Is there safety?

We are having nice steady winds from dead east for almost 24 hours going 4-5kts, wing on wing, and are now about 230 miles to go to Aden. The boats we are with, Chulupa [USA]and Joseba [France/Spain] are good company and we travel at same speeds together. We are followed by Imagine and Lapalapa [both USA boats]about 100 miles behind us.

That is our good news...we know of 2 other "aggressive incidents" but we will look for more info before commenting further. We 3 boats are pretty secure now with helicopter flyovers and NATO warships staying in contact. Last night we learned about s/v Pegasus leaving Aden without checking out due to gunfire and some people were killed by student uprising against the present admin...we think. We heard this AM from Jean Pierre on Sanang getting stocked in Al Mukulla, Yemen, that he saw similar unrest there and was locked in a market for a while. We also hear that our other alternative stop, Djbouti, is also know recently known for robbery attacks and other crime. It is also another 100 miles out of our way. We have also been warned about 3 locations in Eritrea [in the Red Sea], that are usually ok stops in precious years, are now off limits due to holding crew and not allowing consular contact for various time periods. This is making it a tough decision about where we can provision and get fuel before going into the Red Sea. We are still getting info on Aden, but are now thinking that stopping there as a group will probably be ok or worth the risk. We are sure getting TOO used to risk!!! You have to be accompanied by an agent for everything and everyplace you go but the prices are cheap even if the ATM machines themselves take an extra tip out of the each deal!!

As of today, we have come just over 3400 miles since we left Thailand 6 weeks ago on Jan 15th. I have been off the boat for only 5 hours shopping in Andamans and briefly in Maldives. I guess another good thing is that we never know how we are going to cope with such stressful situations until we are put to the test and maybe, just maybe, I am more stable than I used to give myself credit for. Chuck always says he will tell me when it's time to panic but I haven't had a chance to go into panic mode yet!!!

Keep us in mind...this adventure isn't over!!! We are doing pretty well sleeping, sailing, eating and drinking!!! Attitudes are reasonably optimistic but we will celebrate when this whole fiasco is over.

from the most inept "fisherpersons" in the Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea...where ever we are...we just can't catch a fish!!! We know they are there...we have had tackle lost and nibbled. Wonder what they sell in Yemeni supermarkets?

Lynn, and Chuck, too on CYAN

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