Sea Child in the Red Sea: Arriving in Sudan

Old Port Suakin at Dawn 

Our departure from Massawa, Eritrea for Suakin, Sudan began early on Wednesday, April 6, 2016.  The 0500 alarm rang into the darkness, the dim lights of the nearby commercial docks illuminating our stateroom.  We stumbled into the galley, brewed the sweet aromas of coffee, and untied Sea Child for our next destination, Suakin, Sudan, 278.5NM to our NNW.  We sailed past the docks and noticed the freighters that were being loaded up with the dozens of containers that had arrived just the day before.  We had watched those containers zip through the dusty Massawa streets, the only vehicles on the desolate roads.  Truck after truck waited to enter the secure Port of Massawa and while we were bound to Sea Child after the confiscation of our shore passes, the friendly Port Authority official told us the contents of the containers.  They contained gold and ore and copper to be shipped to far away countries like China and beyond.  They glistened in the fragments of sunrise, each awaiting their respective journey to faraway lands.

The sunrise illuminated our path to the northwest, with a flat, calm sea welcoming us as we hoisted a full main and rolled out the screecher.  The winds were light and steady during our sail to Sudan, on overnight journey, and the one knot current we fought up to Suakin was consistent with the same current we fought up the entire Red Sea coast, from Eritrea and Sudan and up through Egypt to the top of the Gulf of Suez.  The AIS was lit up with targets all over the Red Sea, commercial vessels sailing to and from distant shores, up to the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean or to the south to Pakistan or China or Penang.  So many foreign vessels to keep us company at night and making our watch to Sudan as pleasant as possible.

Sea Child at Port Suakin

We averaged 7.9 knots boat speed during the 35 hour passage to Suakin, and with one not so small incident of avoiding a collision with an unmarked reef, we set anchor in Suakin, Sudan at 1700 on Thursday, April 7, 2016.  We had arrived into a new country, another African nation, a whole new world.  All I knew of Sudan was from what I had seen and heard via American media channels.  From Darfur to Khartoum, it seemed to me that this country was one of strife and war and unrest.  To say that I was nervous about our time there is a gross understatement.  I felt scared, unsure, possibly unwelcome as white Americans in a foreign African landscape.  Our adrenaline was peaked, again, at our arrival into such a distant, remote panorama.  The sights and smells of Suakin were overpowering and irresistible, like nothing we’ve ever imagined.

Sudanese Currency

Prior to the succession of South Sudan in 2011, Sudan was the largest country in all of Africa.  Bordered by Eritrea on its southern Red Sea border and Egypt on its northern.  It remains a visual testament to the diversity of the continent.  According to our Sudan: Brandt Travel Guide, “if you cross Sudan, you will see all of African in one country”.  Our focus of Sudan was the Red Sea Coast, a territory of Sudan separated by the spine of the Red Sea Hills from the rest of the country.  The heat of the Red Sea can reach upwards of 122 degrees F in summer.  Sea Child arrived in Sudan in early April, yet the assault of the heat was only tempered by a moving breeze floating off the Red Sea itself.

New Mosque in old Port Suakin

Preparing for a visit to Sudan on Sea Child was no easy task.  Information is not readily available, though noonsite.com provides general information as does the Red Sea Pilot, both of which we had onboard.  We also stocked up on various travel guides, Brandt in particular is a good source for off the beaten patch countries like Sudan.  We consumed as much information as possible to prepare ourselves for our short visit to Suakin and the Red Sea Coast of Sudan.

As prepared as we thought we were, arriving in Suakin, Sudan was an experience like no other.  The sights and smells of Suakin were both recognizable yet foreign in their combinations.  The colors of the late afternoon sun reflected orange and yellow and ochre on the rocky, sandy shores of Port Suakin.  The winds carried the scents of donkeys, dirt and trash towards us, as droplets of red grit covered the decks of Sea Child.

Cinnamon Bark

Sudanese sellers

Suakin was once a major port for Sudan and remains the oldest port in the country.  The port is significant due to its trade in both pilgrims to Mecca as well as slaves to Egypt, Sauda Arabia and beyond.  Controlled by the Ottoman Sultans who ruled Suakin from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia during the peak of the Red Sea trade, the port was ultimately annexed to Egypt in 1865.  By the end of the 20th century, the main port of Sudan was moved to Port Sudan, 30NM to the north of Suakin.  This move helped to accommodate the more modern ships being built at the time and brought a rapid decline to the once thriving little port of Suakin.  The once ornate buildings surrounding the anchorage had crumbled into ruins.  While the slave trade is now but a bitter memory, the ferries to Mecca and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia continue to thrive, bringing pilgrims from all over Africa to the holiest shrines in all of Islam.

Sudanese Children

We called the Suakin Port Authority prior to our entry into the anchorage area, who in turn must have phoned the local agent of our arrival.  We had read in our Red Sea Pilot that the agent, Mohammed, would greet all arriving yachts into Suakin.  He was there to meet Sea Child, too.  As we droped our anchor we noticed a man waving to us from shore and before the sun set, Eric dropped the dinghy and brought a tall, stately, elegant Sudanese man to Sea Child.  Mohammed was dressed in all white.  A long robe with a neat, white skull cap against his perfect ebony skin.  His bright white smile and kind demeanor immediately put us at ease as he welcomed us to Sudan.  He explained in perfect English that his primary job is immigration for the country, assisting pilgrims during the annual hajj to Saudi Arabia.  His “other” job is to assist visiting yachts such as Sea Child and to obtain temporary shore permits, fuel, laundry and provisions all with his kind assistance.

Mohammed and the diesel delivery

Compared to other countries we had visited, entry to Sudan was quite simple.  Mohammed needed two copies of our passports, one set of passport photos, one copy of our ships papers, all stated in the Red Sea Pilot.  Unlike the Maldives, where we had to forward several documents via email (crew lists, ship stores, ammunition lists if any, etc) Sudan was efficient in the paperwork requests.  Mohammed took our documents with him to shore, as well as our bags of dirty laundry and our 4 empty jerry jugs for diesel.  The day was getting late, and he would return in the morning with our shore passes and filled diesel jugs.

Mohammed’s early departure was a blessing in disguise, as we had an early dinner, shower and bed for a  wonderful night sleep.  The fatigue of our journey was compounded by our impressions of Sudan and our bodies cried out for rest.  At 0900 the next morning, Eric picked Mohammed again on shore with our filled diesel jugs and shore passes.  He arrived with a friend this time, who hauled up large, blue plastic diesel drums and sucked the diesel out of a hose to get the syphon flowing into our diesel tanks.  I’m sorry not to have remembered the name of Mohammed’s friend, but it did interest me that he was one of the few Sudanese men who did not wear the traditional white robes and skull caps. They both worked side by side on the transom of Sea Child, filling diesel with bright smiles in the morning heat.

Eric & the tea seller

Mohammed also helped us provision Sea Child by driving us around in his neat, late model Mercedes Benz, also known as his “memorial car” as Mohammed referred to his black 4-door sedan complete with missing hub cap.  He drove us past the crumbled ruins of the old port and into the more modern buildings of Suakin, past donkey carts filled with the bales of hay and past rickety lean-tos of past and present homes.  We first visited a fruit market.  A covered open air building with several stalls filled with a variety of fruits of vegetables.  Each stall was manned by Sudanese men; each stall offering the same vegetables.

Appropriately covered for the market

I was covered appropriately in head scarf, long skirt and long sleeve shirt and felt comfortable with Mohammed as my guide through the fruit market. He knew all the vendors and took us to the freshest stands.  Yet tugging at the back of my mind was the fact that in stall after stall no women were to be found.  It was as if this particular market was run by men only.  I was the only female around, yet I felt completely at ease in selecting the delectable fresh foods.  Outside the market, we bought tea from a local man who setup shop on the steps of the market.  He squatted on bent knees over a wood fire covered with a metal plate.  He brewed his tea in a smoldered kettle and we were served in smudged glasses.  Though this may bring on a future stomach ailment, we enjoyed a few minutes of sitting in the shade of the market and observing the area around us.  We saw boxes of cigarettes awaiting individual sale, a lonely tuk-tuk parked behind a neat stump of wood.  Individual stores lined the market with arabic writing in a tight red script alongside scattered boxes filled with the exotic aromas of cinnamon bark.  When we drove back to the rocky anchorage, Mohammed stopped by a bread seller, an antiquated drive-up building that housed a cotton-lined shelf covered in a dusty flour.  We grabbed a few bags of delicious Sudanese pita, soft, warm and for some mysterious reason a bit crunchy, must have had something to do with all the red dirt blowing around.

The selection was amazing!

We were able to find yellow pumpkin, green watermelon, kale-type leafy greens, sweet onions and red peppers, ensuring delicious Red Sea meals onboard Sea Child.  Observing the men and women of Suakin, we noticed that almost every man was dressed in all white like Mohammed.  Yet when I finally spotted the women, they moved gracefully across the dusty paths to their lean-to homes and they were dressed in the most brilliant red and yellow local gowns with twisted headscarves.  Their regal stature balanced the baskets on their heads and their beauty radiated in the surroundings.  It was so difficult to grab a picture of the women, but their presence in Suakin was a treat for us to see.

Mohammed and his "memorial car"

Mohammed took us to a “duty free” store where we were able to find Diet Coke.  A treat on Sea Child, Diet Coke has been unavailable to us since we sailed from Thailand over two months ago.  Even in the Maldives, we were unable to spot anything relating to diet anything.  Coke was found everywhere, but to see Diet Coke in Sudan was a great find.  And at the end of a full day with Mohammed, he took us to a local diner, a Lebanese Chicken restaurant that only had one item on its menu:  Chicken BBQ with puffy pita, sweet onions, greens and fuul (a type of fava bean smashed like hummus).  The meal was so delicious we bought another set of meals to take back to Sea Child to enjoy at a later time.

Dinner house

Duty free store

What a donkey!

Our final day in Suakin was spent walking around the ruins near the anchorage.  Crumbled rocks were everywhere.  Men on donkeys passed us with bales of hay stacked high or on carts filled with pipes.  Young men would watch us walk by and pose for pictures.  One man actually came up to us and showed us a dagger he had tucked into his waist belt.  We weren’t really sure what he was trying to tell us.  Did we want to buy it? Did he want to show us what he made?  Was he trying to threaten us?  He did motion for us to follow him to his bakery and given its dusty nature we decided to pass on buying any of his bread.  We did hope to receive our passports back from Mohammed this day, but he called and explained that since it was a Friday, the afternoon prayer service would not finish in time for him to return our passports and departure papers to us till late afternoon.  This would delay our departure until early the next morning, which was fine since we could take the tme to explore more and meet new yachties arriving in the anchorage.

Suakin tourists

One of the greatest things about sailing new areas is meeting new people, hearing their tales of adventures and learning their stories.  We met the most interesting European during our visit to Suakin, and while I will not print his name to protect his privacy, I can tell you that he was a former UN Peacekeeper in Syria 10 years ago.  He told us that he saw first hand of CNN reporters paid $1000 USD to Syrians to hold signs that would make the news.  In his opinion, CNN actually ignited the start of the Syrian conflict, turning a beautiful country into a terrible war and humanitarian crisis.  He told us how Assad Basheer was a dentist who came back to Syria to build roads and schools afer his father, the previous president of Syria, died.  According to our European friend, the 3-way fight between Saudi Arabia, the US and Russia has torn Syria apart, while the refugee crisis is destroying Europe.  He was animated and intense in his descriptive analsysis of the Syrian crisis, and while we had no opinion on his remarks, we did find his conversation interesting.  Many cruisers share their experiences with new friends and we were intrigued at his comments about the current Syrian situation.

Ferry to Suakin from Saudi Arabia

Before sunrise, after the muezzin call to prayer, we bid farewell to Suakin. The north winds had backed down enough to give us safe passage out the 2.3NM, narrow waterway to the Red Sea.  The images, experiences, friendships and memories of Suakin paint a pleasant picture of Sudan.  While in no means a wealthy country, the vibrancy of life is evident everywhere.  Children ran near their parents, adults worked at their respective trades, and while news may have us believe that Sudan is to be avoided, we do not share this perspective.  We were thankful for Mohammed, a true gentleman and friend who went out of his way to open up Sudan to Sea Child.  As we ventured into the waters around Sudan, we felt prepared with our Sim card and provisions from Suakin.  Halfway up the Red Sea and now we were about to embark of our true passion, the waters of the Red Sea and all the treasures we could find beneath them.

Sea Child half way up Red Sea; Delorme InReach Map

Note Regarding Diesel Consumption:

We actually did quite well on our fuel consumption since sailing from the Maldives with full water, fuel and jerry jugs.  Sea Child holds 159 gallons of diesel and we carry another 20 gallons in 4 jerry jugs.  Upon arrival in Socotra, Yemen, we refilled the 20 gallons in the jerry jugs and continued on to Eritrea and Suakin.  We used 80 gallons of diesel on the 2,500 NM sail from Uligan to Suakin.  Average boat speed during the passage was 8.7 knots with just the two of us on board.

To be continued on our next blog:  Sea Child in Sudan:  Diving and Snorkeling the Red Sea and Sanganeb Reef

Red Sea Passage Part 2: Massawa, Eritrea

Eric at Massawa Port

Sea Child tied up to the Port of Massawa after an overnight at a nearby anchorage.  By 10:30pm on Saturday, April 2, 2016, we were exhausted from the long and at times arduous sail from Socotra, Yemen, 972 NM ago.  Eric had tried several times to hail the Massawa Port Control and gain approval to tie up.  However, no answer meant that we anchor, and as our heads hit the pillows, a deep sleep surrounded our exhausted bodies.  By 9 am the next morning, we quietly congratulated ourselves on our successful passage from Socotra, Yemen to Massawa, Eritrea.   When we finally tied up to the dock at Port Massawa, we stepped onto the African continent for the first time in our lives.

Massawa, Eritrea "Banca D'Italia" Bombed in 1991

The hot African winds did little to cool the sticky, humid air of the Red Sea.  The Port itself was deserted except for an immigration officer and a health officer who processed our arrival.  Thank God we had our Health Clearance from the Maldives, as the health officer wanted some record of our health history and vaccinations.  I offered both men some of the delicious yogurt & jam I received as a gift from Denis on Socotra Island and we gave each man two packs of cigarettes that we had picked up in Malaysia.  Two copies of our crew lists, one copy of Ships Registry, one Declaration of NO ARMS or ANIMALS, and one copy of Maldives Health Clearance were all required to enter Eritrea.  After about 30 minutes, we received our shore passes for a 48 hour visit to Massawa.  We were in for an incredibly short visit of an incredibly ruined city.

Old Towne Ruins, Massawa, Eritrea

As we entered the Old Towne from the high walls of the Port, we were unprepared for the incredible destruction of the Old Towne itself.  The severely damaged Italianate “Bance D’Italia” stood before us in ruins in the center of the nearby square.  Bombs had hit their mark on railings, through windows and into the stone sides of the building itself.  The entire area we walked into was totally deserted, perhaps from the extreme heat of the day or perhaps there were just no people living in the area?  We had heard about the tasty Asmara Beer from our friends on Taimada & Laragh who had visited Massawa just a few days before us, so we were on a mission for some way to celebrate our momentous occasion!  We were in awe at the appearance of the bombed out buildings around us as a taxi driver appeared out of nowhere!  It was as if he was tipped off by the harbor officials that we were coming out, who knows.  In any case, he asked us where we were going, and since we had no particular destination in mind and just wanted to walk around, we passed on his offer for a ride.  He introduced himself as Solomon, then insisted on giving us a “free ride” so we asked him to take us to the Dahlak Hotel, where we heard we could get a beer.  Solomon said, “No, Dahlak is junk” and proceeded to drop us off at what can only be described as a filthy dive bar where we could get an Asmara Beer.  Solomon offered to exchange some USD for local Eritrean Nafka ($1 USD = 15 Nfa), gave Eric $500 Nfa so we could buy a beer, and told us to wait for his return at the dive bar.

Eric exchanging USD for Nfa

We entered the dark space and our eyes adjusted to reveal a full bar, shelves filled with bottles of Asmara Liquor.  Eric asked a man sitting at a table at the back bar for two Asmara Beers, and in the dark light, the man pointed to his right - towards a lady lying asleep across a bench.  Guess she was the bartender, who knew how old she was since she was laying with her arm across her face.  Eric asked some younger girls who entered the bar for two beers, and they delivered very cold and very delicious Asmara Beers.  A TV hung brightly in the far corner silently broadcasting some type of political program.  We enjoyed celebrating our momentous occasion, profound in its completion, sailing from Maldives to Socotra and deep down the Gulf of Aden through Bab el Mandeb.  A toast to our success.

A toast at our successful sail from Socotra, Yemen to
Massawa, Eritrea

We mentioned to each other how we should have some mosquito repellant on since we were starting to feel some crawling around our ankles.  As we glanced down at the floor, we noticed the filth, the apparently dried ketchup, food particles, disgusting dirt where we were sitting, and what we thought were mosquitos were actually thousands of ants crawling on and around our feet.  Looking closer around the tiny, dark dive bar revealed tattered satin curtains hanging on the black dirt walls and food stained tablecloths under our sweaty hands.  Why would Solomon drop us off here?  We hastily paid the bill with the Nafka Solomon left us and headed out of the filthy little bar.  The sleeping lady never knew we were even there.

Old Towne Mural, Massawa, Eritrea

As we walked into the blazing heat towards the Dahlak Hotel, which sits across the causeway connecting the Old Towne to Taulud Island, I pointed out to Eric the giant mural of the Commando painted on the side of a building.  He was dressed in short shorts and a collared shirt, with ammunition making an X across his back.  We both stared at this mural in disbelief, wondering why the people of Massawa would want this image to be a representation of the Old Towne of Massawa? We later learned that this mural depicts the Freedom Fighters who “liberated” the Port of Massawa from Ethiopian forces in 1991.

Returning with the Cash!

Halfway across the causeway, Solomon returned at a high rate of speed.  He stopped short, and wanted us both to get into the taxi.  I refused, who was this guy and why is he driving like a mad man?  In any case, Eric did get into the taxi, and I watched in disbelief as Solomon took off with Eric towards the Old Towne.  At the end of the causeway, Solomon turned around and sped back towards me, stopped, and Eric got out of the car.  “Well that was exciting!” Eric exclaimed as he continued that Solomon had exchanged $100 USD for $1500 Nafka.  Solomon told Eric that if anyone asked, this Nafka came from a bank, and then he sped off.  No other cars were around on this Sunday afternoon and not many people, either.  So we continued on to the Dahlak Hotel where we heard there was internet.

Welcome Sign, Dahlak Hotel

Italian Tile Detail, Dahlak Hotel

The once grand Dahlak Hotel sits on the banks of the Red Sea.  The Italian architecture is pronounced, as it the exquisite tile work surrounding the giant algae-filled pool, dusty lobby, and filthy bathrooms.  At a glance, you’d think it to be a 5-star resort and perhaps it once was.  We spent just enough time there to see how far it had fallen from its glory days.  The bathrooms alone were the most disgusting I have ever seen, and with all the places we’ve been, that’s saying quite a lot.  The mirrors were missing from the walls, their bare-painted shadows all that remain.  The light fixtures look like someone tried to pry them away and the filth of the stalls lay in testament to a long-gone cleaning crew.  While we enjoyed many bottles of Asmara Beer, the dinner menu at the Dahlak Restaurant was lacking in selection: Pasta, pasta with red sauce, or pasta with cheese and fish dishes (no idea what type of fish) was pretty much all that was on offer. We drank enough Asmara Beer, tried to communicate with our delightful waitress, and then headed back to the Port and an early night to bed.  We had tried the internet in the Dahlak lobby, sitting in chairs surrounded by cigarette butts on floors, but the connection was impossibly slow.  Forget it.

Dinner at Dahlak

We walked back across the causeway and this time Old Towne Massawa was alive with people.  All the shuttered buildings we passed before were now open, with busy tables lining the streets.   We came upon one large group of people, and surprise, there was Solomon! This time, he was properly dressed and perhaps a little amazed to see us as well.  He introduced us to Samuel, the cafe owner, whose family lives in the capital city of Asmara.  Both Samuel and Solomon were very interested in our travels on Sea Child, amazed that we were able to travel so freely.  And the Freedom Fighter Mural? Turns out Solomon was actually one of those fighters in the short shorts carrying machine guns during the civil war in 1991.  Samuel shared a shot of local Asmara Grappa with Eric (I had the good sense to pass) and after a short time, we continued back to Sea Child.

Eric with School Boy

The next morning, we headed out to find some provisions.  The houses of Old Massawa are as run down and crumbled as the dingy bar and ruined bank building.  People were out and about, and the only cars we saw were several large trucks delivering cargo to the port.  We later learned that the cargo was gold and copper heading to China.  Since our planned departure from Massawa was 0530 on Tuesday morning, immigration was going to confiscate our shore pass at 1700.  We found a corner market that sells small amounts of provisions (zucchini, onions, bread and potatoes) next to a crumbled ruin.  Children were running around the dirt streets with smiles on their faces, begging us for pens or pencils to complete their homework from school.  

Dahlak Waitress at the Market

We ran into our waitress from the Dahlak Hotel, and she invited us into her small home behind a giant wall nearby. She lived with her mother, her brother, and two small children in a neat home with tall ceilings.  A gas stove framed the threshold into her joint living/sleeping area where a pumpkin stew was bubbling away.  She asked us to come back for coffee the next morning, but we had to leave Massawa and would not be able to join her.  Yet we thanked her for the opportunity to see the living conditions of the war-torn Old Town and felt that she was content with her station in life.  The ruins around us may seem unlivable, but Old Towne Massawa was home to a functioning community.

Old Towne, Massawa Street Scene

 St. Mariam Cathedral, Taulud Island, Massawa, Eritrea

We ate lunch in the Luna Restaurant on Taulud Island, after exploring around the empty streets. Past the Tank Monument of the 1991 Rebellion and the beautiful St. Mariam Cathedral, we settled into a lazy afternoon break.  The local cuisine in Luna was a far cry from the limited menu in Dahlak Hotel.  We feasted on a local plate of spicy beef on a flat bread.  The restaurant was busy, with several locals around us enjoying the food, which is alway a good sign, right?  And while we again drank bottles of deliciously cold Asmara Beer, we pushed back the cats surrounding our table, fighting amongst themselves for any scraps of food.  One cat was even bold enough to actually climb up the table and attempt to eat right from our plate.  Crazy cat.  But it was time to head back to Sea Child, to surrender our shore passes and watch the loading of the giant containers on cargo vessels.  We walked past the crumbled ruins of Massawa and while we appreciated the exotic history of the area, we were ready to head out to the Red Sea again and sail for Sudan.  We received our departure papers, paid our $20 USD and gave up more cigarettes to the immigration man.  At dawn the next day, we were on our way.

Massawa, 15 degrees 36.35 min N, 39 degrees, 27 min E, has a rich history. More can be found on Wikipedia on the internet.    

Please come back for our next entry,  Sea Child in the Red Sea:  Arriving in Sudan

Red Sea Passage, Part 1: Bab-El-Mandeb to Massawa, Eritrea

Mayyun Islands of Mandeb Strait 

Sea Child entered the Red Sea through the Bab-El-Mandeb (Mandeb Strait) at dawn on April 1, 2016.  This 80-mile long and 25-mile wide waterway separates the Horn of Africa from the Arabian Peninsula and is the link between the Gulf of Aden (GOA) and the Red Sea.  As we sailed through Mandeb Strait, the seas became very steep and the winds accelerated out of the S, steady at 20-25 knots with gusts up to 40 knots.  We were thankful that Sea Child was sailing with the winds and seas as we watched the giant super tankers pass us both northbound and southbound.  The VHF CH 16 was busy, with the Djibouti Navy calling ships that entered the Mandeb Strait including Sea Child.  We were busy adjusting sails when the call came to Sea Child, with the Djibouti Navy mispronouncing the ship name "See Sheeld, See Sheeld this is Djibouti Navy" and by the time we realized that they were calling us, they had moved on to a giant supertanker that was one NM behind us, asking them their details (last port, next port, cargo, etc.)  We were intrigued to hear that the very large crude carrier was carrying 2,000,000 (yes, 2 MILLION) barrels of Iranian oil to Spain via the Suez Canal.  As we watched the giant ship sail past us, we couldn't help but notice how steady it appeared in the wild wind and steep waves we were sailing.

Iranian VLCC in Mandeb Strait

We had approximately 300 NM to sail to Massawa, Eritrea, our first stop in almost a week since sailing from Socotra, Yemen.  We were not quite sure if we would stop in Massawa, depending on the winds.  If the S winds held, we would continue on to Port Suakin, Sudan, 1/2 way up the Red Sea.  As we entered the North-bound shipping lanes, we jibed and dropped the main, sailing with a 70% jib to maintain control as we surfed down the steep waves.  Otto, our auto pilot, again was useless in these conditions, heading us up or down each steep wave that passed under our hulls.

40% furled jib

Steep waves of Bab-El-Mandeb

By 10am, I took a longer watch so Eric could grab some much needed sleep since he had been up since 2am dealing with our approach to Mandeb Strait.  I made a log entry "Why am I so sad?" and felt the intense fatigue as tears of exhaustion ran down my cheek, yet I could not stop steering Sea Child in the furious steep swells just N of Mandeb Strait.  Our four hours on, four hours off watch system had taken its toll on us both.  By noon, Eric had furled more of the jib to maintain control as the large, steep waves came one after the other in an endless parade.

A Coalition Warship came up behind us as we were surfing Sea Child at an impressive speed. We thought that maybe with all the activity in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, perhaps the Coalition Warship was heading to Suez as she steamed past our port side.   There was no AIS listing for the warship, but we didn't think too much of it since the warships in the GOA didn't always show up on AIS either.  As we surfed N, we hit boat speeds of 8-9 knots with only 40% jib unfurled.  The seas were impressive, the commercial ships coming and going all around us, and the winds continued to howl from the S.  At sunset, we heard the Coalition Warship calling other vessels on VHF CH 16 to inform them that they were overtaking on either port or starboard.  By 1800, the Coalition Warship began a series of security announcements that all vessels were to stay WEST of 42 DEG 05 MIN.  We looked at AIS and noticed several dozen AIS targets all anchored off Jabal Zubayr Island of Yemen.

Lineup of AIS targets offshore Yemen

Flag of South Yemen
Socotra Island, Yemen

At 2000, Eric made a log entry, "Looks like massive bombing going on in Yemen" on my off watch.  When I awoke at 2015, Eric called me up to the cockpit to look at the eastern horizon, about 60 NM away.  The night sky was lighting up in bright white flashes of light, in rapid sequences, again and again and again.  My first thought at seeing the lights was, sadly, "people are being killed over there!" and again, tears stung my weary eyes.  Eric noted that these flashes went on for over 45 minutes, and after reaching out to our son via our InReach Texting device, we learned of the civil war in Yemen, now involving Saudi Arabia and Coalition Warships.  The winds were now SSE 22 knots, and we were still making 8 knots boat speed.  I was unable to sleep after seeing the bombing lights, thinking about all the warships in the GOA and another Coalition Warship in the Red Sea off Yemen.  Our son forwarded to us an article about the sad situation in Yemen, from the terrible status of the killing & malnutrition of children in the poor, war torn country to the dangerous Civil War & Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.  I couldn't help but think of Socotra, Yemen, and wondered how they must feel about their mainland countrymen at war.  Socotra did seem to align with South Yemen, as South Yemen flags were painted all over the Hadibo area.  I wondered about Denis & Anna from Tamam Socotra, who were not expecting another vessel in Socotra this season.  Sleep would not come to me, another off-watch with little to no rest, building up on the fatigue of fast sailing over 800 NM with just the two of us.  By my official watch of 2200, Eric let me rest an extra hour.  When I came up at 2300, the winds had died, we fired up the engines and hoisted the main after which Eric headed down for his rest.  It was to be short lived.

By 0100, Saturday, April 2, 2016, the winds had kicked up again to 28 knots S, and the sails had to be adjusted.  I woke Eric and we adjusted everything, only to have the winds die again by 0300.  I tried to give Eric more sleep, but even with coffee and hand steering to maintain focus, I could not stay awake.  Eric was up again at 0330, and with full main and screecher, we had 13-14 knots apparent as we sailed toward Massawa, Eritrea, 90 NM away.  By early morning, the winds died completely, and we took the opportunity to clean Sea Child, inside and out, as she was covered in salt & dirt.  Eric scrubbed the decks, I scrubbed the overheads and walls, and by 1100, we stopped Sea Child for our first swim in the Red Sea.  The refreshing water was more salty and we noticed how Sea Child was floating with the water lines more than 2" above the water itself!

As we continued on, we decided to try some fishing, (we had already lost 4 lures in the Indian Ocean and sailed too fast to catch anything in the GOA).  I kissed the lure and set out the line, then returned to sailing Sea Child.  At 40NM to the Port of Massawa, we caught our first Red Sea fish, and enjoyed a wonderful dinner just off the Dahlak Islands of Eritrea.  Our friends on Taimada had warned us not to drop anchor in Eritrean waters before checking in to the country, so we pushed on towards the Port.  We started calling the Port Control around 2100, every 15 minutes or so for over an hour as we approached.  We never got a call back, and our exhaustion got the best of us as we found a close island to drop anchor at 2230.  We both collapsed into a deep sleep, 970.9 NM from Socotra.

Bombed out Administrative Building, Massawa, Eritrea
Remnant of 1990 civil war

On Sunday, April 3, 2016, we entered the Port of Massawa after waiting over one hour for Port Control to give us approval to enter.  As we sat just offshore, we noticed several Italian-style buildings with large, gaping holes.  We tied up at Massawa, Eritrea, Africa, at 1300, our first continent since we untied from Yacht Haven Marina, Phuket, Thailand, Asia, back on February 12, 2016.

Eric & Sea Child at Port Massawa

Tamara & Sea Child

We had sailed 1760 NM from Langkawi, Malaysia to Uligan, Maldives; 1248 NM from Uligan to Socotra Island, Yemen; 972 NM from Socotra to Port of Massawa, Eritrea.  In total, 3,980 NM from Asia to Africa.  We were 1/3 up the Red Sea.  

Sea Child Adventures to be continued......

Come back for our next blog post, Red Sea Passage, Part 2: Massawa, Eritrea

Gulf of Aden Crossing

So much has been written about the Gulf of Aden (GOA), a body of water that separates the Arabian Peninsula of Asia and the African Continent.  Some stories are scary and dangerous (piracy) and some stories are treacherous (weather).  During the NE monsoon season, winds are prevailing from the E to ENE, which is exactly the season to sail from Socotra Island to Bab el Mandeb at the southern mouth of the Red Sea.  Sea Child's crossing of the GOA was fast, busy, and certainly in good company.  We had been reporting our position daily to UKMTO, a Dubai organization that represents a security coalition of nations (India, China, Japan, Korea, EU) daily at 0800 UTC  since our departure from the Maldives.  This sense of security was welcome on board, giving us at least some comfort that others were paying attention to our location, speed, course and destinations.  This was a part of our daily tasks aboard Sea Child as we sailed down the GOA.  Upon initial contact with UKMTO, we were advised to join a convoy since we were sailing the GOA without hired security on board.  The requirements to join the slowest convoy was that we had to maintain a boat speed of 10 knots under power, and meet at a specific position at a specific time.  This convoy option was not possible for Sea Child as we could not guarantee that we could maintain the required speeds.  The following is a detailed look at our 3 3/4 day passage of the Gulf of Aden:

DAY ONE
Monday, March 28, 2016 12:30pm-Tuesday March 29, 2016 Noon.  Days run 182 Nautical Miles

We departed  Socotra Island at 12:30pm and set a course of 290 degrees, which would take us more northerly towards the security lanes (IRTC) that had been established for commercial traffic transiting the GOA.  There are specific entry points into the lanes (position A or position B) and we were headed towards the east entry lane, located at 14 degrees 26,095N, 53 degrees, 0,189E.  From the west end of Socotra, this entry location was due north, so sailing a course of 290 would have us intersect the security corridor about 174 NM from Socotra Island.  The winds at our departure were gusting to well over 25, having us sail under full main alone as we surfed down the wind waves towards the shadow of Socotra.  Once there, around sunset, we spotted a few anchored fishing boats who we believe were from Socotra Island.  They waved as we sailed on by.  Throughout the night, we were sailing a more northerly course, around 335 degrees to keep the wind angle at 60-70 degrees, which was fine by me since it brought us closer to the security lanes earlier than the 290 course.  We did not pick up any AIS vessels until we were within about 20 NM of the IRTC.

During Eric's late watch, (2am-6am), he had jibed us onto a course of 270 as we motor sailed making water, winds ESE 8 knots.  When I came up for my 0600-1000 watch & realized how far south we were from the IRTC, I became concerned.  We were sailing in an area between the lanes and the Horn of Africa, and I felt that if we were closer to the shipping lanes we would be safer.

DAY TWO
Tuesday, March 29, 2016 Noon-Wednesday March 30, 2016  Noon, Days Run 182 Nautical Miles

Around 1400, a Japanese surveillance plane flew over Sea Child, and within a minute the Japanese Navy contacted us on VHF CH 16.  By this time, we had picked up several ships on AIS and the Japanese Navy asked us if we needed any assistance, was there anything they could do for us, have we seen any suspicious activity? If so, they are always standing by on VHF CH 16.  Eric asked them where they were, as we could not see them on AIS?  They stated that they receive but do not transmit.  Sounds logical.  The seas were 1'-3' following us, winds ESE at 10 knots and we were making about 7.5 knots boat speed under full main & screecher.  We were now 2.8 NM SSE of the IRTC.

During our dinner, we had an EU Warship on our port, and they sailed with us for about two hours before turning S towards the Horn of Africa.  We had cleared the wind shadow of Socotra Island, and were now being affected by the Indian Ocean swells that were coming up between the Socotra Islands and Somalia.  This created a very rolling sea, winds picked up to ESE 17-20 knots, and Sea Child continued to sail around 9 knots with full main & screecher.

During my late watch, 2200-0200, the roller furler on the jib came undone around midnight, and in order to re-furl the sail, I had to wake Eric.  He went forward to hand turn the furler system while I drove Sea Child deep down wind and held out the sheets.  The winds were picking up in the darkness, and once the furler was secure, and we rolled up the screecher, Eric went back down for some more much needed rest.  Our 4 hours on, 4 hours off watch was taking adventure travel to a whole new level of stamina, so any amount of sleep, even a short nap, was much needed and somewhat refreshing though we were both so exhausted.  We were now 400 NM to Bab El Mandeb, and had just entered the HRA (High Risk Area), an area between 49 degrees E to 46 degrees E.  We noticed the Indian Navy sailing with a large group of AIS targets, heading east, about 10 NM from our location.  Another security check for us that again made our passage feel much safer.  We could focus on sailing Sea Child, sending in our daily UKMTO positions, maintaining systems and provisions, monitoring batteries, fuel consumption, and of course, trying to get any sleep we could.

By sunrise, we were 115 NM N of Somalia, 92 NM S of Yemen, seas 5'-6', winds 19-20 ESE, 9 knots boat speed, course 242 degrees.  We sailed deep downwind with main alone, as the waves began stacking up behind us, close together and very steep.  We were now close enough to the IRTC that we could see the giant commercial ships as they headed eastbound.  Super huge tankers and freighters went by, some in convoys of 5-7 ships, some alone.  We heard the EU Warship contact one of the eastbound ships, asking them why the ship did not have their AIS turned on?  The ship replied that they were not in a convoy, that their captain had the AIS off until out of the HRA.  The EU Warship told them that they were safe, please turn on the AIS, and again, the ship denied the warship request.  The ship was then questioned at length about details, last port, next port, cargo, personnel, tonnage, etc.  After a few minutes of talk back and forth, the EU Warship was standing by on VHF CH 16.

DAY THREE
Wednesday, March 30, 2016 noon - Thursday, March 31, 2016 noon.  Days run  210 NM

The afternoon was spent with Eric on the bow, fixing the Harken Roller Furler System that we had bought in Pangkor Marina, Malaysia.  The system was brand new and unused in heavy seas until we left Thailand in February.  On the crossing to the Maldives, the roller furler system failed and as we sailed closer to Uligan, thankfully the jib was not needed in the light air.  Eric tackled the first repair of the furler system, where he found that the hidden set screws that keep the furler attached to the drum roller had backed out of their sockets.  He set them in with Locktight and thought the problem was solved.  However, as problems always seem to happen in big winds, big seas and of course, dark nights, the problem with the furler was not fixed, as the set screws backed out again.

As Sea Child sailed downwind in the GOA, the bows rising on each steep wave, dropping into the troughs and picking up speed, then rising again, Eric held a drill just perfect into the set screw holes and redrilled them, then resest the screws in a tighter puka (hole) so that they would not back out again.  We were now sailing hard and fast deeper in the GOA, and would definitely need the roller furling system on the jib to work properly as we neared the Bab el Mandeb straights into the Red Sea.  We intend to let Harken know that they have a problem with the design of their furler system, and no where in the schematics that were included with the new system is there any picture or description of these hidden set screws that backed out, causing the drum to spin around the roller furler and therefore, system failure.  It would be logical to know how it works so we can fix it or at least diagnose problems while out at sea.  As Eric wrote in the log after his repair, "Harken Sucks". 

By dinner on Wednesday night, we again had company join us as we sailed deeper into the HRA/GOA.  This time, we picked up a Japanese Warship around 1600, right before the main crash-jibed on a steep wave.  They came as close as 2.2 NM from our port stern, and cruised with us through dinner, eventually passing us and sailing literally into the sunset.  Our auto-pilot, affectionately named "Otto" was having a hard time holding any type of course as we were now wing & wing with full main & jib.  We were trying to maintain a course that would keep us within a mile of the IRTC, sailing parallel and south of the lanes without crossing the eastbound head-on traffic .

We were sailing a course of 252, hand steering at this point to maintain course and speed, Sea Child surfing along at 8 knots.  Waves would pick us up and knock us around, and as we sailed closer to Bab el Mandeb, we heard strange noises on the VHF, people making cat calls and playing random music.  By 0100 on Thursday morning, we had finally sailed out of the HRA, a nice feeling at the right time of day.  UKMTO had mentioned to us in an email that the highest probability for piracy encounters were either at dawn or dusk.  We were fortunate to have the two escorts with us at dinner and send sincere thanks to both EU and Japanese Warships for their presence during our sail through the HRA.

By noon on Thursday, we had sailed a total of 501 NM since leaving Socotra Island and had about another 158 NM to Bab El Mandeb.  We again changed sails from the jib to the screecher and another Japanese surveillance plane flew out of the clouds overhead Sea Child.  They again called us on VHF CH 16, asked the same questions as before, and this time I told them we were fine on board and thanked them for their security presence in the GOA.  

DAY FOUR
Thursday, March 31, 2016 noon - Friday, April 1, 2016 noon.  Days Run 170 nautical miles

Our course to Bab El Mandeb now was 280 degrees, which would have us cross the IRTC lanes and sail on the Yemen side of the corridor.  Winds were ENE 12-14, seas 2-5, sunny skies.  We were sailing with the full main & screecher on a starboard tack and crossed the lanes with no problem.  As the day wore on, the winds began to increase and the waves continued to stack up, steeper and closer together as we neared the straights at Bab el Mandeb.  Dinner was a non issue, our minds set on focusing on what we needed to do in the next few hours.  Our boat speeds were increasing too, with 7 knots becoming 7.5, then a jump to 9 knots, 10 knots, surfing like crazy on the steep, fast waves.  At one point, it was so crazy on board that it became hard to make log entries and by 1900, Eric had to put 2 reefs in the main as Sea Child hit speeds consistently of 18-20 knots.  Yes, we were flying down the steep waves and the night wore on, again, hand steering as Otto was not capable of handling the conditions.  The closer we sailed to the straights of Bab el Mandeb, the more ships came into view, both entering and exiting the straights.  The winds started backing off a bit, but with so many ships coming our way as we started to make the turn into the straights, it was difficult for me to trim the sails, keep watch on AIS targets, and hand steer course.  As we neared the corner of Yemen, the  winds began to pick up again, now up to 20 knots, and Eric put a double reef in the main and reefed the jib 40%.  By 0530, the Mayyun Islands of Bab el Mandeb were just to our starboard, and we officially had entered the Red Sea.  But the excitement was still all around us, with the winds and again steep waves, we ended up dropping the main completely and ran with the furled jib alone.  As we entered the Red Sea, the waves became closer together and therefore much higher, 6'-8', some as high as 8'-10' and with the winds, Sea Child surfed down many of them, hand steering since of course, Otto could not handle the winds and waves, downwind sailing.  It was hard to steer the steep waves of the Red Sea, a fine welcome to a mostly busy and safe passage of the GOA.  Winds increased to S 25-30 knots with gusts to 40, and by mid morning, we were sailing 8-10 knots with a 40% furled jib alone.  Crazy, rough ride.  We were excited to have entered the Red Sea, yet so very exhausted at the fast passage of the GOA with all the security concerns and sea conditions.

In summary, Sea Child sailed the 659 NM from Socotra Island to Bab el Mandeb in 89 hours, average boat speed 7.4 knots.  With the rush at the entry to the Red Sea, we'd thought that we would have averaged better speed.  It was a safe, busy, exhausting passage.  Thankfully, the security of the UKMTO Coalition of Nations, including Indian, Korean, Japanese, EU, Chinese and Coalition Warships kept the GOA passage safe and secure.  Given the weather conditions of the passage as well as the security of the warships and onboard security guards listed on several AIS vessels, we could not even imagine a pirate attempting to overtake a vessel.  Hopefully those pirate days in the GOA are all in the past, and all we will read about them will be in the history books.  Sea Child had a successful passage of the GOA.  Now, the challenges of the Red Sea lay ahead of us.

Around noon, Friday, April 1, 2016, a Coalition Warship passed Sea Child to port as we sailed into the Red Sea, just off the coast of Yemen.  The Warship was making great speed, we were doing about 9 knots and she passed us in no time.  We thought that perhaps the Coalition Warship was headed to Suez, up to the Med for security purposes in the Middle East.  Little did we know what was coming as night would fall.  To be continued in our next post, Red Sea Passage

Written offshore Southern Egyptian Coast, Red Sea
Friday, April 15, 2016

POS: 
25 DEGREES, 18.820 N
34 DEGREES, 46.076 E

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