South Africa

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_africa
 

Currency South African Rand (ZAR)

AU$1.00 = 8.50 South African Rand (ZAR)

I arrived at Richards Bay, South Africa at around 0200 am Monday October 15. I attempted to find the International Jetty with the yellow bollards with out success. I was too tired to manoeuvre the boat in tight spaces. I tied up to a floating jetty and went to sleep. In the morning I was called up by the Tuzi Gazi marine manager . I explained that I had arrived late and could not see where I was supposed to tie up to. Port Control was called to enquire about the arrival of Immigration officers and that the boat was in Tuzi Gazi not on the International jetty. The Immigration officer arrived at midday. I filled out the forms and was told that I had to go to town to the Customs office in town. I took a taxi to Customs 55.00 Rand ($6.00). More forms to fill and was told that I was permitted a maximum stay of 6 months in South Africa. If extended I would be required to pay import duty on the boat.

After clearing Customs I walked to the Richards Bay Boadwalk Mall and back into the 21st century, frenetic with glitzy commercialism and marketing. Christmas was already more than in evidence. My first thought was take me back to the simplicity of Madagascar.

After 2 nights at Tuzi Gazi Marina I moved to the more quiet Zululand Yacht Club, or so I thought. With all the pubs and restaurants around the marina it can get quite noisy. It was wonderful to have a long hot shower after so many months washing in sea water. I had a lengthy list of jobs to do on the boat.

The AIS dilemma and rant.

I sent Comar an email to enquire about my AIS unit not working. I was under whelmed  with their response. I'll take the responsibility for  not doing enough research for a reliable unit with adequate overseas support. Based on the limited use and customer support I would not recommend a Comar unit to anyone wishing to travel far from support centres. An expensive mistake.

At the end of October, shortly after Hurricane Sandy ripped through the US east coast, the east coast of South Africa copped a nasty storm with winds around 50 knots and seas to 9 metres. Any yachts that were not in port were advised to find good shelter for several days. Twelve yachts had to shelter in Inhambane, Mozambique  for 2 weeks waiting out the storm. At Zululand Yacht Club conditions were wet and very windy. A newly arrived neighbouring US boat had a noisy Air-x wind generator which varied between howling and roaring all night during the storm. It emitted a terrifying roaring noise when the winds exceeded 30 knots. Apparently, a bird had flown into it and the blades were no longer balanced and I should think the bird no longer.

At the start of November Sadiqi and I departed Zululand Yacht Club and headed back to Tuzi Gazi and the "Wall". Sadiqi was tied along side "Avalera". It is not very often one gets access to free water and electricity. The affable Lindsay on "Avalera", from Australia, had been living on his for two years.

Shortly after returning near the Tuzi Gasi marina International yachts started to arrive in droves. Listed below is just a few of the yachts that have made it westwards across the Indian Ocean in 2012 to South Africa, some yachts went straight to Durban.

• Tagish
• Majombo
• Lovina
• Cat Mousses
• Mariposa
• Leto
• Cats Paw 4
• Emily Grace
• Daemon
• Celtic Avenger
• Erica
• Orca
• Mr Curley

There was also a World ARC Rally of around 25 boats that arrived in Richards Bay around the middle of November.

The crew, Claude arrived from Malaysia. I had met Claude and her husband Nelson on their yacht Black Swan in Sumatra in 2010. Claude, for some insane reason had asked to accompany me to sail the South African East coast.

Mozambique to South Africa (continued)

Saturday, 13-10-12 around 1000 I noticed a smallish boat with quite a number of people on board motoring my way. I was not sure if this was officials or something else to demand money. I hauled the anchor and made ready to depart. As it turned out it was locals going fishing. One can not be too careful in these waters.

Saturday, 13-10-12 at 1130 - departed Ilha Dos Portugueses, Inhaca.

Engine: 1116.8 hours.

Wind: not much from the NE.

Noon 13-10-12 – Saturday

Time: 12.00L UTC+2.0 

Lat: 25 57.10 S

Lon: 032 55.97 E

COG: 90 Deg  M

Winds: 4 to 6  Kts NE

Engine: 1117.3 Hrs

Barometer: 1021 Mb rising

Happy Whales

There were a surprising number of whales around. Some were breaching quite far offshore others frolicking in shallower water. It was a privilege to watch these leviathans play from a safe distance. I'm sure they were celebrating having survived another day of not being captured, allegedly, for research and turned into sushi.

1445 Wind: 6 - 8 knots NE

Arrived at the 200 metre contour depth looking for the Mozambique Current.

Speed 4.0 knots, SOG 4 knots, COG 185 degrees M.

1515 Wind: 6 - 8 knots NE

Raised Big Bertha

Speed 4 knots, SOG 3.5 knots, COG 200 degrees M

2000 Wind: up to 15 knots NE

Dropped Big Bertha.

Sunday, 14-10-12 at 0600 - Wind: 6 - 8 knots NE.

Speed 3 knots, SOG 4 knots, COG 200 degrees M

15 miles off the coast at 27 degrees south.

Raised Big Bertha.

1000 Wind 8 - 10 knots NNE - dead down wind.

Speed 3.5 knots, SOG 4.5 knots, COG 200 degrees M

19 miles off Jesser Point.

1100 Wind 8 - 12 knots NE

Speed 5.5 knots, SOG 7 knots, COG 200 degrees M.

These speed are fat more like it.

Noon 14-10-12 – Sunday

Time: 12.00L UTC+2.0 

Lat: 27 32.64 S

Lon: 033 02.38 E

COG: 220 Deg  M

Winds: 10 to 12  Kts NE

Engine: 1120.5 Hrs

Distance covered since noon yesterday 98 Miles.

Barometer: 1021 Mb steady.

Speed 5.0 knots, SOG 6.5 knots.

There were quite a number of ships around, which is not so surprising around the large ports of Maputo and Richards Bay. What was surprising is that my AIS (Automatic Identification System) unit was not showing the ships on the Chart Plotter. This could be one of two things; all the ships had there AIS transponders turned off or my AIS had the cactus. Good timing!

1600 Winds 12 - 18 knots NE

Fast sailing under reefed mainsail only.

Speed 5.5 knots, SOG 8 knots, COG 220 degrees M.

60 miles out from Richards Bay, South Africa.

Very fast sailing/surfing down wind

 1730 Wind 18 to 22 knots NE - waves boisterous following seas and 3 meter swell from the south west.

2 reefs in the mainsail.

Speed 4.5 knots, SOG 6.5 knots, COG 240 degrees M.

With these sort of winds in the strong current it would be very easy to miss the entrance to Richards Bay. I angled Sadiqi toward the shore 15 miles north of the port entrance. The compass variance in this area is 26 degrees west.

2200 Wind 18 to 25 knots NE

Speed 5.5 knots, SOG 6. to 8 knots, COG 240 degrees M.

Very fast down wind sailing with just a 2 reefed mainsail up.  With these sort of conditions I was contemplating dragging warps astern to slow the boat down. I was delighted with the GPS speed over the ground (SOG). I was more concerned with the speed through the water. The semi displacement hull, like Sadiqi's, has an maximum  speed, which if exceeded increases the stress on everything on the boat and also sucks the boat lower in the water. With the following seas and the boat having less freeboard there is a good chance of being pooped - a wave breaking over the stern of the boat. Several times water slopped on the boat just after hearing the roar of a large wave breaking and Sadiqi picking up speed surfing down the wave. Helming was a challenge, which Smithy the Windpilot seem to be coping well with. I did not want Sadiqi slewing around and being broadside to the waves.

Boisterous following seas

2245 15 miles out from Richards bay.

Called Port Control for permission to enter the port. Was advised to call again when 4 miles from the entrance.

Monday, 15-10-12 at 0035 - Wind: 12 - 158 knots NE.

4 miles out from Richards Bay entrance.

Called Port Control for permission to enter the port. I was advised to head to the International Jetty. I knew this was somewhere near Tuzi Gazi Marina.

Sadiqi motor sailed with part of the jib exposed through the channel. At one point I had to slow down to allow a ship entering the port to pass. Fortunate for the Chartplotter otherwise I would not have attempted a night entrance. There was only one unlit mark near the entrance, which we missed. I attempted to find the International Jetty and eventually gave up and headed for a space on a floating pen of the Tuzi Gazi Marina. 

Monday, 15-10-12 at 0245 Arrived Tuzi Gazi, Richards bay, South Africa.

Engine 1122.8 hours.

Distance travelled since Noon 14-10-12 - 90 miles in around 14 hours- very fast!

In the gusty winds I secured Sadiqi and went to sleep.

Friday, 12-10-12 – One of those days!

The skies were overcast and grey with rain showers sweeping the bay. The anchorage on the northern side of the small island had become uncomfortable with the light easterly wind and the swell coming around Cabo Inhaca. The water wasn't only restless it was very agitated! I decided to try and find a more protected anchorage to the east. In hindsight I should have gone around to the western side of the island and saved myself much pain and discomfort. I pushed  the lever on the seacock for the engine cooling water - it just felt a little too easy. After starting the engine water still seemed to exit the exhaust at the stern. I pulled up the sails and started sailing in the 10 to 12 knot SE. I shut down the engine and investigated the problem, the water pump was a little warmer than it normally was.

I was pondering my dilemma in the cockpit when in the corner of my eye I noticed a very large dark object rise about 20 metres from the boat to the starboard. That's all I needed - a whale to enter the fray of my problems. It was a moment that could have been quite laxative had not the mother and calf considered Sadiqi mostly harmless and went on their way.

Whales a little too close for comfort

Sadiqi continued sailing eastwards through the increasing swell and the curtain of rain that seemed to be heading west. I had surmised that the seacock was jammed partially open. I attempted to check the water pump impeller, water just kept on flowing into the boat. Fortunately, I had another seacock on board. The challenge was to get the jammed seacock off the thru-hull fitting and put on the replacement without sinking the boat. I returned to near to where I had been anchored on the northern side of Ilha Dos Portugueses and dropped anchor. Due to the current Sadiqi's stern was pointing east toward the waves and the 12 knot wind. This made taking the mainsail down extremely difficult. Usually the mainsail is raised and lowered with the boat is pointing into the wind. Oh, and it was raining and cold.

The anchorage, 8 meter depth, was rough and the current strong. It was difficult to stand on deck or below with Sadiqi pitching and rolling around as she was. It was time to get wet. I had tied a spinnaker sheet midships so that I would not get washed away. I also tied a line to a wooden bung I was going to attempt to insert into the water intake hole from the outside. I lowered myself into the chilly water - 22 degrees C.  I now have an idea what it must have been like to be keel hauled. Thank goodness Sadiqi's bottom is mostly free of barnacles otherwise I'd have lost a lot of skin. With some difficulty the bung was inserted.

Back onboard I unscrewed the jammed seacock, hoping the bung would not fall out with the wild motion of the boat. The serviceable seacock was screwed on and all hoses reconnected. Being, probably, a little too smart for myself I pulled on the line attached to the  bung to release it. Alas, the bung broke leaving a piece in the hole! Some words were shouted! Turning off the seacock I disconnected the hoses, then turning on the seacock pushed a rod through to dislodge the piece of the wooden bung. Job done.

While this was going on the nylon snubber line on the anchor chain had snapped. I was relieved the bow rollers had not been damaged. Fortunately, already having lost one chain hook in Bazaruto, I had tied the hook to the chain. Even getting the anchor up was a mission with the strong current, wild seas and cold rain. The outgoing tide was still high enough I pointed Sadiqi in the direction of the, hopefully, more sheltered anchorage on the western side of the small island. Pushing against the current we eventually made it at around 2000 hours. Just as well I had been in that area before.

The anchorage was indeed calm - in fact anything would be by comparison to what we had been in to the north of the small island. While zebu curry dinner was cooking I spliced the chain hook onto the snubber line again. Because it was calm I did not use the snubber on the anchor chain. Filled with curry and rice the skipper hit the bunk and went to sleep.

Saturday, 13-10-12 at 0115 - I was roused from my slumbers by the GPS anchor alarm. The wind had picked up a little from the south east and the tide was high. The anchor had been jerked out of its holding as there was no snubber line. Sadiqi was drifting in channel in about 20 metres deep. I decided I'd had enough and would head out to sea. Fortunately sanity prevailed, it was a really stupid idea, after crossing the shallows and heading past the northern anchorage. . The seas were not too bad, I dropped the anchor and tied a snubber line to the chain, not wanting to risk loosing the new snubber line. I'd get some sleep and hopefully make some better decisions after a little more sleep.

The sky was very grey and decidedly damp when I woke at 0600 in the morning. There was very little wind. Sadiqi rolled around not so gently in the sloppy swell. The forecast was to 10 to 12 knot easterlies around midday.

Mozambique to South Africa

At 1530 on Friday, October 5  - departed Benguerra anchorage to head for Bob's Hole on the rising tide. Bob's Hole is a reasonably protected anchorage near Point Chissangune - the navigable gap between Benguerra Island and Bazaruto Island. Sadiqi was pushing against the current of the rising tide. There were a few nervous moments when the depth gauge only showed half a meter of water below the keel while navigating the channel. I'm indebted to Des at Sakatia for giving me the coordinates of the passage. The anchor was dropped at 1730 with out loosing paint off the bottom of the boat or crushing any crustaceans on the bottom of the keel.
Bob's Hole:

Lat: 21 48.97 S

Lon:  035 27.50 E

Southern end of Bazaruto

At 0500 on Saturday, October 6 I hauled anchor and headed to the gap - mindful of the hazards of the bar and navigating the gap on the rising tide.

Winds 10 to 12 knots Easterly.

1099.4 Engine hours.

Barometer: 1018 Mb.

Early morning washing machine - The Gap

 There was tremendous water turbulence in the centre of the channel. Something I would not have liked to have gone through. The waves in the channel tended to come from all directions, fortunately not very large. The wind increased slightly from the ENE to 12 to 15 knots making it easier to push against the incoming current. While the bar on the seaward side of the gap was shallow at 4 metres below the water the waves were not threatening.

After crossing the bar at 0700 the winds dropped to ENE 5- 8 knots and the waves were very sloppy and uncomfortable. The sails banged and crashed. The engine was restarted and Sadiqi tried to slice through the slop at 3 knots. I can only assume that the lousy, choppy uncomfortable waves were the result of the wind waves meeting the counter current heading north. The hunt was on for the elusive Mozambique Current.

At 0900 the waves were incredibly uncomfortable - short length and steep. The winds were also light. The sails were slatting so much that I pulled then down and Sadiqi bounced about like a cork motoring south west at 3 knots.

1100 the winds picked up to 6 to 10 knots - what a relief. Big Bertha was put up and the Engine was turned off.

Speed 4.5  and SOG 4 knots.

Noon 06-10-12 – Saturday

Time: 12.00L UTC+2.0 

Lat: 22 10.04 S

Lon: 035 37.91 E

COG: 175 Deg  M

Winds: 8 to 12  Kts NNE

Engine: 1103.6 Hrs

Distance covered since departing Bob's Hole 23.8  Miles.

Barometer: 1017 Mb.

1500 Winds 10 to 12 knots NNE.

Very pleasant downwind sailing with Big Bertha flying.

Speed 6.5 knots SOG 6.5 knots.

Current heading south in the right direction remains elusive.

Gull wing with Big Bertha

 1730 Winds dropping 5 - 10 knots NNE.

10 miles off the coast - maybe in the current. Boat speed and SOG mostly the same.

Dropped Big Bertha.

Poled out the Jib.

Speed 4.0 knots, SOG 4.5 knots.

Chef preparing Massaman curry on rice for dinner.

2100 Winds 6 -8 knots NE.

Speed 2.0 knots, SOG 2.0 knots.

Sails slatting and banging in lousy chop.

Raised Big Bertha.

Speed 3.8 knots, SOG 4.00 knots

It would appear that the lousy, choppy waves, that throw the boat around, mean we are in the vicinity of two opposing currents. The trick is to find the current that is going in the right direction.

2145 abreast Pomene - 5 miles off.

0030 Winds 5 - 10 knots NE.

Nice sailing with Big Bertha.

Speed 4.5 knots, SOG 4 knots.

10 miles off the coast.

0600 Wind 8 - 12 knots NE.

Big Bertha still flying

Speed 5.5 knots, SOG 5.2 knots

20 miles off the coast - still looking for that elusive south setting current.

18 miles north east of Inhambane

Barometer: 1016 Mb

0830 Winds 6 - 8 knots NE.

13 miles due east of Inhambane.

Speed 4 knots, SOG 4.4 knots.

Noon 07-10-12 – Sunday

Time: 12.00L UTC+2.0 

Lat: 24 02.76 S

Lon: 035 48.72 E

COG: 195 Deg  M

Winds: 6 to 8  Kts NE

Engine: 1103.6 Hrs

Distance covered since noon yesterday 113  Miles.

Barometer: 1018 Mb.

Speed 5.0 knots, SOG 5.5 knots.

Seem to have found the elusive current of about 0.5 to 1 knot south. 15 miles off the coast near Cabo Das Correntes.

In the elusive current

 1500 Wind 10 to 12 knots NE

Speed 6.5 knots, SOG up to 8 knots.

Pulled down Big Bertha - stressing the boat and the skipper - its not a race.

Poled out the Jib.

Speed 5 knots, SOG 6 knots

1700 Beer o clock. Winds 10 - 12 knots NE

Listened to weather forecast from Roy at Peri Peri Net. There was a risk of a small low pressure with winds SE to 30 knots near Inhaca/Maputo in the early hours of Monday morning.

Speed 5 knots, SOG 6 knots.

1800 Winds 12 - 15 knots NE.

Furled the poled out Jib and sail on mainsail only.

Speed 5 knots, SOG 6 knots.

2300 Winds 8 - 10 knots NE - dropping.

Barometer: 1016 Mb.

Speed 4.5 knots, SOG 4 knots.

0030 Monday Winds 5 - 8 knots NE

Lousy, sloppy waves. Sadiqi feels like she is being continually tripped up.

Speed 4 knots, SOG 3 knots.

Barometer: 1016 Mb.

0215 Winds 6 - 8 knots ENE.

Lat: 25 12.23 S

Lon: 035 22.58 E

Seas very confused choppy waves.

Speed 3 knots, SOG 3 knots.

0400 Winds 8 - 10 knots NE

No sign of low pressure - barometer going up.

0500 Wind picking up 10 - 12 knots SE

Very rough choppy seas.

Started engine.

Barometer: 1018 Mb going up.

0630 Winds 12 - 15 knots SE.

Speed 6 knots, SOG 6.5 knots, COG 270 degrees M.

We seem to have missed the low pressure with strong winds.

0730 Winds 12 - 18 knots SE

Speed 6 knots, SOG 7 knots, COG 160 degrees M.

Noon 08-10-12 – Monday

Time: 12.00L UTC+2.0 

Lat: 25 34.30 S

Lon: 034 32.44 E

COG: 280 Deg  M

Winds: 12 to 18  Kts NE

Engine: 1104.6 Hrs

Distance covered since noon yesterday122   Miles.

Barometer: 1018 Mb.

Speed 5.0 knots, SOG 5.5 knots.

Heading almost due west for Inhaca/Maputo.

Swell 3 to 4 meters - confused seas - bearable.

1700 Winds 12 - 18 knots SE

Speed 4.5 knots SOG 4.0 knots

Beer o clock.

Spoke to Roy and Paul on Peri Peri Net. Bad weather forecast for Wednesday, Thursday. At the time was 220 miles from Richards Bay. Even with the Mozambique Current, if I could find it, it would be too risky to attempt to beat the strong 38 knots south easterlies forecast.

2100 Wind 8 to 12 knots ESE

Nasty, sloppy waves.

Pushing against a one knot current.

Speed 4.0 knots, SOG 2.5 knots, COG 275 degrees M.

2330 Very uncomfortable in slop - going slow. Wind 6 to 10 knots ESE.

Smithy - Windpilot was not coping with steering down wind - too little wind.

0030 Wind 6 to 8 knots ESE.

Motion on board very uncomfortable - sails slatting and banging.

Pushing against current.

Started engine.

Speed 4.5 knots, SOG 4 knots, COG 270 M.

0530 Winds 5 to 10 knots ENE.

Still motoring!

Speed 4.5 knots, SOG 3.0 knots

Barometer: 1019 Mb

0600 Wind 5 to 10 knots ENE, COG 270 M.

Poled out the jib to try and get some boat speed to make the motion more comfortable.

0815 Winds 6 - 10 knots NE.

Sloppy seas - sails banging and slatting.

Its like listening to 100 dollar notes being torn apart. I already had to effect some repair to the mainsail where the batten pockets meet the luff.

There were many seabirds soaring the waves - large albatross, shearwaters, petrels etc.

Noon 09-10-12 – Tuesday

Time: 12.00L UTC+2.0 

Lat: 25 47.93 S

Lon: 033 02.30 E

COG: 260 Deg  M

Winds: 5 to 8  Kts NE

Engine: 1110.4 Hrs

Distance covered since noon yesterday82.5 Miles.

Barometer: 1020 Mb.

Speed 3.0 knots, SOG 2 knots.

Approaching the entrance to Maputo Bay.

Whale breaching

Close enough to frolicking whales

Heading toward Ilha Dos Portugueses I saw a tremendous splash in the distance. There was not enough swell to cause that sort of breaking wave splash on a reef. Then I saw a large whale breach and splash back into the water -  a phenomenal sight. I was not sure if they were Humpback whales or whales humping. Seeing, possibly, several tonnes of whale suspended in the air, momentarily defying gravity and splashing back to the water was truly amazing.

While approaching the area I wanted to anchor in several fish leapt out of with water toward the boat. Some of them flew over the cabin top and I had to duck to avoid being hit by another. Another landed in the cockpit sole and flopped about. I identified it as Wolf Herring, not a particularly good eating fish, apparently. The fish did not survive however, after having beaten it's head against a winch handle I happened to holding at the time.

Ilha Dos Portugueses

 1500 Arrive Ilha Dos Portugueses, Inhaca, Mozambique.

Engine 1112.2 hours.

Lat: 25 58.85 S

Lon: 032 54.16 E

Barometer 1016 Mb - falling.

Noon 10-10-12 – Wednesday

Time: 12.00L UTC+2.0 

Lat: 25 58.85 S

Lon: 032 54.16 E

Anchored

Engine 1112.2 hours.

Barometer: 1012 Mb falling.

1500 I hauled anchor and headed around the northern side of the island anticipating the south easterly blow that was due during the night. As I left I could barely make out the city of Maputo through the fug and haze toward the west.

The new anchorage to the north of Ilha Dos Portugueses:

Lat: 25 57.76 S

Lon: 032 54.83 E

Warning the C-map electronic charts show Ilha Dos Portugueses as larger than it actually is to the north west. Looking at Google Earth this may be caused by the north westerly part of the islands being washed away. The anchorage was a little rolly as the wind waves had not abated from the north east. That would quickly change once the south easterly blew in earnest.

1800 Winds 25 to 35 knots SSE.

The wind howled

Barometer: 1009 Mb

By 2200 hours the wind had started to abate.

Vilanculos, Mozambique

Vilanculos

Lat: 21 57.87S

Lon 035 19.22E

Tuesday, October 2 - headed to Vilanculos on the mainland to get some supplies. I followed Tammy on the catamaran "Maximilian" who helped guide Sadiqi over the shallows to the anchorage - there are a lot of sand banks and shallows. I actually thought that I was checked in -  alas not. It would appear the Department of Transport feels the need to charge a fee to visit the country.

I anchored in front of a resort Aguia Negra and Big Blue fishing charters. I spoke to Dwight and Miguel of Big Blue about leaving the dingy in front of the red roofed facility. There are boat boys who will be more than happy to look after the dingy. The going rate is around 20 to 100 mets depending on duration. The guys at Big Blue kept an eye on my dingy. If it is a heavy dingy then it would be worth while getting a boat boy as they will move it with the tides. Dealing with the shore break in the dingy in the afternoons usually meant a wet trip.

Big Blue at the Red roofs

Stepping ashore was quite surreal realising that I had crossed an ocean by boat, having left Fremantle, Western Australia in 2010 and arrived in Mozambique, Africa in 2012. Vilanculos was interesting, quite tidy with many tourists and expats - mainly South African.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambique

Currency in Mozambique: metical (MZM) or just called mets.

Exchange rate approximately 30 mets to 1 Aussie dollar.

I managed to get a lift to the shops and market with the Tammy and her partner Paul . The good thing about the supermarket was that I could understand and recognise the products as they were in English and some of the brands familiar from South Africa. Most of the people in the town speak good English I was able to draw money from the ATM machine. After visiting the supermarket we went to The Kilimanjaro restaurant for lunch and later in the day visited the  infamous, apparently, Smugglers Sports Bay for a beer.

The Anchorage from Big Blue

 Other yachts and people that I met up with while in the Bazaruto Archipelago:

"Dream Catcher" with Barry, Tina and family.

"Maximilian" with Paul and Tammy.

"Regal" Norman from Peri Peri net.

The hospitality around the Bazaruto archipelago and Vilanculos was so friendly. I met up with Moyra, whom had gone to the same junior school as I had. A few very pleasant lunches were had - good food, good company and good beer. I was sad to leave.

On Friday morning , October 5, on the high tide, I motored back to Benguerra Island to wait for the time to exit through the Two Mile Reef Channel between Bazaruto and Benguerra islands. The weather seems to have held out with winds from the north east.

Getting to the sea in the channel between Bengwera island and Bazaruto island.

Two Mile Reef Gap. North of Bengwera Island. Beware of the sand bar. Exit the channel on a rising tide - 2 hours before high tide. Do not attempt crossing the sand bar on a falling/out going tide. Head 8 miles due east due to unmarked Two Mile Reef.