Charter Itinerary - Andaman Islands

Day 1
Arrived Port Blair from Chennai at 0745 hrs. Cleared immigration and collected baggage within 20 minutes. A very pleasant young man from the agent met us at arrivals and quickly had our luggage loaded into a mini van and on our way to the landing dock at Chatham Island, a journey of 10 minutes.

The mate met us at the dock with the RIB and whisked us out to Kemana IV where our Captain greeted us and served a large English breakfast. After breakfast, port control gave us clearance to sail over the VHF and we were off.

Our first stop was Elephant Bay on the North of Havelock Island, a run of just over an hour (24 miles). We anchored here launched the RIB to explore the bay, a lovely long white sand beach with tall jungle trees standing just behind the beach. We swam and snorkeled on the coral reef in lovely clear blue waters. After a light lunch we passed through the channel between Peel and John Lawrence Islands and Havelock Island out to Minerva Ledge. There is a good scuba dive in 16-22 metres of water on the reef at Minerva Ledge. Excellent water visibility, a range of brightly coloured reef fish and a family of crayfish sheltering under a rock made for an excellent dive. As the sun settled lower towards the horizon we motored the 15 miles upto North Button Island and anchored in 20 metres of water off the edge of the coral reef.

We awoke early to watch the sunrise out of the Andaman Sea and headed into the beach to explore North Button Island. Lovely long sandy beaches on either side of the island and only our own footprints on the sand, we had the island to ourselves. On the whole trip we didn't see a single commercial fishing vessel and only saw two other pleasure craft in the distance. These islands are frequented by turtles including the giant oceanic leatherback turtle.

After breakfast we headed out to Barren Island (2 hour run) 45 miles to the east, a black active volcanic island with wisps of smoke rising from a sulphur tinged rim, it stands alone rising 2000 metres out of the seabed. Green vegetation covers the east side of the island, some feral goats are said to occupy the island, but on the west side a volcanic lava flow spreads down from the cone, a black frozen river ending in sharp jagged cliffs where it enters the sea.

Black volcanic ash carpets the landscape and seabed. We circuited the island slowly with trawling lures set from fishing rods on either side of the boat. Lunch was interrupted by the whirr of a reel as a large fish hit one of the lures and took the line out. 5 minutes of adrenalin rush as we reeled in the furiously fighting fish until we landed a 20 kg Spanish mackerel. This assured us of lots of sushi, carpaccio and BBQ'd fish to eat for the next 2 days.

The diving here is on the steep wall that plunges into the ocean depths. Delicate coral grows on the rock and through the volcanic ash; brightly coloured reef fish swim amongst the rocks and deep water pelagic fish patrol the outer reaches of visibility.

We returned to our anchorage at North Button Island that evening. From the flybridge we watched the sun sink into the sea ahead of us as our Captain served drinks and canapés on the flybridge.

We hauled our anchor and set a course for Elphinstone harbour and the Homfray Strait that separates South and North Andaman Islands.  Once we reached Elphinstone harbour, we slowed the engines to idle and entered the Homfray Strait at 8 knots, displacement speed.  The width of the Strait varies from 100 to 300 metres.  The land on either side is low lying with some gently rolling hills cloaked in virgin jungle that is a tribal reservation for the Negrito “Jarawa” tribe.  Approximately 250 Jarawa tribes people inhabit the jungle living in simple crude shelters subsisting as hunter gatherers little changed from the Mesolithic era.

Tall jungle trees line the river bank and mangrove trees grow along the edge in shallower water. Sea water crocodiles still live in this area although we didn’t see any this time.  The Homfray Strait widens at the western end into a series of channels between islands running north south before it opens out into the Bay of Bengal.  Turning north and increasing speed so that Kemana IV rose up on the plane, we took an hour and a quarter to reach Interview Island (30 miles) in time for lunch. 

A hole in the reef provided a good anchorage and an inlet to run the RIB into the beach.  Along low swell coming in from the South West surged and broke over the outer reef. As there was a steady 10-12 knots of wind out of the south west we launched the sailing dinghies and spent the afternoon sailing them.  On a trip ashore to explore the beach, we found evidence of the wild elephants that roam the island we made. A driftwood bonfire, then our crew set out chairs and a table on the beach, drinks and canapés were served as we watch the sunset and then we lit the bonfire at dusk. Life doesn’t get much better than this.

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Interview Islands is 13 miles long, just 5 miles to the north is North Reef Island which has a 2½ mile long crescent shaped bay on the sheltered east side of the island. The island is popular with turtles who come up the beach to lay their eggs in the season. We spent the day at North reef Island diving in 16 metres of water, sailing in the bay and beach combing. That evening we returned to an anchorage on the southern tip of Interview Island beautifully sheltered by an outer reef.

A morning dive on the edge of the reef and exploration of South Reef Island where there were many turtle tracks up the beach to nesting sites. In the afternoon an expedition in the RIB to explore the mangrove forest around the north end of Middle Andaman Island.

We set off early for the 100 miles passage (4½ hours) down to South Cinque Island. A stop at Middle Bank for an open-water dive in 16-20 metres on an underwater seamount next to the drop off into the Bay of Bengal. We passed North Sentinel Island a large flat round island which is a tribal reserve. The fierce Sentinelese tribe live on this island, no outsider has stepped ashore here for more than 30 years. Its tribesmen are very hostile towards any outsiders.

At the Cirque Islands, the boat seems to hang suspended above the seabed, the water is so clear that the anchor on the seabed reflects the sunlight glinting away 10 metres below.

The Cinque Islands are very special. Long white sandy beaches sloping into clear blue water, it is easy to spend 2 days here walking up into the jungle to vantage points with views out across the Andaman sea. Rising early to see spotted deer on the beach wandering along the beach enjoying the feel of the sand under barefoot. Swimming, snorkeling and diving. Then evening drinks and canapés on the beach watching the sunset and afterwards a bonfire.

After breakfast it took an hour back to Port Blair where we arrived at 9.30 am in time for our 1130 flight to Chennai.

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