Year 3 -18 January 2026 – Galle – Sri Lanka

We were moving around quite a lot in the night and you could hear the lines straining due to the swell around the harbour basin. Then I heard a bang and I got up and it woke others too and one of the 18mm spring lines had snapped. The rubber snubber (mooring compensator) had broken the day before.

The whole boat was swaying about 10-12 feet one way and then the other. We put on other lines and also put the spare anchor chain in the water on a line so that when the boat moved backwards it was having to pull up the chain.

The situation was not tenable and so I contacted the agent and he said he would send his father.  His father came and I explained the situation and he called the Harbour Master who gave permission for us to be off the wall further round and in the naval area. He showed me where this was and it looked ok although we may have to use the dinghy to go ashore. This was not ideal but better than staying where we were. In addition there was a rotting vegetable smell and a large dead fish floating in the water which was not pleasant.

We had some breakfast and then gradually moved our lines and motored out to the area indicated. We put our anchor out about 3 boat lengths from the shore in about 7.5m of water and reversed back. Paul and Peter had stayed ashore and took our lines. We secured ourselves and tightened the anchor and we were held quite nicely in this position and not affected by any swell. We got the dinghy down and I went to collect our laundry which was now returned.

Paul had the idea of using some pallets as a form of ladder which he obtained and tied together. We then placed the dinghy at the stern so that we could bet in the dinghy and move across to the pallets and then climb up them and on to the wall. This was a bit experimental but it worked and means we do not have to row ashore together and can still get access individually rather than all having to go together.

By this time it was lunchtime and a chunk of the day had gone.

After lunch the guys went to the local beach to surf and relax and I did some admin before joining them. The swell today was higher and the beach looked lovely and the water was warm and fun with the waves and the swell. They took it in turn to surf and we chilled with the odd beer to keep us going.

We returned before sunset and returned to Stormbird to change. It was Keith’s last night so we were going out. We went to The Shack again as we had a good meal there last time.

We did indeed have a good meal and walked back to Stormbird having had a good time and we all managed to clamber down the pallets and on board.

I then had a call with a potential new crew member before turning in. After our early start it had been a long day. However, we were much safer where we are now despite the naval vessels coming and going.

 The picture of the day is a view over the  beach where we surfed and relaxed.

Need/Opportunity Year Three

In year three I will be going from Thailand to Sri Lanka, India, Maldives and then on to Mauritius, Reunion, Cape Town, St Helena, Azores and back to the UK. 

I am looking for crew from Mauritius/ Reunion Island to Cape Town and from Cape Town to the UK. If of any interest do email me.

The blog will continue as we continue the journey. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com