Getting ready to go to Oman.
3-15 -- 3-26-09
Translation from Hungarian by L Károlyi
03-15-2009 (day 904.)
In Oman The Arabs, officially cannot drink alcohol, but many of them cheat and in secret and after work friends get together some place to drink.
I was on the Internet the whole night, however the connection was very slow. The Oman government has forbidden Skype in the country. That is interesting.
I bought some silicone spray, nylon string and hooks, foodstuff, spices and the local paper in English.
I bought a USD because in Yemen, Eritrea and Sudan there is no ATM. Then a typical Arab style lunch in the city. The cuty tastes different.
I took a taxi for 2.5 rials to the harbor. The taxi driver could not speak English so I had to use my little Arabic, but somehow we understood each other. He did not understand what ’port’ meant. The harbor in Arabic is ’mina’.
Adi gave me two books and a thermos as gifts. Thank You!
Erick, a yacht owner from France, gave me a diving mask - he got plenty. Mine broke, well, it was 15 years old.
I bought fruits and vegetables in the harbor store. Those were apples, oranges, tomatoes, cucumbers and chili. Later I took a shower in the harbor. The facility was adequately clean.
In the evening I visited a Somali ship and as usual it was movie time, then we chatted and drank tea. Later exchanged addresses with sailors I knew.
3yachts started out at the same time to Aden. I start tomorrow.
Commerce between Oman and Somalia consists of moving animals and fuel. These are the two main commodities between the two countries. You can see ships with a max speed of 3 knots. This indicates the state of repair these ships are in. Pretty bad. Of course the price is quite cheap. The wages in Oman for the guest workers are 100-120 rials. (For example from India). The natives get 200 rials.
Daily prayers:
Fajr before sunrise, at 5 am.
At sunrise – 6 o’clock.
Dhohr, after 12.
Asar, around 4
Maghrib, after 6.
I’sha, after 7
Link: www.omanet.com; www.oman_radio.gov.om;
Oman Cantre for Traditional Music: www.octm_folk.gov.om
630 NM. and 10 days
Current: 0.7 knots westerly in March
Wind: 50%, 10-15 knots E and 10-15 knots NE.
Basically there is a 4-day calm around Aden every month, but 200 NM away there is 19-day calm, which means 60% no wind and there is already back current starting in March.
The most dangerous things in this area are the pirate attacks. The main attack point is the big ships and not the yachts, although it happens that they attack yachts too about 2-3 in a year. The narrow corridor (CTF-150) is patrolled by an international navy force. The big ships use this corridor. The yachts sail close to shore and this is how they try to get through the most dangerous parts.
Rout plan:
WP1 (015-28,5N; 052-31,6E); WP2 (14-50,3N; 050-40,1E); WP3 (14-30.5N; 049-36,1E) WP4 (013-52,6N; 048-33,1E); WP5 (012-45N; 045-05,2E);
03-16-2009 (day 905.)
Powerisers (This is a new Chinese sport gadget):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1O1YaD-Gpw
This morning I did laundry and after that I filled up water bottles, then I officially signed out at the Harbor Master, Port Control, Custom, Immigration. This whole procedure lasted 1.5 hours, mostly walking. This is a big harbor.
I cleaned the bottom of the boat, - the algae build up is quick around here
Repaired the torn sails and went to shop and spent my last remaining rials
11:30LT: departure. Start engine. I said goodbye to my yachting friends.
There is not much wind, Bf.1-2 SW, that would be my course.
I bought chilies and to preserve them I put them in vinegar.
Afternoon: inspected the ropes cleaned the deck.
Snack: local sweets.
I sail near shore and the direction of the currents are variable and not helping.
Supper: local sweets.
In the evening dolphins were following the boat. They have just jumped around, but not too close. During the night the wind slackens then stops altogether. I use the motor otherwise the current would push me back.
03-17-2009 (day 906)
Ms Quemere tried to cross the Pacific Ocean with a 5,5m long kite-surf type boat. (7000 km). She gave it up when she got to the area they call the doldrums or no wind. http://www.anne-quemere.com
1010mbar, 28-36deg., Bf.0 (Morning is calm)
Breakfast: vitamin C, scrambled eggs and bread.
I read the morning paper: Oman Daily Observer: www.omanobserver.com
Oman Tribune: www.omantribune.com
Battery=13,02V
Haji, an aquaitance of mine from Zanzibar told me many stories about the lives of the African refugees like traveling without a passport and sometimes traveling in danger. Sometimes they have wound up in jails, where they have been beaten. He married a 9-year-old girl in Somalia. This is quite common there. The culture, the customs and the people are different (the women develop early).
1330UTC 14,292MHz POS (16-04N; 053-13E); my speed is 1 knots. Course 260.
Wind prediction for the next few days: 6-8-12 knots from SE/E/NE.
Radio connections: HA5CAR(5,5); HA5HS(5,8); YO2AAG(4,5); HA5APK(5,5); YO5ALI(5,5), Miklos, Nagyvárad; YO5PCY(5,5), Greti, Nagyvárad;
Supper: noodles and dried fish.
The night was calm with a few hours of motoring
03-18-2009 (day 907.)
Mohsin al Busaidy (Oman Sail team). The first ’around the world’ attempt as a group. The goal to do it faster then 80 days. The boat: Musandam trimaran, in this boat and in 2005 Ellen MacArthur sailed around the World in 71 days 14 hours and 33 seconds.
1012 mbar, 32-40 deg. Bf.1-2 SE, 1-2 knots, course 230.
Breakfast: yesterday’s leftover from supper.
I got out of the counter-current, which sometimes reached 1.5 knots. From now on I do not have to turn on the engine just has to wait for the wind. A big ship passed me by.
Basically I sail close to shore (10-15 NM). I want to be well away from the dangerous Somalian shores. Pirates are plentiful there!
Today I finished reading Jude Deveraux’s book: Carolina Isle (an American light read). Somebody gave it to me and I running out of books to read).
Lunch: local sweets.
Afternoon: A big tanker passed by me and also lots of fishing boats around me.
1330UTC 14,292 Mhz POS (15-33N; 52-38E); 46NM/24hours; 2 knots, course 240 wind 3/4.
Coming winds: 6-8-9 E/NE
Radio QSOs: HA5HS(5,5), HA6JZ; Yo2AAG(5,5)
Map: INT71, Between Oman and Mukalla I do not have detailed maps.
03-19-2009 (day 908)
For teeth cleaning the Arabs and the Hindis use a special wood ((Sewak) Arak (Al-Madinah), I also have it. They do not use toothbrush – they say the wood is better.
1011 mbar, 32-40 deg. Bf.0-1 (in the morning); I run the engine for a couple of hours.
Breakfast: yesterday’s leftover from supper, chocolate, vitamin C.
Fishing boats around me. One of them comes close and we talked a little. This is not yet the pirate zone, however I am weary of the fishermen, but I do not show it.
Today’s book: Nora Roberts, Grooms
1330UTC 14,292 MHz POS (15-12N; 51-59E); 48 NM in 24 hours. The winds that are coming up in the next few days: 7-10knots and E/NE.
QSOs: HA5CAR; HA5HS (5,7); YO2AAG (5,8); YU7CK (5,8), Géza;
I do a test transmission on 21,373 MHz, but I only hear HA3MQ, Feri.
Supper: I made a few pancakes with jelly, then chocolate.
At night 3 ships passed close by.
03-20-2009 (day 909.)
1014 mbar, 28-38 deg. C, Bf1 NE, 1-2 knots to 250;
Breakfast: sweets. Later I swam next to Carina.
Motor on. Bf 0, NE. The current is weak. I changed the sparkplug earlier.
Lunch: soup.
Finally a weak wind has arrived (1 Bf.) from SE.
Afternoon: big ships in the distance. I constantly see the shore. Then 3 yachts appeared behind me. Looked like a convoy. Here the yachts are sailing together because the pirate danger. I’m much slower than they are so I cannot join any convoy. We say hello to each other. We already met on Oman. They give me cold beer, sodas and crackers. We do some pictures and say a few words.
1330 UTC 14,292MHz (radio freq.), POS (15-03N; 051-33E), 26 NM/24hr.
Wind prediction: tomorrow will be calm and after that 8 knots SE.
Supper: dried fish, tomato, cucumber, and onion.
Contacts on radio: HA5CAR, HA5HS(5,7), YO2AAG(5,8), YO5ALI(5,9)
Bobby told us on the radio that yesterday Somalin pirates captured 3 Romanian sailors.
03-21-2009 (day 910)
1010mbar, 30-36 deg. C, Bf0 – the engine is on. A very weak, 0,5 knots, current pushes me to a westerly direction.
Breakfast: yesterday’s leftover from supper and vitamin C.
Morning: charging rechargeable batteries (see circuit on the photo).
Reading then sail mending.
Lunch: Hathawariya (Sri Lanka style homeopathic preparation)
Afternoon:
Bf.1-2 D. The current is still westerly. Fishermen are around me against we chat for a short time. Then a small shark keeps me company, but I can’t catch it. This shark just doesn’t react to any bait I try.
I turn on the radio and tune in BBC on 15.575 Mhz.
1330 UTC 14,292MHZ POS (14-48N; 50-32E), this frequency was full so we tried 14293 and 14,235. I sailed more then 60 NM in 24 hours. On the radio I talked to:
HA5CAR, HA5HS;
2-2,5 knots to 250; Possible wind: 4-6-11-12-17 knots E-NE.
Supper: flapjack. During the night there was hardly any wind and after 24 LT total calm.
03-22-2009 (day 911)
Sunrise:0630 LT
1010 mbar, 30-36 deg. C., Bf is 0 in the morning, Cloudy sky.
Breakfast: freshly made flapjack (this is the best).
In the morning the wind is calm (Bf. 0-1). 2-2.5 knots to 250.
Today it is Sunday and I sleep and listen to music (17,816; 15470) I’m taking it easy.
Lunch: soup, noodles, sausage and tomato. In the afternoon I start reading. There are big ships and fishing vessels nearby. The current is westerly and I knot.
1330 UTC, POS (14-23N; 49-33E); Destination is 66 nautical miles away. I sailed more than 60 nautical miles in the last 24 hours. Wind speed: 2-3 knots to 250. The next few days the expected wind speed: 9-12-16-18 knots, NE/E.
Contacts on radio: HA5CAR; HA5HS(5,7); YO2AGG(5,7), YO5ALI, YO5PVY
Battery voltage:12.5V
Supper: leftover from lunch. I read and in every hour I check the boat.
The wind gets stronger during the night (NE).
Start the day with Love
Fill the day with Love
End the day with Love
This is the way to God
Sai Baba
03-23-2009 (day 912)
1010 mbar, 28-34 deg. C. Bf.3-4 NE; 3-3,5knots (sometimes 4-4.5 knots) to 250.
Breakfast: Vitamin C, magnesium fizz-tablet and bread from Oman.
Morning: steering. Then fishermen come and ask me questions so we chat a while. They are sailing next to me with 4 knots and I steer and keep the speed and distance constant. The distance between the two ships is 5-8 meters, which is very close. We try to chat in Arabic and English, but we can’t understand each other all the time, but it is a good feeling. The Ocean is in front of us and we feel free and smile. They photograph me and I’m afraid that they will send the pictures to the pirates – but they did not.
Lunch: soup, Blinjo Tawar in oil. Afternoon: Bf. 4
I keep my distance from shore and try to go as fast as I can: 4-5 knots
Supper: sausage, tomato, cucumber, onion.
1330 UTC, POS (13-49N; 48-33E); I am from 213 nautical miles from my destination; 68 NM/24hr, 4 knots to 250. Probable wind: 13-16-17knots SE/NE.
Radio connection: HA5CAR, HA5HS(5,7), YO2AAG, YU7CQ(5,7), HA7MO, Laci, Karcag; YO5ALI; YO6GUO, Zoli,
At night: (13-45N; 48-09E); (13-39N; 47-58E); (13-36N; 47-48E)
I’m going with full sail and steering constantly and the pirates are sailing next to me. This is the pirate zone and I want to pass it as soon as possible. I am racing on in total darkness. Fearing a pirate attack in this section nobody uses any light. At dawn the moon comes up and almost nothing shows.
03-24-2009 (day 913)
I started my journey 2,5 years ago and today is Carina’s name day!
1010 mbar, 30-32 deg. C, Bf.4 SE, 3 knots. I take off the main sail and mend it and the boat is on autopilot. Last night I only slept twice for 15 minutes.
Breakfast: yesterday’s supper.
I see the shore and follow it. Later a large container ship passed me by.
Lunch: egg soup.
My book for today: Sai Baba, the Holy man and the Psychiatrist, Samuel H. Sandweisse
In the afternoon I reorganized my fishing rod and reel and put on new lure.
1330 UTC 14,292 Mhz. POS(13-25N; 47-12E), I am 131NM from my destinatio. I sailed 84NM/24 hours.
Wind strength for the next few days: 13-14-16 knots E/ENE.
Radio contacts: HA5CAR(5,9); HA5HS(5,8); YO2AAG; YO5ALI, YO6GUO,
1430 UTC 14,292Mhz . This is a test to see if the propagation is better.
Radio contacts: HA5CAR(5,6), YO2AAG; HA5AL, Barna, Szada; YO2BF, Oszkár, Temesvár (5,7);
Supper: roasted paprika, tomato, noodles and dry fish.
The westerly current here is stronger, 1.5 2 knots!
I take off the main sail for the night. There is plenty of wind.
At 00 LT the Yemen coast guard woke me using their horn, then on VHF they asked me very courteously if everything is all right. My answer: yes.
Wind: 3-4 knots to 240. The autopilot quit working at 04:30 LT. I do not know what the problem might be; maybe the problem is in the control panel. I disconnected it from the battery and I will check it out in the morning, until then I steer manually.
03-25-2009 (day 914)
1012 mbar, Bf.4K, wind: 3-4 knots to 250. Temp: 28-35 deg C; big waves.
Breakfast is yesterday’s leftover from dinner and vitamin C.
06 LT: POS(13-08N; 46-27E); 18 LT: POS(13-05N; 46-3E)
My maps about Aden: 3660 and an overview type.
In the morning I cleaned the push buttons of the autopilot’s panel. Some of the buttons were sticking. That was the problem.
I checked the vegetables and fruits, and then I caught a mahimahi (5 kg).
Lunch: freshly made flapjack and raw mahi-mahi marinated in coconut juice. (I missed the lemon juice).
1330 UTC 14,292Mhz POS(13-02N; 45-58E); 77NM/24hr;
Expected winds: 13-15-16 knots E; radio contacts: HA5CAR(5,5); HA5HS(5,7) with QSB; HA8VA(5,8), Lajos, Tompa; YO2AAG; YO6GUO;
Supper: roasted fish and flapjack. In the evening I listen to the radio: 12,150Mhz,
The wind is great the whole evening. I have only the jib up. No need for anything else.
16 UTC POS (12-58N; 45-52E); 23 UTC POS (12-24N; 45-39E)
03-26-2009 (day 915)
1010 mbar, at dawn the temp. is 26 deg. C. and later in the day: 36 deg.; Bf.4K
06 LT POS(12-47; 45-27E)
Breakfast: vitamin C, roasted fish with toast.
Later: I washed the boat and tidied up and I always do that before arrival. Today, I found a small ink-fish again on the deck. This happens often. These fish are floating on top of the waves.
I see a few big ships in the distance.
Lunch: roasted fish.
Wind strength the whole day: Bf.4-5 >>. I’m doing 4-5 knots. The wind is pushing me.
14:00 LT Motor on. Before arriving I talked on VHF channel 16 with the port authority in. This is the rule at just about everywhere.
14:30 LT. Anchors away. POS (12-47,52N; 44-50,04E)
At the anchorage I have seen a few boats that I have already met before. A short chat with the crew. Then I went to shore (thanks Phil for the help) to check in with Immigration and Customs. Today it is a holyday so the Harbor Master was not in. I have to check in with him also and as usual I have questions for him.
Supper and Internet in the city. I was on the Internet till the morning.
There are two light drugs that they use here. The first is called KAT which is a plant leaf and the people chew this for hours. The drug slows them down and they just smile. I found the taste tolerable. The other is called SEMA, which is a type of tobacco. The taste is almost intolerable and for 10-15 minutes the brain slows down
Arab English dictionary:
Good morning! - Sabah al khayr
Answer:– Sabah an nur
See you– Ma salaama
Hello – Salaam al haykum
Answer: – Al haykura salaama
No problem– Mish mushkallah
Thank you – Shukran
Thank you very much – Shukran jazeelan
What is your name? – Maa ismak
My name is… - Ismee Aron
Yes – Aywa
No–La
I beg your pardon– Aasif
Stop – Yuaf
Wher is it? – Ain al…
Bank –El-Bank
Store– Bazaar
Benzin (petrol) – Banzeen
Water– Maa, Mayya
Left– Yasaar
Right – Yameen
Straight – Alatool
Tomorrow – Bukra, ghadan
How much? – Bekam?
Food – Taham/ochel
Bread – Kubz
Chicken – dajaj
Coffee – gahwa
Egg – bayd
Fish – samak
Oil – zayt
onion– basal
rice – roz
Tea – Shaay
0 – sifir
1 - wahid
2 – ithneen
3 - thalatha
4 – arbaa
5 – khamsa
6 – sitta
7 – saba
8 – thimania
9 – risa
10 – ashra
11 – ishreen
50 – khamseen
100 – imia
1000 – alf
God bless you! – Insallah!
Passport – waraka
EU – Irop
May I use my camera? – Mumkin sura?
Match – kibreet
Potato– Batatas
For the foreigners. It is good to know:
Yemen: The foreign office recommends to the Hungarian citizens traveling in the vicinity to be very thorough in preparation when getting ready to travel in Muslim areas. They should be very careful and should keep away from areas of demonstrations. They should behave and dress appropriately and be respectful for the local habits and traditions. We call attention to the fact that there is no Hungarian consulate in the country. The accredited Hungarian Embassy is in Rijad (Saudi Arabia), therefore, to provide help in case of difficulties, is extremely difficult and it could take a long time. Therefore we recommend getting in touch with one of the local agencies of the European Union.
Yemen, Aden
Capital: Szana
: 527 970 km2
Population: 21,456,188
Language
Arabic
Second language: English
Religion: Islam, and in very small numbers Jewish, Christian and Hindu.
Money: Yemen rial (YER).
Time shift: +2 hours.
Tourism: This is a developing
country.
So why is it a worthwhile tour to go? First the untouched and very rich old
culture, the varied scenery and mountains, the rich and productive field and
the deserts. The beautiful seashores, the individualistic architecture.
How to get there: From Budapest there are regular flights to other European countries (Germany), and Asia (Turkey) and then changing flights to Jordan or Egypt.
When to travel: best from
September to April.
Weather: the seashore is hot and dry, the inland areas are also dry.
Visa is necessary and to get a visa one has to have a valid airplane ticket
that is also have a return ticket. The visa is good for a maximum of 3-month
time. The traveler should behave and
dress appropriately and be respectful for the local habits and traditions
especially when one visits religious places. Because of religion the ladies
should cover practically their whole body (arms and legs).
Local travel: short distance: taxi or ‘dabab’ (small bus). Larger distances: directional taxi or inland airplanes. There is no railway service. Local food and drinks: shurba, (like soup made from mutton), salta (rice and chicken or mutton), mint tea, “kardamommal’ (flavored coffee). It is worthwhile to buy silver jewelry made by local craftsmen, carpets, woven goods. Dress: airy dress, hat and sunscreen and comfortable shoes. Insurance and inoculation for hepatitis, hepatitis B, typhoid fever, tetanus, rabies. meningococcus meningitis.
Yemen’s history goes back to more than 3000 years. From 1000 there were kingdoms here and they became rich from trade. In the 1st century BC the Romans occupied the territory and later Christianity spread around here. In 630 AD the Islam religion became dominant. In 901 AD the Caliphs established the Yemen State. From 1517 to 1636 the country is under Turkish rule (Ottoman empire). In 1839 Great Britain occupies the country. 1948-1970 civil war. Southern Yemen became a communist state and North Yemen became a republic and the tribal leaders governed this part. In 1990 the two halves were united.
Yemen’s capital is 2150 meters above sea level with 2 millions inhabitants. Sana is one of the oldest cities in the world. The old Yemen was called “Arabia Felix”, which means “Happy Arabia”. This country was a thriving civilization in those times in the 10th century BC (970-935 BC) Queen Belqes (queen of Saba) was the first woman ruler. During the time of Islamic religion there were other women rulers, like Queen Arwa (Arwa bint Ahmed Al-Suleihi). She followed her husband on the throne between 1099-1138. She remained there for 40 years.
Yemen is famous for her coffee crop. They were the first to export coffee. They started to import coffee from 575 BC from Mokka (Red Sea harbor) to everywhere in the World. They use the coffee in different ways: they make a drink from the coffee bean’s shell and the locals drink it often during the day – sometimes as a substitute to water. It is not bad for the heart or stomach because the caffeine content is minimal. Yemen has many traditions one of them is the Dsambia, which is part of a man’s dress. To wear this dress for attack is forbidden and severe punishment is the result. The same goes for carrying weapons, although in some parts of the country carrying a weapon is a tradition there is hardly any bad shootings. These traditions cannot be connected to those terror acts that started in the last 20 years of the 20th century. Yemen is against it and is part of the international effort that is against terrorism. Terrorism is not connected to religion or country. These incidents cannot be solved with the law alone, although it is important. Most important is to recognize the causes and motives. To know those might lead to solutions. These problems require fair mindedness to solve them. First and foremost the Isreal-Palestin issue needs solving.
Yemen and the neighboring countries work on the idea that the countries in the area and the Horn of Africa come up with a stabilization security plan. The level of a society’s progress should not be decided by what kind of dress the society’s women wear, but it should be judged by their worth in that society. The government is elected in free elections (president, parliament).
Links: http://jemen.lap.hu/
Somalia (I do not plan to stop).
For foreigners! It is good to know:
For Hungarian citizens: There is no Hungarian or any other EU agency present therefore the tourist cannot hope for any assistance. In Somali waters and in their vicinity pirate attacks are numerous and constant. The pirates use modern motorboats and their range can be as far as 200 nautical miles, so they can even attack shipping in that distance. This is why the Foreign Office does not want people to travel on those routs (Somalia shores, the Bay of Aden and the Eastern shores of Somalia).
Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150) is a multinational coalition naval task force with logistics facilities at Djibouti established to monitor, inspect, board, and stop suspect shipping to pursue the War on Terrorism and in the Horn of Africa region (HOA) (includes operations in the North Arabia Sea to support Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and operations in the Indian Ocean) to support Operation Enduring Freedom - Horn of Africa (OEF-HOA). These activities are referred to as Maritime Security Operations (MSO). Countries presently contributing to CTF-150 include Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Other nations who have participated include Australia, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey. The command of the task force rotates among the different participating navies, with commands usually lasting between four to six months. The task force usually comprises 14 or 15 vessels.. CTF-150 is coordinated with, and incorporates vessels of, the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, under the Combined Forces Maritime Component Commander/Commander US Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain.
Piracy off the Somali coast has been a threat to international shipping since the beginning of Somalia's civil war in the early 1990s. Since 2005, many international organizations, including the International Maritime Organization and the World Food Programme, have expressed concern over the rise in acts of piracy. Piracy has contributed to a rise in shipping costs and impeded the delivery of food aid shipments. Ninety percent of the World Food Programme's shipments arrive by sea, and ships have required a military escort. According to the Kenyan foreign minister, Somali pirates have received over $150 million (US dollars) in ransom money during the 12 months prior to November 2008. Clashes have been reported between Somalia's Islamist fighters, who are opposed to the Transitional Federal Government, and the pirates. In August 2008, Combined Task Force 150, a multinational coalition task force, took on the role of fighting Somali piracy by establishing a Maritime Security Patrol Area (MSPA) within the Gulf of Aden. The increasing threat posed by piracy also caused significant concerns in India since most of its shipping trade routes pass through the Gulf of Aden. The Indian Navy responded to these concerns by deploying a warship in the region on October 23, 2008. In September 2008, Russia announced that it too would soon join international efforts to combat piracy. On October 7, 2008, the United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 1838 calling on nations with vessels in the area to apply military force to repress the acts of piracy. At the 101st council of the International Maritime Organization, India called for a United Nations peacekeeping force under unified command to tackle piracy off Somalia. (There has been a general and complete arms embargo against Somalia since 1992.) In November 2008, Somali pirates began hijacking ships well outside the Gulf of Aden, perhaps targeting ships headed for the port of Mombassa, Kenya.
Red Sea:
Special Area International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (1973)
At the moment in this area there is no war and terrorist activity. In Sudan though, a few month’s ago there were reports of kidnappings. Danger from pirates among sailing boats in Somalia and Yemen is 1 to 2 % per year. This means that 5-6 yachts get attacked. If there is an attack, there is no help from anywhere. The danger lurks near the shores of Somalia and in a distance of 100 NM and near Yemen between 49E and 46-50E. Near the Oman shores there are no problems. They have a well-equipped shore patrol. In Somalia there is no government and no law and in Yemen they started their shore patrol a few years ago with only a few ships.
If one gets to the danger zone it is recommended to sail through at night or let out a long fishing line that may foul up the pirate boat’s motor. Sharks are harmless in this sea. Which fish are dangerous?: Stonefish, sting fish, lionfish; Scorpio fish; rabbit fish; turkey fish, these are poisonous fish if a person touches them.
Malaria: western shores of Yemen, Eritrea, Sudan and in Egypt but here it is not too dangerous. There is a possibility for yellow fever.
Recommended link for Travel Health Advice: http://www.masta-travel-health.com/
Sailing in the Red Sea:
Sept. – May. This is the sailing season here. From south of Foul Bay the temperature is extremely high and there are calm seas and sand storms, but this the time when the vista in underwater is the best.
It is the best to be ready in late March in Aden and to start sailing towards the Red Sea.
Nov. and Dec. Cyclonic storms in the N Indian Ocean;
From March on the back currents start around Suqutra’s vicinity.
In January and February: Stronger North wind along Port Sudan and Suez.
April-May: Wind from north is weaker on the Red Sea all the way to Suez.
June- Sept.: Strong wind from the North in the Bay of Suez.
The Red Sea is the saltiest sea in the world. (38ppt). The Ocean as a rule is only 35ppt. In the South and it is 36ppt and in the North in the Suez 40ppt.
Reason: No water flows into it and there is hardly any rain.
This is the world’s warmest sea: at Aden in May the water temperature is 28 deg., at Bab el Mandeb it is 30 deg. And at Hanish Island it is 31 deg. August is the hottest month around here.
Seasons:
Nov.- March. NE monsoon
Apr.- Mqy.: Transition
Jun.- Aug. Summer monsoon
Sept.- Oct.: Transition
Winds: Winter Bay of Suez and the N Red Sea. Kahamsi S/SW direction, Belat: in the Bay of Aden it is N/NW direction and Bf 7 max.
Summer: Haboob, southern shore of Sudan SE/W Bf 8 and sand storm. Kharif: Bay of Aden: S/SW Bf 7 with sand storm
Currents. Winter: northerly (to 26 N). In the bay of Suez it is southerly. In may the current is weak and variable. The ebb-tide current is the dominant factor.
Summer: N->S weak current, less than 0,6 knots. The currents among the rocks and the channels can be stronger. 2-3 knots. Here the direction and speed can quickly change. The Red Sea shores are accompanied with mountains: Saudi-Arabia the mountains are 2600m high; Massawa 3000m high; Sinai 2500m,
The width of the sea is 90-190 nautical miles (Babel Mandeb 17 NM.). The depth of the sea: 50m-300m-2000m (3030m Ras Baniyas).
Visibility is usually good. Fog is rare; Next to shore it is not too good because of the sand.
Sailing strategy:
If the boat cannot sail with 55 degree to the real wind direction with at least 4 knots and in a Bf 4-5 head wind on a sea with short waves Then
1 ’cost-hop’, sailing near shore. If one encounters strong head winds then with night stops (anchors out)
2 motoring: reliable strong engine with big fuel tank.
Before one start to sail it is recommended to seriously check the boat. Everything! To anchor use the ‘tandem method, that is one Danfort in front and a fisherman anchor aft.