Cruising_World_2016-06-07

cruisingworld.com

78

june/july 2016

june/july 2016

cruisingworld.com

78

“teen boats” would be making the trip

at the same time as us. If we were going

to journey into the dual unknowns of

adolescence and the Indian Ocean, why

not do it in company?

Off with a Bang

Even though it’s known as an ocean of big

weather and strong currents, it was the

threat of pirates that caused a drop in the

number of cruisers willing to take on the

Indian Ocean. Recently there’s been an

international eff ort to control piracy, and

while our proposed route technically put

us inside the “box” where yacht insurance

wouldn’t cover us for such acts, shipping

THE CLEAR WATER, PRETTY REEFS AND WHITE SAND BEACHES OF ULIGAMU

ALMOST MADE UP FOR THE HOURS SPENT DRIFTING THERE IN STEAMY WEATHER.

INDIAN OCEAN

W

e would never go anywhere we didn’t feel safe. That said, during our passage from the

Maldives to Mozambique, we were technically just inside the high-risk area where our

yacht insurance wouldn’t cover us for acts of piracy. In December 2015, the HRA was reduced,

and the new HRA is as follows (though other insurance companies may have diff erent borders):

Qin the Red Sea: northern limit latitude 15 degrees N; Q in the Gulf of Oman: northern limit

WHAT

ABOUT

PIRATES?