E234 - Piracy Warnings & Fishing Nets | 1,200 Miles to Socotra

In this episode, we take on a 1,200-nautical-mile crossing of the Indian Ocean, sailing from Uligan in the Maldives towards Socotra. As we cross the Arabian Sea, we tackle a noisy problem high above us, servicing the mast sheaves in an attempt to silence a persistent creak. But it's what's happening around us that has us on edge. Twice, boats believed to be fishing vessels approach and attempt to come alongside. With active piracy warnings in the region, we're understandably very wary of any unidentified boats getting too close. We also catch a beautiful tuna along the way and show you how we report our position and passage to UKMTO, along with some of the piracy warnings and advisories we receive during the crossing. As we near Socotra, the passage takes another unexpected turn. We become trapped among multiple fishing nets, each stretching for more than 9 nautical miles. We're incredibly grateful to be travelling with two other yachts, allowing us to work our way through the maze together. But it's not without incident, with one of the boats becoming completely entangled and having to get into the water to cut themselves free. Finally, after 1,200 nautical miles, we reach the remote and extraordinary island of Socotra. 1,200 nautical miles, piracy warnings, unidentified boats, miles of fishing nets and a long stretch of open ocean — this is a passage we won't forget. Timestamps if you like to Jump Right In: 00:00 Intro 00:39 Day 1, leaving Uligan 01:06 Mast Sheaves 03:50 Visit by unknown boat in the dark 05:06 Day 3 - Chased by 2 boats 08:00 Dolphins 11:20 Fish on 13:26 UKMTO reporting 18:12 Tangled in nets 19:41 Socotra WHO ARE WE? Hey there! We’re Chris and Jo, an ordinary Aussie couple living our extraordinary dream aboard our Seawind 1260 since January 2019 and now we continue from 2024 aboard our new 1370! Our adventure began with an unforgettable journey down the east coast of Australia, followed by a sail to the stunning New Caledonia. In 2020, we continued our exploration further north, and by 2021 and 2022, we circumnavigated Australia, discovering breathtaking locations along the way. Having previously owned fishing and water-skiing boats, our passion for sailing deepened after crewing in South Australia, leading us to make the leap into full-time living at sea. We hope to inspire you, just as we were inspired by other YouTube channels, to chase your dreams and explore the wonders of this beautiful world. Join us on our journey, and don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more sailing adventures! #seawind1370 #seawindcats #sailing #sailingboat #sailingyacht #yacht #yachting #yachtinglifestyle #cruisinglife #arabiansea #pirates #socotraisland #socotra #indianocean