March 29, 2007 - Salalah to Eritrea, Day 5
by George & Merima

Hi Everyone:

Starting out early yesterday morning, the sky was overcast and there was a low haze on the water. Winds were just a couple of knots as we motorsailed from our anchorage on the south coast of Yemen. As we approached the Gates of Sorrow, the breeze filled in to 8-10 knots from the northwest. As the sun rose higher, the haze faded and we had much better visibility as we rounded the corner from the Gulf of Aden into the Red Sea.

We opted to pass through the small strait between Perim Island and mainland Yemen, as it was the shortest route, and it also kept us well clear from the steady stream of heavy shipping traffic funneling through the large strait, only about 11 miles across at its narrowest point.

As we passed through the small strait, the earth to either side of us looked parched and almost barren of vegetation. The lighthouse on Perim Island was surrounded by a fortification which appeared to be from the colonial era, and there were some other buildings, towers and bunkers, indicating that this was an important strategic point. To starboard on the mainland, there were castles or forts on the tops of the nearby peaks. The lack of anything modern in appearance gave it all a surrealistic appearance of being back in biblical times. It probably looked as it did a thousand years ago.

As we turned the corner, breathing a sigh of relief that we had finally reached the Red Sea, the wind came on the nose. The seas were negligible so the ride was comfortable. We made our way across the shipping channel, weaving nicely between the flow of traffic, and into the Rubitino Channel, the approach to Assab. As we bore away into the channel, we rolled out the genoa, shut down the engine and sailed toward Assab.

Two men in a small boat came close, cheering and waving their hands, apparently giving their approval to us as we roared through the channel at 9 knots under full sail. They came close and tried to speak to us, but we could not hear them well or understand what they wanted. The driver asked us to stop the boat, as if it was as simple as touching the brake pedal, while he was wiping the repeated pelts of salt spray from his face. They did not look official, so we indicated that we needed to press on to Assab so that could arrive before dark. He seemed to be OK with this and they sped off.

Shortly after, we were passed by a brightly painted local dhow, or fishing boat. This one looked as if it was modeled after Noah's Arc, with the bow and stern both very high and pointed. It would be difficult to tell if this thing were coming or going. The crew were smiley and waving.

An hour later we entered the port of Assab, Eritrea. Being a Thursday, the port was closed for the "weekend." Port Control did not answer my numerous calls and the city appeared to be a ghost town. We were anchored and got the boat tidied up just in time for happy hour. Over sundowners, Merima and I kept looking at each other saying "I can't believe we're in the Red Sea! I can't believe we're in Africa!"

Cheers, George and Merima