Indian Ocean Voyagers

With the increasing dangers of piracy in the NW Indian Ocean an increasing number of boats are choosing to cross from SE Asia (Malaysia and Thailand) or Australia to South Africa.

Last year Dave and Jan on the yacht Baraka compiled a list of these boats with the aim of facilitating communication between them and helping to get boats to team up if they so desire.  With Baraka's departure on the trip and consequent limited internet access, we  have taken over the running of the list, which at present covers yachts planning the voyage in 2012 or 2013.

N route (red), S route (yellow), S route outside Sumatra (green)

Essentially there are two routes. 

The "northern route" leaves SE Asia in January-March and heads to the Chagos Archipelago via some or all of Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives, using the NE monsoon of the N Indian Ocean.  Traditionally these boats have then waited for about 2 months in Chagos for the saesons to change in the southern Indian Ocean, notably the end of the cyclone season.  The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT)administration now restrict stays to 28 days so boats have had to adapt plans to accomodate these rules. Boats on this route then either pass to the north of Madagascar and cruise the eastern coast and then to Richards Bay or head down to Rodrigues, Mauritius or Reunion and Richards Bay or Durban.

The "southern route" either passes down the west coast of Sumatra and then to Cocos Keeling or Mauritius or down the Malacca Strait to Singapore then through Indonesian waters to the Sunda Strait between Sumatra and Java thence to some or all of Cocos Keeling, Rodrigues, Mauritius, Reunion and then to Durban or Richards Bay.  Best timing for this route commences in either May/June or September from the Sunda Strait.  The SE trades can be quite boisterous in July and August.  Boats from Australia would probably pass south of Java to Cocos Keeling.

There are, of course many variations.

Yachts planning this trip can be included on the monthly updates of the list by emailling us at seabunnyhr42@gmail.com. The information required is- yacht name, type, length, communications equipment carried, route and dates proposed, email address, sailmail or similar address if carried, skipper and crew names.