Exploring Multiple Islands Spread throughout the Immense Indian Ocean
Uncommon Sailing Routes Through the Maldives and Chagos: A Journey of Adventure and Challenge
In the heart of the Indian Ocean, a unique sailing route beckons the brave and the experienced. This unconventional journey takes navigators through the Maldives and the Chagos archipelago, offering an adventure filled with natural wonders, navigational challenges, and a sense of remoteness that few can resist.
The Chagos, a politically charged island group, is set to be returned to Mauritius by the UK Government in October 2024. Despite the restrictions, only a select few, including military personnel, scientists, and lucky sailors, are permitted to enter its waters. The island of Dholhiyadhoo, for instance, once housed an abandoned luxury resort, now a memorable stop for adventurous sailors like Saskia Stainer-Hutchins and her husband Ross.
Navigating these waters is no easy feat. Uncommon sailing routes through the Maldives and Chagos involve navigating winds near the equator and the challenging waters of the Indian Ocean. These routes are characterised by isolated blue holes, complex rivers, and challenging weather patterns, providing unique adventure opportunities but also navigation difficulties. Strong and sometimes unpredictable winds, such as the gusts up to 30 knots reported near Madagascar, require skillful handling of the boat on the beam to maintain course.
These routes offer more than just a challenge, they are a gateway to exploration of rarely visited natural sites like the Matavulu and Riri Blue Holes near Chagos, involving shallow river navigation with obstacles and local fees for access. The sailing experience is further enriched by eco-tourism elements, including visits to marine biodiversity hotspots in the Maldives' remote atolls, notable for manta rays and reef sharks.
Anecdotal evidence from blogs and social media indicates a niche community of experienced sailors opting for these passages to escape crowds and engage with pristine environments. Sailing statistics, however, are scarce, but during Saskia and Ross's season, only about 60 private sailing yachts checked in through the Maldives, with nearly half only touching the northernmost island on their way up to the Red Sea.
The Maldives, too, pose their own set of challenges. Every boat is required to carry a tracker to allow the government to monitor movements, an requirement that some travelers found irate. Anchoring by protected reefs was possible when the wind died for days at a time, but many resorts in the Maldives now occupy the best islands with ideal anchorages for sailboats, and most of these resorts either don't allow cruisers to stop at their islands or charge prohibitive rates.
Remote anchorages in the Maldives can sometimes have unexpected bottom types, which sailors may mislabel as sand if they hold without issues. The Maldives are also building new islands everywhere, making it difficult for sailors to navigate using electronic charts. Navionics charts in the Maldives have proven to be unreliable, requiring the use of satellite maps.
Despite these challenges, the allure of these uncommon routes remains. The sail from Thailand to the north of the Maldives is often described as one of the best passages, with very few waves and a steady 15 knots on the beam. The equatorial current in the Maldives flows at about 3 knots to the east, affecting sailing conditions. The wind in the Maldives can be unpredictable, often clocking around to south-west as sailors approach the equator.
For Saskia and Ross, the decision to alter their sailing route in 2024 due to the conflict in Yemen, choosing to head south towards the Cape of Good Hope via the Maldives and Chagos, was a detour of grand proportions. Sailing conditions as they turned south were very changeable, with squalls a daily occurrence and becoming more frequent the further south they went.
The Chagos archipelago, a remote and isolated Indian island group, has a complicated history involving slavery, British control, and the expulsion of the local population. Despite this, it is currently one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries on the planet, with abundant flora and fauna.
In Uligan, the northernmost port of entry in the Maldives, sailors find a conservative Islamic country, and as a result, local islands are wildly different from anything tourists experience within the resorts. The sail from Thailand to Uligan is another memorable passage, with the sail from the north of the Maldives being one of the best passages Saskia and Ross have ever made, with very few waves and a steady 15 knots on the beam.
Cruising the Maldives is not for everyone. It can be expensive, the sailing and anchoring can be challenging, fresh provisions are hard to come by, and help and materials for repairs are even harder. But for those who embrace the adventure, the rewards are unparalleled. The uncommon routes through the Maldives and Chagos offer a unique sailing experience marked by adventure, biodiversity exploration, and a sense of remoteness, primarily pursued by a small segment of seasoned ocean sailors and yacht explorers.
Traveling through the Maldives and Chagos archipelago provides remarkable opportunities for cultural-travel and adventure-travel, with isolated blue holes, complex rivers, and challenging weather patterns contributing to an unparalleled sailing experience. Sailing these uncommon routes offers a chance to explore rarely visited natural sites like the Matavulu and Riri Blue Holes near Chagos, providing unique experiences for sailors seeking remote, pristine environments.
Encompassed in these sailing routes, the Chagos is a politically charged island group, steeped in history and a haven for diverse flora and fauna, making it a desirable destination for those seeking a journey rooted in adventure and cultural discovery.
