January – February 2010

We found our Egyptian Vodafone sim card worked in Sudan.

Mohammed was still the agent and met us on arrival in Suakin. His charges were:-

A total of US$130 for check-in/check-out

US$66 fuel for 110 litres of diesel.

US$10 for 100 litres of water (brought by a donkey cart).

He takes Washing (large items like towels and sheets and charges US$1 per item).

He also exchanged £Sudan for US$ at a rate of £S2.4 for US$1 and back into US$ at the same rate.

He wanted 5 crew lists and a photo of each person.

Bus from Suakin to Port Sudan was £S3per person. The return bus from Port Sudan leaves from a different bus station than the one where it arrives at. We got Mohammed to write its name in Arabic on a piece of paper so that we could give it to the taxi driver.

Anchorages:

All the time we were in Sudan, the sky was overcast and the clouds cast shadows. It often drizzled and the coral was very difficult to see, which made navigation rather exciting.

Marsa Abu Imama: there was a stake marked on the diagram in the pilot but it was missing January 2010.

Marsa Arakiyai: We found the diagram only a rough guide, went very slowly and watched the depth sounder very carefully.

Marsa Fijab: The 313’ beacon was missing.

Eagle Island: We found another anchorage behind an unnamed island about 500 metres west of Eagle İsland with better shelter N18’44.080, E37’40.884.

Ras Asis: We were hit by a southerly gale for 48 hours and with a very strong north-east current. We had continuing engine problems and decided to return to the Med.

Pauline Carpenter

SV Currawong