Food is an important part of a balanced diet.
-Fran Lebowitz-



Charlie inspects the quality of stock and takes a sample.

Provisioning for Chagos

We have never stocked up the boat for six months. Going to Chagos for 4-5 months and not being able to go shopping for about six is a challenge for us. After all, we're still beginners.

Below is a list of our idea of 6 months worth of stock. I hope making this list will help those who are only starting their cruising, like ourselves. But first, a few comments:

There are unlisted items, stuff in the galley and single tins and bags of this and that, toiletries, cleaning products etc. Not every item ended up listed in our inventory. The list reflects not only what we thought we needed but also what was available and what was cheap. Certain tins for example were so expensive we only bought a few or none. (Only 2 tins of beans)

With non-perishables such as rice and tin food our only measure was how much we can fit in. With perishables such as potatoes and onions the only measure was our estimate of how long they would last. There's no point of buying 6 months worth of potatoes in the tropics, they won't last six months.

Our list reflects - of course - what we like. We like Pop Corn (12 kg) and we like garlic (10 kg). I like sausages (37 tins) but I'm not too keen on milk (only 4 kg of mild powder for cooking etc.) And of course we're learning. We're learning about drying, perserving, canning, pickling etc. We're learning about chick peas, lentils, beans and other high-protein dry stuff. We're learning about packing the boat full, I mean putting in another tonne after the boat is already full. We were fixed on the idea of having seats available in the saloon. One boat in Chagos who arrived in March said they are hoping to start using the starboard seat for sitting around July, after all the stock is used up!

I hope to use our learning for cost saving in the future. Maybe we can cruise the Caribbean without suffering the prices and pulling out stock that was purchased somewhere else, at a cheaper price.

We made a few mistakes. Not enough butter and margarine. I was thinking about just spreading that stuff on freshly baked bread but totally forgot how much is needed for bisquits and cakes. And, if you're heading for Chagos, don't forget to bring shitloads of outboard fuel! We had 40 litres, some yachts arrive with 140 litres. It all depends, you know, on horsepower, on tastes and habits, likes and dislikes and the skill of whipping out meals from a handful of rice, freshly caught fish and a heart-of-palm salad.


10kg of garlic filling the nets in the saloon. The last ones were used 8 months later in Madagascar. The note clipped to the net is our backgammon score. I'm still winning, just...


Oh, and I haven't listed any spices and flavours. We had a huge selection and vast amounts of curry, cumin, basil, pepper, chives, parsley, herbs, paprika, stock powder and so on as well as a number of sachets of different sauce mixes and flavourings like taco mix and curry paste. With lots of flavour, I'd eat my under-pants, if I was wearing any...

Stock items at 18 February 2005, upon departing Langkawi:



(Last update of stock in October 2005, in Madagascar
ITEMQTYUSED UP

BASICS
Potatoes52 kg23 May
Onions20 kg10 July
Garlic10 kg14 October
Pasta / Spaghetti7,5 kgStill going..
Lasagna2 pka few months later
Rice26 kgSix months later destroyed by bugs
Plain Flour34 kgSeptember, also partially destroyed by bugs
Dry Yeast (8gr sachet)140 approx.still going..
Raw sugar12 kgstill going..
White sugar24 kgstill going..
Rolled Oats6,5 kgstill going...
Lentils, Beans etc.5 kg in totalstill going..

FRIDGE
Margarine4 kg23 May
Butter2 kg30 May
Cheddar Cheese6,5 kg3 June
Some cabbage14 March
Some tomatoesOn passage
Some other fresh vegiesOn passage

TINS
Peas48 small tinsstill going...
Peas15 reg tins
Corn kernels24 small tinssome left October
Whole tomato30 reg. tinsJuly
Sausages37 reg. tinsstill going, strictly rationed...
Green beans2 reg. tinssoon after
Beetroot10 reg. tinsstill some left October..
Tropical Fruit11 large tinsA couple left in October
Pineapple2 reg. tinsa month later
Crunchy cut vegetables2 reg. tinsone left in October, heavily guarded...
Mixed vegetable50 reg. tinsJune
Tomato puree / paste39 reg. tinsMaybe some left in July...
Young corn (whole)24 reg. tinsstill going..
Spam11 small tinsstill going, doesn't taste that good...
Tuna4 small tinsMaybe one left, I don't like Tuna...
Various heat'n'eat20 tinssome heavily guarded tins left for passages...

DRY STUFF
Instant noodles20 pkJune
Long life noodles24 pkMay
Crisp bread6 pk15 March
Muesli bars14June
Crackers5 pkJune
Mixed nuts4 kgJune
Nut and raisin mix9 kgOctober

DRINKS
Cappuchino saches70July
Orange cordial powder3 kgJune
Mango cordial powder3 kgJune
Orange cordial (liquid)6 litres25 April
Coffee10 kgAugust

ALCOHOL

(All spirits poured in 10 litre containers)
Red Wine (In 4 litre casks)88 litres1 June, last one found in Sept but turned into vinegar
Jim Beam Bourbon20 litres14 June
Vodka10 litresJuly?
Tequila10 litresstill going
Scotch22 litres3 May
Beer4 cartonsOn passage

MISCALLENIOUS
Tomato sauce11 litresOctober
Chilli sauce2 litresStill going
Cooking oil12 litresOctober
Lemon Juice6 litresOctober
Lime Juice2 litresOctober
Bread crumbs1,5 kgStill going...
Pop Corn12 kgStill going..
Soy sauce2,5 litresStill going..
Tabasco (60ml)2 Last one going, October
BBQ sauce750 mlApril
Oyster sauce600 mlStill going..
Mustard400 mlStill going..
Milk powder4 kgJuly
Long life milk (125ml) 8Last ones gone off, September
Condensed milk6 small tinone left, October
Cream Cheese1,5 kgLast jars off, October
Mayonaise2,3 kgJuly
Toothpaste12 pkA couple left, October
Toothbrush3All three in use...
LPG Gas for cooking30kg10kg remains, October

Malaysian Duty Free Vodka finding a new home in a 10 litre plastic container. Glass bottles are never good in a small yacht and a small plastic container is easier to secure.


Meals were supplemented with fresh fish, back deck garden produce, coconuts and occasionally heart of palm. Thank you Michele of s/v Louzik for trading, selling and donating some of her excess stock to top up some items. Thank you Glenn and Erja of s/v Aku Ankka and Janene and Terry of s/v Cristata for their help and advise about preserving, drying, smoking, keeping, preparing and surviving. (And for sharing their catch!) Thank you for many others for those little tips and tricks on how to be a Tarzan in the Jungle. Want some good recepies for whipping up a gourmet meal out of some rice, a soggy cockpit cushion and 200ml of engine oil? Go to Chagos!


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