Passage Report 25

Pirate Alley to Aden

The Military were adamant, "Keep to the middle of the Protected Corridor" for maximum protection. Yet another large mammoth was hijacked from under the noses of the Military fleet. Since then, the Corridor has been moved to the middle of the Gulf of Aden away from the Yemeni coast. The reason being to deter Yemeni fisherman cum pirates.

The Military consists of a fleet of ships from France, Britain, USA, and Europe which patrol the Corridor. Chinese, Indian, Omani, Yemen ships patrol outside the Corridor. Such huge military resources are merely protecting commercial ships and yachts. The pirates, from Somalia and Yemen, change their tactics to fit. They have 500 nm to render the Military resources impotent.

There are many recent reports of pirate attacks or harassment. A family of two children was attacked from astern guns firing. The father fired a shotgun and either killing the pirates or driving them off. The family suffered major trauma. Yacht convoys have reported harassment on a number of occasions.

The Rally fleet meets at the Oasis Club. Zero hour is approaching. The Fleet is abuzz with views. The Corridor or the coast. All agree that Lo, the Rally organizer has the final word.

The plan is put. There will be four fleets of six boats with each having a fleet coordinator. The Coordinators liaise with Lo. Skipper is coordinator of fleet four. Each fleet contains a language group. Fleet four is English. Sahula sports a large flag and green flashing light.

Each fleet is given a VHF channel for inter-fleet four discussions. Yacht is referred to only by number. Radio contact is to be minimal.

At night yachts are to use only lower navigation lights. Yachts sail within one to half a nautical mile of each other.

The route is along the coast to Shi ir in Yemen then onto Aden. Shi ir to Aden is the active pirate zone. The distance is some 600 nm and five days.

Departure time is 1200. A large passenger ship co-opts the immigration official. Delay on delay. Departure is 1430. Invictus is left behind to tend to her engine repair.

Umberto on Calefel and Liva also depart to follow the fleet outside the Rally.

It is light headwinds so Tanya, fresh from an oil change and new fuel filter, is again called on. Sails remain under cover. Sahula carries extra fuel (390 litres; an extra 180 litres). Cool Change, a 26 foot Canadian sloop lags behind. Fleet speed is 4 to 5 knots. Cool Change is towed by Mistral.

Fleet four is in position at the rear middle of the fleet. The fleet sail as a large diamond.

Course Master self steering repair fails to work. Pearl, the recently installed Plastimo AS100 wheel autopilot, works her magic to save the day. Much relief especially by Crew.

Night sailing finds a large fleet holding position. Speed is increased to five knots then five point five. There is no recorded pirate escapade at night.

Early morning is "high risk." Skipper asks fleet four to "close up." Fast local fishing boats seem to be everywhere. Friends or foe? Fisherman wave in passing. Tension is high when one stops to ask for cigarettes. Farce competes with reality. Paranoia with calm rationality.

"Close up" order again goes out. A dhow towing three boats is unusual. Lo orders full readiness. It is false alarm, but useful dress rehearsal.

Single mammoths pass by close to the coast.

Pearl allows Skipper to colour pencil sketch: Sahula plunging through a rough modernize abstract sea. Sketches of the Oman desert and a camel. Crew reads and rests.

A pod of some 50 dolphins cavorts to port. Their playfulness a contrast to the seriousness of the Fleet.

A yacht, Blue Marlin, catches five tuna. Sahula is a beneficiary after a fish is taken off by the Japanese yacht, Harmony IV and passed aboard.

The fleet drives on at 5.5 knots under full sail before a 12-13 knot SW'ly.

Night finds the fleet closing the dry mountainous Yemeni coast. Skipper recalls, as a merchant ships cadet, the excitement of viewing the first overseas landscape: the dry, red rock of the Horn of Somalian Africa sans pirates.

The VHF crackles with warships contacting boats. Their advice is "if you find suspicious activity you can request assistance." A trawler is reported with two attached fishing boats that fit the description of a pirate vessel. The warship advice remains consistent.

A Rally yacht has engine problems and drops astern. Fortunately the SW'ly comes in so she can sail till the resolved. The Fleet slows down to accommodate the reduced speed. Other yachts have turbo charged motors that don't appreciate the slow Fleet speed. They yo yo back in forth increasing and reducing speed. Solo sailed yachts are given more sea room.

Press button Pearl, accommodates all the changes in course.

The Rally fishing fleet reports ample catches of five tuna a boat. Sahula remains a fishless zone.

Whale ho!! A huge beast of the Antarctic, breeches nearby. Breeding in pirate alley, natures respite to man's madness.

A ruby globe sets on another pirate less day and welcomes the third night in pirate alley.

Morning dawns over Shir iz. Lead boasts entangle in a militarized restricted zone surrounding an oil tanker mammoth. A military boat inadvertently, cuts the tow line between Mistral and Cool Change. A course change to sea then to the coast.

The fleet enters unannounced the calm, tiny breakwater protected port of Shi iz. So small that yachts raft up. Port captain advises the fleet that a $100 US fee applies to each boat if they stay overnight. Soldiers slinging machine guns walk the wharf. After taking on fuel, in the late afternoon, 22 yachts, rested, head to sea. A fishing boat loaded with waving, excited young males escorts the Fleet... Good citizens of Shi iz will record the event for time immemorial.

Liv, a Finish yacht, tacks onto the rear of the Fleet. The Fleet is advised that Liv is to be asked to stay 5 nm astern of the Fleet and that the Fleet would not render assistance. Liv does not respond to radio calls. At night Liv sails for a time with masthead navigation lights contrary to the Fleet. Discussion on the ethics of seconding the benefit of the fleet security without contributing to it, of confusing self reliance and freedom of the seas, with freeloading.

Skipper resolves that Sahula would render assistance to Liv (friends Sture and Gengal) if required according to a long held sailors assistance convention. Assistance would not be "Rally." For the time the matter is academic.

Ideal sailing conditions are subject to Rally requirements. Tanya remains on under shortened sail to ensure maximum maneuverability. The silence of sailing is denied by Tanya.

Fleet is at the point where reality seems a myth; where pirates inhabit movies not the Gulf of Aden or Yemeni coast. Calm seas, insouciance, consistent winds, a ruby orb, a golden crescent moon in a starry sky, crew reading, skipper sketching (sand desert of Oman). Serenity engulfs the Fleet.

A yacht sails close to invite Sahula to an onboard cocktail party in Aden. Crew plans a tour to Sana, inland capital of Yemen. Chips, fried tuna, yoghurt and fruit. High protein to ensure an alert crew.

Ah, the French. A rebellious skipper refuses to be part of a group Fleet. His catamaran is off on a sojourn of its own, making chaos. Its skipper oblivious to the consternation, testing the limits of power.

Skipper is passed a red trumpet to call to the French yacht should it again threaten Sahula's space. Trumpets blare out across the Fleet.

Rhino has disappeared. She was astern of the fleet and isn't now on radio. Hinewei, reverses her course to locate Rhino. The Fleet stopped awaiting news. She is contacted on her satphone. She has dropped astern with electrical problems that cut her radio. Consternation that she had not contacted the Fleet.

It is the fifth day, Aden tonight. The schisms of human time evolve in abundance. Group 2 complains Group 4 has invaded its territory. Group 4 maintains the opposite. At night it is difficult to identify difference in red and green lights. Night is low risk so there is room to move. Another yacht claims the Scandinavian language group 2 is chatting to free bounder, Liv despite its radio silence. Indignant innocence is professed. The accuser knows only English.

Ah, wonderful Aden. Five days, five nights in tight pirate threatened convoy is soon to be over. It is none too soon.

In the dawning light, the soaring craggy volcanic escarpment of Aden welcomes the Fleet. Port Control directs 22 yachts to anchor off Prince of Wales Pier. There is much relief.

Crews attend the friendly efficient authorities, Immigration and Customs. Yemeni people extend a smiling welcome. School boys, women and school girls in black burka's or veils smile and welcome. Shop keepers, street vendors do the same. It is clear these are a content, welcoming and pleasant people. It is a welcome similar to Indonesia.

Crew seeks time out in an Aden hotel, before traveling to Sana, capital of Aden till Sahula departs in five days time.

For Skipper it is time to rest then prepare Sahula for the next passage to Sudan and Egypt.

Resurrected, Skipper attends the "formal" Group 4 cocktail party aboard catamaran, Island Fling. Skipper, in Omani headress, and plastic parrot "Polly," attends as the pirate that never was. Sho (Japan) is in Omani full length arab dress. Sho, John and Sam (Japan) sing their national anthem in full. Skipper attempts Waltzing Matilda. God Save the Queen rolls out from the British. Tales are told and retold; stress dissipates to hilarity in the wee hours. Time cures all.

Umberto anchored Calefell and related his solo passage on the same route. He foiled "attacking" fishermen by a Koran on his computer and displaying Islamic materials and stickers aboard. They left with cigarettes in return for a large fish. The tale enhanced the wisdom of a fleet convoy and reputation of a wily Spanish skipper.

Next Report Aden to Sudan.

Best,

David