0:18.55S 73:26.46E
Helen writes...we arrived in Foammulah Atoll (01-08-09) yesterday at around
5pm - luckily just before sundown to be able to see our way into the island's
only harbour. Despite the name, Foammulah Atoll is not actually an Atoll,
but a solitary island. It has a population of around 10,000 and is approx.
5km wide and 1km wide and as such is the single biggest island in the whole
of the Maldives. It is also fertile producing many of its own fruit and
vegetables. Though there is a beach around the whole island the reef that
fringes it is narrow so is pounded by waves on all sides. In the past there
was no real safe anchorage, but in 2003 a harbour was opened on the south
corner of the island and this is where we are anchored now. It looked quite
daunting coming in with waves crashing along the full stretch of the harbour
wall and we were not sure what the swell would be like on the entrance, but
it proved to be quite manageable. Our only real challenge was navigating
the anchor lines which a number of boats have strung across the harbour from
one side to the other. The boats moor against the inside quay wall, but use
anchors set into the harbour to keep the boats from banging against the
wall. It was a good test to see if I was awake as we came in and I got
quite a start when I spotted the line in the fairly murky harbour water just
as the rudder was about to pass over it! Oops!!
This morning we set out to explore the island and all struggled a bit with
the heat and the distance that we walked. We found a small restaurant for a
lunch stop, where we proceeded to be amused by the fact that most of what
was offered on the menu was out of stock. We are only about 30 miles from
Gan/Addu Atoll but the limited offerings from the restaurant made it seem
much more remote. Biggest disappointment was the fact that the supply of
fries had run out. You can imagine the distress that caused! On the way
back we visited the island's fruit and veg market and stocked up on salad
supplies, some bananas and a locally grown papaya which we have been
promised is very sweet and juicy.
Tonight we will head to one of the island's other restaurants (we think
there are only about 3 anyway). We ate there last night and saw some tasty
looking pizzas being served. The kids and Bryan have been craving them ever
since. Tomorrow we set off for Huvadhoo atoll - about 50 miles north west
of here. We will leave mid afternoon and then sail through the night with
the aim of anchoring the next morning. The trip will take us back past the
equator so I will keep a keen eye out for the red line that marks the
division of the northern and southern hemispheres!!
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