[password] brucelaura

[Position] 05 21.14S 072 12.580E

[Status] Enjoyed a celebratory glass of wine last night (OK, two!) and a great night's sleep at anchor our first night in Chagos. Woke up this morning and had a hellacious storm come through ( basically 3 squalls in a row). We had big waves on the bow sending salt spray over the foredeck. Behind us was the reef and beach with the remains of a boat that encountered a similar storm a few years ago! Rougher conditions at anchor than we ever had on the trip here! We had the engine running and as soon as there was a break, we got the anchor up and motored out to deeper, safer water. Slowly worked our way over to the next (and only other) anchorage in the atoll, which is filled with coral bommies and requires that you make a mooring for yourself by wrapping any spare chain you might have around a dead coral head. By the time we got over there the wind and seas had calmed and the sun was out so we were able to pick our way through the mine field. We picked up a mooring left by last
year's
cruisers, launched the dinghy, and went to inspect the 4-5 existing moorings. All needed an upgrade. Back on board we made a really nice lunch from the tuna Bruce caught yesterday (big enough for 4 meals) and decided we'll set out tomorrow morning with spare shackles, chain, and rope to make ourselves a mooring. Bruce has done enough free-diving for one day and we've had way too much exctement (sounds better than saying 'stress' don'tcha think?). I am looking forward to happy hour and finishing off the wine. Making ginger beer for tomorrow.

Sent from Iridium Mail & Web.

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