|
Date |
Position |
Avg. Speed |
Distance |
Avg.
Course |
Wind |
Weather |
Comments |
| Port Said, Egypt
to Antalya, Turkey (350 nautical miles) |
| 13/07/03 |
365�50'N
30�36.4'E |
4.5
kts. |
97nm |
343� |
WSW-N
1-6 kts. |
Clear |
Continued
motoring in light winds as it swung around from WSW to N and finally
S. As on our earlier approach we could see the Turkish coast from 30
miles away, and by 0900 we were snuggly tied up at Setur Antalya Marina. |
| 12/07/03 |
35�24.6'N
31�10.1'E |
5.5
kts. |
118nm |
343� |
WSW
8-12 kts. |
Clear |
Still
motor-sailing in light northerly winds. Finally winds have backed
enough to sail, but are too light to make more and 2.5 kts - so still
motoring. 88 nautical miles to go - hope to be in Antalya early
Sunday morning. |
| 11/07/03 |
33�31.6'N
31�52.0'E |
4.8
kts |
116nm |
343� |
NW
8-12 kts. |
Clear |
Motor-sailing
in order to keep on rhumb line since wind is right on the nose. Seas
a bit lumpy, but good first night with good sleep. |
| 10/07/03 |
31�38.5'N
32�21.5'E |
4.4
kts. |
24nm
(noon position) |
345� |
NNW
8-12 kts. |
Clear |
Left
Port Said breakwater at 0745. Seas very lumpy. Finally in the
Mediterranean! |
| Hurghada
to Port Said, Egypt (280 nautical miles) |
| 9/07/03 |
31�15.4'N
32�18.9'E |
6
kts. |
40mn |
358� |
NW
15-20 kts. |
Clear |
Spend
2 days in Ismailia. Pilot (also named Mohammed) arrived at 0545 to
make the 2nd half of the Canal transit. Tied up at the decrepit and
rolly YC in Port Said at 1330 hrs. Will spend the night and take off
for Turkey in the morning |
| 6/07/03 |
30�35.1'N
32�16.3'E |
5.5
kts |
40
nm |
340� |
NW
10-18 kts. |
Clear |
Left
Suez YC and entered Suez Canal at 11am with our pilot, Mohammed.
Ship ahead of us had mechanical problems, and ran aground. This
caused a 1 hour delay to all vessels in the canal as tugs moved the ship
to an anchorage. Reached Ismailia YC halfway through the canal at
2030 hrs.
|
| 3/07/03 |
29�
56.8'N
33� 34.4'E |
4.5 |
72 |
334� |
10-16 |
Clear |
Shortly
after midnight the wind picked up and a short, choppy sea developed,
slowing us to to 2.5 - 4.0 knots; tried tacking to take seas on quarter
but this improved our VMG very little. By afternoon wind eased and
we approached Suez as the sun set, pulling into Suez yacht Club at 2130. |
| 2/07/03 |
27�
46.9'N
33� 40.5'E |
5.0 |
100 |
313� |
6-8 |
Clear |
Left
Abu Tig 0700 and motored all day on relatively smooth seas except for 4
hours on the approach to El Tor. Passed many oil wells with gas burning
flares. |
| Sudan
to Hurghada, Egypt (646 nautical miles) |
| 13/05/03 |
27�24.44N
33�40.5E |
4.5
kts |
22
nm |
340� |
5-15
nm |
Clear |
Left
the awful anchorage in Hurghada as soon as light permitted and motored to
Abu Tig Marina. Finally a place to plug in and wash the boat!
We plan to stay for about 2 weeks and tour Egypt. |
| 12/05/03 |
27�13.7N
33�50.7E |
4.5
kts |
20
nm |
333� |
NNW
10-20 |
Clear |
Rounded
Ras Abu Soma with lots of wind which dropped down once we cleared the
point. Motor-sailed into 12-15 kts of wind to Hurghada. |
| 11/05/03 |
26�9.82N
33�57.16E |
|
|
|
NW
15-22kts |
Clear |
Rest
day in Ras Abu Soma to prepare ourselves for the final 20 mile
"assault" to Hurghada harbor and Abu Tig Marina! |
| 10/05/03 |
26�32.2N
34�08.3 |
5.8-6.0
kts. |
125
nm |
330� |
NW
8-22 kts |
Clear |
Winds
light until about 0230 hours when they picked up quickly to 16-22 kts.
We were about 30 miles from shelter, so were forced to motor into wind and
seas. Winds dropped for a few hours just after sunrise, but then
picked up again. We diverted course to enter the reefy S entrance of
Safaga harbor about 20 miles away in order to gain shelter from the seas
behind the reefs. 7 hours later we were safely anchored in Ras
Abu Soma about 2.5 miles north of Safaga. |
| 9/05/03 |
24�49.2N
35�12.1E |
5.5
kts. |
|
330� |
NW
5-8 kts. |
Clear |
Left
Sharm Luli at 0830 for an overnight trip to Ras Abu Soma north of Sagafa. |
| 8/05/03 |
24�36.52N
35�06.91N |
5
kts. |
|
303� |
NNW
10 kts. |
Clear |
Anchor
down in Sharm Luli around 1030 hours. Stopped here to get
fuel, but facilities are very "basic", as in almost none
existant. |
| 7/05/03 |
23�11.6N
36�21.8E |
5
kts |
136nm |
336� |
NNW
6-8 kts. |
Clear |
Motor-sailing
in light winds. The constant drone of the engine lulls us to sleep.
We pray to the engine "god" to keep it running. |
| 6/05/03 |
21�23.5N
37�06.6E |
5
kts, |
|
330� |
N
5 |
Clear |
Left
Khor Shin-ab around 11am to head north up the coast to Egypt for 2
overnighters. |
| 5/05/03 |
21�20.97N
37�00.62'E |
|
|
|
|
|
Lay-day
in Khor Shin-ab as we decide to enjoy this incredible place.
Went ashore in late
afternoon and climbed a hill to get a view of the desert scenery and
colors (Gold, pinks, reds) - spectacular! |
| 4/05/03 |
21�20.97N
37�00.62'E |
5.5
kts. |
90nm |
360� |
N-NW
3-10 |
Cloudy/
Hazy |
Motored
through the night with light rain and lightning on shore. Entered Khor
(Inlet/creek) Shin-ab around 0930 and motored about 3 miles in to a
beautiful desert anchorage. |
| 3/05/03 |
20�08.4'N
37�17.7E |
4.8
kts. |
|
008� |
N
6-8 |
Hazy |
Left
Marsa Fijab around 0900 to do an overnight passage to Khor Shinab.
Light northerly winds |
| 2/05/03 |
20�
01.99'N 37� 11.56'E |
5
kts |
25nm |
333� |
N
8-12 |
Clear |
Left
with our sailing partner, Herodotus, to motor north to Marsa
Fijab. Anchored behind beautiful, wide reef for a peaceful
night. Many ospreys and flamingos in area. |
| 1/05/03 |
19�36.50'N 37� 13.35'E |
5.8 |
10nm |
354� |
NNE
6-10 |
Clear |
Left
Suakin to sail 30 miles to Port Sudan. Anchor down in this
busy, but dirty port, 3pm |
| Eritrea
to Sudan (661 nautical miles) |
| 23/04/03 |
19�
06.48'N 37�
20.24' E |
4.5
kts. |
18nm |
354� |
N
10-12 |
Clear |
The
winds were from the north, but light so we decided to go for it, a short
motor-trip directly into 10-12 knots in small seas along the coast.
We entered Suakin Harbor shortly after noon with good visibility. |
| 22/04/03 |
18�
52.81'N 37�
24.83' E |
0 |
0 |
0 |
ESE/ENE
6-15 |
Clear |
Lay
day as we waited for winds to ease as leaving would involve motoring into
headwinds or tacking through numerous reefs. |
| 21/04/03 |
18�
52.81'N 37�
24.83' E |
4.5
kts. |
16nm |
290� |
NNW
14-18 |
Clear |
Pulled
up anchor when we thought we had good visibility and set out for Shubuk
channel. This is a 15 mile slalom course through small islands and
reefs, in our case dead into the wind. We had a few moments as we
missed one marker (or it was missing) but in the end pulled into our first
Marsa, Sheik Ibrahim. Ashore were fishermen |
| 20/04/03 |
18.�46.5N
37�39.44E
|
4.5
kts. |
90nm |
302� |
ESE/ENE
6-15 |
Clear |
Had
to reduce sail to slow down our progress so that we would not arrive
before dawn. Anchored next to Herodotus and chatted via VHF.
We offer to tow them out of the anchorage if they decide to move. Their
options are to sail to Saukin, Sudan; Port Sudan; Safaga Egypt or
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. They decide to sail to either Port Sudan or
Safaga, Egypt. They are able to sail out of the anchorage and
we raise anchor and move to Long Island, a place with a lovely lagoon and
flamingos. |
| 19/04/03 |
17�47.6N
38�47.2E
|
5.5
kts. |
136nm |
340� |
SE
10-20 |
Clear |
Motorsailing
in light S winds. Finally turned off engine at noon when winds
built. Heading for Shubuk Channel in Sudan. Our friends on sailing
vessel Herodotus had a major engine failure when their engine seized
up. They have anchored near a small island in the Channel. We
hope to rendezvous with them tomorrow morning. |
| 18/04/03 |
15�49.5N
39�28.1E
|
5.5
kts. |
|
345� |
ENE/SE
10-18 |
Clear |
Left
Massawa Harbor at 0920 intending to travel 25 nm to a small island/reef
anchorage. |
| 10/04/03 |
15�37.4N
39�43.9E
|
6.0
kts. |
133nm |
302� |
SE
15-21 |
Clear |
Good
day's run. Wind up and down. Had the autopilot steering for a
while, but about 9pm, the winds came back and we had to hand steer
again. About 1am, the winds ease and shifted dramatically. to the SW
and then NW. We finally arrived in Massawa harbor about 3pm, having
sailed 158 nm in 1 1/2 days. |
| 9/04/03 |
14�20.8N
41�33.4E
|
5.8
kts. |
35nm |
320� |
SE
15-26 |
Clear |
Finally
the wind eased enough for us to leave Mersa Duda anchorage and head toward
Massawa. Winds are up but we are making good progress. Because
the seas are so big, we must hand-steer as the auto pilot is not strong
enough. |
| 8/04/03 |
13�51.89N
41�54.34E
|
0 |
0 |
|
ESE
20-45 |
Clear |
Another
lay-day as winds howled outside. Reports from 100 miles to our north
indicated milder conditions, but we decided to avoid the big seas and
remain anchored for the day. |
| 7/04/03 |
13�51.89N
41�54.34E
|
0 |
0 |
|
ESE
25-40 |
Clear |
Winds
howled all night, and a sand-storm blew during the day. We decided
to remain anchored for the day, and collect sand on the decks. |
| 6/04/03 |
13�51.89N
41�54.34E
|
5.5
kts |
60nm |
320�
|
ESE
15-30 |
Clear |
We
set out from Ras Terma shortly after first light (0615) and motored north
in light winds to Mersa Duda. The winds started to build at
noon, and by the time we turned it was blowing 20-25, and 30 by the time
we anchored in 16'. Two locals swam out the the boat and asked to see our
passports (Ha!)- they departed with 2 Cokes and a couple of candy bars. |
| 5/04/03 |
13�11.64N
42�29.76E
|
5
kts |
15nm |
312�
|
ESE
15-25 |
Clear |
We
left Assab Harbor, Eritrea at 0800 hrs. to sail to Ras Terma anchorage
The port was almost deserted and we never talked to anyone even though we
tried several times on the VHF radio to reach the harbormaster. The
winds were light about 5-8 kts., but built to 15-25 by the time we entered
the "anchorage" at Ras Terma. We anchored next to a
tiny island which looked like a rubble of rocks in 25 kts. of wind
and 1 ft. bouncy seas. |
| 4/04/03 |
13�00.17N
42�44.62E
|
6
kts |
160nm |
300�
|
ESE
15-30 |
Clear |
Winds overnight started light and built to 25 by daybreak. We entered the
small strait at Bad El Mandeb at 0830 and 20-30 knot SE winds and a
helping current chased us 30 miles into Assab Harbor in Eritrea.
We anchored by the S Wharf in fairly sheltered waters. We are now in
the Red Sea!. |
