.
Working out that we would be at Boddam for a while, we
needed to find a secure anchorage. We also needed to anticipate the predicted
bad weather that was on the way and ensure we had sea space to swing and a good
holding was essential. We dropped anchor twice before finding the right spot.
It was someway off the island, over coral and rock.
B, relaxing in one of the camps on Fouquet
That evening we all went ashore for the party. Music and
decorations were set up and the Chagos yachties partied the night away. The
only drama was with poor Jenna. There was a huge swing off a coconut tree where
the kids had a ball. Unfortunately Jenna walked right into the path of a
swinging kid (Tito) and got hit right off her feet. B was right there and saw her
get airborne! Tito’s knee connected Jenna on the upper cheek and she was in
pain. It was going to be a shiner!
Later that night the wind picked up and concerned yachties
started to head back to their boats. We left for Shayile with poor Jenna
nursing an already swollen eye!
That night was not pleasant. The wind howled and it poured
with rain! With bommies not too far away and other yachts to look out for, I
did not get much sleep that night.
The whole of the next day it rained and the wind continued
to blow. Everyone was doing their best to obtain an accurate weather report and
establish what was predicted. I was more concerned with our holding and was
keen to try find a bommie and tie up to it. The plan was to find a good strong
bommie, put a chain around it and then tie up to the chain. The next night passed off pretty much the same
as the previous night. The wind picked up and blew over 30 knots. With the
wind, a nasty chop developed and certainly was not a great night. Again I sat
up, ensuring we did not drag, swing into another yacht or look up to find
another yacht bearing down on us! I finally fell asleep in the early hours of
the morning.
Next day I wanted to make a plan and get onto a bommie. Jean-Yves
and I dived off Shayile and found a bommie. We then got some chain and with the
help of dive tanks, dived the bommie and secured the chain around it. We also
deployed another anchor now secured by 2 lines. We were now hopefully secure
and I found further peace of mind in the fact that our anchor chain was 10mm
thick and that Shayile weighed some 7 tons. Sabi Star had the same chain but
weighed some 22 tons! Shayile had to hold!!
Throughout the day, the wind continued to blow and the rain
continued to fall. I downloaded weather files from sail mail. This gave us a
picture on wind directions, speed and certain pressure lines. Again this
confirmed that the low pressure was approaching from the east and the winds
would swing from the south east, to the west and then northerly, as the low
passed below us. Fred on Peri Peri net was confirming this, although no one was
quite sure on its timing or wind speed to accompany the low pressure.
Although well prepared, no serious weather or wind came from
this low. We did however get a report from a yacht in Mali , Maldives
Jenna enjoying the evening on Shayile
True to word, over the next 2 days the wind picked up and I was relieved to have 2 anchors down. Amazing how much better ones sleeps!
However even with the 2 anchors, on board Shayile we rolled about and it was not that comfortable. With that we decided to move back to Fouquet where there was better protection from the strong SE winds.
B: One afternoon
Christine and Donna pulled up behind Shayile and told us they were going for a
walk, I set off with them and the kids for the far side of the island. We had
walked along the beach this way and I had carried on and come back on this path
but this was the first time at high tide late in the afternoon. The path is
fabulous and winds through coconut trees, mossy stumps, closely packed skinny
tree trunks and luckily is marked, thank you Yachties, by the numerous buoys
that wash up on the shore. I was amazed at the amount of human refuse that
washes up on the beach. Fishing nets, buoys and empty mineral water bottles
abound but the most amazing is the huge quantities of slip-slops, sandals,
jandals and plastic shoes. Of course all singles and mostly small. India and
Sri Lanka are probably the culprits, but there must be huge amounts of plastic
and rubber waste in the sea if these small islands have ‘caught’ so many. While
beach combing Daniel yelled “Kingies” and sure enough there were two huge
Kingfish/ Trevally surfing down the waves, obviously in pursuit of food. They
were very dark in colour and were brilliant to watch, fast in pursuit and also
motionless next to the rocky ledge, despite the suck and pull of the waves. We
watched them for ages but eventually had to go home and tell Dad.
Feral kids playing in their "home made fort"
Just before we left Boddam, and with Kingy news I had received from B and
Daniel, I set off fly fishing on the seaward side of the island where Daniel
had spotted these fish. I found a rocky outcrop and enough space to throw a
fly. The wind was not making my life easy and casting a fly in 15 – 20 knots
was not enjoyable. I fished hard for an hour before the strike arrived! As I
was retrieving my line, there was a huge swirl and splash about 5 meters from
me! My rod went down and I had a hook up! The line screamed through my fingers,
peeling out of my stripping basket as it followed the fishes escape route;
straight out to sea. This fish was huge and terrifically powerful. I could not
get the rod up as it stripped line. I was screaming as, within seconds, it had
150 meters on me and was heading for the reef! Soon I felt the ominous scraping
of line over rock. The fish slowed and stopped. As if knowing what would happen
next, it took off again and with that I felt the reef once again and then the
line then parted! It was gone! I reeled in the line, but there was no
disappointment on my part. I had hooked into a bus, felt the take and the run.
Having a fish that big on a 12 weight rod was unreal and, no, I was not too
disappointed in loosing it. It was definitely a GT (Giant Trevally) and I
walked back to the camp with a smile on my face!
But now we were keen to move back to Fouquet. B and I
prepared Shayile and, in some 20 – 25 knots of wind, we tried to lift the
anchors. The main anchor came up without issues, but the second anchor would
have nothing of it. It remained fast to the coral. We called Heinz on Papagena
and he and Robert on Emma Peel came across and assisted us in getting it
up. It had wrapped around a bommie,
making getting it up by hand kind of difficult. Eventually it came loose and with
that we motored to Fouquet, registering 31 knots maximum wind speed whilst
crossing!
At Fouquet, we anchored off in about 16 meters of water and
although we could feel the wind, it was flat water and the wind less effective.
What a pleasure to be back!
We realized we had left Boddam for the last time and this
would be our last week or 2 in Chagos. Kinda sad hey!
Our, now tatty, SA flag
B: While chatting about
what we were looking forward to in ‘civilization’, Rob mentioned he was looking
forward to reading a menu. Two nights later we arrive for supper on Moonlighter
to a sit down meal with a long and delicious menu. The children had a lovely
time making tents in the saloon and fell asleep underneath it. Jim has
grandchildren the same age as Dan and Jen and he was wonderful at teaching them
all sorts of things.
One day they went over
to learn how to make bread. Jim explained that the yeast eats up the sugar and
farts out the gas that makes the dough rise. They will never forget that. Jim
was a lumberjack in his youth and still has one of his original axes, he calls
it the ‘Forest Razor’ and it is exactly that sharp. We watched him sharpen it,
shave a little and later he cut some hair and sliced some bread, it is one
versatile tool. Lindy is a trained teacher and was also great with our kids,
keeping a good balance of friendly and available but also giving them
boundaries. We know that they are in very good hands with Jim and Lindy and
appreciated all the times they schooled and entertained them.
Jim teaching the kids about bread making
Jens
relaxing with Jim and Lindi
Our good friends Jim
and Lindi on board Shayile
Just up from Fouquet was a small island and the Erias family
and ourselves went there for the day. Young Manu just loved fishing and joined
me in search of Trevelli. (Kingfish) We spotted them and then got to work.
Within minutes I was on to my first fish, a Blue Finned Travelli. Over the next
hour or so I landed 5, keeping 4 for the pot. Manu caught 2 and really enjoyed
his day of fishing. Introducing him to fly fishing was great and he really enjoyed
it! The island was explored and a relaxing day was had by all.
Daniel and Tito in a “swimming
pool”
B: While at Takamaka we
spent many wonderful evening on Moonlighter and Sabi Star. Jim (Canada) and
Lindy (Australia) on Moonlighter are great company and have a lovely homely
boat with a couch in it! Lindy always whipped up fabulous trays of sundowner
snacks and Jim plied us with rum and cokes. Lindy and I are the same age and
get on great guns; we also like to sneak off together for a sneaky cigarette!
Best of all Lindy was
so kind as to use her teaching skills and had Dan and Jens over once a week for
a lesson. Brilliant! We looked forward to spending more time together in South East
Asia. Ian and Christine on Sabi Star with their daughter Donna (24), a nurse on
a long holiday, were also great, generous folk. Sundowners on their boat were
rather dangerous as Ian played the “Guess which liqueur this is?” game. Ouch,
but great fun! Sabi Star is the national flower of Zimbabwe where Ian and
Christine were born and raised but immigrated to Australia shortly after their
first child and before Donna was born.
Rob, diving for Moonlighter’s
tender
A little funny occurrence! One morning I got a strange call
on the radio from Jim on Moonlighter. I jumped in the duck wondering why Jim
wanted me to visit him without explaining on the radio.
On arriving Jim sheepishly told me what had happened. Whilst
in his small tender, deploying a second anchor about 50 meters from Moonlighter,
things happened! A slip of events, too much weight in the wrong place, and over
went the tender. With chain and anchor on board, it sank like a stone leaving
Jim treading water! Tender gone to the bottom, with the engine!
First we needed to find her and next rescue her from the sea
bed. Unfortunately it was deep, perhaps 15 or 20 meters.
I swam out and dived the area looking for baby moonlighter!
It was not easy and the water was murky. Eventually I spotted her but she was
too deep for a free five rescue.
I called on Sabi Star where there was dive equipment and Donna
kindly offered to assist. Jean Yves then joined the search and rescue party.
Kitted out we went over in search of the tender. We found
her, sitting firmly on her engine with bow straight up! We attached a few ropes
and then the work of hauling her to the surface commenced.Within ½ hour she was on the beach, drying out! A rather embarrassing moment for Jim but he did laugh about it, seeing the funny side of the situation!
Baby Moonlighter rescued!
Over the next few days I spent the time getting Shayile ready for departure.
The rudders needed tensioning and Jim on Moonlighter kindly assisted me in
taking up some slack on the rudders. I got bit of a shock when we took in about
2 feet of slack cable! With the tensioning done, I found the rudders alignment now
out. They now needed drilling and re-aligning, a task which would have to wait
until we got to Gan in the Maldives.
(Gan is a town on the atoll of Addu in the Maldives.)
I also went up the mast and checked all rigging and then
dived Shayile and gave her bottom a good scrubbing. I wanted no resistance as
we crossed the vast Indian Ocean! We also did some last minute washing, coconut
gathering, and a last visit to the islands. A quick change of engine oil and a
chat into the engines ears, we were now ready to depart Chagos!
Just before leaving, B developed terrible toothache. Without
access to a dentist, we needed to make a plan. One of the other yachts anchored
close by had a “do it yourself” dentist kit. What they did not have was the
filling - the metal stuff!! Improvising, I got to work. Taking some apoxy I had
on board, I brewed a mix. With B positioned, I got to work, filling her tooth
with some epoxy. It did the job and with a new career in mind, I packed away my
tools whilst B went off happy with her new filling!
Just before leaving, we celebrated Nadine’s birthday.
Everyone gathered at the Takamaka camp and we again had a festive time, eating,
drinking, chatting and socializing the night away.
A few new yachts had also arrived and we shared a few
experiences and travel stories. An interesting couple was Mark and Frazer from
New Foundland. They had built their own steel yacht at home and set off for South America . They spent a number of years working off
the southern tip of South America , gathering
information for scientists. They had some wonderful experiences to share on
their travels down in the Antarctic Circle . It
made our tropical sailing seem like the easy route! One is constantly humbled
by others’ and their experiences, but then again, this is a lesson in life!
We were now ready to depart. Erias left a day before us as
we just had not quite got our act together! Typical Shayile, but I needed to be
assured that everything was just right for the 3 day crossing to the Maldives.
The kids
taking a last swim at Takamaka
On the last night Jim and Lindi on Moonlighter and Ian,
Christine and Donna on Sabi Star joined us for drinks and dinner. We chatted
the night away discussing future plans and travel arrangements. A wonderful night
was had by all and to enjoy our last night at Chagos with the “Moonlighters” and
“Sabis” was special. They really had made our stay an unforgettable one. B and
I went to bed that night, sad to be leaving this wonderful place, but knowing
it was the right time and we needed to move on.
Dan, thanking Ian, and saying
goodbye
Next morning, after a few more minor rudder adjustments, we
pulled up the rubber duck and secured everything on Shayile. I pulled out the
charts for Chagos, the crossing to Addu and one on the atoll of Addu itself.
Each would assist us in navigating ourselves out of Chagos and across to the Maldives
The engines were started and all electronic equipment turned
on. Just before lifting the anchor, we got onto the VHF radio and said goodbye
to those yachts left at Chagos. As the good luck and farewell replies came
back, we swallowed those lumps in the throat (a few times!) and thanked
everyone for making our Chagos adventure such a wonderful life experience. With
that B went up front and we lifted the anchor. We motored past Moonlighter
where Lindy gave us a send off by blowing into her conch. We replied on our
horn and waved goodbye. (Moonlighter were going to follow in a week or 2) Then
past Sabi for the same horn blowing session, before heading across the atoll
towards the pass. B went up front checking for bommies and we crossed the bar
at the pass heading out into the open ocean, sailing again for the first time
in 3 months!
We promised each other that, given the opportunity, we would
be back in Chagos, rather sooner than later! However it is a big world with
lots to see and we needed to move again.
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