Exploring a series of islands scattered across the grand Indian Ocean
Sailing Across the Indian Ocean: A Journey from Thailand to the Chagos Archipelago via the Maldives
Saskia Stainer-Hutchins and her husband Ross are currently sailing their yacht, Acushnet, on an extraordinary journey across the Indian Ocean. Their route, from Thailand to the Chagos Archipelago via the Maldives, presents a unique set of challenges but also offers unforgettable experiences.
Navigational Challenges
Their new route would be a detour of grand proportions, taking more miles and being more upwind than other alternatives. From Thailand, they headed west-southwest, crossing the Bay of Bengal to reach the Maldives, then continued southwest towards Chagos. The Indian Ocean experiences strong and shifting monsoon winds, with sailors reporting persistent winds of 15-22 knots and occasional gusts up to 30 knots, especially near Madagascar and during certain seasons. Managing these conditions requires skillful sail handling and route adjustment.
Remote Areas and Limited Services
Both the Maldives and the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos) are sparsely populated with limited infrastructure. Chagos is a British Indian Ocean Territory with restricted access, mainly for military use, so special permits are typically required. The Maldives, with over 200 resorts, now occupy many of the best islands with ideal anchorages for sailboats, making it challenging for cruisers to find good anchorages.
Unforgettable Experiences
Despite the challenges, the journey offers numerous rewards. The Maldives is world-renowned for its striking underwater biodiversity, with spectacular dive sites such as Kandooma Thila, Maaya Thila, and Fotteyo Kandu. These provide unforgettable snorkeling and diving opportunities while stopping en route.
The leg between the Maldives and the Chagos Islands is a unique open ocean passage with calm tropical seas but requires preparedness for navigational challenges and equipment reliability. Some sailors have faced mechanical issues, forcing route alterations.
The Chagos Islands are remote coral atolls featuring spectacular, mostly untouched coral reefs, abundant marine life, and clear waters. The sailors found the animals in Chagos were not afraid of humans due to its remote location.
Unique Sights
Exploring the Chagos Archipelago is a highlight of the journey. The islands are little-known but have a complicated history and are currently one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries on the planet. The Maldives’ stunning atoll formations and diverse dive sites adorned with thilas (underwater pinnacles) and kandus (channels) represent some of the Indian Ocean’s most photogenic and ecologically rich marine environments.
Adventure and Discoveries
The sailors also encountered unexpected challenges and adventures. They skipped many highlights in the Maldives due to their risky strategy of island hopping down the less popular and more remote eastern atolls. They found themselves motoring over a sea that was as flat as glass, and spotted a large number of turtles. They also explored the ruins of an abandoned luxury resort in the Maldives, which felt like they'd stepped into a post-apocalyptic future and gave them a real sense of adventure.
In sum, sailing from Thailand to Chagos via the Maldives is an adventurous expedition across the Indian Ocean that requires sound ocean sailing skills and planning but rewards travelers with outstanding marine biodiversity, unique island cultures, and immersive tropical environments. Access restrictions and weather should be carefully considered when planning this route.
The unique route of Saskia Stainer-Hutchins and her husband, sailing their yacht Acushnet from Thailand to the Chagos Archipelago via the Maldives, not only presents navigational challenges but also offers a blend of adventure-travel and cultural-travel experiences. The Maldives, with its striking underwater biodiversity and abandoned luxury resorts, and the Chagos Archipelago, with its remote, untouched coral reefs and complex history, make for an unforgettable journey of adventure and discovery.
