more news

Just when we thought we were getting safer we have had several recent events that are tense. S/V Imagine who is with Lapalapa about 70 miles behind us right at the safety corridor saw a motor vessel...don't know how big...aggressively approached and flares were sent. Then a mysterious vessel with a red light shadowed their sailboat and then turned dark....but radar showed them still there. They put out distress calls for the corridor ships but no response. When they called the USN in Dubai on satelite phone, they got a small ship and helicopter in about 1/2 hour and all they could find at night was something that looked like a fishing vessel but it could have been a disguise, too.

Then we read an email this morning about ING and the severity of their condition. They were overtaken right in the same route we had taken only a few days before and near where one of us 3 boats, Joseba, had a mysterious encounter with a 100' vessel that he out maneuvered. We leave the corridor tonight for a fast run to Aden. Civil unrest seems calm compared to this anxiety on the sea. We hear things are under control there now, somewhat.

This is all almost unbelievable! It will affect the cruising community for years. I might add that we don't know of anyone else out here in our age range....mostly younger cruisers....for whatever that's worth! Maybe we are young at heart or maybe we need more sense!!!

We pray for ING who was anchored near us in the Maldives but we don't know them. Just being out here together during all this makes us, the sailing community, feel like family. Being able to talk to the other 2 boats we are with, Joseba and Chulupa has meant a lot.

Hoping for some good news soon. The Red Sea opening is just north of Aden and then we use the southerly winds to sail north like crazy!!!

I must say that the love and Prayers we have received with each email we read has affected us to the point of tears. We appreciate all the outpouring of concern for us.

Lynn and Chuck on CYAN, Wed, March 2.

On March 23 we will celebrate our 38th wedding anniversary...hope we are safe.
NOTE...right now as I send this, a Ship is reporting 2 strange small boats circling him at a point not to far from us. Something has to be done about these maniacs!!!

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