Latest position:
(show on map)

Latitude:
44° 50.5' N
Longitude:
13° 50.5' O
Place:
Veruda Marina, Pula, Kroatien
Date/Time:
13.08.2019
12:15 UTC+2
Weather report:
from
13.08.2019 11:45 UTC+2
88 °F
Gentle breeze from Northwest
26.03.2019 - Somewhere on the Arabian Sea

Day 12: Calm

Winds vanished. Totally. We have been hoisting our light wind sail, but even the spi just hangs on its halyard and slightly moves with Moya’s swinging in the almost non existent swells. There it is! The calm everybody was mentioning. Apparently, it is almost stationary northeast of Soccotra. At least that’s what our Grib files are telling already for weeks.

After just 17 engine hours since Uligan, we had no other choice than motoring, tonight. In the meantime, we are floating with less than 2 knots in the right direction. Winds dropped to 3 knots, but a slight westerly current pushes us forward. Henry gets a well deserved break, at least as long as I’m bearing the slowness. This clam is exceptionally frustrating as 200 miles to the west nice winds are currently blowing which might be fragile and not lasting. Missing these winds might be resulting in our passage taking much longer, as our large diesel stocks still are not quite sufficient for motoring the whole way.

The atmosphere on board is dense, our moods were dropping as winds were.

This post has 2 comments.
26.03.2019:
Comment from Tante Gabi
Denkt an die Wikinger mit ihren Flößen die nur mit der Strömung vorwärts gekommen sind. Ich habe die Geburtstage der Kinder total vergessen. Aber so richtig fehlt die Großtante ja nicht. Es würde mich aber schon interessieren, wie man sich bei so einer Flaute im unendlichen Ozean tatsächlich fühlt. Ob man die Stille nutzen kann, um etwas zu lernen oder zu lehren oder seine Muskeln zu trainieren oder ob man nur träge dahindöst und auf jeden Windhauch wartet. Jetzt wünsche ich euch eine steife Brise, damit die gute Moya wieder so dahinfliegt und euch die Langeweile vertreibt.
27.03.2019:
Comment from yacht alamic swissflag
ich schreib mal deutsch tag zusammen od zu 4 wir werden am 29 märz richtung socotra starten als segelboot jedoch die ganze strecke motoren. es ist schade dass ihr socotra nicht besucht pro person kommen ca 250 us das ist richtig jedoch spart ihr beim diesel zu 0.50 cent genau die hälfte wieder ein wenn ihr dort tankt. schade schade hätte euch gerne dort getroffen . ich lege noch den letzte email vom ex agent for socotra bei Hello ! I`m stay on a boat too in Turkey now (junk rig shooner). But my partner on Socotra can organise everything for you. On Socotra everything is fine as usual. It's very quiet and peaceful place. We are far from the events on the mainland. Basic info you can find at http://socotra.info/report-sailing-boat-delta-socotra.html or http://www.noonsite.com/Countries/Yemen/socotra The last published report report you can read at www.seachildsailing.blogspot.com<http://www.seachildsailing.blogspot.com/> Now is better to avoid mainland in Yemen. Aden is not safe at the moment and is dangerous to approach the Yemeni islands in the Red Sea. Ancorage place on Socotra - 12°40.50 N - 54°04.44 E. Is better to come in a day time. Is better to drop the ancor more west from seaport You will find a few cargo ships with long ancorage ropes. Take care. You have to wait aboard till sequirity come to the boat for custome and immigration control. Sea port dont have VHF (or dont use it). For seaport autorities your agent is Ghanem Ali. He will organize for you everything on Socotra. He is very nice and open person. His telephon 00967771738887 or 00967770272222 kubrhi@gmail.com Please call him before and he will meet you in sea port VHF ch. 72 Visa (a stamp in the passport) you are getting on arrival. The immigration office and security services at the port are asked to notify the arrival of the advance. Therefore, it would be great if you send me in advance copies of your passports, the name of the boat and ETA. Usually for few days immigration take 150$ per person. All fees for clearance icluding agent's commission is 230 USD. Plus 10 USD for boat which bring passport and customs control aboard. Transfer Seaport - Hadibo and back - 30 USD, day trip 100 USD - Toyota Landcruiser with local english-speaking driver/guide (car can take 4-6 person depent of the location of the seats). There is no internet-cafe in the city but you can use Internet at Ghanem office. Fuel now is 0,52$ per lt (good fuel from Emirates - new gas station in Hadiboh) I will be glad to answer your questions. Best regards, Denis P.S. I think you are second sailor from Turkey who will come to Socotra (maybe you know Ahmet Davran - he was the first I think