Hi all from Skipper Steve
Hope we find you well and that you are enjoying our reports as we make our way across the Indian Ocean to South Africa. The first part of the passage is divided into two short passages of approx 550 nm each firstly to Christmas Island then onwards to Cocos Keeling. A total passage time of 7 - 8 days. We are currently on the second of these passages after a very enjoyable 24 hr pit stop stay at Christmas Island. Quite a unique place, owned and run from Australia it must be one of their most remote settlements . Some 800 people live on the island mostly working in the huge phosphate mine and dealing with the Australian bueorocracy. They even have a fully functional ,staffed detention centre but have no customers!! Now there's political waste for you. The natural life is overshadowed by the huge population of native land crabs. Huge bright red creatures that live in burrows on land and annually migrate to the coast to mate. The locals say that at this time the crabs cover everything climbing over houses cars and even people if you get in their way. Fortunately for us it was not the migrating season. The snorkeling and coral was also awesome and it was good to be able to swim again after the long trip up the coast of Australia where swimming was forbidden, due to the crocs and jelly fish, and Bali where the water was too dirty.
I am pleased to be able to report that the passage so far has been uneventful with moderate seas and a nice following breeze of between 10 to 20 knots. At the moment the winds have eased back to a steady 8 knts so we have fired up the in line 6 firstly to make better progress and secondly to recharge the batteries.Risking the wroth of Neptune and a major failure, I am a little sensitive to report, that at the moment all systems are fully functional and Kasuje is working well.
Please keep in touch we love to get your emails and news from home.
Kindest Regards
Skipper Steve