Damn you harmattan!

While is kind of cool waking up in the morning, looking out and see a huge brown cloud coming after you and feeling the catamaran slightly lifting at the gusts of 28 knots, it’s certainly not cool seeing my fancy boat getting a shitty layer of sand that comes directly from the sHell station in front of me. But at least now I’m completely sure that the anchors are holding properly.

Today I figured out a local trick of the “aluger” drivers. There is an impressively dangerous turn, not far from Palmeira, that turns sharply to right, leans slightly outwards and doesn’t seem like the pavement is in best conditions. But most of the drivers do it full speed without any fuss. It seems they’re exploiting the trade winds, land lubber style. The turn is positioned more or less east, north-east, turning to south. When approaching the turn from the Palmeira-Esparagos direction (that is driving north east) you hit the turn to the right and get a substantial amount of wind to your port side. It seems it’s working, but I guess it’s kind of a gamble. Trade wind is constant, but not omnipotent:)

Nevertheless, I’m still here after many rides and I hope it will be like this in the new year as well.

People here are in constant party mood, even though it seems that the whites are now overtaking the “get drunk before dusk” monopoly.

For me, I’m achieving personal records of a different kind. Yesterday I gave up my daily pão de coco fight (it’s delicious and everybody wants it!) to stay on the boat and read all day. 267 pages is quite an achievement for me!

Today it was more laid back in terms of brain. Collecting my money and some shopping, back to Santa Maria to meet the boxers and have a beer.

Have to make my war plan for tomorrow. Starting with a proper shower. The one I use on the boat (Camp shower) is not enough for such a day. 

After reading about crazy christian extremists from the usa, threathening doctors who perform abortions I have this song constantly in the background of my mind.

Got to cut my hair and get a "real" job

Today I went to the capital of Sal, Esparagos, to withdraw some cash as I'm running out of euros and I want to keep some of them (you never know what the future have in store, maybe something worth buying)... I found out that there is no ATM that accepts my stupid maestro Not even those who say that accept it. I found out that this is a common problem of tourists and I can overcome the problem only if I open a bank account here.
And I don't like that. So I select option 2. Problems are only Problems when we define them as such. They are really learning events. As the saying goes...If it doesn't kill you , then it can only make you stronger.

I went back to the catamaran and started scrubbing the neighbour boats again. The other problem is that now most of the "rich" boats now left and there are only the poor crazy sailors left. Mostly French, who don't give a damn about their boats (at least it's how it looks like).

Problem? No problem. You have more time to sit and relax. I've learned that in Gambia and I must say it's a hell of a philosophy! So I'll just read my books and wait the work to come to me. So far I have enough provisions on board to keep me fed and happy for some time.

2nd. It's really funny to see a big strong fisherman whining as a 5 year old girl, every time a dog approaches him. People here are really scared of dogs and I have no idea why. They are really too friendly at times, but no way dangerous.


Ok, going to relax now...

If there is one thing I’ve learned from my travels, is that no matter where you are, there’s always gonna be a chinese shop nearby.

Lazy morning. Yesterday I’ve been in Santa maria to visit some friends and to check the local boxing training.  Playing football in the middle of the street right after body weight training was right enough to make me fall into my berth few hours after.  

That’s why today I’m too sore for anything. I’ll just clean the boat a little and then go to have lunch with Mustafa and Alfa. A Senegalese and a little guy from Equatorial Guinea, who earn their living with a small (but with an outrageously high rent) gallery/shop/apartment in Santa Maria, selling their art and artefact's from Africa. Nice guys, plenty of fun to be around.

Today is a special day or what? They started with the firecrackers very early and in a more generous amount like usually. It’s 8 o’clock in the morning god dammit!

European Christmas is boring!

I cannot believe how much moving is in the streets tonight. During the day it was quite quiet, then at 18 o'clock everyone got out, well dressed for the christian liturgy that was in front of the church. After that, music as loud as you can and everyone dancing and having fun. I love it. This is a true holiday. All the families joined together, young and old having fun on the street.

After visiting the salineras and a gorgeous hike around the crater I'm a bit beaten up, but I think I'll still join them.
Jesus Christ, thanks god you were born!:)


Merry Christmas to you all! May you all be good, healthy and rich in your heart.


Peace

In my new little kingdom

Today I got full posses of the catamaran named “We two are one”. As full posses I mean that I’m alone and I have to keep an eye on the boat, while getting food and happy&crazy paper in return. But the most important thing is that I have a very nice place to stay and I’m alone. But not today, it’s Christmas time so everyone is nice and nobody should be alone. So I’m in good company from morning, when I had a nice breakfast with my new skipper, through the day, when I found out with much pleasure that Juliano, a really nice Brazilian guy whom I met in Dakar, and his argentino-american crew came just few days ago. That was great news as it means I have a good party-wing man companion. At least for a few days, the streets of Esparagos and Santa Maria will gonna shake!

During the afternoon we met two Bulgarian men, both came to here singe handed and with an immense bag of sailing stories and experience. Tomorrow we all go to the Salineras for some sight seeing I hope…

This evening was also special, we had a nice dinner at the Panta. It’s their last night here, so I’m feeling strange. I’m gonna miss that boat and probably the captain as well, but I’m also glad I’m leaving it for new, fresh adventures. It will definitively keep an important place in my memory, good or bad, every day was a revelation to me.

As for the next days, I’m truly eager about what’s going to happen. I already have some clients in my new little business. Boat maintenance & provision supplier/consultant (I just made up this). It seems no Capeverdian thought about this, or they are just too lazy for that. And I think is the latter. Tomorrow morning, checking the probe and keel of a French boat. It’s not gonna pay as a hull cleaning (that’s on the list on Monday on a catamaran), but it’s a great start as it really gives me the will to keep on going, no matter what it takes. So far it was a joy ride and it doesn’t seem it’s gonna get worse soon!

This is really a nice Christmas, but I truly miss my family on this day. I know tomorrow they’ll sit all together and have a nice evening with delicious food prepared from my grandma. Man, I would really love to have some of that food!

Anyway, we’re here and today some locals told me”in Cabo Verde we celebrate from Christmas to the 2^nd of January”, so I say “when in Rome…”

Treasure island

Yesterday night we came to Boa Vista with nice weather in a very relaxed mood. Had no proper dinner.

Forget about that… Today I’ve got the opportunity to go back to the Lagaren and talk with the crew. Basically there was just Anne there. I’ve had the chance to discover more about that amazing and mysterious boat and I must say it’s a really cosy boat. The amount of different stuff on it is just unbelievable and as I understood, the lifestyle is just amazing. Treasure hunting abound the world? You need a diver, handyman, carpenter, mechanic or whatever? I think I join this boat without thinking if the chance is given.

So far, the biggest problem is my health. I have to figure out what can I do with my insurance and what can they do in Capeverdian hospitals… But I must say I’m very disappointed about my body (or mind?). I thought that it will handle more abuse.

All for me grog

We are in Cape Verde!

The weather is fine, the people are great, so great, I am seriously thinking about forget about the passage for this year and stay here for the winter. The surf is wonderful, a lot of kite surfing going on (makes me want to learn) and everything is sooooo relaxed it’s like I belong here. If you like long talks, a lot of fun, warm weather, beautiful beaches, clear water, people from all over the world and you don’t mind waiting for a drink (in an empty bar) for half an hour, Cape Verde is for you. Unfortunately, there is one not so great point and that is the salary you can get here… It’s enough to survive, but definitively not enough to finance future travels.

Let me do a short chronology about the happening in the last days.

I didn’t catch the Marlin, but I dreamt about it…

After the 14^th, when we celebrated Andrea’s birthday we went to Boa vista, where we met a couple of true pirates. I really hope I’ll meet them again, because they seem really serious about their very different way of life to say at least…. I’m sure they’re smuggling drugsJ

Then we left the crew and had a proper sailing day back to the Sal island. 3m+ wavees, sailing up wind with 5-6 bufours (20-25 knots). It was wet and shaky and with no Jane (the auto-pilot).

The new crew was coming so there was the general cleaning and setting the boat ready. After all the comments about the lack of tidiness from the past crew I expected that we’ll have les work (yes Thomas). When the new crew came there was some drama from the beginning. First, I smartly stuck my big toe between the dingy and the Panta, in the exact time when a big wave came (we were anchoring at a beach in front of Santa Maria). From the sound it made I thought that it’s the end of my endless summer, but it seems it got just sprained. Then some german stuff again that I don’t intend to try to understand, but all n all, they seem cool and we’re gonna have fun.

At the moment, I’m having some trouble to make decisions. It seem I have some chances to get a job here, maybe I found a neat Belgian catamaran doing the passage that’s looking for crew (I guess the decision will be taken tomorrow), the other chance is to stay on the Panta for one more week and then find a ride to Mindelo or, if I’m lucky, I get to crew on the Panta till Martinique. But I must say, that at moments I really want to leave and find another boat. Running a charter means you can’t really choose the people you stay with and on a boat can be quite hard at times.

I think I keep with the flow and soon we’ll see…

And today it’s Saturday and Palmeira (where we are at the moment) got crazy!

The BIG GAME

12.12.2011

LAT 16 04.680 N

LON 20 57.085 W

               

Speed: 7 knots

Course: 324

Tonight we finally got some action and luckily it was on my shift, that I conveniently overslept. The sheet of the genova broke under the strength of the wind and we had some hardcore flapping. With some nice waves and warm water, I got nicely awake and ready to continue the rest of my shift awake.

The past day I’ve lost a big dolphin fish, but about one hour later I caught it’s cousin I guess, so my ego was ok. To spice up the things, we had a Marlin successfully trying to take away one of our baits. I tried to save it, but eventually he got a firm bite and the sorry fishing line didn’t hold. My fault, should have let it loose for some time to tire the fish a bit more. But the adrenaline got pumping and I got all excited for the next day. Never got a 2 meter fish so firmly connected to my body and I think I like it. The fight for food is pretty exciting in the ocean.

I’m wondering how will it be in Cabo Verde…

Lamin lodge, part two

We’re back in Lamin lodge and it’s really cool to see Mokbar, Capn’ Russia, Eric and all the other jolly people that work or live in the Lamin creek. Yesterday we had a nice dinner with the crew and later I met with the night guards, having some tea and having fun. I like how easy they take every problem they have. “It’s not easy” they say, and then a good laugh. It almost seems like they’re joking. Or they really are. But it doesn’t seem like they have the easiest life.  Most of them with huge families and 2 jobs. Going home for the weekends. Maybe.

David re-joined the Panta, so it will be more relaxed again I think. And as I’ve sold my surfboard, I now have the chance to land (ALI BORROW?) one from him.

Me and the captain went to the woods to get a Christmas tree (joke), that we’ll use for some new kitchen furniture. Then it as time for varnishing and my second breakfast.

We finally left Gambia. Navigating the Lamin creek for the 6^th time, when out, direction Cabo Verde. The wind is blowing from north-west, so we have the perfect conditions. I just realised that I recognise the local fishing pirogas at sea by smell. Most of them have a little fire on board and they burn mangrove wood that was lying for some time in the water. It gets a really sweetish, African smell.

Dennis, about Microsoft word: “It’s like your mother-in-law. You have to live with it”

Leaving Salum river

Today we’re leaving the river. I must say I had quite some fun. Some say because I don’t understand german. I guess it’s kind of true, as I see some stress signs on the other crew members. But I hope this will pass soon or otherwise, I really don’t care. I have a good time with myself anyway. I just got access to the captains hard drive which means I have tons of new music and a new toy. A sea chart programme which entertains me in my free time.

So far I can say. The word of this leg of the trip is “shopping”, it was the main topic till now for some crew members. Shopping but not bargaining I must add…

With my chart toy I’ve counted 2650 nautical miles on the Pantagruel and there are still so many things I have and want to learn. But as for now it really seems like our trip will end soon. I’m planning to stay till Cape Verde which is 5 days from today and then probably a week more. Then I’ll have to reach Mindelo and start my plan to find a boat to Brasil.

The plan is. Go to Sal and find a ride to Mindelo. If everything goes just perfect, I’ll persuade the crew to take me with them, before we reach Mindelo. By the way, for those who don’t know, Mindelo is the last place where you can stay in a proper marina with peers, water and electricity, so it is the last station before the passage for most of the vessels.

Ok, back to the plan. If I don’t succeed, I still have to go to Mindelo, where I’ll have a look around the town, looking for the cheapest shops and other provisioning stuff, so I have some valuable information for the captains I’ll try to seduce. Then, go from boat to boat, ask for jobs, offering my favours and knowledge and hopefully find someone who will like me and take me to Brasil.

Taking the right decisions

Making love on a boat is not the easiest activity, especially if it’s full of people. But I think that everything depends on your will. Nothing is impossible.

In the morning we picked up Carlos and Ruth, two very nice Spanish travellers who’ve seen most of the world so far. It was nice to finally hear some softer language and listen to some finest travel stories.

Today we anchor by a wonderful little island in between of the Salum river and the Atlantic. There are some tiny waves… No swell. I have time to have some time in private and that means, work on the boat. I’m happy to see I’m useful and people appreciate my work (at least those for whom I care).

In the mean time, I had the chance for some snorkelling, but the visibility was about 30 centimeters so the only thing I could have a look at, was the hull of the boat. Inspecting the deep secrets of the Panta made me feel that we’re not indestructible, but solid. I say that, because from the last time we ran aground* (*it was right on the entrance of the river, trying to sail between the corridor buoys) we’ve lost a piece of epoxy on the bottom of the keel. But everything is good, there is still a nice piece of steel protecting the vulnerable wood. 

6.12.11

Worse things happen at sea

I was dreaming about the sea. There was a wave that jumped over the rail like a panther and took me to the bottom of the dark ocean. It was warm.

Then I woke up on the Panta in my little berth. We were on sea again. Slowly we were approaching the entrance to the Salum river. The buoy slalom was there again.

I’m trying to have a good time even though I’m feeling in conflict with some crew members. I think it’s only a personality clash. I hope we’ll solve this. We will…

The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray

4.12.2011

Leaving to Cape Verde today, finally I stay on the Panta for some more time. The new crew decided I can stay with them and I have the feeling it's gonna be as nice as with the past crew. Maybe a bit more expensive, coz our provisioning is composed of cheese, yoghurts and stuff you buy here for a really high price, coz all of this stuff is imported.

But, my seaman training is going fairly well and I'm eager to learn more. A sailors life is a cool life I must say.

I'm missing the past crew, but this is wiith every crew change, because there is just so many nice people in this world and spending time on sea with such people makes you really fall in love. 

Anyways, the connection is fucked today, so I will not write my emails and stupid things on facebook. Luckly I uploaded some photos on picasa yesterday, so I can post them today.

See you in 2-3 weeks when I'm Cape Verde.

Fair winds

The pirates cove

Lamin lodge mokeys

LAT 13 56.514 N

LON 16 45.618 W

UTC Time: 19:21:44

UTC Date: 1-12-2011

Yesterday we came till Banjul and headed to my dear Lamin lodge. I’ve navigated those secret channels 4 times now and I’m feeling confident enough to do it without the iSail I guess.

It’s a darkish place hidden in the middle of thousands of mangroves, infested with crazy monkeys and mosquitoes, defended by shallow, channels. The owner is a funny, half blind guy called Peter. A white man. There you can find the strangest people (stranger than in the CVD). People sailing for years, solo or with a dog. On tiny sailing boats or huge catamarans (that makes me wonder how they came there in one piece!). Drinking Sum-sum, a local liquor made of the cashew fruit.

When we came there in the evening, I wisely left the helm to the captain, so it was not my fault when we grounded (again). The orders were: “Throw in the anchor, we hit the bar”. And he meant the real bar. With cold beer. But as Israeli people say, misfortune always comes in three. So when we it the bar, the beer run out in matter of minutes (15 to be exact) and the third misshapen was that we had to leave very early in the morning, because we had to avoid the low tide in order to escape the muddy jaws of pirate creek. But this was hard just for me. My brain need some time to start operating in the early hours of the morning. So the real third misfortune event was, that the anchor winch got fucked (miss corrosion ate the wires) and we had to pull out the stupid anchor with our stupid hands. That was easy. I cannot think, but I can pull stuff whenever in the morning.

And as for today, we left Frank in Banjul and sailed to Salmun river. Here we’ll have dinner soon and then we leave to Dakar.

Internet in Gambia

Snack day

LAT 13°23.106 N

LON 16°32.650 W

Speed: 6.9kn

Course: 341°

UTC Time: 16:19:15

UTC Date: 30-11-2011

We’ve managed to see the national park with tons of birds and monkeys. Supposedly there’re leopards living there, but we’ve seen none.

To properly celebrate our little expedition, we opened a bottle of Port wine. Two, to be exact. That lead the girls to be super cheerful and when the dolphins appeared in the middle of the night, it was time to join them, not thinking about the current… So I had the chance to be the hero of the night, hunting naked women in the river Gambia. It was fun. At least for me.

In the day, we had another little expedition, my task was to sleep as hard as I can and I did it. Till 10 in the morning, then a little breakfast and off again till something past eleven. Then we had the official breakfast and pulled off the anchor.

We’re arriving back to Banjul now, and on the way we stopped on the pirate island named James island, that was cool. And I learned that it was a pirate island from 1817 to 1819:)

And at the moment we’re being attacked by zillions of butterflies and other insects. Fun, but not on my jam!

Now I’m thinking how to get the stuff for Farak, the owner of the shop next to the CVD. I would like to make it and get him the Gambian “kamara”, a kind of belt/bag that he would like to use as an enduro belt. He owns an impressive collection of enduro bikes, some very old, but good, like the BMW GS850 and  we spoke about taking them for a spin out of Dakar, but we have to make a plan on how to avoid police controls.

Just before we left, he sold his KTM Adventure 660 that was bought after the race from Paris. This must be a sweet bike to ride in the sand.

LAT 13 27.246 N

LON 15 51.173 W

Speed: 4.9kn

Course: 286

UTC Time: 15:45:09

UTC Date: 29-11-2011

Work in progress

Today at 8:45 we got stuck in the mud pretty badly and I have the feeling that the fault was partially mine, coz I turned on the ice maker that causes the depth meter to go a little crazy. Anyway, after trying to move the vessel with the dinghy, only to make the situation worse, we realized that the current I too strong and the tide will rise only in few hours. So we wait. Till 13:32 to be precise.

In the mean time, we had a bunch of hours to kill. So instead of visiting a national park (that was the plan for today), we do some work on the boat. First I clean he hull, coz the boat was leaning enough to see all the algae. That was fun, mostly because it gave me the excuse to have a “look around” the boat with the dinghy. Then, some earwigs killing. Tonight they came out of nowhere and in the morning it looked like they’re gonna take over our boat.

After that killing spree, it was time for breakfast and carpentry work. Some minor work mostly, but the captain has a new idea every second, so there is plenty of little projects to take care of. That’s also nice, I can play with the power tools and especially, with my favourite one, The Über Frese. Marvalous tool that can do pretty much anything with wood and probably it’s good for metals too. Cutting, edging, drilling carving it’s the jack of all trades of the boat.

Yesterday night and the whole morning we had some trouble with the fishermen. Because we forgot to turn on the anchor light, we got a net around us that eventually got teared apart, so no sleep for those who sleep on deck, coz the fishermen just couldn’t get over with the teared net. I felt very sorry for them, coz they will not fish for a week because of us (that’s what they say). They didn’t want money straight away, African style. First they talked about an hour on how they are sorry, but also what damage did we make, then Micha had to go with the old fishermen to find the other part of the net (it got teared in half), then more talking till dusk, when we headed to their village for more talking and finally paying with a gift net we had on our boat.

We had a similar encounter this night, when me and Frank got woke up by 3 old fishermen shouting in Mandenge, but it seems there wasn’t any problem because after a loud “NEEEE, something in german, sounding like “not again!””, the fishermen left and never came back.

As a result, I might consider sleeping inside tonight…

Stuck in the middle of the river

River Gambia national park

Yesterday we reached Kuntaur and visited the “stone circles” near the village Wassu. It got pretty touristy since 2003 they say, so we had to pay a 5 dalasi fee to enter the site.

Anyway, we’re going back  now, because it will take us about 4 days to come back to the sea.

David, Carmen and Bruno left for the big adventure. Going back to the sea on the south of Gambia on a donkey cart full of surfboards. I must say I am a bit sorry I didn’t join them, but my love story with Pantagruel hasn’t finish yet. This is mainly because it is the only way to go back to Senegal, for free and keeping my passport safe with me. So in few days I’ll be a true illegal immigrant hidden in the dusty streets of Dakar. Waiting for my passage.

At the moment, we’re motoring back to Kuntaur, where Sven will leave the boat. He has a flight from Dakar in 2 days and I’m really curious if he’ll make it. But he’s got money with him, and here everything works just perfect if you have enough of it.

About the animals here, we’ve seen pretty much all the main animals you are supposed to see here. Plenty of birds, hippos, crocodiles and apes. But the insect world is the best represented. Never seen such hardcore mosquitoes and the horse-flies are though too. They don’t care if you have 99% DEET, or IR3535 or insecticide on your clothes, they just go for your blood. I think that if I didn’t get any disease so far, I’m pretty much immune to everything.

Motoring up the river

LAT 13°34.161 N

LON 15°22.411 W

Speed: 4.9kn

Course: 357°

UTC Time: 12:09:39

UTC Date: 25-11-2011

It’s the 3^rd day we’re going up the river. So far, we ran aground twice, the first was me, when we tried to reach Lamin Lodge, near Banjul, and the second was Frank, the new crew member who I met in France on our way to Lisbon.

Fortunately the river bottom is composed from mud and sand, so we usually laugh at that.

So far everything’s good, we’re having fun even though the effects of the anti-malaria pills are quite obvious on some crew members. But except the occasional mood swings I think we’re doing great.

The locals are also fascinating. Opposite to Dakar, here no one wants to sell you anything and even the few ones who want to, they do it in a very relaxed way so you don’t get the feeling that you’re just a walking wallet for them.

Yesterday we reached the Elephant island and went to visit the Bambali village, where we’ve been welcomed from the chief of the village and later invited to the post electoral party. The party wasn’t really what I was expecting, but it was still very nice. The electricity is a big thing in that village. They have a generator and it runs only in special occasions such this party. And the electricity was used only for the sound system. The sound system itself wasn’t really big, it was basically a pimped hi-fi tower with some bad ass speakers.

I also noticed that there was virtually no women that night, which I guess is normal in Muslim countries.

About hippos, crocodiles and all the super wild animals we’re constantly looking for, we didn’t count many. We’ve seen some huge dolphins the second day leaving Lamin lodge and a wanna be crocodile, that revealed to be a bird in the end. But now it’s the joke of the Gambian leg of the trip.

I’m sleeping on deck now, because as the youngest on board (or some other mysterious reason) I have to donate my place to every new member that joinig us. So after a 3 time berth swap I ended with the shortest (180cm) berth that is nearly impossible for me to sleep in. I manage to sleep about one hour then it starts to feel like I’m Gulliver in a can of sardines.

But, looking on the bright side, this gives me the chance to see the stars, wake up ultra early (and then move to sleep in the under deck) and most importantly, I hear all the crazy sounds of the jungle. I guess if I was sleeping in the same place, but on ground in a tent or so, I would be completely freaking out. At some points of the night it gets very loud and you can hear deep hauling that makes you think of something huge. In the end it must be a harmless monkey, but it still sounds awesome.

A really hot day in a mauritanian tent

First of all, thakns for following in such a number! I really appreciate.


I'm on holiday now:)
After my bar tending duties yesterday I had to reprovision the bar. At first I thought it's gonna be easy. Because I have Amadou, my new friend and business partner I thought it's gonna be just making the list of drinks and pay. But It's not that easy. When I showed the list, nothing was available at the moment and especially not in such quantity (we're talking of 10 bottles of Coke and similar things). And because I figured out that this might take a few days, I decided to take the situation in my hands.
That's how it looks shopping for 15l of coke, 10l of tonic and some club soda.
Find a taxi. Luckily that part is easy, most of the times they find you.
Set a price and have small notes in your pocket. That can be stressfull at times, but I have Nanga, my personal driver, who can be an asshole, but I know his weak spot. If you don't like the price (usually they try to change it at the end of the ride), just pretend you're deeply hurt because of that:)
Or even better, if you know the rider, have no money at all.

So I went to the first real cash and carry look alike. Cash King... full of useless stuff. No coke, no tonic, no water...
Another "western" shop. Outrageous prices (2 liters of coke 2000CFA) and very out of stock all the time.
Cadil - it's my favourite one, you have everything in limited quantity.

So I borrowed 20000CFA from the taxi driver and collected almost all that I planned to buy.

It's interesting the reason why you cant get tonic water. It's because it's rain season time and in Senegal, the main anti malaria remedy seems to be exactly tonic water.

After this educational morning I spent some time talking to people, helping the guys with water provisioning and impregnating my clothes with pyrethrine. Die mosquitoes, die! I see it's working, coz while I'm writing this, the flies that stay on me for too long, don't seem to be so alive anymore.



And almost all the new crew is here and I must say I'm not very excited. Even though they seem nice, the average age is 100 (if you include me). So I guess there will not be much fun on this boat. But at least we'll see crocodiles.

I'm lazy to upload the new pics, because I'm getting african I think.

but as we say: " I'm on holiday, you're on holiday, everybody holiday!"

TRACKING DEVICES

ANYONE INTERESTED IN MY HOMEs EXACT POSITION, here is the link of Pantagruels tracker


http://share.findmespot.com/shared/gogl.jsp?glId=0fQEu0hRkYX5FQpeMDEj8hms84EuXOsRl

Problems make your life worth living

Writing from the poor people yacht club in Dakar (Cercle de voile de Dakar - CVD). There is another, much fancier one just under the president's residence, but also much much more expensive (more expensive than european marinas). We had breakfast there today, with a police boat riding around the entire time:)

Yesterday we've been on the Salave island or (Ile de Goree). I think it was one of the most shocking experiences in my life. I knew about the history of slavery and I tough I was prepared. But after seeing the cells and especially the "breeding room" I felt deep sorrow. I am officially ashamed that I'm white.
I go back to happier thoughts… If we can call them so.

Later this evening…

I found out that there is much malaria in Dakar and that in the yacht club, much people has it! And just yesterday I was thinking about sparing the heavy repellents for Gambia. But at this part of the trip I really don't care anymore. It's so impossible to protect you 100% from mosquitoes, that it's just a matter of luck. And Gin&Tonic.
Tonight the new crew come, we have Gi-Gi for dinner. He's a local expert, ex-smuggler and very relaxing guy that got stuck here because of bad luck and high bribes. With him and his stories I feel like there is really no problem that cannot be solved and he's so cool about everything that it's a real pleasure to have him around. After tasting my cocktails and getting quite hammered from them, I see how he will help me. As the ex bar tender of the yacht club (and now the IT expert), he ot me a cheap cheap cheap room, the cheapest in Dakar as he says and maybe a job in the CVD bar. I guess that after I come back I'll stay here and wait for a boat. And my room will cost me just 20000 CFA, that's about 30€ per week. And with the new connections in tha hood, I can have an impressive lunch for 2€ and different treats from Abounanafal, the local biker, owner of a »super« market.

All in all it seems pretty good. I like Dakar and as the locals say: »All is possible in Dakar«



So, going back to my work, tonight I have some people to get drunk. Gonna ride the dinghy with this tune coming from the CVD bar.

 

 

Fear and loathing in Dakar

  The captain already left for the police and customs stuff, so we were alone, when the customs boat approached. With our shitty french and the sneaky officers, they spent almost 2 hours searching the boat and asking questions. They tried to pull a few tricks to earn some money, old radios, tobacco etc., but mostly unsuccessful.


It was 1300h when we left the boat and I was getting nervous. 5 crazy (lost) Germans and a hungry Slovenian don't mix very well... I'll spare the details, but I'll just say we ate lunch at 1600h. After my belly was filled with good but not very impressive food, we moved a few streets for shopping. That was fun. I got my mosquito stuff, and a new anti malaria pills (some got lost on the way to Dakar) and then I got a really good time, sitting on the street, talking to the locals, while the crazy germans tried the most bizarre african clothes one could imagine. In the end, they bought wedding dresses. And the fun didn't stop, Sven and David proudly wore them through the entire day, earning the nickname of Jesus (David) and the Prophet (Sven). I'll upload the pictures later since the mosquitoes are biting my ass pretty hard and the bar is calling for a drink.


Tomorrow we leave to the slave island of Goree.

Paris-Dakar

LAT 14°42.845 N

LON 17°25.496 W

We are in Dakar!

This morning we approached to the Senegalese coast and started to look for surf spots. Finally we found a well known one, the Mosque point break (I’m not sure about the name). The scenery was just amazing. A lonely mosque in the middle of two cliffs, very astonishing all together. When I first saw it, it looked like a dream! Good swell, but low tide, so there were a few rocks that were looking out of the water. Some took it with precaution (me and David), some not, so after seeing the only other surfer, a local guy, Carmen followed him to the sweet spot. This unfortunately resulted in the “german woman on the rocks”… I already have a cocktail with that name. It ended with just a few scratches, some sea urchin thorns and a scratched (epoxy) board. All good, or at least not as bad as it could be. So, we proceeded to the marina where we found a nice bar, with nice people (mostly white…) and wi-fi!

The adventure ended more or less like this. I’ve realised we’ve much different opinions, that we don’t want to listen, but all in all, we all take it with irony. And I mean this for ALL of the crew.

I’ve decided I’ll give up my malaria prevention cure and use the pills only if I get the disease. The side effects are just too hard, and from what I read, there is no actual assurance you don’t get sick  (80% of people who take it, still get sick?!). So I think I’ll try to avoid the “more than 1 out of 10 chance” of getting strong diarrhea, vomiting, depression, nightmares or sleeplessness and hallucinations… Dehydration is as much, if not more, lethal as malaria and with those pills combined with a sub-tropical environment you have much chance to get it.

Tomorrow I’ll try to see some places with Sven, find some nice DEET repellents and take care of the “real world” stuff… Maybe I’ve found my ride through the Atlantic and it seems the company will be much more than nice. E-mail power to the 3^rd exponent!

Dakar sunset

Early morning, we spot the Senegalese coast

How you know you're on a German boat

After surf care

Sweetest surf spot

Dreaming of lovely mermaids

LAT 15°35.249 N

LON 17°22.262 W

Speed 5.8kn

Course 180°

UTC time: 21:18:49

UTC Date: 14-11-2011

TTG (time to go): 13:33H  Destination Dakar

Drinking G&T in my berth, enjoying the high humidity and perfect temperature of  27°C.

Today we had a frustrating day of sailing. The wind direction and speed was perfect, but the waves kept on coming from the wrong angle so the genova and the front jib kept slaping pretty hard, putting (too) much stress on the main mast. So we had to finally give up our perfect course of 195° south, to a bit less favourable 170° that keeps on changing to a better direction.

Because of the waves from the wrong angle I mentioned before, the night was also kind of fucked up. The boat kept on rolling pretty hard so I just replaced Sven (who was sea sick again) and had my 4 hour shift solo. Nice night, but no sleep after. I woke up like a boxer after a 9 round night. Difficult to describe, but I guess some of you can imagine.

During the day we saw a lot of flying fishes, which gave me the idea to try to catch them with a net. No success… But I was on duty today, so the day passed very quickly, pretty much in the kitchen and under the deck, then a watch from 1400 to 1700 and luckily most of the time with the most intrataining member of the crew, Carmen.

I was just thinking. How beautifully irrelative time is on the sea. Hours feel like days, but days feel like minutes. We’re a week at sea now and it feels like we just left Tenerife.

One thing is sure. Tomorrow we’re all gona be land sick!

After a quick briefing about safety and general dos and don’ts in Dakar held by Cristoff,  me and Hadas started to think about our problems. Both with big plans about travelling as far as possible and both without visas… I wonder is 20€ will be enough to buy me an entrance to Senegal.

Quote of the day: “I can’t believe that the boats entire navigation system is based upon a mobile phone” Hadas, about the iSail the most used chart program on the boat…