ADDOO ATOLL, MALDIVES

ADDOO ATOLL, MALDIVES

April 27 – May 4, 2016

We arrived in Gan on Addoo Atoll on April 27^th and dropped anchor in a small lagoon off the Coast Guard dock (00-41-141 S; 073-08.647 E) in 18’ water depth.  The biggest problem in trying to anchor in the Maldives is that the water is very deep until it isn’t.  Upon leaving Hulumale, I had problems with the manual windlass and needed to find a shallow area for dropping anchor and making a repair.  Fortunately, a good friend and former chief engineer on Antares II was on hand to give me assistance.  Nothing major was found other than the chain stripper had moved over and was causing the gypsy to jam. Also, I was having problems with the engine cutting out.  This turned out to be a primary fuel filter on the Beta 50 engine.  Our friend walked me through this while we were offshore and the engine has been working fine since then.  I should have suspected this but the engine always worked fine when charging the Seafrost refrigeration system, however, when it came to a heavier load it would not deliver power.

The sail from Male to Addoo was, mostly pleasant, with the exception of a gale that we experience off one of the atolls.  We had to get about 4 nm offshore and make tacks back and forth using the lee of the atoll to cut down the seas.  It was an intense system with 35-40 kts winds.  Nothing indicated that a system like this was approaching.  We kept up a scrap of headsail and were able to use the atoll to reduce the seas.  The gale lasted about 36 hrs.

We dropped anchor in (00-41.141’ S; 073-08.647 E) at 0n April 27^th at 0830 hrs in 18’ water depth.  Most of the anchorages here in Gan are quite deep 60’-80’ water depth.  We don’t carry enough chain to anchor at that depth.  Also, I have a manual windlass that I have to crank up by hand.  It’s the one thing I regret not installing:  an electric windlass.

Addoo atoll is made up of several townships:  Gan, Feyadhoo, Hitahdoo, etc.  There isn’t much here.  The produce and groceries are minimal but sufficient to get the yachties to Chagos.  The one outstanding feature of our secure anchorage in the lagoon is the flies.  We have never experienced an onslaught like this.  From early morning until dark they are a misery.  We are talking about hundreds of miserable flies.  It takes the two of use with fly swatters busy and making no headway.  It will be a relief to leave here.

The one and only bright spot in Gan is the “Equatorial Village”.  It has a restaurant and bar for tourists.  It is an evening meeting place for those anchored here.  The evening meals are good and a buffet costs about $15US; beer $5.00; cocktails $8.00.  There is nothing else here.  The next township, Feyadhoo, has a supermarket, hardware store, coffeeshop, gasoline station, and ATM.  Also there is a place to sleep.  The rest is just sunbaked asphalt.

Everyone is anxious to get out of here.  There will be nothing at Saloman Atoll in Chagos but the misery of the flies will be gone.  I don’t think that I will be able to post until we get to the Seychelles.  That won’t be until mid-June.  It has been a hard go since leaving Langkawi and I don’t think I would do it again during this time of year.  We left to late to take advantage of the NE Monsoon and got caught up in the transitional period and onset of the SW Monsoon:  light winds, no wind, gale, SW’ly winds making it difficult to make landfall without an engine.  Hopefully, as we head further south, some of this will change in  Chagos but, I suspect, that squalls will be with us until the SE Trades establish themselves in June.

Chagos can be a dangerous place for yachts because the anchorage at Isle Bodam is all coral.  If the yacht drags anchor and cannot be checked up, it could go on the coral with massive damage or total loss.  There is nothing there to assist other than other yachts.  In the past, they have shown remarkable abilities to get yachts out of trouble and make repairs. Isle Bodam anchorage in Saloman Atoll, Chagos: 05-21.37’ S; 072-12.74 E.