History of Kalizma

I was doing a post of my experience on Kalizma and included a history section in it but discovered that there is quite a bit of it on the net so I separated it here and added to it, enjoy:

Kalizma, built in 1906, is considered the world's oldest yacht with a rich history. It has survived world wars, plagues, changing ownerships, and various life events, making it a symbol of resilience and endurance. The original name though, Minona, is after the African Goddess of sorcery and  fortunetelling. Still I wonder how much of the original steel remains in her keel though...

Robert Stewart

Delivery Djibouti to Cyprus

Having been awhile at home I was contacted by my ex Ch Mate to do a short delivery of m/y Kalizma from Djibouti to Turkey and as I thought I have time I agreed on it readily and as I had been on her several years ago, last time back in 2012, I knew the yacht and her flaws. She had since 2012 been refitted and undergone survey to become a commercial yacht under Cook Island and successfully chartered in Indian Ocean the past years.

Planned voyage Djibouti to Turkey, possibly Bodrum

Meeting old friends

Having transited several weeks from Malta to Maldives we finally had arrived, checked in and disembarked the security, we settled in the anchorage off Hulhumale. 

The scenery had changed quite a bit from the last time I was there boatsitting Kalizma. There was now a bridge connecting Hulhumale and Male' Island. Hulhumale had been developed and big housing towers dotted her skyline whereas they were only starting building works ten years back when I was there. 

Taxi drivers enjoyed zipping over the bridge as they could gun their cars 100km/h for a short while. In the middle of Hulhumale was a big park for the residents and the new street grid looked much airier than the stuffy Male' capital. 

Few days after our arrival the old Kalizma steamed in from Sri Lanka, my trusted Chief mate, Surender, was skippering her now and we got in touch. As my birthday was on, he invited me for dinner in Male' and we went to Sala Thai that was run by an old German chap with Thai chefs and food stuffs flown in every week. The food was excellent.

m/y Kalizma riding at anchor off Hulhumale Is

Kalizma

28.07.2023 - 24.08.2023

06.07.2012 - 20.08.2012
15.02.2012 - 14.03.2012
03.05.2011 - 29.05.2011
17.07.2010 - 19.12.2010
19.08.2009 - 29.05.2010
30.07.2009 - 07.08.2009
01.05.2008 - 28.06.2009
Captain
m/y Kalizma (ex. Minona, Cortynia, Odysseia)

Kalizma in Kuah Royal Langkawi yacht marina in 2008

Captain's Blog Feb/ Mar 2012

My vacation had been spent and I was instructed to go to Maldives and relieve Saini for vacation before returning back to Indian Empress. Kalizma was sitting at anchorage in Hulhumale' together with m/y Linse and there was a skeleton crew maintaining both boats.

Chartlet of Maldives courtesy of worldatlas.com

Sojourn on Kalizma

So 14th my vacation was up and I was ordered to fly to Male', Maldives to relieve the Officiating Master from Kalizma for his vacation too. I did not mind going to Kalizma as sitting on Indian Empress for two months in Abu Dhabi can't be better than going to Maldives.

The trip didi not start out very well as I was driving towards Phuket I got a call from office that I had missed my flight. It had been changed from evening to morning flight and I had totally missed the information. What a mess. Anyhow, I got a flight again the same evening and caught it to Kuala Lumpur, there I spent a few hours and flew to Colombo. The KL airport is huge but very quiet, maybe the reason was the late timing, I had a nice Caesar's salad at a restaurant while waiting.

I arrived Colombo in the early morning hours and spent there about 6hrs waiting for the morning flight. I half slept on a row of benches but was always woken up by clattering footsteps when a batch of passengers arrived from who knows where. Thats what you get for missing your flight. When the sun got up soon enough I was in the plane for Male' and a bit later we landed in good order.

The immigration was a breeze and I met Saini on the airport and we sat on the tenderboat to Kalizma in minutes. Kalizma looks the same as before, a bit worn out but that's why she is going in for a face lift in April. She is sitting at anchor north of Hulhule Island next to the Hulhumale' jetty. Then we started the handing over, accounts, current issues, maintenance, local contacts etc.

Colombo airport

Back to Mumbai

Like all vacations we have they always end and this day was my return to reality. I could not get any long mornings, not that I have the need for them anymore as in my youth when I could sleep until noon, now I had to get up and catch my flight to Mumbai.

Back to Mumbai

Captain's blog December 2010

This blog is the last as the Captain of Kalizma because I’m being transferred to the Owner’s bigger yacht, m/y Indian Empress, as Captain/ Chief Officer but I will be coming to check in on Kalizma at regular intervals.

m/y Indian Empress

BIS visit to Kalizma

Earlier in November I was approached by Mr. Alistair Lawson from the British International School (BIS) if they could do a study visit onboard Kalizma. I was positively inclined for the visit and ran it past the office eventually receiving the OK, so I let BIS know that the visit was on.

The visit was to consist of abt 50 students 8-9yrs old and abt 10 accompanying adults. As the visit was 3rd, early morning at 0900hrs, we decided not to make a big deal abt refreshments as we assumed the kids had had their breakfast, but still we prepared some softdrinks and nibbles for them.

Captain's blog - beginning July 2008

The month of June came and went without any particular happenings, routine maintenance was carried out, weekends some of the crew went hashing (running). Hash house harriers are a tradition invented by English expats in Malaysia and has spread all over the world. I also discovered the world small as I met my ex Electrician from Ukraine that worked together with me 5 years ago on another ship.

M/y Kalizma at Ko Phi Phi

Captain's blog - Handover

I arrived in the evening on 31st April by train and minivan from Bangkok to sign on m/y Kalizma, the van left me at the Yacht Haven Marina junction and a final motorbike ride took me to the Marina.

M/y Kalizma in Yacht Haven