Huvafenfushi to Dhigurah

Huvafenfushi

22 April

📍 Huvafenfushi · 004°21.000′N, 073°21.051′E · North Malé Atoll (Kaafu)

The anchor came up quickly – the old mechanic’s trick of using brake cleaner on electrical equipment really does work.

On the way back to Huvafenfushi, we nearly got battered by a commercial vessel that seemed to have no knowledge whatsoever of the COLREGS – I doubt he’s heard of them. He approached on our port beam, had no intention of moving, and sounded his horn 3 times – literal meaning: “I am operating astern propulsion.” He really was not. Whether under sail or not, we were the stand-on vessel, but we had to take a hard right turn to get out of this idiot’s way. It was likely one of the boats carrying building machinery to one of the nearby newly created islands, probably driven by a builder (no disrespect, builders). This happened in much the same place as our other near misses when we were travelling towards Himmafushi. It is not us – honest guv.

After all that trauma, it was a welcome relief to get into a peaceful anchorage.

Funny Terns in Maavaru

24 April

📍 Maavaru · 004°16.237′N, 072°46.513′E · North Ari Atoll (Alifu Alifu)

Maavaru appears to mean “large lagoon” in Dhivehi, and it’s true – it’s a whopper. We anchored in the middle of nowhere in a place suggested by cruisers as being frequently visited by dolphins, mantas and stingrays.

We saw dolphins on the way, but not in the anchorage. What we did see was a stingray and a weird wave of tiny fish forming a white sheet about a metre underwater. Of course, we didn’t have an underwater camera with us. It is still drying out after I drowned it.

We picked up some visitors while we were here. Some might say we had a funny tern (sorry).

After the word got out amongst the tern community, it was time to leave.

A Diesel Shower in Mathiveri

25 April

📍 Mathiveri · 004°11.464′N, 072°45.095′E · North Ari Atoll (Alifu Alifu)

We are still giving the windlass a bit of side-eye. It seems to be working well now that I have cleaned the motor, but it hasn’t yet recovered its position of trust. Consequently, we are choosing anchorages that aren’t as deep as the Mariana Trench. Like some in the Maldives are.

Mathiveri is only a few miles away from Maavaru, and we had a calm sail motor there. With luck, rather than anything to do with good judgment, the impending squall thundered over us only after anchoring. I snorkelled around the boat to make sure we were well clear of any bommies. We were, but we pulled in a little bit of chain just in case.

After the squall passed, we bundled the jerry cans in the dinghy and went to get some diesel from town. We got a bit more than expected. The guy operating the nozzle didn’t turn off the valve properly before removing the nozzle from the can. The diesel went all over both of us and the dinghy. Fortunately, we had the foresight to put a tarpaulin over the dinghy floor in case a can leaked. Unfortunately, we didn’t plan for that balls up, and we only covered half the dinghy.

Later that evening, we had the Tadds over for drinks on the deck.

Maagaa Reef

26 April

📍 Maagaa Reef · 003°59.476′N, 072°57.289′E · North Ari Atoll (Alifu Alifu)

The pass is sphincter-tightening, narrow, and shallow. We recorded a depth of 3.1m over the bar at mid-tide neaps (we need just over 2m to stay afloat), so that is about as uncomfortably shallow as we can stand it.

After the relief of making it to the other side, we motored over to yet another abandoned resort, where, later, with the Tadds, we tried to get ashore, but the caretaker wanted cash. So we turned back.

Maagaa was Ellaidhoo’s picnic island until 2014, when the Maldivian government and an investor, Big Stone Investment, signed a lease that runs until 2064 and began converting it into a resort. Big Stone started development, then stopped.

There’s a lot of coral rubble here, and not many fish. Whether that is the reason they gave up on development, or it was the case of financial blundery, I have no idea.

The next morning, we were off, making sure we were at that pass when the rise of tide was a little higher.

Amongst our own kind

27 – 28 April

📍 Dhigurah · 003°31.137′N, 072°54.887′E · South Ari Atoll (Alifu Dhaalu)

We were alone in the anchorage until these two superish yachts came in to provide an impressive display of Bahamian mooring.

A couple of pink-looking people came out to sit on the deck of the Emperor Voyager while a noisy group sat around a table on the aft deck of the other. Noise from the people is one thing, but these things bring with them a constant racket from the generators and a constant whiff of diesel fumes. Whoever charters them is not measuring their carbon footprint in grams or at all.

We watched as the passengers were shuttled back and forth to the beach for what I assume was either a welcome or a farewell party. We couldn’t quite see what was going on despite our best endeavours, ogling through the binoculars. But I suspect that whatever was being served behind that hideaway in the trees wasn’t just soda and fruit juice.

The next day, the wind whipped up not quite a storm, but a lumpy mess in the anchorage that discouraged us from going ashore in the dinghy or plopping ourselves in the water. Besides, new super yachts arrived, and there was risk that they would shuttle their passengers directly over our heads if we were snorkelling.

We are very conscious of the saying, bad things happen at sea, so we decided to stay put on board Jamala and enjoy the stationary but bumpy ride – unlike the guests on the newly arrived Felicity, who were certainly not stationary when hurled off the banana boat straight into the briny.

We limited our own misery to an engine oil change, a fuel filter change, and the discovery of a small leak on the fresh water pump. Parts on order.

Next stop – Magoodhoo Island