We Made it! Safe from Pirates! 4,500nm Passage in Two Legs!

[MarkJ]

Hi Folks!

We have just tossed the lines ashore in Pt Ghalib, Egypt after a 4,500 nm passage from Phuket Thailand via Salalah, Oman.

We are having a cold one in Thank God Its Fridays and about to shove a burger down the throats.

10 January for 26 days Thailand to Oman;
2 weeks in Oman waiting for a convoy
20 days Gulf of Aden and Red Sea.

The Red Sea was slow averaging 65 miles per day for nearly 3 weeks!

We actually SAW pirates trying to hold up a container ship off Aden after we had left the convoy.

The whole pirate thing was all too close for comfort and quite full on.

All these stories in a few days when we make a move up the coast a bit for a few weeks. Plus a special thanks to JamesS and appologies for not calling into to see him in Aden.

Plus more!

Anyway, I ran out of beer before we got to Oman so its beer and burgers for me for the next few hours

Mark

[Roaring Girl]

Congratulations and well done! Enjoy the beer and burgers.

[Ram]

Great News! I and im sure many others were wondering and hoping you 2 were safe! Look forward to hearing more info!

[Morgan Paul]

WOW Great News guys.

Looking forward to the stories.

[anglooff]

Congratulations! Glad you made it safely...I am looking forward to hearing more details. Enjoy the beer.

Regards

Alan

[Christian Van H]

Great work Mark! Sounds too close for comfort, cant wait to read the full monty!

[Pete7]

You haven't tried the Egyptian taxi drivers yet

Asked the price before we got in and agreed on $30, knew we were being had, but okay it's a fixed amount. Arrived at our destination and handed over $30 of the USA finest notes, then he sprung the trap with the words "EACH"

Good to hear you are both safe

[bastonjock]

great bit of sailing Mark,i was starting to wonder if you had ran across pirates,still the Beer in Hurgadha is not too bad,the litle island just off there is great for diving with sharks.

[imagine2frolic]

I thought it a bad idea to go that way. GREAT to hear you & the Elf are safe. Can't wait to hear the story about the pirates, and how you cleaned your shorts afterwards............i2f

[TaoJones]

Well done, you two! Many readers here are finally going to be able to let out their collective breath - you've had us all on pins and needles.

TaoJones

[Christiania72]

No, do not pay 30 U$D for a taxi ride, unless you got loooong way. For that amount you get the taxi for the whole day.
In the same city 20 egyptian pounds is maximum for the entire taxi ride, for all.
Use the "jalla jallas" the toyota vans, just put the hand up an hop in. Price is one egyptian pund for one sector in the city/one person. (Dahar- Sakalla- New town (esplanada mall)- Willage Road (hotel area)....
When you are in the destination, just say you get out there, and give the money to the money-man. Youcan olso take a "Jalla jalla" as a taxi, but its fun to sit in the car with the locals, they are wery nice.
Taxis also try the trick chancing the money. You give 10 pounds they change it to 1 pound bill and asks for moore. Jus tell them bye bye/get lost /**... and smile, They smile back and go.
Other say that you get the tourist police, that works if nothing else.

I think the Egyptian beer is good, sakala or sakara the name.

[Tom Hildebrandt]

Glad to hear the passage went smoothly, except for that running out of beer thing!

I ran out of beer and all other forms of liquor while I was in the Maldives, and as you are no doubt aware, you can not buy that sort of thing in the Maldives, so we had to resort to making rice wine while spending a couple of months in Chagos!

Why did you decide to go direct? Are they not letting boats into Chagos any more?

Tom

[anjou]

Awwww hunny's, Im so glad your both ok. Ive been wondering how much longer untill you reached land. xx

[Bill Shuman]

Of course, I'm glad you are ok.. You said "The whole pirate thing was all too close for comfort and quite full on". Was it really worth the risk? It sounds like you could have ended up like that British couple that is still being held. The possible, or even likely, downside is so awful that I'm not convinced that it's a good decision, even with a convoy. Now if the convoy included a Seal team.. then that would be fine!

[Charlie]

Great to hear you are safe. Pirates are not something I would want to see close up.