Crew Available: cruising Sri Lanka - Indian Ocean

[mausgras]

I expect to find myself in Sri Lanka Jan/Feb 2016. I have a Bavaria 37 in Phuket but it will be land trip this time. I would like to catch up with some of the local yachties for a chat/coffee/beer and perhaps some cruising time.PM me if you have some time.

[deboeckjan]

dear

sounds like you are quite involved in the cruising world. therfore i was hoping that you maybe able to help. i am currently in indonesia and would like to sail west. is there anybody you know heading that way and would be interested in a extra cree member? furthermore i am limited by my curent visa and have to leave indonesia mid january. anybody leaving indonesia going to one of the surrounding countries?

thanks jan

[bvimatelot]

Last time I was in Sri Lanka the only port of entry for yachts was Galle in the South and the Sri Lankan gov't did not issue any sort of cruising permit. Pity as I wanted to see the old Naval anchorage at Trincomalee...

[mausgras]

Originally Posted by bvimatelot

Last time I was in Sri Lanka the only port of entry for yachts was Galle in the South and the Sri Lankan gov't did not issue any sort of cruising permit. Pity as I wanted to see the old Naval anchorage at Trincomalee...

Yes, I think things are pretty grim there for yotties. I have googled and come up with a couple of places calling themselves "mini marinas". But little real info. I don't know what the cruising scene is like, Maybe there is nothing much to see outside Galle, but I would also like to see Trincomalee and the north east coast

I believe European tourism is booming there since the end of the war and as the shine goes off places like Phuket. It has potential to be part of a great cruising ground round the Indian ocean

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[bvimatelot]

Yes - it certainly deserves more yottie tourism, its a fabulous place from what I saw in my few excursions inland. The minor problems I had were that I HAD to use a ship's agent (and there's only one in town!) and the port security teams were strongly looking for handouts: if it was a guy, he wanted cigarettes - which were ridiculously cheap there anyway, and if it was a lady, she was after chocolate...

[philip.cat]

I was in Galle in February this year they were building a new marina also I did not give any so called gifts or baksheesh I was also informed that it is possible to go to Trincomallee although everything is out of the way, when I was there in Galle there were two yachts in Trincomallee at the time. I thoroughly enjoyed myself while I was there (10 days) yes you need a ship's agent but it as been that way for years this was my second time there in a yacht, my 10 days plus agent was $280 US I have a 60 ft Catamaran.
Phil

[mausgras]

Thanks for that information philip.cat. I thought things were maybe starting to move in the right direction. I plan to go to Galle in Feb 2016, but without my boat this time. I will check out the marina and hopefully make a contact there and get in a bit of water time ..
Hopefully I can take my boat the next time, I haven't come across any charter opportunities, I am actually considering relocating to the region. Regards

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[annemaree]

Hi Mausgras, I am heading to Galle in February too - for a couple of months perhaps ... with the same thing in mind, to see if there was any sailing happening there I might perhaps become involved with (although only as a beginner that recently did a skippers course). Sounds pretty limited. Might be good to touch base when there to see what either of us has managed to dig up? Cheers. A

[mausgras]

Originally Posted by annemaree

Hi Mausgras, I am heading to Galle in February too - for a couple of months perhaps ... with the same thing in mind, to see if there was any sailing happening there I might perhaps become involved with (although only as a beginner that recently did a skippers course). Sounds pretty limited. Might be good to touch base when there to see what either of us has managed to dig up? Cheers. A

Sounds like a plan but I unfortunately have to return to Oz for a couple of weeks in Feb now but still hope to get to SR by March. I'll PM you with my email later today

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