Ann-Elin Synnes · video

What this video covers

Ann-Elin and Sam depart the Andaman Islands and sail approximately 500 nautical miles back to Langkawi over five days, crossing the Andaman Sea.▶ 0:22 Conditions vary sharply: the first day brings large swells near the islands, the second goes nearly calm with glassy water and the boat drifting backward, forcing the engine on, while days three and four deliver steady wind and a favorable current pushing speeds between five and eight knots with sails untouched for long stretches.▶ 5:35 The crew runs two-person night watches on a flexible schedule — whoever has the most energy takes the longer shift — and notes that fishing boat traffic near Thailand demands constant vigilance, unlike the open water near the Andamans.▶ 18:49 The passage falls over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Ann-Elin's first Christmas at sea; she bakes gingerbread cookies using cookie cutters Sam 3D-printed, and the crew eats pre-made palak paneer and other Indian food prepared before departure.▶ 1:23 The boat strikes an unidentified submerged object mid-passage but continues without apparent damage.▶ 14:45 A large dolphin pod appears on Christmas Day.▶ 14:58 The crew plans a stop at an island off Phuket to avoid navigating through dense fishing traffic at night before continuing south to Langkawi.▶ 14:02 Pre-cooking meals before a multi-day offshore passage eliminates the need to cook in a moving galley.

More from Ann-Elin Synnes

Sailing the Malacca strait - Pirate Warning, Stuck at Customs and Angry MonkeysJul 2026Light winds to Penang and a stop at the island of Songsong!Jun 2026Leaving Langkawi - is this really the start of our journey?May 2026Sailing back to Langkawi pt 2 - stuff break and stupid mistakes (almost lost the anchor!)Apr 2026

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