Routing advice sought across Indian Ocean

Created by doina. Last modified on 2007-12-13 11:44:29
Topic: Routing
Countries: India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Yemen

We are currently moored in Aden, Yemen. Having transited the Red Sea southwards through the summer, we originally intended to cross to Cochin, then Sri Lanka to Malaysia in September - October on the failing SW Monsoon. However, for a number of reasons we have been delayed in Aden and it is now too late to arrive in Cochin this side of Christmas. We have therefore to make decision with regards to carrying on eastwards across the Indian Ocean in January or beat a retreat to one of the Egyptian marinas and wait until later in the new year. Waiting would cause a long delay and may scupper our plans entirely.

Rod Heikell's Indian Ocean Cruising Pilot recommends the passage Aden to Cochin/Sri Lanka in January in the NE Monsoon but there is not much information relating to the crossing of the Andaman Sea eastwards to Malaysia in February in the same NE Monsoon. Your own cruising guide discusses making the passage in the SW Monsoon but not the NE. Our Ocean 50 yacht is quite good making to wind but we don't want to attempt two months of uncomfortable passage for a crew of two. Your opinion would be welcomed before we make our final decision?

An eastbound passage across the North Indian Ocean is never easy, so retreating, as you say, to an Egyptian marina would not make much sense. So if you are determined to make it to SE Asia, sooner or later you need to bite the bullet... and go. Waiting for the SW monsoon would make sense, but if you do decide to leave earlier, perhaps wait until the NE monsoon gets lighter. Whatever time you leave, you will need to tack. The problem is compounded by the fact that a port tack will take you dangerously close into Somali waters, so you need to take short tacks until you are well past the Horn of Africa. From there you may take a long tack towards the equator (forget Cochin!), then make your way east in what could be lighter winds (take a lot of fuel with you), stop if convenient in the Maldives, then continue east. However, if you find better conditions that take you south of the Maldives, carry on in low latitudes and only turn NE once close to Sumatra.

Good luck!!!

Jimmy Cornell, noonsite