Meeting old friends

Having transited several weeks from Malta to Maldives we finally had arrived, checked in and disembarked the security, we settled in the anchorage off Hulhumale. 

The scenery had changed quite a bit from the last time I was there boatsitting Kalizma. There was now a bridge connecting Hulhumale and Male' Island. Hulhumale had been developed and big housing towers dotted her skyline whereas they were only starting building works ten years back when I was there. 

Taxi drivers enjoyed zipping over the bridge as they could gun their cars 100km/h for a short while. In the middle of Hulhumale was a big park for the residents and the new street grid looked much airier than the stuffy Male' capital. 

Few days after our arrival the old Kalizma steamed in from Sri Lanka, my trusted Chief mate, Surender, was skippering her now and we got in touch. As my birthday was on, he invited me for dinner in Male' and we went to Sala Thai that was run by an old German chap with Thai chefs and food stuffs flown in every week. The food was excellent.

m/y Kalizma riding at anchor off Hulhumale Is

Captain's Blog Feb/ Mar 2012

My vacation had been spent and I was instructed to go to Maldives and relieve Saini for vacation before returning back to Indian Empress. Kalizma was sitting at anchorage in Hulhumale' together with m/y Linse and there was a skeleton crew maintaining both boats.

I came onboard on the 15th Feb and met with Saini and we expedited the handover. Nothing much to say as we both know the boat very well, merely I was updated on ongoing works, the accounts and local customs. We discussed the future plans of the drydocking in Sri Lanka for April. Then I cooked a Thai spicy curry for Saini before he left and then I was left in charge.

My first thought was what to do in Maldives to keep oneself from sinking into apathy and fatigue. You can't walk around as everywhere is water, the surrounding Islands are discovered in a day by foot. Shopping has never been my hobby and is not worth here either. The locals are very isolated and keep to themselves and I have never been very active in socializing with complete strangers. I'm more of an observer and I participate in discussions when I know what I am talking about.

There are no bars or restaurants close by, with the two exceptions of the Hulhule airport bar and Bandos Island. I have in 2007 been to the airport bar and did not recall anything that would keep me going there night after night. Bandos Island I prefer to call "Bandit" Island as they charge 20USD only for entry to the Island, then depending what you want they charge you through the nose for mediocre food and drink. No thank you. Besides, Maldives is not really a party place, most tourists here are couples and newly weds that have come here for own privacy and R&R.

So, that left me with the remaining options, fishing and diving. I was mostly working daytime and did not have the interest to go fishing in the mornings although I had done this a lot during summers when I was a kid. This left me with diving that is one of my passions, the underwater world. In addition it also gave me much wanted exercise that I was in need of as I had decided to lose some unwanted weight that had accumulated lately.

Said and done I gave my instructions to Dubey and every morning almost without fail we explored one of the dive sites explained by Tim Godfrey in his dive book or just by looking at the local chart and trying out "unlisted" sites. During the time here I have now clocked 25 dives in total. The crew is also trained/ updated for surface support as well as are knowledgeable of the current situation and locations of different dive sites around Male' as it seems next high season will be Maldives for Kalizma. It has also been an educating experience for myself as well trying to identify the different species of fish I have trapped in my camera lens as well as working out techniques of getting the best picture by using flash.

Some of you may wonder which place was the best and it is hard to say. Every site had it's good points and highlights, it all depends on what you are looking for. I am usually going down with no expectations but keep my eyes open and my camera ready for anything spectacular the nature may want to throw at me. My favorites were definitely the Kuda Haa thila, Club Med corner and Maagiri caves if I'd have to name a few places. Of course the Maldive Victory wreck is awesome too.

Divesites in red and Kalizma in blue (BA chart 3323)

For those interested I have linked all published dives down below so you don't have to go looking in the archives, each post has an individual map of the dive location:
16th February Warm up dive S of Banana reef
17th February Furana South
18th February Kudakalhi channel
19th February Banana reef
20th February Hulhumale North
21st February Wreckdiving
22nd February Club Med corner
23rd February Banana reef
24th February Bandos Island
25th February Kalizma bottom
28th February Black Coral reef
29th February Furanafushi West
1st March Maagiri caves
2nd March Maagiri caves
3rd March Wreckdiving
4th March Hulhule
5th March Hans Hass place
6th March Club Med corner
7th March Lions Head
8th March Kuda Haa thila
9th March Nassimo thila
10th March Reef West of Aarah Island
11th March Furana South
12th March Driftdive down Club Med corner
12th March Nightdive S of Banana reef

Walking in Male'

Saturday night fever and nothing much to do we decided with Dubey to walk around Male' Island, the Capital of Maldives. Said and done we took the ferry over and from the landing we headed straight South. First we passed some park like area with a communal swimming pool connected to the sea and then we came to a beach called Surfers Paradise. I guess this is the only place where the waves break in order surf properly.  I could see some boys on boards far out catching the waves that rolled in. They broke their surf quite far away from shore and I don't wonder why as the shore was not sandy, it was sharp coral edges galore, not for beginners...

Surfers Paradise

Monument to honor the Japanese for sponsoring the Southern Breakwater (?)

Public swimming area on South side

As we strolled on we came on the South side of the Island and the road was lined with stalls selling areca nuts, tender coconut and other refreshments. I saw Red Bull was all the rage with the locals. The walking on the seaside was not bad as the pavement was wide, not like inside the Island where some places there were no sidewalks at all. Then we passed the powerstation of Male', I could hear the engines churning electricity. At same time we passed the southern port where I think the bunker barges fill up or vice versa for the power plant, at least there was a big manifold at the jetty and numerous bunker barges tied up in the port.

One of the older bunker barges

Male' Prison

After this we passed the Male' prison, I guess they nowadays need one as in olden days they had just banished the criminals to outlying Islands. Anyhow, the building was not very big but had those big metal clanging doors that you see in movies. After that we passed a big mountain of rubbish, I would think the highest point of the Island. Nearby was a recycling center. The stink was there despite the sea breeze. Further down the road we came to boat jetties taking passengers to other atolls, people were lining up for departing dhoni's. On the other side I think there was a military building as it was fortified like the jail but there was no sign saying what the building was for. It was bigger than the jail.

Rubbish recycling center

Male' main port

After this we started turning up North and approached the Male' main harbor that was packed with big and small cargo dhoni's loading goods for various destinations. I could see some of the dhoni's were actually owned by the resort. It takes a big operation to keep them going with staffs running in hundreds on the bigger ones. After the port we came almost full circle and passed the main market for fish, fruit vegetable, everything.

Cargo dhoni loaded with two 20' containers and other provisions

Northern entrance to Male' Port

Once the market was behind us we started passing the administrative facade of the Island on the North, the main mosque, President's Palace, major business buildings etc. On the seaside were more ferry jetties dropping off and taking on passengers for various destinations. Soon we were back where we started and had spent 1h 15 minutes walking and we bought our 5 MRF tickets back to Hulhumale'. What an exciting saturday afternoon.

Luxury apartments in male' with a seaview

Main market of Male'

Protest day on Male'

As it was Thursday I wanted to go and buy some essentials before the Muslim day off on Friday and I took the ferry over to Male'. Little did I know they had protests against the government going on the same afternoon. Lot of people were out and about and the powers that be had cordoned off the "sensitive" areas of the Capital with road blocks and Police was equipped with riot shields and protective gear.

Maldivian "gas carrier" at Hulhumale'

Protesters and Riot Police

Well, I did not let a few people deter me from doing my business so I set to walk around the demonstrators and Police in order to get to the shop I wanted to go to. At the local University was even more people and a female voice coming out of speakers that sounded very angry and I guess was shouting out demands for what their party were protesting against.

Protest at the University

The Prez was not having an open door day

After a while I think she ran out of demands or points and she reverted to the slogan that sounded something like "Male'allavaduhii", I have no idea of the meaning. People everywhere were taking things pretty calmly and just standing around watching things develop. After some time I could see people went away and the Police stood down and started dismantling road blocks, I guess the protest was over. Shops opened and I was able to do my stuff. Once finished I walked back towards the boat jetty and while I was passing the post office close by I could still hear the female shouting at the University, I guess her protest day was not yet over...

Traditional dhoni at Hulhumale'

Sojourn on Kalizma

So 14th my vacation was up and I was ordered to fly to Male', Maldives to relieve the Officiating Master from Kalizma for his vacation too. I did not mind going to Kalizma as sitting on Indian Empress for two months in Abu Dhabi can't be better than going to Maldives.

The trip didi not start out very well as I was driving towards Phuket I got a call from office that I had missed my flight. It had been changed from evening to morning flight and I had totally missed the information. What a mess. Anyhow, I got a flight again the same evening and caught it to Kuala Lumpur, there I spent a few hours and flew to Colombo. The KL airport is huge but very quiet, maybe the reason was the late timing, I had a nice Caesar's salad at a restaurant while waiting.

I arrived Colombo in the early morning hours and spent there about 6hrs waiting for the morning flight. I half slept on a row of benches but was always woken up by clattering footsteps when a batch of passengers arrived from who knows where. Thats what you get for missing your flight. When the sun got up soon enough I was in the plane for Male' and a bit later we landed in good order.

The immigration was a breeze and I met Saini on the airport and we sat on the tenderboat to Kalizma in minutes. Kalizma looks the same as before, a bit worn out but that's why she is going in for a face lift in April. She is sitting at anchor north of Hulhule Island next to the Hulhumale' jetty. Then we started the handing over, accounts, current issues, maintenance, local contacts etc.

Colombo airport

In the evening I made "spicy chicken" curry Thai style for Saini as I had brought the ingredients from Thailand. Usually it is made in pork but unfortunately pork is illegal in Maldives. Later on I sent Saini to the airport for his flight to Colombo as he was going to meet with drydock people in Colombo before going home and so I had taken over Kalizma for a month.

The crew I knew from before: Richard now as Chief Steward and Umesh from Indian Empress as Chef, Dubey as my Bosun and Ruman as Engineer, as deckhands were Pardeep and Dhiraj and Steward was Parvinder. Rajaram and Sunil were on vacation. No girls worked on her anymore as they had resigned from service. I think an all male crew is easier to manage as well, less hassle and no envy.

Male'

Next morning 17th I wake up and start phoning Mr. Shafeeq for finding out contacts on the Island. He appoints me one of his clerks to take me around, not a big job actually but better to go with one that has the local knowledge already instead of re-inventing the wheel.

Residential Is

Dolphins

Thilafushi Is.

So, I was picked up by Mr. Arish on his trusty Honda Dream and after a small discussion of what I wanted to see we started our round. I ended up visitin gon Maleä the Yamaha showroom, the Suzuki showroom, Northern Lights rep. and then the Furuno shop. After this we took the ferry over to the Thilafushi Island (unofficially called the Garbage Island as all waste is processed there (read: burned)) but it also houses all the heavy industry and services one could need on an Island. On the way I could see more underwater reef was being claimed for Thilafushi and Arish explained to me that all the godown's on Male' Island are being relocated in way of residential requirements.

Shiplift

Wooden dhoni

Once we arrived we went to see the Gulfcraft yard and met with their rep. and discussed a possible overhaul. Usually yards give slots out but here they told me that tell us when you want to come and we'll see...(!?). Well, I could see they were pretty full as they are the biggest yard with the largest lifting capacity and the season was coming to an end so there was a lot of boats queuing up for service. Our next stop was at UEL, they did not have the capacity to lift the yacht but they had a good refit jetty. The foreman was a paan chewing chap in his 50's and we spent half an hour chatting with him via Arish translation as well as sampling his paan. I learned that he was originally from Indonesia but had somehow stranded on Maldives in his early age. After this it was late lunch time and Arish took me to an eatery for the workers on Thilafushi, the facility was clean and airy and the food was really good, it came as a real surprise.

The UEL foreman & me

Modern glassfibre dhoni

On the 18th I meet with the underwriters, Mr. Deeptha from Ceylinco and discuss the premium of the yacht and chat with him for a good hour. The quote is fairly high for a yacht this size and Mr. Deeptha explains me that the claims in Maldives are massive on an annual basis, no underwriter will give any cheaper price. I have my doubts but I can well understand their point of view and I also believe there is a good number of accidents as well.

People waiting for the ferry

Rubbish trucks coming from Male'

In the afternoon I was supposed to see the dive dhoni but it is allegedly still at the other resort with steering gear problems (how convenient). At this point I have all my points on the list crossed out so I book my flight for the next day to depart for India. I also happened to get in touch with an old acquaintance, Ms Victoria Hilley who is working on a nearby resort as Marketing Manager. She invites me for dinner and get instructions of how to come to the Island by their ferry. I arrive at the staff jetty and am fairly soon picked up Victoria and we head for the Japanese restaurant on the resort. The setting is very nice as always is in Maldives and we order dinner accompanied with one bottle of sake. During the course of dinner we catch up on things that has happened since we last met in Langkawi in 2008. Soon she notices that the last ferry to Male' is about to leave so we hurry to the jetty and I say my goodbye until next time, time runs fast in good company.

Male'

Time travel available in Maldives

19th I wake up 8am for breakfast and prepare myself for taking the flight to Bangalore and onwards to Mumbai. All goes well and I arrive Mumbai at 7pm and get to spend the night in Elphinstone Hotel as I don't have a gate pass to board Kalizma now at the M-wall.

In Maldives

Next morning I wake up at 6am to the sound of rain and I looked out it was raining as well as sun was shining. Luckily the rain shower passes quickly and I grab my goggles and snorkel and go for swim. The reef is pretty shallow to start with but I float carefully over all the razor sharp corals like a crocodile and finally reach the edge of the reef. There I start snorkeling along the edge watching the scenery below me. I swim slowly to the dredged marina, past it and around the Island to the other side and get out of the water at the shallow natural lagoon.

The open air bathroom

Swimming pool

From there I walk to the welcoming jetty and walk over to the dredged Islet. It is hard walking as the sharp coral bits try to penetrate my soles. A bit like walking on glass. I discover the Islet is more used as a garbage handling facility, there are several traces of burnt rubbish all over the water line. I think not very much in line according to rule of law but as the outfit is Maldivian maybe different rules apply.

Welcome jetty and walkway

Another view

I walk back to my cabana to have a shower and get ready for breakfast and the work we were supposed to do. The bathroom is an open area enclosed by 4 walls, pretty ingenious idea. At breakfast I get a masala omelet and enjoy it in the company of Cmde Mongia and after finishing our chai we walk off to find the Maldivian Captain.

Maldivian Captain & Cmde Mongia

The Island

Once we get hold of him we sit down and have a chat about the boats and we find out that the dive dhoni is not the one designated to the Island, it has been brought here from another resort as the other dhoni was only a year old. By the looks of the one now in the marina it is ready to sink anytime. Equally we were told that the speed boat is also old and in dire need of overhaul as well as the OBM's. Then when we come to the issue of the yacht that is connected tot he Island, it is 12year old Gulfcraft 86 Majesty bought secondhand. Last drydocking was 3 years ago and as the story goes on I see my to-do list grow mile long.

Corals 

After this we ask the Captain to give us a seatrial so we could see the performance of the boat and how it is running.The Captain takes us onboard and the first thing I notice is the teak decks that have been oiled over and the peeling paint work, obviously yachting is not the forte over here. When we inspect the interior it all looks nice but almost nothing is working, aircon, sewage system, AV system, fresh water system etc. etc.

Frangipani

View from observation terrace

After this move onto propulsion/ electrical supply and we discover many gauges out of order. The gensets do not have any working gauges nor any safeties and the chug along sounding very tired. Finally we start the main engines and go for a spin. The engines run alright but when we come to higher revs it sounds like one engine is either over speeding or the clutch is slipping. We moor the boat back to the buoy and go back ashore our work done. I easily see a 300k USD overhaul looming at the horizon if we will take charge.

Residential Island Viligili next to Male'

Sunset over Male'

The afternoon goes on until late and we get ready to leave. We are greeted by our hosts and packed in the seaplane and soon enough we are flying towards Male'. Once in Male' I am ordered to stay back to find out what the repair facilities are in Male' as well as quotes for the possible work ahead. Mr. Shafeeq books me into the Mookai hotel and I settle in for the night as it is already late. I laugh to myself at the hotel name as directly translated to Thai it means Pork-Chicken, I reckon no self respecting muslim would want that in his hotel name...

Male' atoll - voyage to Mumbai

8^th I am invited to join Nina, Avnish and Joya to have lunch on Banyan tree resort to give Nina a farewell as she was signing off. It is a small resort north of Male’ Island and we arrive on the jetty were we get to moor our tender boat. The lunch is buffet with mixed Continental and Chinese cuisine. The food was not that great but I guess that is the norm as everything has to be flown or shipped into the country so nothing is ever fresh off the fields. 

Nina on the way to Banyan Tree

Joya at Banyan Tree

Banyan Tree resort

The E-W path that crossed the Island

The pavilion, perfect to sit and get hammered

More beach

Sting Ray feeding

Before leaving Banyan Tree we saw the daily Sting Ray feeding taking place at the jetty. The local guide fed the Sting Rays some kind of fish while giving the audience a lecture of the habits of Sting Rays, pretty interesting.

The next 2 days went diving with the deck crew at Banana reef and Furana south. Spotted turtles and Napoleon Wrasse fish along with Moray Eels and Lion fish, cool fun dives.  

Banana Reef

On the 10^th I was giving Joya a snorkeling lesson at Bandos Island and was rewarded with lunch. Bandos is still the same “Bandit” Island as it was in 2007 when I was there the last time, pure daylight robbery by charging 20 US$ to enter the Island. Well, I guess one has to make a living somehow.

Huge school of small fish at Furana

In the evening I took a stroll in Male’ while Avnish was taking care of business with our agent. Noticed that the tourist shops selling sea shells just got cheaper the further into the Island one wandered. At the beach front a fist sized cowrie sold for 25 USD, a few blocks in it sold for 10 USD and at a non-descript general store it sold for 1 USD. Otherwise Male’ residents seemed quite well off as many famous trademark shops lined the streets and displayed their wares.

The flag was still up after sunset

At 10pm we weigh anchor and leave for Mumbai. We had to take pilot onboard as apparently it is required when you enter and exit the country.

Last Maldivian sunset for us

Next day on 11^th at sea it is Zina’s birthday so the crew arranges a birthday card with the requisite cake to wish her a Happy Birthday.

Happy Birtday Zina :)

13th morning we arrive Mumbai and there is heavy traffic and fog (smog?) bringing the visibility under 1'. I could barely see the stranded MSC Chitra by the fairway. The pilot was delayed for hours but eventually we get him also onboard. Anchored as usual in front of Gateway of India about noon. Another cruise had come to an end.