Running the Gauntlet

by Rob Kothe on 3 Feb 2006 Every February around 80-150 cruising yachts begin the migration from the Indian Ocean up the Red Sea to reach the Mediterranean.

This year well known Australian racing sailor Ian (Buggsy) Potter and his partner Helen, in their cruising boat Sundancer II, will be among the number.

This time there will be tension as never before, because there is a serious element of danger. For the first time in the history of this migration, last year two sailing boats were fired on by Somali pirates with the apparent intention to kill (they arrived firing at the cockpits). In addition to this, pirates have become more aggressive during 2005 to commercial shipping, firing at passenger ships, taking not only the local dhows, but also even freight carriers hostage, and demanding ransoms.

The Sundancer duo have plenty of miles, Potter has 27 Hobart races under his belt; he joined the exclusive 25 race club after the 2002 race. He’s seen plenty of offshore active sailing aboard the line honours winner Ninety Seven in the rough 1993 race and in recent years he spent a lot of time on Xena/Grundig now AAPT.

Some time ago, however, he saw the light and decided to go long range cruising with Helen on their Savage 42 cruising boat Sundancer II.

As you are reading this, Sundancer II is sailing across the Andaman Sea towards Galle in Sri Lanka. They have already teamed up with other boats heading for the Red Sea, but report that many of the American flagged boats are avoiding the ‘Pirate Zone’ by taking the South Africa route.

And what lies ahead of them? Well, the plan after Galle – and this is the normal migratory route - is to call in at the most northerly atoll of the Maldives, then maybe Cochin (Kochi) in India, before heading across the Arabian Sea to Salalah in Oman.

This is where cruising sailors tend to gather together to discuss their strategies for the next leg, during which they must pass between the two trouble spot countries of Yemen and Somalia. Both countries have pirates in action, but the Somalis are those who have been more aggressive of late.

While the Sundancer II crew have so far only connected with about 30 boats heading in that direction, every year the total number of boats has been somewhere between 80 and 120. Will it be fewer this year? – maybe.

After reaching the Straits of Bab el Mandeb and entering the Red Sea, they will have following winds for at least a quarter of the journey – maybe as far as Massawa in Iritrea. After that, it will be a matter of taking weather windows as they come, which mainly means head winds of less than 25 knots, so that some headway is possible against the square rocky waves of the Red Sea.

Apart from inaccurate charts, unfriendly military outposts and tricky coral passages, sand is another problem, some boats reporting years later that they were still finding sand down the mast, in the winches and in other unexpected nooks and crannies. This doesn’t stop the Red Sea from being one of the most exquisite sailing destinations in the world, and well worth all the trouble to get there.

Sail-World will be following Sundancer II and the rest of the 2006 contingent as they make their way towards the Med.

Watch out for accounts from ‘Sundancer II and Friends’

In the last few days, Ian has reported that winds have been softer than the usual trades - that wonderful downwind sailing that gives you around 15-25 knots on the quarter – but they are close to the Nicobar and Andaman Islands, and on track heading for Sri Lanka.

How has their trip been so far? – In one word from Ian, ‘Fantastic!’

Going back in history... Having sailed up the Australian coast previously and left the boat in Darwin, they departed Sydney on the 23rd of May last year by air for Darwin to do the Darwin to Kupang rally starting on 23rd July.

Since then they have cruised through Indonesia up to Thailand.

Helen commented ‘Oh we loved Indonesia, the people are fantastic. We stayed there nearly three months.’ During this time in Kalimantan they cruised up the river in search of Urangatans, and found a few hairy friends at very close quarters.

After a stint at Raffles Marina in Singapore they cruised up the Malaysian coastline, reaching Thailand.

We had a Quiet Little Drink, in the Hobart tradition, with Ian and Helen during the Kings Cup in Phuket in December. They were staying at the Royal Phuket Marina. The welcome was amazing said Helen. ‘Surely the only marina in the world, that welcomes guest with hot towels, just like an airline or a five star hotel. Ian comments ‘Phuket is a great place – the cruising grounds are fantastic and many boats just seem to stay a year or more - the work facilities attract others to stay, many getting full refits’

But not Sundancer II. Watch this space…..