With the war underway in the Middle East and the likely unfavorable conditions for a Red Sea transit this spring, the migrating cruising fleet in Asia has started to alter plans. Some, as we reported last week, will opt to make the Indian Ocean crossing to Cape Town, South Africa instead of getting to Europe via the Red Sea.
But, there has been a snag in this Plan B. The Chagos Archipelago in the middle of the Indian Ocean is as remote an island group as you’ll find on the planet. But it is also a strategic location for a military base and a favorite stop over for boats sailing from Asia to Cape Town.
The island, including the well-known Diego Garcia and it’s large military facilities and airport, have belonged to Britain since 1814. But, last year, Britain announced it would turn over the administration of Chagos to the island nation of Mauritius and would lower the Union Jack for the last time.
In order for cruising boats to visit the islands, a permit is required and these were normally applied for through the British Indian Ocean Territory administration. In January, it came to light that the BIOT was not issuing cruising permits during the transition to Mauritius control.
That meant that boats heading west from Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia would have to bypass the islands and head to Mauritius directly, adding a thousand miles to the first leg of the passage. The cruising community took note and started a campaign, with the aid of Noonsite.com and others, to make a stop at Chagos possible.
Surprisingly, with the spring sailing season approaching, the wheels of bureaucracy turned quickly, and the BIOT announced last week that permits for transiting yachts would be issued on a limited basis. Only the anchorage in the Solomon Islands will be open to yachts and only eight will be allowed in the harbor at any given time.
For those who have not yet applied for a permit, the waiting list is now being processed and permits and payment forms are being issued. That’s the good news.
The bad news is that Mauritius has not issued a set of policies that will govern Chagos and thus once the transition is complete BIOT permits will be invalidated. Will Mautitius honor existing permits. Time will tell.
