cruise2asia.myfreeforum.org

Hello Everyone.

There are a few additions to the mailing list this week following the meeting at Netsel. If you wish to be removed at any time, please let me know.

Reminder the url for the forums is: www.cruise2asia.myfreeforum.org/index.php

You are welcome to browse and read the forums and join in. if you want to reply or make a new post you will need to register first.

I will also post these and the last meetings notes on the forums for your information

Tony from Gustavas Vasa has may be available to crew if anyone wants to ask him, contact him at:-

anthonycharlesham at yahoo dot co dot uk
(please substitute appropriate symbols for the words not in bold - i have to do this to protect Tony from spam)

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Cruise2asia Meeting 3, 19 march, Sailors point, Netsel.

Thanks to:

John & Wendy sy Beyond

Janine sy Cristata

Daphne & Jack sy Resolute

this meeting was to focus on cruising in India.

India is bureaucratic. Checking in takes a day. But this is India!

once again, the advice is to get a ships stamp with boat name, registration number, nationality & captain's name or space for.

Have multiple copies of your Crew list's available.

Be prepared to wait so take a book.

Only skipper required to go ashore to do paperwork.

You need an Indian visa prior to arrival, you cannot get it on arrival. You could get a visa in advance up to year before you arrive in India. It's a multiple entry visa but only allows you to stay 6 months for each visit. It is therefore theoretically possible to stay 6 months, leave, return for another 6 months until the visa expires. So you may get up to 18 months....

You have to clear in and out of each harbour.

Be very clear & precise with officials about what you want and what is expected of you. Keep clarifying until you are satisfied that you both understand each other. Misunderstandings can cause anything from mild embarrassment to serious repercussions; you just don't know how severe penalties might be for relatively minor transgressions.

It is very useful to keep a VHF log to record conversations with authorities ashore or afloat. Record names, date and time and details of conversations.

Resolute went to Cochin. They were helped to anchor but weren't forced to check in till the next day.

They carried a List of ships stores and equipment.

The stores list simply stated: ' food for 3 months: Canned meats, canned vegetables. Rice pasta. Etc etc.......'

the officials may ask for soft drinks for all ships crew but then a bottle of spirits for themselves. If they see you have it, they will ask for it as presents.

Resolute had their on-board alcohol stores secured by customs, but they did manage to sneak bottles out of it by peeling back the tape!

Beyond recommended hiding your booze all over the boat.

Getting an agent is not necessary. Get a tuk-tuk with a driver who knows where each office is.

Beware fishing nets. Either go 30-50 miles offshore or daysail down the coast.

Nets and boats are both marked and unmarked, lit and unlit!

Some nets are weighted between the floats to allow boats to sail over, but you just don't know!

Keep a good look out all the time.

India is not an easy place to be as a cruiser, there is limited support for spares and work. Cochin is probably the best place. There are limited haul out facilities but there are good engineers for engines, steel fabrication etc. they are used to mending things rather than buying new!

There are many restrictions on where you can go.

Bengal coast is not cruiseable – due to both security issues and there are not many harbours.

Leaving boats in Cochin:

· the anchorage is generally safe – its a nice muddy bottom with good holding, in a river. Its a good way from the sea so is not prone to storms etc.

· high risk of theft. Some people pay a guard to stay on the boat. By the Bolgatty hotel the security guard will keep an eye on it.

Resolute left their boat at anchor in Cochin without anyone on board.

Get water from Bolgatty hotel, maybe have to pay for it if large quantities.

Resolute liked India – especially goa and cochin. as they are ex Portuguese cities with a good structure to them and some attractive architecture. northern india has much more poverty.

Panjim is difficult as a cruiser, nowhere to leave a dinghy ashore, no beach. Where you can go ashore you wade through human waste and other rubbish. There is a aussie yachtie guy called Howard (his green yacht is moored outside his house). he will allow you to leave yr dinghy at his ladder and go ashore through his house! He lets you have water too.

Carry plenty of things to give away, like biscuits to give the fishermen and other boats that come alongside. They get a bit annoyed if you don't give them anything, but they don't want much.

Cristata said they would be very wary of leaving a boat in india through monsoon season, or even staying on board at this time. They suggested that it would not be a difficult trip to Chagos or the Seychelles via the Maldives.

The Seychelles is a good place for boats although one person reported that a friend of his working on Charter boats reported having bureaucratic problems, but this may be down to legal regulations for charter boats.

Sri lanka

Galle harbour is ok after tsunami. The Military control the harbour. You are escorted over the submarine nets. At night they drop depth charges in the harbour to deter tamil suicide divers, which can be a bit alarming.

Galle is no good during the SW monsoon period.

There is huge surge at the floating pontoon. Tie up in commercial harbour if at all possible. You go alongside or raft up. If you are put onto the4 floating pontoon, ask to move.

Its safe to leave a boat in Galle both from a security point of view and, if you get a lot of fenders, ok for the boat too. Sri Lanka is cheap and easy to get around and well worth visiting.

Adams Bridge is the chain of sandbanks between between Sri Lanka and India. It isn't really a recognised route. One boat was reported to go through last year and got rail bridge opened. There are a lot of sandbanks, but a channel is being dredged for commercial traffic and it is anticipated that there will be a toll for using the route. Road bridge may have 23m clearance so doesn't need to be opened, but rail bridge does need to be opened.

There are Strong currents in area all around Sri Lanka.

gas supplies:

you will need 9-14 kg tanks. India (as everywhere) uses a different valves/regulators. You won't get camping gas.

Probably have to jury rig ways to fill yr gas tank from local ones.

Mix of butane and propane gas along the way.

One boat had experience of a gas bottle being filled with water – suggested turning bottle upside down and see what comes out!

Diesel – filter it!

Can use old cans that have had swimming pool chemicals in. get extra lids as they degrade. Use rubbish bag when fastening the lid. Fill diesel by jerry cans. The docksides are not good places for your boats!

In Some places if you want a ton or more of fuel they will bring a truck.

In aden you may be able to go to the bunkering dock. But you need to negotiate the price as it varies a lot even day to day.

You need to carry a 600-700 nm range of fuel. Get fuel where you can. Don't wait till 'the next place'

ALWAYS lift dinghy out of the water each night.

Some general advice for muslim countries:

Women: a good idea to have a set of cheap black robes to throw on when out and about in muslim countries. Keep your feet covered – no sandals or exposed feet, nor arms. Cover head, scarf better than sun hat. Some places are more strict than others. Dress as locals dress.