5th November 2007 - Cruise Past Nicobar Islands
A calm day at sea, we passed within 3 or 4 miles of Great Nicobar Island which, we were advised, is uninhabited. It was, though, possible to see some buildings on the shoreline. However, views through the binoculars showed clearly the serious and extensive damage caused by the Tsunami of December 2004. This would be expected given that these islands were within 50 to 100 miles of the epicentre of the Boxing Day earthquake.
Whilst the trees on higher ground exhibited the usual jungle foliage associated with this part of the world, all the trees on the shoreline backing the beaches were reduced to dead stumps and these extended the full length of all the beaches we could see. It would seem that it will take a considerable time for a full recovery of the eco systems.
