Feb 26-27, 2012
Diglipur/Port Cornwallis
An early start set us on yet another 20 mile passage due north to Diglipur. Through all these short passages, one is required to report the boat's and other details by HF radio at 0800 and 1700. The rationale for this is a mix between a 19th century commitment to bureaucracy and a need from a defence standpoint, as the Andaman function is primarily that. I'm sure we gave them heartburn as they were trying to track down these four itinerant sailboats. Unfortunately, it was another upwind slog on the nose, and as we wanted to be there mid-afternoon to ensure a planned rendezvous with Rusalka and Smystery, we ended up bashing to windward much of the way. Unfortunately we had backed over the dinghy painter while anchoring Dreamcatcher and succeeded in putting 4 wraps around the prop shaft (groan). Both Henry and I tried to free it by taking turns in the water with snorkels, after being told this was a "no crocodile" environment by the port captain. Kevan afterwards slashed the line off with a breadknife, only to be told later that a large croc had in fact been sighted at the wharf a few weeks prior (Yikes!). We had lovely re-union drinks aboard Dreamcatcher, swapped stories of where they'd been and what we'd done for the prior 4 days, and then headed off to dinner at the only restaurant in Diglipur, about 8 km from the anchorage. These Andaman drivers only have one speed: flat out, and once again, a hair-raising ride, in more ways than one: the cars here have no windows. We left the anchorage next morning and sought permission to anchor off Ross and Smith islands: pretty islands joined by a sparkling 200 meter wide sand spit. We dropped anchor and went ashore in Rascal's dinghy to clean the Maya Bandar rust footprints off, and to enjoy a swim. More Indian bureaucracy - we weren't allowed to land or swim there unless we had (yet another) permit and 500 rupees ($15) per person. This piece of delightful real estate - about 200 x 30 meters - had no less than 3 Indian officials: they (and Gavin) spent a lot of time on the phone reporting us and seeking to allow us to stay there for a few hours. Permission denied, so we begrudgingly re-boarded the dinghy and returned to the boats, albeit lingering on the way to admire the sea turtles and manta rays swimming in the shallow water. Tourism in the Andamans is definitely NOT top of mind! We remained at anchor is this pretty spot overnight and turned south-bound.
An interesting factoid discovered by Rusalka (during afternoon tea with the Police at Landfall Island, where they had never ever seen a sailboat..) ...was that the Coco Islands that geophysically appear as part of the Andamans, are in fact Burmese, but the Burma junta has leased them both to China. So, China has a defence holding in the Indian Ocean: you bet the Indians are happy about that NOT)!
PIC: GT whistfully looking at the beach we weren't allowed to land on