Tuesday 7 April

After a rocky night due to the swell that works it’s way round the breakwater here and catches Temptress beam on we woke to another Red Sea day. Clear skies, a slight dusty haze and lots of northerly wind. At sea the waves with breaking tops told us all we needed to know, definitely too much wind to contemplate leaving.

We continued to catch up on emails from various boats scattered across the Indian Ocean. Viannica had left Cochin after us, then been forced to re-enter India twice with engine issues before hearing Djibouti was closed so decided to sail back to Malaysia; two of the crew had left their own boat there. On the way back more issues with their furler, then the fridge stopped working. On arrival in the by now closed Malaysia, there were issues with immigration and customs, eventually solved with the help of the NZ embassy. The four of them are now stuck out in the quarantine anchorage off Langkawi for the foreseeable. Food and other supplies to be brought out to them by an agent.

Mike and Terry on Revision II are somewhere near Trinkitat Harbour in southern Sudan, Complexity and the boats with them are hoping to reach there in their next weather window. Pied à Mer are about 300 miles south of our current position.

Mid morning Jules came over and helped Kevin by pass the leaking Racor as the filter he gave us is doing a great job. In the process the skipper found something else was going, the gearbox dipstick and needs gluing to prevent a further problem. The dive boat boys came over to check if we needed anything which was nice of them. Only some calmer weather.

Meanwhile we contemplate a few up and coming issues. First the cash supply is starting to dwindle and we could need access to an ATM, no idea how we sort that one as we have yet to enter the country. Secondly both boats have a growing number of make do and mend repairs which will get us through to Suez but are they seaworthy enough for the next stage, the passage west across the Med? Are spares available in Egypt? Could we ship them in, is cargo being couriered when there are no flights? And finally is there enough mooring space in Suez for all these yachts? Questions we are hoping boats ahead can answer. The FB group for the Red Sea has been a mine of useful information and help. The group is keeping track of where boats are too and the admins have been emailing updates we have been able to receive via the sat phone.

Today I have done precisely nothing except prepare lunch and supper and finish reading Robin Knox-Johnson’s excellent autobiography. Very lazy! The rocking and rolling in the anchorage haven’t been conducive to attempting anything too much else. Let’s hope the next hop will bring us to a calmer spot.