[password] brucelaura

[Position] 05 21.22S 072 12.480E

[Status] Chagos Day 15. The BIOT authorities arrived today. They came on a HUGE ship that stayed outside the atoll and they sent in 3 RIBs (20 ft inflatables) with at least 25 personnel. Three customs officers came aboard and stamped our passports. Is it a rule that customs officers for yachts have to be young and incredibly good looking? They are doing a one year rotation and said it's the shortest year of their career. They were going to snorkel the pass before leaving this area. Their land base is on Diego Garcia which the USA leases from the British and operates a B52 base. Totally off limits to the rest of the world and I think we have to stay 5 miles out if we sail by on our way south.
We are still planning a May 15 departure (give or take a day). An auspicious day for us as that's the day we tied the knot in 1985.

Sent from Iridium Mail & Web.

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