Can you help with Info on sailing west across the Indian Ocean to South Africa?

[lyralicious]

Jamie and I arrived in India two years ago, and after many non-sailing adventures round the sub-continent have finally decided to move on. The charms of SE Asia pale into insignificance for us when we think about heading west to S Africa and then over to S America. But we haven't got very far with the plans yet. It's too late to leave this year (in any case, we're nowhere near ready), but we want to get away next year.

That means heading to the Maldives in February 2013, where we will spend three months, then to Chagos for May, and a westward departure end May/bgn June. Weather and pirate activity will then dictate if we go north of Madagascar or south to the African mainland. The southbound route looks quite hairy, and means a few months in Mauritius before we set off. The northbound route round Madagascar looks almost equally hairy, but a bit more interesting. Does anyone have any experience of either journey? Or can you point me to any links with more information.

Thanks!

 

[ChrisE]

I don't want to be overly pessimistic but when I was talking to my chums in the OCC the consensus was that any journey west of India was a difficult call. The pirates are now working at least 400 miles s of the Horn and right down to Mauritius. Those that are there are talking about frieghting their boats back via a ship. Not cheap at £40k or thereabouts.

I hope that you get better news.

Chris

 

[nimbusgb]

Did a 6 week stint on a boat in Grande Baie, Mauritius before delivering her back to Durban via south of Madagascar.

A really great trip.

The Saffers used to run an annual race from Mauritius to Durban ( last report I have is 2010 ), of course all the boats had to go up to Mauritius first. Mega party for a couple of weeks.

 

[rogerthebodger]

The traditional route was Chagos, Seychelles then due west to east Africa coast then down Mozambique channel to Richards Bay or Durban.

Now due to pirates the route favoured is Chagos to Rodriguez, Mauritius or Reunion then south of Madagascar on to Richards Bay or Durban.

It is a great petty because Seychelles and the islands off north Madagascar are fantastic places to visit but currently pirate activity makes it too risky. But in saying that the South African navy and others are in the area and as the pirates are starting to hit tourism in Kenya things may start to be done so you need to keep up with latest developments.

The Mauritius was due to be on last year but "postponed" due to lack of sponsorship and with the current economic situation who knows when it will be run next. We do have 2 races from south Mozambique /Maputo to Richards Bay or Durban most years around March/April time and the southern Mozambique is OK if you can handle all the back handers that need to be paid now to the Government officials up there.

Have a look at this web site http://www.cruisingconnections.co.za/ run by Tony Herrick a friend of mine he has lots of knowledge and is in contact with lots of sailors who have made that trip.

Also tune in to radio peri peri on SSB if you have (details on Tony's web site) also run by a friend for latest up to date info.

If you get to Durban look me up always love meeting other sailors

 

[lyralicious]

Thanks, Roger, all useful information.

Yes, I've bookmarked Tony's site, it is excellent.

We came through the pirates when we sailed from Turkey to India, and have been keeping a constant watch on pirate activity in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean for three or four years now. S/y Quest was moored up by us before she went off on her ill-fated voyage to Oman, so this is not something we take lightly. We run a daily piracy update from our website, www.followtheboat.com, and try to keep up to date on what's going on. (I've also got contacts at MCHOA.) Successful attacks (and total number of attacks) to date are down on previous years. And they haven't got as far as the Seychelles yet this year, but that can change at any moment.

Friends of ours took the north Madagascar route from India last year and were fine. But, you never know. We are going to be prepared to change our route right up until the last minute (even as we sail from Chagos).

So, if there was no piracy threat, which is the preferred route and why?

 

[rogerthebodger]

My original plan was to do the reverse of what you could do from India. This would be Up the Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya coast visiting places like Inhaca, Maputo, Bazaruto, Beira, then across to the north part of Madagascar. The islands at the north end are very nice but very poor and if you like nature Madagascar has some unique flora and forna.

Then it would be Dar Es Salaam Zanzibar, Pemba, Mombasa then due east to Seychelles for a while then via Maldives on to India, Sri Lanka then Thailand and S E Asia and Australia.

You would be doing that in reverse.

Due to the pirates our current plan once we have sold up is to follow the normal route to Cape Town then Brazil and the Caribbean to start with.

If you did to the route via Mauritius you could still visit the southern paer of Madagascar but it has less visitors and the flora and forna is not a good as the north but still worth visiting IMHO.

I hope to be ready to do some time in 2014 but it does depend on us selling up all we can by then.