Once again, around 0900 we weighed anchor and motored away from our anchorage. The winds were light so we only unfurled the head sail and motor sailed south to our next potential anchorage. It was only about 22 nm south so we arrived around 1400 after a leisurely passage.

Using Google Earth, we had spied a potential anchorage about a quarter mile south of an island that is home to the Alimatha Aquatic Resort, here in the Vaavu Atoll. Google Earth showed a sailboat anchored in front of a reef, tucked in amongst the bommies with just enough swing room to be safe. However, when we got there, a fishing boat was there so we continued on a little bit until we came across a channel that runs between the open sea and the interior of the atoll. There was a mound of sand that looked like it was the remains of a small island there and we found an anchoring location in 50 feet of water near it. The sand mound is only about 100 or so feet long so we wonder how much longer will it be there as the ocean waters are slowing rising.

The water is crystal clear and we saw no pollution floating in the water as we came to it. The last anchorage was disgusting and we wonder why the resort that was on the island near us dumped their garbage into the sea. All of Maldives relies on tourism as its only industry and so they need to be very careful in keeping their waters and beaches clean. Michael and Sue, our friends of S/V Infini had written in their blog last month that they came across a beautiful small island in one of the atolls here only to find the shore line covered with junk that floated in with the tide. That is just criminal.

Fortunately, there is nothing like that here and we plan to stay a few days to enjoy snorkeling and exploring the reefs. While we lack our uninhabited island sitting in front of us with palm trees swaying in the wind and sugar white beaches beckoning us to romp and play on them, this is the closest to paradise we have seen so far in the Maldives.