Cancelling Stop in Sri Lanka

To be safe; to minimize the risk to the crew and yacht, we have decided to avoid Sri Lanka the same way we would sail around a potential hurricane.

Prior to the recent escalation and southward spread of the civil war in Sri Lanka, Galle was a safe option for us to stop on our route west, as the conflict was isolated completely in the north and the history of the conflict showed that it was localized.

Now, the recent events show that the conflict does not have borders. They are using air strikes with an air force...Kamikazie style. They could easily get to Galle, which by air would be about 15 minute away from Colombo. Columbo is a major shipping port for the country and could be a logical target if a Tamil goal is to hurt the infrastructure and close off access to the country.

"Error on the side of safety always; live to sail another day"

Here is the News Story:

02/21/2009 13:36
SRI LANKA
Tamil Tiger kamikaze aircraft shot down overnight while attacking Colombo
by Melani Manel Perera
The two Zlin-143's went down under anti-aircraft fire near the general headquarters of the Sri Lankan Air Force and the Katunayake air base. The crew on board the planes were killed, as well as two people in the spots where the planes fell. 56 people were injured. It is the ninth aerial attack by the Tamil rebels.


Colombo (AsiaNews) - Tamil Tigers attack Colombo from the sky, and anti-aircraft guns in the capital knock down the two planes. Last night, two Zlin-143's belonging to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) flew over the city in the southern part of the island, to carry out kamikaze attacks on strategic targets.

The two planes were Czech-made light civilian aircraft modified by the rebels to carry bombs. They were shot down while they were trying to carry out their suicide mission. The first was hit at 10:20 p.m. local time near the Inland Revenue Department, a building in front of the general headquarters of the Sri Lankan Air Force in the capital. The second fell under anti-aircraft fire at 10:45 p.m., near the air base of Katunayake. As a safety precaution, various parts of Colombo were put under blackout. In addition to the crews of the two Zlin-143's, two other people died after being hospitalized. Many have been injured: 50 at Inland Revenue, 6 in Katunayake.

It is the ninth aerial attack attempted by the Tamil rebels since 2007. Before this, the small squadron of LTTE planes had tried to strike a variety of targets, with varying results: Katunayake (March 26, 2007); Palali (April 24, 2007); Colombo (April 29, 2007); Anuradhapura (October 22, 2007); Welioya (April 26, 2008); Trincomalee (August 26, 2008); Vavunya (September 9, 2008). The most recent attack by the rebels was on last October 28: two planes struck the Thallady military camp in Mannar in northern Sri Lanka, and a power station in the suburbs of the capital.

The attack prevented by anti-aircraft fire comes as the government says that it has reduced the area in the north under the control of the LTTE to 103 square kilometers, and after the announcement of the destruction of six enemy aircraft discovered during military operations in Vanni.

"ya don't see this everyday!"

Wow, the Andaman Islands of India. Only 400 miles west of Thailand you feel as you are on the other side of the world from South East Asia and Indonesia. The guests aboard have had an amazing trip. We've seen an elephant walking down an amazing beach at sunset, swam with giant Manta Rays, Sailed by an active volcano then swam and dove at the base of the Volcano.

More to come. I am looking forward to editing and posting my photos.

Safety, Safety, Safety....

This happend a few days ago at our marina in Thailand. VERY, VERY SAD...



Unconfirmed reports suggest that a crewmember knocked the throttles of the yacht while putting a cover on the controls, causing the yacht to surge forward and snapping the bow mooring line, which in turn hit dockside spectators.

It is believed the yacht in question was the 50m Hakvoort MY JeMaSa, which was launched in 2006.



Here is the News Story as reported in the Australian.



A DARWIN teenager has lost her fight for life after a freak boating accident in Thailand.

The life-support system keeping 16-year-old Ali van Os alive was turned off last night, five days after she received massive head injuries when she was struck in the head by a snapped mooring line.

Ali, the daughter of author Joanne van Os and prominent Darwin barrister Lex Silvester, was in the north of Phuket island as part of a round-the-world sailing trip when the accident happened.

Passionate about yachts and the sea, Ali was at the Yacht Haven Marina, admiring a 50m super-yacht, when it is believed someone knocked the boat's throttles.

The boat surged forward, snapping a hawser and causing a 10cm-wide kevlar-composite rope to strike her across the face and head, throwing her into the air and on to the jetty.

Van Os and Mr Silvester rushed to their daughter's aid, joined by medical staff from other yachts at the jetty. They tried to control the heavy bleeding and to keep Ali breathing, before an ambulance arrived at the remote jetty about half an hour later.

Ali was taken to an emergency clinic at Thalang before being transferred to Bangkok Phuket Hospital.

Her mother, whose 2005 memoir Outback Heart told of her marriage to Rod Ansell, the man who inspired the character Crocodile Dundee, said she took solace in the thought her daughter's final moments were spent around the sea.

"We take some comfort -- a lot of comfort -- that she was doing something she loved and did the best at that moment, talking to someone and getting an invite on board a boat, making the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends ... something we all know Ali did better than anyone," she said.

Van Os said the US company that owned the superyacht had been supportive and a full inquiry was under way.

Friends of the gregarious teenager gathered for a farewell ceremony in Darwin last night. Her life support was turned off at 7.30pm (AEDT).