Lat: 12 40.251′ S
Lon: 61 11.557′ E

Just a quick update to let everyone know the stick is still up and we’re moving along. After looking at a few options, including the sparsely inhabited Agalega Islands, it looks like we’re headed to Antisiranana (Diego Suarez). It’s the closest port of entry and thanks to the SSB and Bob on Boomerang, we’re getting an email full of info on it. Apparently they don’t get many boats, and there was a Swiss boat that was treated so well that they spent 2 months there. Evidently theft is a big enough issue that you have to hire someone to stay on the boat and protect it, but other than that they loved it an even have contact info for an engineer working in the shipyard. We’re marginal on fuel in terms of getting there by motoring the whole time, so we’ll probably try to rig a makeshift sail tomorrow. I still don’t trust the rig enough to use the jib, but I think we can rig a storm sail in a way that doesn’t strain things.

Most of today was spent working on the engines. With the unexpected motoring, one engine needed an oil change, a water temperature gauge failed, and I found yet another screw hole in the hull leaking in the starboard engine room. When I took a closer look on the port side, I found at least a dozen holes, but none of them are leaking.

Bob on Boomerang and Nat on Bahati really came through for us as well. I’d emailed Nat asking for info on the Agalegas, which are administered by Mauritius, where he just made landfall yesterday. Even though he had his own boat repairs and a fall on land that resulted in being knocked out and visiting the hospital, he managed to get some valueable info. The Agalegas don’t have regular air service and the supply boat schedule is irregular, not someplace to be stuck trying to get a part. Bob had collected info on Diego Suarez for us from the Swiss boat.

The weather the last couple of days has been the best of the trip. We have clear skies for the first time, no squalls, and the seas are down a bit. Although there are still occasional 8+ footers, we can actually see the horizon. It would have made for some incredible sailing, but for now we’re just happy to still be in one piece.