We left Aden on Monday 21st and sailed straight to Suakin in Sudan. There were no incidents and we didn't see anything suspicious. Passed through Bab El Mandeb at night in a strong wind and rough sea which are not the sort of conditions the pirates like.
Arrived in Suakin port on Friday afternoon and went to the anchorage. It is a very narrow channel between the island on which lie the ruins of old Suakin. Old Suakin is now deserted, it was made of coral and has crumbled away. It was a challenge for William's navigation but we made it OK.

Friedermann and Octavio on Thetis caught a couple of fish along the way and we all saw lots of dolphins both big and small. The wind dropped and we decided to change course taking a shorter more direct route. William changed the way points and floated a print out of them back to Thetis in an empty plastic 5L water bottle attached to a fishing line. A message in a bottle. Octavio retreived it with a boat hook and sent us some of the mornings catch (a very big mackerel) back in a carrier bag.
Checked in using an agent Mohamed who drives a big old Mercades, one of the few cars we have seen in the nearby town of El Kaff, it's mostly donkey carts and is very very rustic. There are goats and chickens all over the place and a huge number of ferral cats of all colours. The people are very friendly and the women wear bright coloured wrap around cloths that cover them up almost entirely but often dont hide their faces, unlike the drab black clad women we saw in Aden with their veils. Have refuelled both boats by jerry can, arranged by Mohamed at 70c/litre, cheaper than the international price charged in Salalah and Aden.
We all had a currry on Out on the Blue Friday evening since we couldn't go ashore before checking in Saturday morning. Friedermann and Octavio tried the local restaurant, (shack) yesterday and said the food was very good. If they suvive Paul and I may try it with them next time.
We have gone by local bus to Port Sudan today to get Internet and have a look round. The journey was interesting, along a long straight road with scattered settlements of nomads living in tents and herding their goats, cattle and camels. Port Sudan irself is a big town that is very busy with lots of traffic and rickshaw taxis dashing about. We have enjoyed several cups of strong cofee or tea in my case served from boiling kettles on the pavement.