[password] brucelaura
[Position] 00 4.00S 073 08.800E
[Status] After 60 days island hopping through the Maldives, we have arrived
at Gan, the southern-most island. On the way, we crossed the equator for
the 6th time. Yes, it has been more of a ' meander' than a 'highway' over
the past 6 years. Our first equatorial crossing was on the way from Mexico
to the Marquesas a lifetime ago in 2013! Bruce shared a tot of good
Caribbean rum with Neptune, as is our custom. Our next crossing will be
next year in another hemisphere when we sail the southern Atlantic from
South Africa to St. John. We must be sure to save some of the good rum for
that 7th and perhaps final crossing.
We hope to leave Monday, April 22 for the Chagos. For a month we will be in
an uninhabited atoll owned by the British Indian Ocean Territories. We
jumped through all kinds of expensive hoops for a permit to stop there on
our way south. Then the dreaded 8 day sail to Rodrigues, one of the most
challenging passages in the India Ocean. But Rodrigues, said to be like the
French Caribbean 50 years ago, will be the reward (also beer and wine which
are not available in the Maldives or Chagos). Once we are underway, we will
be posting daily progress reports. Cheers!

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