Chagos Archipelagos

May  -  June  2002

It's a Cruising Yachties Paradise!

This archipelago is about 240 nm south of Addoo, Maldives and already at 5 degrees south of the equator. The British claimed this territory about 40 years ago and transported all it's inhabitants to Mauritius.

The USA wanted to lease this territory from the British and use it as a military base for their war machines, allowing no people to live here. It's an unfair world !!  The US military base is Diego Garcia and is situated 100 nm south of the Atoll of Salomon.

Trans-ocean yacht cruisers use the Salomon Atoll as well as Peros Banhos Atoll as a stop over and rest anchorage on their way to Africa and other distant destinations. The British Marines visit the Atolls monthly, remove rubbish and check passports. The British allow yachts to stay up to 3 months and only charge US $80. Thank you!

The Salomon Atoll would be the closest one can get in a yachties dream of a tropical Island paradise. For how long I don't know. The number of visiting yachts increases every year and pressure on this most beautiful environment will surely suffer. The water is crystal clear and fish are still plentiful. Manta rays, bigger than my dinghy swooshing by at close range and curious reef sharks come to say hello. The small islands are dense with coconut palms, inhabited only by hermit crabs and fearsome looking coconut crab.

Days in paradise pass quickly with fishing, swimming, diving, socializing, birthday parties, farewell parties or just sitting in the sunset camp sipping jungle juice. We only stayed for 1 month and we wonder if we shall ever return. Setting all sails we departed the Atoll on a glorious day and Little Swan looked just great with all sails flying and heading for Mauritius 1240 nm away.

Toni