Entry Fee to Paradise

Day 9 of an 11 day Indian Ocean passage. Peter’s reflection.

It is blowing 40 knots, rain feels horizontal, visibility is about 200 metres and we are in one of the busiest shipping channels in THE WORLD; Malaccan Straits between Ache and Nicobar Islands. Cheryl is telling me the radar is showing another ship coming at us; 12 miles off our bow, approximate speed 25 knots. Fast evasive action needed; at this speed, in this visibility, if we can see him it is too late. He passes less than a mile to starboard. He is a massive, slab sided container ship.

This leads one to muse about the entry fee to paradise. Since our departure this year, we have sailed 6450 miles visiting the Andaman Islands, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Chagos, Seychelles and are now headed back to Thailand. These places have all been an amazing experience, from swimming with the elephant in Havelock #7 beach, Andaman; the beauty of Sri Lanka; the isolated anchorages and luxury resorts of the Maldives; the archetypal deserted islands of Chagos and to the fun and smiles of the Seychelles. We search for superlatives to describe the treasures we have experienced.

Meanwhile another 17 ships have passed in the gloom and another has passed us close by.

Stolen Kiss has performed admirably and we have paid the entrance fee to paradise. Was it worth it? You bet, but maybe we should get a discount.