Mt Dilli

We came to anchor in about six metres of water right under the nose of Mt Dilli.

A Gemini from the boat pool carried my crew away and I was left all alone to myself. The anchorage promised to be pleasant as it did turn out and the stay has been comfortable. It was cool in the evening's dying sea breeze and by day I hope the Bimini to give me comfort.

I invited officers of a Coast Guard ship that had anchored nearby and they came over attracted as much by curiosity as by an uninspired evening. They seemed to have liked the few minutes they spent onboard for they merrily shot pictures and left packets of biscuits in return for my hospitality.

What does the day have in store? I don't care. Neither do I want to know. For all I care I don't mind spending the rest of my life here in the boat, at anchorage, under Mt Dilli.

Off to Ezhimala

It had been a hectic couple of days. As is the wont the Navy made available money for the voyage in such a manner that I had only two days to prepare. I did as best as I could which meant that I had to do the running around myself  because of a crew that had no experience in such matters. Things did fall in place by the end of the second day although there were minor glitches. The inmarsat terminal refused to work and along with it the   primary lapotop of the boat too knocked off. I think I will have then bith checked at cochin where I will be halting for a lli Ger duration.

We cast off by about half past four in the evening after a brief farewell over tea and snacks. We were seen off by Adm Hari Kumar, Commandant of the Naval College of Warfare and a host of families from Mandovi.

As we left harbour, we sailed into a dying sea breeze that had shifted north westwards and by the time I had the main sail up we were as close to Aguada as we could ever get. The dying breaze shifted to the right and we shaped a course seaward, so much so that  by midnight we were forty miles out and robbed of any wind.

We have either been motoring or motor sailing ever since and should make it to INA by evening today.

Meanwhile

In the meantime, two more sailors have reported to the boat.

Their names are Solanki and Balvant. While the former is and ND rating, the latter is an ordnance sailor.

I plan to take them out sailing as often as I can. Better they are trained at least in methods of rope handling and reefing.

Look!

Look! What have we done to our oceans. There is all sort of much in water these days. Here is the picture of flotsam that entangled in my rudder and prop blades. Luckily, I checked if the engine was clutching in OK just before I cast off the lines.

 

Imagine casting off and realising that the engines wont work, nor would the rudder.

 

The sea

"There is a witchery in the sea, its songs and stories, and in the mere sight
of a ship...which has done more to man navies and fill merchantmen
than all the pressgangs of Europe." -Richard Henry Dana

Capt Sharma Calls Me Jim

Capt Sharma Calls Me Jim. This despite my correcting him at each instance which is quite often.

It does not annoy me one bit though for Capt Sharma, now CLOGO SNC, is a person who has kept his promise.

He had made an appearance on board the boat during one of his visits to Mandovi on a tour of inspection. It impressed him much- the boat, her voyages and her stories of solo sailing- that he promised to do something.Within days of returning to Kochi, he parcelled a bag of meals developed by DFRL for me to test and use in the improbable circumnavigation.

May his numbers multiply even as they call me Jim or by any other name.

On the flip side a rat had taken up temporary residence in the boat unknown to me. By about two in the morning today it had started on it's nightly prowl and I had to act. In a Spartan boat as the Mhadei it was not an impossible task. But having located it, it was becoming quiet impossible to lead the rodent out. Half an hour later, and concerned by the possiblility of wrecking havoc on the electricals, I took the call to kill it.

Which is what I did.

I have been feeling pretty terrible all day long. One must never look into the eyes of something that has death written on it.

Just Another Drive

The PFR over, and most of my claims either resubmitted or in place, I headed out to Goa to base the Mhadei at Mandovi. Akshay, son of Cdr Kesari was with me for an experience sortie. It was a pleasant “drive” all the way back. I had expected to see, finally, some downwind sailing but there wasn’t any. The nil winds forced me to motor all the way back to Goa, not a very pleasant experience for a sailboat.

 

I am on leave for ten days and should be back with the boat by the 5th of Jan.

 

So long!