We Were a HIGH-RISK Yacht in the Gulf of Aden… | Socotra to Djibouti Ep 247

We're the Wood family - Woody, Irenka, Rowan, Darroch & Yewan. 8 years circumnavigating on a sailboat with 3 kids
• ~40,000 miles
• ~40 countries & territories
• BOOK RELEASE June 2026: "If you want to Do It, Do It !"
▷FREE SAMPLE: https://www.mothershipadrift.com/mothershipadriftbook
--
🎬 AS FEATURED IN:

▷Amazon Prime's "Adventure in Wonder"
- Sizzle Reel: https://youtu.be/0YJSjKO4js8
- Trailer: https://youtu.be/7OfAmECKj7E
▷The Telegraph: We quit rat race for eight-year sailing adventure
- Read Through: https://youtu.be/5NnprymsWC0
- Article: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activity-and-adventure/eight-year-sailing-adventure/
▷The Telegraph: We spent 8-year sailing around the world. This was the scariest part
- Read Through: https://youtu.be/w7tgipworFE
- Article: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/trips-of-a-lifetime/red-sea-around-the-world-sailing/
▷BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3ep8w192yno
▷BBC South East Today: https://youtu.be/BuJe4VtLLmQ
▷GB News: https://youtu.be/KN5yhpD1csA
▷Newsweek: https://www.newsweek.com/we-are-raising-kids-sea-during-covid19-1530315
▷Yachting Monthly Award Winner: https://youtu.be/Y1icRewwML8
▷Lonely Planet: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/families-living-on-the-sea
▷Full press: https://www.mothershipadrift.com/about
--
MORE MOTHERSHIP CONTENT:

▷BOOK: https://www.mothershipadrift.com/mothershipadriftbook
▷PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/mothershipadrift
▷YOUTUBE MOTHERSHIP MAINTENANCE: https://www.youtube.com/c/mothershipmaintenance
▷YOUTUBE MOTHERSHIP ADRIFT: https://www.youtube.com/c/mothershipadrift
▷YOUTUBE PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/@MothershipAdriftPodcast
▷SPOTIFY PODCASTS: https://open.spotify.com/show/7uv5MGLkCP1xsr9Thc0MYi?si=8a4326c9bef34c86
▷INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mothershipadrift
▷FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/mothershipadrift
▷WEBSITE: https://www.mothershipadrift.com
---
This was one of the most intense sailing passages of our voyage — sailing from Socotra to Djibouti through the Gulf of Aden, while remaining on high alert for approaching boats.

We were sailing downwind along the centre of the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC), with commercial ships passing on either side of us. Despite the conditions, we had our full spinnaker up, making the most of the wind as we headed towards Djibouti.

But our biggest concern wasn't simply the sailing.

As a cruising yacht without armed guards, with relatively slow speed, low freeboard and no barbed wire, we were considered a high-risk vessel for this passage. That meant keeping a constant watch on our surroundings and carefully considering every decision we made.

As we approached the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another problem became increasingly important: the wind. The wind can funnel through the Bab el-Mandeb and be significantly stronger than the forecast, making the decision to continue north or wait in Djibouti far from straightforward.

We had to decide whether to turn towards the Bab el-Mandeb or stop in Djibouti and wait for better conditions.

In the end, we chose Djibouti.

Leaving the transit corridor meant sailing extremely close to the Somali coast. As we left the corridor, we turned off our AIS and navigation lights as part of the security measures we had chosen for our passage.

This episode gives you a real look at what it was like to sail a small cruising yacht through one of the world's most challenging maritime regions — from Socotra to Djibouti, across the Gulf of Aden, and towards the Bab el-Mandeb.

Please remember: this is our personal account of a particular passage and the decisions we made at the time. Maritime security conditions in the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb can change rapidly, so current official maritime security guidance should always be consulted when planning a voyage.

#Sailing #GulfOfAden #Djibouti #Socotra #BabElMandeb #RedSea #SailingYacht #OffshoreSailing #SailingAdventure #CruisingSailor #YachtLife #OceanSailing #SailingVlog #IRTC #MaritimeSecurity
---
MUSIC CREDITS:
"Memorized " by Josh Woodward. Free download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/

"The Nest" by Josh Woodward. Free download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/
---
💙 SUPPORT OUR CHANNELS:

A big THANK-YOU to our MOTHERSHIP PATREON family who make these videos possible. What is a Patreon? A Patreon is a regular person like you, who helps content creators like us, to make entertaining and useful stuff like this!
If you'd like to help towards the filming, editing and data costs of our Mothership Adrift channels, please:
▷ Click the SUPER THANKS button below the video
▷ Follow the Paypal link: https://paypal.me/Mothershipadrift
▷ Follow the Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/mothershipadrift
---
#EscapeTheRatRace #FinancialFreedom #AlternativeLifestyle #LifeDesign #FamilyAdventure