TO Sailing across the Indian Ocean, Greg and Kate Harper, Australia Travel from Safaga (Port in Egypt's Red Sea coast, approx. Perevi.) At the port of Goa took us 2 weeks. Long enough, though on the other hand, there were two of the most interesting weeks in our lives. One hour prior to departure from Safaga all passengers informed about the threat that carries with it the passage of vessels through the Gulf of Aden. Anyone wishing to give up traveling by sea, while it was possible to board the ship in Goa and finish the voyage to Phuket (city on the same island in southern Thailand, prim.perev.). And although none of the navigation is not refused, they were all a little intrigued and thrilled. Even during the stay in Luxor, the team found the ship on the sides of the protective cage of barbed wire under tension in 2000 volts. The first two days of our trip were put in place some additional security measures, such as limited visiting the ship, closing wooden shields aft deck, a ban on weapons and setting the security level as "average." We accompanied the launch of Delta Mike "- 22-foot former patrol boat from Sweden with the team, which consisted of 5 members (all former Marines Royal Navy Her Majesty's). Also on board were three machine guns and rocket launcher. This beast joined us two days after we got out of Safaga, and ceased to accompany us for two days before our arrival in Goa. The security chief Nigel told us about the situation with the pirates, the first and second level of emergency situations, and how "valuable" is with him to take it, if you happen to "bad day". Passing through the security zone, which is under the control of coalition forces, we will need a minute to react to the emergence of a motor vessel, running parallel to the course and also to withstand serious attack within 20 minutes, until the coalition forces will come to us for help. All this information was very taken seriously both passengers and crew. Barbed wire. Precautions. The first day we walked along the Red Sea in direct fore-sail and staysail (one of the front sail, approx. Perevi.). Past us on both sides were cargo ships. In the end, somewhere in the middle of the Red Sea, we calmed down. The team took it as a sign of approaching trouble. On the approaches to Bab el-Mandebskomu Strait we were in 9-ball storm (on the Beaufort scale), with the force of the wind over 45 knots (80 km / h, approx. Perevi.). The storm was not like those to which we were in the tropics. The wind was dry, hot and very strong. The wind howled through the rigging, and the propeller then it scrolls between low steep waves. Fortunately, we were on the land-locked body of water, and soon the waves decreased to 4 meters. Thank God, it was expected to more waves are big. Gradually slowing down, in two days we made our way through the storm, at times our speed did not exceed half the site. However, there were some good news - in such circumstances, the pirates would hardly have dared to attack us. We just waited the storm, while a team of Delta Mike "had not the most fun times: the flat bottom of their boats, spartan living conditions, blown by the wind light protection canopy, occurring hatches and unending storm - all this has become for them a real challenge, even without pirates. At the end of the day, we passed the Bab el-Mandeb without major incidents, although behind schedule for three days. Deadline for material:
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