Sailing Triteiavideo
Leaving Thailand & Sailing Solo Into the Bay of Bengal and Starting Across The Indian Ocean
July 5, 2026 · 56 min · 68K views · Bay of Bengal
What this video covers
James departs Phuket solo aboard the 61-year-old Alberg 30 sloop Triteia, bound for the Maldives on a 1,500-nautical-mile passage across the Bay of Bengal and into the Indian Ocean — his first proper ocean crossing in two years and his first-ever passage in the Indian Ocean.0:23
Leaving late in the season, he faces forecast light winds followed by 500–700 miles of headwinds, plus extreme shipping and fishing traffic density.4:27 Between Phuket and the Andaman Islands, counter-currents against the Malacca Strait outflow create irregular current bands that slow the boat from five knots to 3.5; he reads about the phenomenon in the Indian Ocean Compendium downloaded from the soggy paws website.6:43 His solo watch strategy through the Nicobar Islands is one-hour sleep increments with AIS running continuously; he spots 12 vessels in one night, only two on AIS, plus a FAD two boat-lengths away in the dark.9:59 The engine quits mid-passage — a fuel blockage requiring him to blow and suck the fuel line clear and replace the fuel filter — leaving him with roughly two five-gallon jerry cans for 1,200 miles remaining.32:16 He considers an emergency fuel stop in Sri Lanka.37:38 A new Raleigh Tasker spinnaker, remade after the original proved too large and heavy, keeps Triteia moving in four-knot air.51:58 Floating debris — a tree longer than the boat and a large unidentified object with violent motion — poses a hazard overnight.16:53 Departing late in the Indian Ocean season forces constant fuel rationing and contingency planning when the engine becomes unreliable.
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