YACHT MILA

Time to say goodbye

2011-11-06T07:41:00.002+02:00

The plan was tospend three months in South Africa. It has been two years now and it is time tojoin Mila and Milo my cat in Trinidad. It has been a fantastic time in SouthAfrica, seeing the grandchildren growing and to be part of the successful teamto have helped my son in his business. I can leave this time fully assured thatall is in place and that things will go well. He has employed a very charminglady for his office with a lot of bookkeeping experience. She knows Pastel andshe has a nice way of dealing with the customers.

I am leaving forTrinidad on the 25th November and can assure you that I am not looking forwardto the flight. Again it will be three days to get to Port of Spain with longstopovers in the Emirates and New York.

Hopefully it willnot take to long to get Mila ready for the launch. I need to do some varnishingagain and paint the bottom. Mila the boat cat will have to get use to the boatagain as he had a free range in the yard now for the past two years.

Plans are tolaunch Mila and then set sail for Tobago to do the rest of the maintenance.

I have decided tosail Mila back to South Africa so I will sail her solo to Brazil. Visit somefriends in Salvador and the continue south along the coast to Rio and theneventually to Uruguay.

I will have acrew member joining me there and then try and do the crossing to Cape Townbefore the winter sets in. This is plan A but as we all know cruisers always have different plans and options. I might spend a season amongst theislands of Ile le Grande in Brazil, who knows!!!!

I will update theblog as soon as I get to Trinidad

Cheers for now

2011-06-25T10:20:00.000+02:00

Africa !!!!!

2011-05-26T16:15:00.002+02:00

Mila's stern

Mila in Power Boats

2011-05-26T11:43:00.002+02:00

Mila all shrinkwraped

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

2011-03-30T08:19:00.004+02:00

There are some anchorages that one can visit in Trinidad, but Trinidad’s special value to the cruising yachtsman is its storage and repair facilities. The best area to cruise in the country is Tobago, located a day’s sail to the east. For all of its coastline, Trinidad has concerns with its proximity to South America as well as its proximity to Venezuela. These concerns make cruising Trinidad an impractical objective. Trinidad is located to the far south in the Caribbean Sea. This is significant because the further south and west, the less likely one will be affected by a hurricane. Less likely is the proper description rather than “outside the hurricane belt” as, in truth, nothing is outside the hurricane belt. However, there are probabilities that should be taken into account. The last hurricane to hit Trinidad was in 1877. The last tropical storm was Alma in 1974. Tropical storms pack winds from 34 to 63 knots. Alma crossed Trinidad with winds over 60 knots. However, since Alma, no tropical storm has hit Trinidad. Compared to the Windward Islands to the north, Trinidad is safer when it comes to storms because of its geographic position. The further north one is in the island chain, the greater the probability of tropical storm and hurricane. Even the difference between Grenada and Trinidad, which can be as little as one degree of latitude, is noteworthy. Grenada is affected by a storm on the average of once every 2.73 years and is hit by a hurricane every 15.44 years on average. Grenada had had its last hurricane event in 1963 and not another until Ivan in 2004 and Emily in 2005. If one were to decide where to keep one’s boat for hurricane season and base it only on the probability of storms, Trinidad would be the safest area by far within the Lesser Antilles. Add extraordinary facilities, and the case to spend hurricane season in Trinidad becomes compelling. Chaguaramas is located at the extreme northwest corner of Trinidad. To the west is Venezuela, just across from the Gulf of Paria. Tobago is located to the northeast. The Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles are due north. The current in the Caribbean Sea runs west at approximately 1 knot. However, currents along the coast of Venezuela can run much higher at various times of the month and can climb to the 2 to 3 knot range. The favored passage into Chaguaramas is through the cut between Monos Island and the mainland. The least-favored entrance is Boca Grande, which is west of Chacachacare Island. Avoid this entrance as it borders Venezuela and is proximate to the Paria Peninsula where there is known pirate activity. The favored cut, between Monos and the mainland, is in Trinidadian waters and close to Scotland Bay and the Trinidadian Coast Guard Station. Entering the cut you will sometimes encounter strong currents, which can be either in your favor or against you depending on the tides, and they can reach 5 knots. Give Le Chapeau a wide berth, and favor the port side entering. The obstacle is marked by a navigational aid and it is easy to spot. If you arrive early in the morning many times you will encounter fog and rain in the area, sometimes strong enough to reduce visibility to near zero. In cases like that it is best to go further west and enter through Boca de Huevos. This is a wider cut that can be negotiated in any visibility. Regardless of which cut you enter through, once through it is a simple matter to turn to port and continue on to Chaguaramas Bay. CHAGUARAMAS BAY 10°40.53’N, 061°40.02’W (entrance to bay - arbitrary point) Gasparillo Island can be left to port or starboard as you continue east on entering the bay. Once past the island, you will reach the mooring field, where you can use a mooring for a very reasonable daily fee. On your port as you enter, you will see the various boatyards and marinas, and directly ahead and to starboard will be CrewsInn Hotel and Marina where you will find the Customs dock directly adjacent to the lighthouse at the restaurant. Directly behind the marina looking east, you can just make out the TTSA (Trinidad and Tobago Sailing Association). There is no access from this side of the bay. To get there one has to exit the bay and proceed around Pointe Gourde and then head northeast to Carenage Bay. The TTSA is another option for cruising sailors to pick up a mooring and use the facilities of the association. Chaguaramas is the harbor in Trinidad for cruising boats. In most cases it is the reason to come to Trinidad. There is an enormous concentration of facilities in one area: land storage, slip storage, moorings, anchorage, restaurants, marine supply outlets, marine tradesmen of all types, machines to haul your boat out and put it back in, as well as every other kind of machine that you ever imagined to work on your boat. Chaguaramas Bay is fair, at best, as to holding. It was dredged by the U.S. Navy in the early ‘40s and is coral covered with silt. An anchor may hold for days if the conditions do not change from those that were present when the vessel anchored. However, when a strong west or southwest wind blows through, havoc reigns. That does not happen very often—perhaps a few times each hurricane season—but if your boat is in the water, you need to stay alert to the weather and be aboard. You will see moorings. They are owned by YSATT (Yacht Services Association of T & T), and if you pick one up, you must go to the YSATT office (at the CrewsInn facility) and report it no later than the next business day. Some of the moorings belong to “Simon the Diver.” If you pick up one of his, he will come out to speak with you. You can’t miss him; just look for the big Rasta smile. He will also agree to look after your boat if you decide to leave Trinidad for a short time. There is a water taxi service in Chaguaramas Bay called Skizzo’s Water Taxi. It operates daily from 0800 to 2300 hours. It may be reached on VHF Channel 68. You can also arrange for late pickups with prior notice. Chaguaramas is a defined area, and the area may very well be called a yacht and ship support area. There are a great number of pleasure boats, both sail and power, in the bay. The majority of sailboats are transient boats, and the majority of power boats are owned by locals. There are also large and small fishing boats, as well as support craft for the oil and gas industry. The harbor is not a pristine body of water. The water is fair quality, and after heavy rains the harbor is afloat with flotsam. One must keep in mind that the area is a commercial area: a work area is not the place to look for a white sand beach. The local boats speed through the harbor and cut in and out between anchored and moored boats. They do not do it to irritate anyone; it is just the way they navigate their boats. Screaming at them and calling out obscenities not only does not get them to slow down, it singles you out in the mooring field as the offensive foreigner. Local customs include driving fast without regard to anchored boats. YSATT has worked hard to get the local boaters to be conscious of not speeding through boats at anchor, but nothing has changed, and I doubt that it ever will. Some of the yachting community has complained that the manner in which the locals drive is inconsiderate and quite dangerous. Perhaps they are correct. However, there are many things that the yachting community does that are inconsiderate as well. Dropping off bags of garbage in non-designated areas is a recurring problem for the businesses in the area. Driving a dinghy at night under the influence of alcohol is also quite dangerous. When we visit a country, we are the guest, and when some of what is customary for the locals offends us, we must remember that many times it is better to accept local customs and habits, rather than criticize them. That does not mean we have to agree with them or emulate them; just accept them for what they are while we are visiting. Chaguaramas Bay has many conveniences. You can rent a car in a number of convenient locations. There are restaurants and also a number of grocery stores. Immigration and Customs is present. There are convenient places to keep your boat. There are also banks, taxis and even hotel rooms. There is also the greatest concentration of pleasure boat services and facilities that you will find anywhere in the world—so much so that it is mind-boggling. If you are willing to look past some of the commercial aspects of the harbor, it really is a very pleasant place. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Immigration When you arrive at Chaguaramas, you must proceed to the Customs dock and tie up. The dock is located at the west side of CrewsInn Hotel & Marina. Proceed to Immigration. Normally, Immigration officials require all crew to be present. You must have your boat ownership papers with you in original form, and they must not be expired. These must be presented along with a valid passport for each crew member. They will give you forms to fill out in quadruplicate. Go to the desk and you will see carbon paper left there for you to use. They do not want you to do the work where the officer is; use the stand-up desk at the back of the room. Once you have filled out the papers, return to the officer. He will ask you how long you plan to stay. Generally they will issue a visa for up to three months. They are not asking you about the boat; the visas are for you and the crew. Should you be leaving the boat and flying out and plan to return on a one-way ticket, you must go first to Immigration at CrewsInn and sign off the crew list. They will ask to see a copy of your airline ticket. If you will return on a one-way ticket, you will need a special form stamped. You can get the form from the marina or boatyard you are dealing with. The form must be stamped by Immigration, and you will present it at the airport when you return. After you return and clear in at the airport, you still have to go to Immigration at CrewsInn to go back on the crew list. On the other hand, if you are departing by airline and plan to return to check the boat on a round-trip ticket, you do not need to go through the procedure. When you return at the airport they will ask you where you are staying, and if you indicate on a boat, they will ask you for the form. You explain that you are on a round-trip ticket and that you are not leaving on the boat, and they will allow you entry. Customs After you have cleared in, proceed to the Customs office. There you must fill out additional paperwork in duplicate. The form will ask you questions as to what your boat inventory is including how many engines, outboard and inboard, you have. Answer all questions truthfully and completely, and turn in the paperwork. If the boat is to remain in the water there is a harbor fee depending on tonnage and term of stay. If the boat is to go on the hard the fee does not apply. However, in that case you will be asked to provide a letter from the boatyard certifying that your boat is on land. No matter what time you arrive, you MUST report to Customs. It is open 24 hours per day. Even if Immigration is closed, you must go to Customs and report your arrival. If you do not, you will be in violation of the law. The Customs office is in the green building at CrewsInn. Yacht in transit (parts and spares) It is quite easy to send parts and spares to Trinidad. The parts and spares will be exempt from taxes. The way to undertake this is to send the parts and spares to S/V (name of your boat), located at (name of your marina or yard), c/o Chaguaramas Customs Boarding Station, CrewsInn Hotel & Yachting Centre, Chaguaramas, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Once the box is received by the Customs office, you can go and retrieve it. To do so you must present yourself and have your clearance papers and ships papers with you. You will go with the Customs officer to a storage room underneath the Customs office and retrieve your box. You will then need to bring it upstairs to the Customs office and open it and show the parts. To qualify they must be ship’s stores and items pertinent to the boat. If you send a new digital camera and a new computer, they may ask you to demonstrate that they will be used on the boat or the inspector may put a note on the Customs form that you must show the equipment to Customs when you are departing. On the other hand, if it is a starter or alternator, etc., you will have no difficulty at all. If what you are sending is small you can send it FedEx or UPS, and it will arrive directly at the Customs office at the CrewsInn Marina. If you are sending many items or big bulky items that are too expensive to send by FedEx or UPS, you can send them by sea. There are a number of carriers to choose from. One of the most popular is Tropical Shipping, which has offices in Kearney, NJ, and in Miami, FL. In case of shipping large items you may have to retrieve them at the Customs house in Port of Spain and will need to do your paperwork prior at the Customs office at the CrewsInn Marina. From time-to-time various boat owners have complained that the Customs officer was not attentive enough or not quick enough. There is no express line in Trinidad; everything moves at one speed—SLOW. It is this way in all of the islands of the Caribbean, and the best way to deal with it is patience. If you become impatient and agitated you will complicate your situation. Remain pleasant and patient and answer all questions simply and straightforwardly. There have been problems in the past. Some boat owners have brought in electronics and other items duty-free and sold them to the locals. This is strictly against the law, and any request by anyone local to have you do this should be denied. It is a privilege to be able to bring in spare parts and boat materials duty-free, and it is incumbent upon the yachting community to walk the straight and narrow regarding this process. If you are making small purchases at local marine stores in Chaguaramas you will pay the tax, as the law will not apply in those cases. However, if you are making a large purchase, such as a watermaker or dinghy or engine, etc., you will be exempt by providing a set of your ship’s papers and declaring the purchase for a yacht in transit. The same is true if you contract for a large job, like a set of sails or a new teak deck. You will not have to pay any tax. This was an article in the Seven Seas Bulletin by Associate member Frank Virgintino on his yacht Raffles Light

2011-02-10T14:16:00.000+02:00

We will fight them on the beaches and we will fight them on the streets

Yasi in Ausieland

2011-02-08T07:18:00.000+02:00

I am so glad that Mila was not moored in this marina.

2010-11-13T13:01:00.000+02:00

Marinna, Mila, Anais and Jana on top of Leeukoppie
It's a long walk
Marinna and me on top of Leeukoppie

2010-11-13T12:41:00.000+02:00

Ruben have so much to say

2010-11-12T11:05:00.000+02:00

Mila in the yard at Power Boats in Trinidad

November 2010

2010-11-12T10:22:00.005+02:00

Where has the year gone to? It feels as though it was Christmas yesterday. So here we are almost at the end of 2010. I am still in South Africa and miss my boat and cat. Fortunately I have someone looking after Milo the boat cat and Mila the yacht is safe on land and in storage at Power Boats Marina in Trinidad. Hurricane Tomas came very close to Trinidad, but no damage were reported. The hurricane season is ending soon. Plans are to visit Chaguaramas in Trinidad for a few days over the festive season, to make sure that all is ok with Milo and Mila.
I was blessed this year to become the grandfather of my first grandson Ruben. He was born on September 6th and all went well with baby and mother. It was worth the time spent not sailing , to wait for Ruben's birth.
My granddaughters Mila, Anais and Jana are growing so fast and it is a delight to have them around. They each have their own personality and it is such fun to see them developing. Marinna and I took them to climb Leeukoppie and it was great fun. I made it but I am sure that the mountain has grown higher since I went up 15 years ago.
I promised my children that I will be in South Africa for the Christmas season and as it is my 70th birthday in March, Plans are to return to Mila later in the year. I am still in two minds where to go once I put Mila back in the water, carry on cruising in the Caribbean and Venezuela or to sail down to Rio. I have very nice memmories about Brazil and would like to spend more time in the south. In the meantime I am kept busy in my sons office.
We are all healthy and have so much blessings.
To my family and all my friends wherever you are I wish you a very blessed Christmas and a happy 2011
Till later

Weekend in Port Owen

2010-05-18T15:24:00.005+02:00

Spent last weekend on the houseboat in Port Owen. My friend Paul Stuyck had his 80th birthday party at the Port Owen Yacht Club on Friday evening and we had a nice celebration.
I bought my first Alfa Romeo Gulia from Paul in 1960 new out of the box for R2600.00. Our friendship goes back a long time. For a man of 80 he is still very active and plays his part in the community. If you need something done, ask Paul he delivers.
Paul was one of the founder members of the Vogel Vlei Yacht Club where he was also the commodore. They moved to the West Coast and Paul was asked by the municipality of Langebaan to establish the yacht club there. He became the commodore of Langebaan Yacht Club.
The Stuyck family then moved to Port Owen where Paul and his wife have been very active in the community. Paul was the commodore of the Port Oven Yacht Club several times. He had several yachts and boats and all of them named Lucky Lady.
We watched the Stormers sweeping the floor with the Bulls at Michael and Vera’s house on Saturday. We celebrated the win with a delicious snoek braai and lots of red wine.
All for now

Time for an update

2010-04-27T20:23:00.002+02:00

Time flies it was Christmas yesterday and we are nearing the end of April. I had plans to go back to Mila at the beginning of April, but my daughter is expecting and as it is going to be the first grandson, Oupa promised to be here. The baby is expected in August, so if all goes well I will be leaving for the Caribbean in September. I am counting the days to get back. We get spoiled by the cruising life, no traffic and not the daily rush.
I am helping my son in his business, that keeps me busy.
Till next time

Contact details

2010-02-23T13:15:00.012+02:00

If friends want to contact me they can do so via email yachtmila@mighty.co.za
Facebook or Skype aggenbach1

Sailing Catamaran Spice

2010-02-19T13:46:00.006+02:00

Spice was built in Trinidad and being involved in her building it was sad news to learn that she was damaged hitting an underwater object with one of her dagger boards, this collision caused damage to the hull. She started to sink and Jim, the owner beached her. The beautiful Spice is a total loss. I feel very sorry for Jim and Rosalina as they worked hard to realise this dream.

Christmas 2009

2010-01-08T12:21:00.001+02:00

From left to right Anais,Mila and Jana

The year 2010

2010-01-08T09:21:00.005+02:00

The holiday season came and went, all to fast. We are well on our way into 2010
and who knows what lies installed.
The newness of being in South Africa is wearing off. Traffic and politics are in the news. Road accidents and death is daily news, busses are taken off the road due to drunk drivers, and and and. Politics, this makes one sick. Zuma just got married to his 5th wife, in this mornings paper he is allowed to take 3 of them on official visits. Imagine what this will cost the tax payer. The only white face on the soccer board were replaced by a black one. Workers at Sun City have been striking since early December due to demands. Strikes are also effecting beverage manufacturers. They complain being jobless but give them a job and they strike, is this not madness.
The sun is shining outside and we don't have snow and ice. The South Easter is pumping in Cape Town.
I am looking forward to being on Mila again and to sail the Caribbean.
All for now.

Back in South Africa

2009-12-01T11:56:00.004+02:00

After cruising in Grenada and the Grenadines I sailed Mila back to Trinidad. She was hauled by Power Boats and is now resting on the hard.
Arno and his wife, living in Chaguaramas is looking after Milo the boat cat, had an email to say that Milo is well, hunting all day and just come back for a cuddle and food.
I left Trinidad on the 9th and had a very long flight with Emirates. Took 3 days to get to South Africa with long sit overs at New York and Dubai. Nice to be back in this beautiful country and to be with family and friends. My grand children are growing up to fast.
Have a lot to do in my son's office, its me and Pastel again. Went to Langebaan last weekend and visited all the friends on the West Coast. Watched rugby at the local Yacht Club.
Thats all for now.

2009-08-27T13:34:00.001+02:00

The Grenada University

2009-08-27T13:32:00.000+02:00

The

The beach at Carriacou

2009-08-14T20:10:00.000+02:00

More Carnival Madness in Grenada

2009-08-03T14:28:00.003+02:00

Carnival time in Grenada

2009-08-03T14:19:00.003+02:00

St George's waterfront called "The Carenage"

2009-07-24T16:01:00.002+02:00

This is Fort George in Grenada with a Passenger Cruising Boat in the background.

Grenada

2009-07-22T14:44:00.005+02:00

At long last could we untie our mooring lines. It took 6 weeks to get Mila's engine repaired and all the time we were on a mooring. We left for Grenada on Thursday the 16th and had a very unpleasant sail as the wind turned from easterly to north/north easterly, resulting with the wind on the nose. We finally made it to Grenada after 16 hrs and anchored in Prickly Bay for the night. The next morning we sailed to St Georges and anchored in the lagoon. Grenada is beautiful but we are getting a lot of rain every day. We have explored a bit of the island on bicycle and visited the Old Town and the new Cruise Boat Port complex. We plan to stay here for a while and then sail further north to Carriacou.

2009-06-19T14:58:00.000+02:00

Marinna enjoying a swim
Cycling on the road to the golf course

Mila back in the water

2009-06-19T14:28:00.003+02:00

It’s been a long 2 years for Mila on the hard at Power Boats but eventually she was launched on the 27th of May and all went well. Nick and Lynette from the yacht Ukulele Lady joined me for a weekend in Scotland Bay. Unfortunately the fan belt broke on the engine with serious repercussions. The cam belt broke causing the timing to go out and this bent an exhaust valve and broke the cam shaft. The spares had to come from Sweden and up to date I am waiting for the mechanic to assemble the head. Promised me to have it ready a week ago, but this is Trinidad. Mila is on a mooring in Chaguaramas Bay. We have 15 South African boats moored around us.
Our plans are to sail to Tobago as soon as the engine is fixed and then further north as far as Bequia, depending on the hurricanes
Till later

2009-06-19T04:24:00.001+02:00

More on the Grenadines

2009-05-09T18:33:00.002+02:00

One is inclined to draw comparisons of the lifestyle and general living conditions of the places that one visit. For me the most outstanding, if I have to compere Trinidad to the places that I visited up north would be the weather. Although they have a lot of rain in the Grenadines it is not so humid and in Bequia in the evening it became quit chilly. For the first time in a year I had to put on a T shirt sitting outside on deck. The trades seems to cool it down and make life more comfortable. Trinidad has it downsides, but as far as prices are concern for foodstuff it is still the cheapest place to stock your boat.
Walter and I wanted to buy a watermelon on Union Island but after we heard the price the taste became sour in our mouths. The 14lb watermelon cost R300.00 that's about 35US. In South Africa I could buy 30 watermelons for that price. Beer was R28.00 (3US) per can and a local guy in a fishing boat wanted to sell his lobsters for 100 EC that's about 38 US each.
Eating out in the restaurants can be expensive but if you go and eat with the locals you can still find good food as a reasonable price. You just have to be content with the loud music.
St Vincent like Trinidad has to many cars on the road but the people are friendly and they welcome the yachties

The pearls in the Caribbean

2009-05-08T16:32:00.004+02:00

It was time to leave Trinidad as the extension on my visa expired the end of April. I was fortunate to be invited by Walter and Jacqui on Jean-Marie. They, with Tristan, Walter's son met me in St Vincent and after spending some time in the botanical garden we took the ferry to Bequia where Jean-Marie was anchored. Of all the Islands that we visited my favourite will be Bequia. We took a walk up the hill and had sun downers and happy hours on the beach.
St Vincent and the Grenadines is part of the Windward Islands. Its closest neighbour is Granada, 120 miles to the south and St Lucia 40 miles to the north. St Vincent is the largest of the more than 30 Islands that comprise the nation St Vincent and the Grenadines. The Grenadines themselves extend to the south and among these Islands are Young Island, very close to St Vincent. Bequia about 8 miles from St Vincent and then further south Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau, Tobago Cays, Union Island, Palm Island and Petit St Vincent.
I think the pearl of the Caribbean is Tobago Cays where the water is so clean and clear that you can see the anchor in 40ft water. The Tobago Cays were declared a wildlife preserve by Government in 1998. The huge horseshoe reef that protects these five islets with their dazzling, palm studded shorelines, provides some of the best snorkeling and diving in the world. I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to snorkel here amongst the turtles and the beautiful coral reef.
After spending some time in the Cays we sailed to Mayreau, but they had a regatta on and the music on the beach was to loud so we decided to sail to Union Island. Anyone that visits this Island must go to Happy Island for Happy hour. It was great to be a quest of Walter, Jacqui and Tristan who really went out of their way to make my stay on board a happy and enjoyable one. I will treasure the memories of the time that we were together. Soon it was time to leave and after saying our fairwells I departed with the ferry to St Vincent to fly from there to Trinidad.
I am counting the days now for Marinna to arrive so that I can launch Mila and go and show her the pearls of the Caribbean.

Granadines

2009-05-08T16:27:00.000+02:00

Tristan with the lobster

Tristan and me in Tobago Cays

Tobago Cays

Tobago Cays

2009-05-08T16:16:00.001+02:00

Iguana on one of the Islands in Tobago Cays
Walter relaxing with a drink on Jean-Marie
My gift from Tristan

Me on Union Island

Union Island

2009-05-08T16:11:00.001+02:00

Walter and me at the Anchorage Yacht Club on Union Island
Walter and Jacqui at the hut on the hill overlooking the anchorage on Union Island
Happy Island
Yachts at anchor in Union Island with Happy Island in the background

St Vincent and the Grenadines

2009-05-08T16:05:00.001+02:00

The anchorage in Port Elizabeth on the Island of Bequia
Walter and me in the botanical garden in St Vincent
Market day in St Vincent
Having lobster on board Jean-Marie. My wellcome gift from Tristan

Mila in Power Boats

2009-03-03T14:48:00.000+02:00

Mila in her new colours.

2009-01-03T14:50:00.000+02:00

Christmas and New Year in Power Boats

2008-12-07T13:08:00.000+02:00

Mila on the hard in Power Boats. The hull getting sanded and prepaired for painting.

Trinidad & Tabago

2008-12-07T12:37:00.003+02:00

My Afrikaanse vriende vra altyd hoekom ek nie my blog in Afrikaans skryf nie. Die rede is baie eenvoudig. Die "cruising" gemeenskap is baie internationaal en mens vind dat Engels oor die algemeen meer verstaan en gepraat word. Ek sal wat wou gee om meer Afrikaans sprekende Suid Afrikaners te ontmoet wat om die wereld seil. So as julle my blog in Engels lees wees verseker dat ek my moedertaal, Afrikaans eerste stel meer weens die omstandighede die blog in Engels skryf.
Ek wens my familie en vriende 'n baie geseende Kersfees en gelukkige 2009

2008 has come and gone, the year ending seems to come faster and faster every year. This year started off with the crossing from South Africa and most of the year was spent in Trinidad. I was ask to help with the building of a 55' Catamaran called Spice for an American owner. It was a good experience but time has come to get all the work finished on Mila so that she can go back into the water. Plans are to launch Mila by the 25th February 2009 and then go sailing north to Grenada and the Grenadines. My son Hennie is planning to join me here in Trinidad and then to come sailing with me for a month. Mila has been on the hard now for some time and I am looking forward to be on the water again. I would like to wish my family and all my friends a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2009

Wedding Bells

2008-10-20T23:17:00.002+02:00

Alex and Dominique got married in Hout Bay, South Africa on Saturday the 11th October. We wish them a very happy togetherness.

2008-08-31T20:23:00.000+02:00

2008-08-31T19:22:00.001+02:00

Bottom Bay

Barbados

2008-08-31T19:15:00.000+02:00

Bert and Jo Peck

The Coral Island Barbados

2008-08-31T18:27:00.003+02:00

My visa expired and I decided to visit Barbados for a week. On recommendation by Thomas en Johness Pinion I made a booking to stay with Jo and Bert Peck who has a quest house on the Island. I left Trinidad Monday and was met by Jo and Bert at the airport. They immediately welcomed me with open arms and so a week of relaxation began. Jo and Bert went out of their way to make my stay as pleasant as possible, took me on a motor tour around the Island and introduced me to their friends. We visited several pubs and restaurants. If anyone is looking for a fantastic holiday, I can recommend the Pecks. They have a very comfortable quest house 5 minutes walk from a beautiful beach were one can swim and snorkel. Their contact details are peck@sunbeach.net.
The Island of Barbados is a coral Island with white sandy beaches and a lot of diving and snorkeling sites. The water is warm and very clean and clear.It is the far most easterly Island of the Caribbean chain but unfortunately don't cater for yachts. With a population of approximately 270,000 on a land area of 166sq miles it is not crowded but as with Trinidad there are to many cars on the roads. Well known personalities own property on the Island. There are three towns, Speightstown, Holetown and the capital Bridgetown. The English came to the Island in 1605 and there is a beautiful old church in Holetown built in 1626.
All in all I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit Barbados and to have met the very friendly people of this pearl in the Caribbean.
Thats all for now

Isle du Salut

2008-06-29T15:37:00.000+02:00

First timers to my website

2008-06-29T14:36:00.000+02:00

If this is your first time viewing my web, you are welcome to contact me via the web and give me your comments. Sign the guestbook or click on comments. If you don't have a Google account click on unanimous write your message and post it. For earlier entries scroll down. Click on recent posts or archives.

Trinidad

2008-06-29T14:20:00.002+02:00

Shakespeare once wrote: Man but man, dressed in a little brief authority, most ignorant of what his most assured. His glassy essence, like an angry ape play such fantastic tricks before high heaven, as make the angels weep. I want to dedicate this to Robert Mugabe. I am sure that all the angels are weeping.
What a world are we living in ?
Till later

Marinna and Marius

2008-06-29T06:07:00.000+02:00

2008-06-29T06:03:00.000+02:00

Niels and Ruth Evening at Sails

2008-06-29T05:53:00.002+02:00

Die Hollanders Arno Pieter en Johan
Thomas and Johness evening at Sails
Owner of Sails. Didier and Danielle his wife
Larry and Tracey evening at Sails

Chaguaramas

2008-06-28T23:51:00.000+02:00

Milo The Boat Cat

2008-06-28T22:47:00.000+02:00

Mila on the hard in Powerboats Marina Chaguaramas

2008-06-28T22:42:00.001+02:00

Trinidad

2008-04-04T01:05:00.008+02:00

Trinidad has a lot to offer visiting yachtsmen, is primarily outside the hurricane belt, at least I hope so this year. It has marinas and boatyards that handle super yachts, with travel lifts to haul 15 to 200 tons and services for both mono and multi hull vessels
The boating mecca of the Southern Caribbean is Chaguaramas situated in the north–western corner of Trinidad.
Chaguaramas was least by the Americans from Britain and used as a naval base for seaplanes during the war. Several of the buildings erected by the Americans can still been seen today and are being used by the Trinidad Tobago Defence Force. One can see the big hangers were the seaplanes were kept, and bunkers that were used for ammunition. In 1965 it was given back to the people of Trinidad Tobago.
Customs and Immigration is conveniently located at Crews Inn Hotel and Yachting Centre.
This area has grown tremendously into a major yachting centre the last 16 years. Owners bring their boats here for the hurricane season and others visit on their way north.
Chaguaramas has several yards of which Peakes and Power Boats are the biggest. Yachts anchor in the bay and some make use of the moorings buoys available. Several of the smaller yards have slip moorings available. Repairs and general maintenance to boats can be done by the owners or you can get an approved contractor to do the work. Boat shopping here is a paradise with several of the big suppliers like Budget close by. I wish I had all the equipment and gadgets available when I built Mila.
It is not unusual to see a big tug or supply vessel maneuvering between the anchored yachts, as Chaguaramas is close to the Trinidad oilfields.
I have not done much travelling in Trinidad except going to the airport or the supermarkets to buy provisions. The maxi -taxis are very efficient and one can go into Port of Spain for as little as 5tt, that’s 5 Trinidad Tobago Dollars. The present exchange rate is 6.25tt to the US dollar. Trinidad is rich in oilfields but unfortunately they don’t seem to spend money on the infrastructure. Some of the roads are in a bad condition and like most countries to many motor vehicles on the roads.
The country is beautiful and green, have a very high rainfall with an abundance of bird life. It is winter and suppose to be the dry season but the average daily temperature is 32 degrees and we have rain showers almost every day.
Mila is on the hard in Power Boats Marina and I am working on the paint jobs. The topsides are going to be painted with "Awlgrip". The new "Sunbrella " canopy looks good and keeps the sun off the deck. I fitted two 6500 btu aircons over two hatches and raised the swim scoop by 200mm this will minimise the noise of water while at anchor.
Milo, the boat cat is back on board and he seems to adapt well, making friends with the other yard cats. He caught a Iguana and brought him into the boat. This was quite scary as the Iguana was about 600mm long. I managed to save him out of Milo's paws but were bitten. Should have left him for Milo. Dominique and Alex did a fantastic job looking after Milo, the two of them left for England soon to be joined by Johness.
That’s all for now

Trinidad to Fort Lauderdale

2008-03-01T19:57:00.003+02:00

Finally after fitting new rudders, autopilot and a new Harken Furler, Amazing Grace was ready. Clearing immigration, customs and taking diesel we left Saturday 16/02. The diesel price in Trinidad is R1.80lt.
Our first two days went well and we averaged 200 miles per day. The route we sailed took us direct from Trinidad to the Mona Passage between Puerto Rico and the DR. From there we sailed all along the coast to Haiti and the southern tip of Cuba. To sail in the old Bahama passage between Cuba and the Grand Banks were a great experience.
The US Coastguard visited us by helicopter when we were at the tip of Cuba, ask a lot of questions and 2 hours later we were boarded and they searched the boat and checked all the safety equipment. Amazing Grace is a registered American vessel and this gives them the right to check on the safety equipment on board. We were given a clean bill and they left after an hour.
All in all we had very good sailing conditions and we sailed the 1600 miles to Fort Lauderdale in 9 days. The last two days approaching Fort Lauderdale we had to motor on one engine and very little diesel as the fuel in the starboard tank was contaminated with seawater due to the placement of the breather.
It was a welcome site to see our final destination and a relief not to do watches. We anchored at the Las Olas City marina the first night and moved the boat to Cooleys Marina in Down Town Fort Lauderdale on the new river the next morning.
It was time for me to return to Trinidad. I booked a ticket for Wednesday morning leaving Hollywood Fort Lauderdale at 6.15am. Took the taxi at 3 in the morning and on getting to the airport was told that my booking was for Thursday the same time, this after getting an email confirmation from the travel agent for Wednesday. I returned to the boat and John was very surprised to find me drinking coffee when he woke.
Thursday morning the same procedure and we left on time for Puerto Rico. The flight arrived at 8 and I had to wait all day for the connecting flight to Trinidad at 5 the afternoon. Arrived at 8, took a taxi to Power Boats and had a good sleep on Mila.
That’s all for now

Cape Town to Trinidad

2008-03-01T19:53:00.003+02:00

We left Royal Cape East Basin on Wednesday 19th December as planned. Motored for 3 hours and started sailing with the spinnaker on course for St Helena Island. As Jeanette was taking care of the galley we had 6 hour watches later we changed this to 4 hours and finally to 2 hours. Our first two days we had good winds and made 200 miles plus per day. After that good spell our luck changed and we had 2000 miles of 10 knots or less. Jeanette was seasick for the first 3 days but soon settled down, she was a star and kept the crew well fed, always had something in the oven and treated us with fresh bread every day.
Our route took us to the south of St Helena Island and from there we took a rum line to the horn of Brazil.
Our SSB radio did not work at all and the planned skeds that I had with friends and family could not happen. The more electronics on board the more trouble one have. Sometimes I think one should revert to the hand pump and oil lamps of yester year; we are all suckers for punishment and enjoy our comforts. Christmas and New Year came and went as it was just another day at sea with watches and sleeping.
One morning I woke with a squeaking noise and it turned out to be the rudder shaft. The helm became very heavy. On diving John discovered that we lost the starboard rudder. It sheared off close to the hull and the port rudder was bent at an angle and scraping against the hull. We decided to give Fortaleza a miss and to continue on to Trinidad.
Finally the auto pilot could not keep up with the heavy load and the clutch burned out. We then had to steer by hand; we did this in 2 hour shifts. After 30 days at sea we welcomed the stop at Kourou in French Guiana and we could rest and eat out for two days. We anchored at Isle du Salute for one night and left early the next morning for our final run of 700 miles to Trinidad. Two days from the Island and with over 400 miles to go, we lost the port rudder and had to steer the boat with the engines. John collected an old motorcar tire in Kourou and we used this as a drogue behind the boat to help with the steering. This was not easy as we had high winds and cross seas. After 36 days at sea we finally tied to the dock at Trinidad. John and I celebrated the event with a few beers that evening and we all had a good sleep.
John our skipper was outstanding, one is never too old to learn and as I had very little experience flying the spinnaker he taught me some tricks. At all times he was in control and his good nature and way of doing things made everyone feel safe and kept the moral high. I can recommend him to anyone that needs a delivery done. His contact details are johnkotze@hotmail.com
Randy and Jeanette decided to sell Amazing Grace and left the boat to fly to Denver. John ask me to help him with the delivery to Fort Lauderdale. We are waiting for the new rudders, bearings and auto pilot from Cape Town. After the repairs we will make our way to Fort Lauderdale. I will then return to Trinidad to do work on Mila. All the woodwork must be varnished and she needs a paint job to the hull and topsides. There are several South Africans here in Trinidad, most of them working on boats. Johness spoiled me with her famous bobotie, it was good to see them all again and to know that Dom has Milo on board Sparrow and he is happy.
I was told in Cape Town that after this trip I will be sold on a catamaran. This is not so I am a mono hull fan and will not change my ways. Everyone told me that on a catamaran you can put your glass on the table and it will not fall over. It does not fall over; it goes up in the air. The motion on a catamaran is very uncomfortable in cross seas and the slamming and noise is overwhelming. I preferred to sleep in a cabin above a engine than in the saloon with the continuous slamming. In all fairness I must admit that at anchor you have a lot of space but for cruising give me a mono hull any day.
That’s all for now until later.

Cape Town to Trinidad

2007-12-17T07:52:00.000+02:00

Royal Cape Yacht Club
Finally we are preparing to leave Cape Town for the crossing to Trinidad. Amazing Grace an Admiral 50 owned by Randy and his wife Jeanette was launched two weeks ago and after some sea trials we are set to go. John Kotze the skipper is doing the delivery to Miami on behalf of Admiral Yachts. The American owner and his wife are joining us on the crossing, this is a first for them and they are looking forward to the experience. This will have to be a fast trip and we hope to have favourable winds as Amazing Grace must be at the Miami boat show in February. Plans are to leave Wednesday the 19th so it will be Christmas and New Year on the water. This will be my first experience doing a crossing on a catamaran so I am looking forward to this. John has a lot of sea miles under his belt and has done several crossings as a delivery skipper, I am confident that we will be a good team, Randy and Jeanette are very eager to learn. We are taking a direct route to Fortaleza in Brazil and then on to Trinidad.
It is with mixed feelings to leave South Africa after a year, sorry to leave love ones and friends behind but looking forward to be on Mila, to see Milo my cat, see my friends, do some sailing and to have the Caribbean wind blowing through my hair again. I had wonderful times with the family and enjoyed my three grand daughters. They are growing up so fast.
I am satisfied that my son's business is doing well, the programs and plans that I implemented in the office are working well.
That is all for now and will update the posts once I get to Trinidad
Cheers

Port Owen on the West Coast of South Africa

2007-07-05T12:58:00.000+02:00

I am still in South Africa. Would have thought that by this time I would be back on Mila and sailing in the Caribbean, but things don't always work out as planned.
After a successful operation to my elbow and hernia, I wanted to return, but my son ask me to help him in his business and I ended up reorganizing his office and getting systems in place. Had to teach myself to use pastel.
This keeps me very busy, but we have an agreement, that I am only doing this till October. Plans are to do a delivery of a catamaran to the West Indies during Nov/Dec. This will give me a great opportunity to stock-up with food and spares for Mila.
Mila was sailed to Trinidad by Thomas and Johness and after some time in the marina they got Power boats to take Mila out and put her on the hard.
Thomas and the family did a great job to take all the sails down and store everything in side. Power Boats fitted a temporary air con over one of the hatches, so Mila will be dry and without mildew when I get back, hopefully. It is wonderful to have friends like the Pinions, they really go out of their way to help me.
Thomas and Johness had to leave Trinidad for a few weeks as their visas expired, but they should be back in the marina soon. Milo the boat cat is sailing with Alex and Dom. The cat has done more sea miles than me!!!!
When I came back from overseas, I mentioned that South Africa is still the same with power cuts and crime. Little did I realise that the crime issue would come so close to my own skin. My son in law returned from work with his daughter, opened the gate and garage door with the remote, drove into the garage and as he got out of the car they were confronted by three blacks with firearms. His daughter 14 years old got a revolver stuck into her tummy, she then started screaming and they both were taken into the house. My daughter then came out of the bedroom and were confronted by this lot. Two of them took her back to the bedroom and took jewelry and cash that she had in her bag. They all got tied up and were told that they would be shot if they should make a sound. The robbers then loaded my son in laws car and took off with Hi Fi's TVs and computers. Fortunately they were not hurt physically, but you can imagine the trauma that they all went through. Chelsea, the daughter had to go for treatment.
This is only one incident out of hundreds that happen everyday in this country and then our President have the audacity to say that crime is under control and that the citizens have nothing to worry. Perhaps if he spends more time in South Africa, and not trying to solve the problems of the rest of Africa, he would be more aware of the crime and murders that this country face.
That's all for now

Cape Town

2007-01-19T13:45:00.000+02:00

Hi
I am back in South Africa until end of September. Nice to see family and friends again after 8 months. South Africa is still the same, crime and power cuts seems to be the in thing. I have left Mila and Milo my cat with Thomas and Johness, they are living on board and Mila is in Trini. Can't wait to get back to the boat and to hug my cat.
Greetings and love to all.
Till next time

Isle du Salut and Tobago

2006-11-23T23:17:00.000+02:00

Plans were to go to Suriname and join Springtime and Taremaro but after some negative reports about the heat and the tide in the river, I decided to stay a bit longer at Isle du Salut and spend more time on the Islands. We had a braai one evening on St Thomas on the beach. The mango's on the island are the sweetest that I have ever tasted. I had to clear out of French Guiana and went to Kourou to do so.
Kourou is a nice little town on the river and have a small marina. Yachts anchor in the river and it was very quiet and peaceful. I anchored there for a day and left the next morning for Isle du Salut. After spending such a great time on the Islands it was time to leave.
On Saturday morning we were 5 yachts that left for Tobago. It took Mila 4 days to do the 640 miles and I arrived in Tobago on Wednesday. The sailing conditions varied from very light winds to squalls of 35 knts. Milo, the boat cat enjoyed himself with all the flying fish. He tried to get as much of the fish into the boat in the shortest possible time. I even had a fish on my pillow. He must have thought to leave a present for me.
Anchoring in Tobago is another dream come true. I am finally in the Caribbean. The water is clear and clean, I can see the anchor in 15 meters of water. Clearing into the country was easy but expensive. It is hot and humid but so far there is a nice cool breeze blowing, and life on board is comfortable. The people here are friendly, but one will have to get use to the English they speak.
Springtime is still in Suriname and they are sailing to Tobago soon. It was nice to see so many of my old friends that I met along the way, some were in Salvador and Itaparika with me. We had a barbecue on Wednesday evening at a local restaurant and all the yachties were there, you can imagine the party.
The island is very green and beautiful and we are 20 boats anchored in the bay at Charlotteville. The currency here is the Trinidad /Tobago Dollar, they call it the TT dollar and the current exchange rate is 6 TT to the US dollar. Things are expensive. There is a six hour time difference with South Africa. Once I have been to more places on the Island I will have some more information.

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Degrad des Cannes, Cayenne and Isle du Salut

2006-11-07T22:16:00.000+02:00

The time spent in the river at anchor in Degrad was peaceful and relaxing. We took a day trip up the river in rubber ducks to do some exploring. Up a side creek , was hot and humid with overhanging trees. Beautiful birds and butterflies and we saw small black monkeys with large tails. Were told that there are anacondas and tarantulas but did not see any, just as well!
We hired a car from a local yachty and took a day trip to Cayenne. What a disappointment, according to the "lonely planet" Cayenne was the most beautiful city in South America, this is not true it is run down with old buildings falling apart and very unfriendly people. We visited a large supermarket and were astonished to see the high prices for goods. For shopping give me Brazil any day.
The marina in Degrad was one of the best constructed marinas that I have come across. It is small and full, but unfortunately as it is very cheap to stay there, a lot of French people live there on a semi permanent basis. They give the place a rundown look. It looks like a squatter camp and a scrap yard with all the derelict yachts tied to the pontoons.
After a week at anchor in the river it was time to leave. Monday morning we all left, Watussi, Taremaro and Mila for Isle du Salut about 38 miles north. As we had very light winds we had to motor all the way and arrived at 2 the afternoon. We joined Springtime at anchor and said our hello's.
Isle du Salut is beautiful with Isle Royal the main island. Cover with palm trees and lush bushes. Coconuts are in abundance. There are lot's of birds, monkeys and coco rats on land and sea turtles in the waters around the island. Unfortunately the island have a very sad history, and walking amongst the ruins and the old jail cells one is reminded of the misery and the suffering of the unfortunates that had to spend time on the island, sometimes in solitary confinement for years. In this heat and high humidity it must have been unbearable.
Some of the buildings on the island have been converted into a hotel, and one find a lot of tourist visiting. All in all it is a very beautiful place and I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit Isle du Salut. Plans are to leave here on Thursday for Suriname, 180 miles north.
That's all for now

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Fortaleza to French Guiana

2006-10-29T22:47:00.000+02:00

We, that is Taremaro, Springtime, Watussi and Mila decided to stay the weekend in Fortaleza and leave on Monday the 23rd October. We all set off in a nice breeze early the morning and very soon Mila left the others behind. From Fortaleza to De Grad des Cannes in French Guiana is 1035 nautical miles, and I anticipated that it would take Mila 7 to 8 days to cover this distance. All in all I had a very fast trip and did it in six days. The second day the wind blew 34 knots with very large swells. This made for very uncomfortable sailing as the wind was on the beam and with the spray and waves breaking against the boat, one got drenched in the cockpit. We were planning to visit the Island Lencois but with the strong winds and swells we decided to give it a wide berth.
It is a tradition amongst the cruisers to have a drink on King Neptune when you cross the equator the first time. As this was my first time, I had a beer on King Neptune at 11.37 Wednesday morning, and ask him nicely to give us less winds and calm seas. There must have been a misunderstanding because the next days I had no wind. This forced me to start the engine and motor for some hours.
During the stormy conditions, Milo the boat cat, had a party as there were an abundance of flying fish on the deck. For two days he totally ignored me, as we had strong words. It is not nice to tramp on dead fish 3 o' clock in the morning.
Rob on Taremaro and Allan on Watussi decided to join me and visit De Grad des Cannes. I laid a course for De Grad and arrived this morning, Sunday, anchored in the river near the marina and expect Rob and Allan to join me Monday morning.
It is beautiful and calm here with very lush trees and vegetation. Plans are to stay here for a few days and then join the rest of the crowd at Isle du Salut.
That's all for now and will tell you more with my next update.

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Fortaleza and time to say goodbye to Brazil

2006-10-20T13:04:00.000+02:00

Yes, the time has come to say goodbye to Brazil. It has been an experience to see the North of Brazil and to have met the friendly people and made wonderful friends. My visa for Brazil expires on the 1st of November, so it is with great reluctance that I have to slip the dock lines and continue to French Guiana. We are four yachts leaving, Springtime from South Africa, Watussi from England and Taremaro from Holland. Stopping over in Lencois, an island near Sao Luis, if the weather permits.

We had good times in the marina. Leasure hours at the swimming pool, braai's on the pontoon and a potluck dinner one evening, attended by all the yachties. We were entertained with live music and singing by Allex, Allan, Thomas, Martin and Marcel. Dominique gave us her firespinning act. It was nice for me as a single person to be tied up next to Springtime and be spoiled with dinners by Johness and the crew. I will miss her bobotie!!!!!!!!!!

Fortaleza, like all the other places I have been to in Brazil, is no exception. People are friendly, transportation is good, new air conditioned busses at very low rates. There are plenty of clothing and footwear shops and nice evening markets along the beach front. This is a women's paradise for shopping. One can sit on the sidewalk, drink a beer or eat something light and watch the people walking by.

We took a bus trip inland to Guaramiranga to visit the last forest area in the province of Ceara, visiting beautiful little towns along the way. Nice mountain areas with waterfalls or cachoeiras as they are called, but very little wild life. My favorite little town was Guaramiranga. These areas are about 120 kilos from Fortaleza and worth a day trip.

Last weekend we had the Ceara Music Festival at the Marina Park Hotel. Over 50,000 people, mostly the young crowd attended the 3 day concerts. Started at 6 in the evening and ended at 5 in the morning. So for three nights we had to use earplug's, as the Brazilians like to play music very very very loud.

The only negative side of Fortaleza is the crime and mugging on the streets, one must always be on the alert, don't wear any jewelry and go out in groups. Colyn on yacht Polly was mugged at knife point in broad daylight at a bus stop and lost a carry bag.
That is all for now

Fernando de Noronha to Fortaleza

2006-10-07T18:51:00.000+02:00

After spending a week anchored at the Island it was time to leave. I am very disappointed in the Brazilian authorities. We had a person from the Brazilian government visiting the Cabanga Yacht Club to give a talk on the environment and the strict control on the Island. This is rubbish, they have managed to degrade the Island in a very short time. There are to many people on the Island and it has turned out to be a money making environment. The last day before we left a school of dolphins came into the bay and swam amongst the anchored boats. Four boats loaded with tourist came and were charging up and down at full speed, chasing the dolphins, for the tourist to see, Is that how you control the environment? Nothing was said or done to them. I am very lucky to have seen the Island before man took over.
The sail from Fernando to Fortaleza was very fast and we had good winds but a very choppy sea, so the ride was not all that comfortable. I left Monday afternoon at 4, with 2 other yachts, to be at the Isle das Rocas atoll early the next morning, but the wind was to strong and the sea to choppy to anchor. I left and arrived in Fortaleza on Wednesday evening at 10 and anchored in the bay at the Marina Park Hotel. After a good sleep I moved Mila into the marina the next morning. Plans are to stay in Fortaleza until the 20th and then sail on to French Guiana. The marina here is full. Most of the yachts are planning to move north and I have made new friends and met old ones that were in Salvador. This is the joy of sailing, one becomes part of a big family.
The Marina Park Hotel is a five star with very nice facilities, swimming pool and a gym. Unfortunately this cannot be said about the marina. They do very little or no maintenance. Colin on his Yacht Polly was here four years ago and he says nothing has changed for the better. The electrical wiring is a nightmare. One is not allowed to anchor outside, so you have to make use of the marina.
That's all for now, I will give an update on Fortaleza soon

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Refeno Regatta from Recife to Fernando de Noronha

2006-09-28T18:51:00.000+02:00

After a hectic week of organizing, the flag raising and the opening ceremony we were ready to go. Things I did not like and must mention were that not the Commodore or any other spokesman at these functions had the courtesy to welcome the foreign competitors to the regatta. All speeches were in Portuguese and all the functions started late. If you complain, you were told that this is Brazil. I would think that as they named the regatta the XV111 Regatta International Recife Fernando de Noronha they would consider the International Yachties.
Countries that were competing in this event were from South Africa, Argentina, Australia, Canada, England, Holland, France and Germany.
Yachts were competing in 5 groups and every group had a different starting time. After we sorted out the correct time, because some were using Recife time and some Fernando time (there is one hour difference} We were sent off in a very light breeze that prevailed until the late afternoon. Mother nature were kind and we had good winds all the way to the Island. It took Mila two days to cover the distance and she made good time. Unfortunately due to an error in the office they changed Mila's entry to the open class group, instead of the steel class. Mila had to compete against 60 and 55ft boats. If she was in the steel class, she would have won hands down, as the first steel boat crossed the finish line 5 hours after Mila.
At the party and the racing awards I was given a price for the yacht with the highest average age of the crew [being solo helped] to cross the finish line. There was a yachty aged 79 but he had a young crew member.
Fernando de Noronha has changed since 1989. To many tourist, new buildings and tar roads. I was disappointed to see this and would have preferred the Island as I saw it the first time. Those days they only allowed 70 tourist to visit the Island for a week.
It was nice to see 116 yachts anchored in the bay, and like in Salvador and Recife I found the residents friendly and helpful.
Our free time expires on the 29th and plans are to sail to the Atol Das Rocas, about 75 miles from here and then on to Fortaleza.
That's all for now, will update the web in Fortaleza

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Recife and the Cabanga Yacht club

2006-09-10T20:42:00.000+02:00

Recife,like Salvador is divided in two areas. The old town with little shops and markets and the new developments on the South Coast. I have never seen so many apartment blocks under construction as here. All along the beachfront you find these beautiful and expensive apartments. The beach is not as nice as in South Africa, the water is muddy and not inviting. All along there are signs to warn that surfing and swimming is prohibited due to sharks.
Shopping Brazil, a shopping center is the biggest I have ever seen, I think it is as big as Canal Walk and Tygervallei Center together. Unfortunately, as for most shopping centers it is expensive as someone has to pay the rent.
The transport system is as good or better than the one in Salvador. The busses are new, well maintained, lots of them and cheap to use. People are friendly and they will go out of there way to help you. There are more people here that can speak English than in Salvador.
The only problem I have is that it is virtually impossible to find boat spares in Recife, and if you get something the price goes through the ceiling. I have been quoted 289 Rials [that is about R900.00] for an impeller that cost R90.00 in South Afrika.
I have mentioned the Cabanga Yacht Club and marina before, again the facilities are out standing and we have a great time here. The marina is filling with yachts coming for the regatta and we are daily meeting new friends from all over the world. They are expecting 110 yachts to participate in the rally, no idea were they are going to moor as the marina is not very big. I am glad we came early.
That's all for now

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Baia to Recife

2006-08-28T22:16:00.000+02:00

Nothing venture nothing gain. I have always been very negative on solo sailing, but had no options than to sail from Salvador to Recife single handed. After saying my goodbye's to the friendly people of Salvador and a last visit with friends to Pelourinho, I set sail on Wednesday morning and slipped the dock at 6. On rounding Barra lighthouse, the wind was blowing a force 6 and the waves were huge. Springtime, a South African yacht decided to return to the harbour and try the next day. I sailed out to 25 miles from the coast and set a course for Recife. Colin on his yacht Polly did the same and we kept in sight till nightfall
Mila went like a train on tracks and achieved speeds of 10 knots at times. My first night was scary, as this my first solo night. I kept the radar on, saw a few ships and slept very little. The next morning it was the ocean and me with no one in sight. It was perfect sailing conditions with the wind at 18 knots on the beam and I achieved the best run for 24 hours, a whopping 181 miles. Saturday morning at six I arrived in Recife and anchored off the Pernambuco Yacht Club. As the tide was low and a tricky passage up the river to Cabanga I had to wait till 5 in the afternoon. Colin arrived at 4.30 and we were fortunate to have a local yacht showing us the way to the Cabanga Yach Club. I moored and had a good sleep.
The next morning, Springtime with Thomas his wife Johness, daughter Dom and her friend Alex joined us in the marina. Amigo a German yacht with Martin, his wife Ines and 5 year old daughter Anna also came from Salvador and Martin decided to enter for the regatta to Fernando. We celebrated our arrival with a nice chicken braai Sunday evening next to the pool. The facilities at the Cabanga Yacht Club are outstanding. There are two swimming pools, one with a water slide, saunas and beautiful braai areas. The food is good in the restaurant and not expensive. The staff are friendly and helpful, and I am looking forward to a happy stay.
On my next update I will give you more information on Recife. We moored in the marina till the start of the regatta to Fernando on the 24th of September.
That's all for now

More news from the Island of Itaparika

2006-08-08T08:55:00.000+02:00

The sad part about sailing is that you make so many friends on yachts, and then one day they leave.
Francois on Pytheas 111 left for France.
The last email that I received from him was from Ponta Delgada and he was going to sail to Gibraltar within the next few days. Yan and Eve left for Trinidad and so has Guido and Patricia.
I have been sailing in the rivers and to the islands.
It is winter in Salvador so its rain and rain and rain.
We have had constant rain here for two weeks, with no blue sky.
Fortunately the weather seems to change now and winter is slowly but surely coming to an end. The days are warming with more and more sun.
I was in Itaparica for some time and Larry on Freedom came to join me there before he set off to Trinidad.
I received an email from him and he is doing well.
Just left Recife for Fortaleza.

Mila is entered for the yearly rally from Recife to Fernando de Noronha.
My son Hennie and his wife is joining me, so I am looking forward to this event.
They are expecting about 80 yachts to participate.
This is a yearly event and very popular with the sailing community.
The Cabanga Yacht Club have ask me to represent South Africa at a flag raising on the 21st of September.
The rally starts on the 26th of September.
Mila is at present in the marina at Cenab and I have to do some maintenance on her.
I will sail for Recife the last week of September if the weather permits.
Milo the boat cat is doing well.
I am going to tie a paint brush to his tail and see if he can help me with the varnishing.
That's all for now
Until later

More news from Bahia

2006-06-19T08:33:00.000+02:00

After spending some time in the marina at Centro Nautico, had to go there as Graham and June departed for England. I sailed to Itaparika and anchored in the bay. We were three boats from Centro Nautico, Freedom with Larry and Tracey on board and Pythaes 111 with Francois onboard. Larry and Tracey are from Ireland and Francois is from France. We traveled the Island by combi and frequented the Bistro on the marina. Sipping caipirinhas and watching the sunset.

While at anchor in Itaparika I received the dreadful news that Taurus a muira from Cape Town with Regardt and Lilly onboard, dragged anchor in the harbour of Maceio and was wrecked on the rocks. This was shattering news, as we were together the previous week in Centro Nautico. They were going to come with us to Itaparika and then decided on the last minute to rather continue north. Regardt and Lilly are safe, but I have no news regarding their boat.

Tracey had to leave for Ireland to attend to family affairs and Larry had to leave for the marina at Centro to do maintenance on Freedom. That left me and Francois to do river exploring and anchoring. Our first anchor spot was in the mouth of the Rio Paraguacu, looks like paradise. We anchored 20 meters from shore with 6 meters of water under the keel and named the spot Sandy Bay. White beach complete with palm and coconut trees, a fresh water shower and to think we had this all for ourselves.

Friday we left for Marogogipe to be in time for the Saturday morning fresh market. Friday evening Francois and I were invited to a pasta evening on board Yan and Eveline Ruffin's boat called Reve D'Oceans. They are from France. Also invited were Guido and Patricia, their boat's name is Damischa Ridda. Saturday evening we all had a South African braai on Mila.

Sunday we went upriver with two rubber ducks to explore the mangroves and bird life. We rafted the two ducks and had a bottle of chilled white wine and Patricia spoiled us all with a lovely home baked cake.

We were at anchor at Maragogipe for a week, and it rained all week. The water is muddy and not nice to look at. At long last we up-anchor and moved again to Sandy Bay. Francois on Pytheas had to go to Bahia Marina to use the travel lift for some maintenance. After two days in Sandy Bay Mila's water tanks were getting empty and I decided to go and fill up in Itaparika Marina. While on anchor I had a call from Willem. He is from Holland and I met him in Port Owen while he was there with his yacht. Willem is married and his wife and 10 year old son lives in Salvador. I left Mila anchored in Itaparika and went with Yan and Eveline to Centro Nautico. Willem was there, and we spent the afternoon chatting and enjoing a few beers. To soon I had to say goodbye, to be in time for the last ferry boat to Itaparika.

That's all for now

Salvador and the Bay

2006-05-18T21:11:00.000+02:00

Salvador and the Baia de Todos os Santos

Salvador was the original capital of Brazil from 1549 to 1763. Much of the old city has been kept and is being renovated slowly. One takes the elevator, opposite Centro Nautico marina up to this area called Pelourinho or you walk up. The elevator has 4 lifts and approximately 20,000 people make use of it everyday, cost very little and very efficient. The old city has beautiful old buildings and narrow cobbled stone streets with lots of little shops. This reminds me of the Plaka in Athens and the old city in Rhodes.
Pelourinho is a marvelous place to wander around day and night. There are tourist police on every street. Many streets are closed to traffic, and in the evening more streets are closed off, the restaurants bring the tables out and people dine in the streets. There are several magnificent baroque churches in the area, to many to mention. I am told that Salvador has a church for every day of the year. We visited the Igreja Sao Francisco [church] with it's beautiful stained glass windows.
The people of this area of Salvador, came as slaves from Africa and the African culture can be seen in their dresses and dances. The most fascinating dance for me is the Capoeira between two men, they mock fight and it is all in the dance, very aerobic. Friendly people, always there to give you a hand and to greet you. Most of them are poor but they seem to enjoy life to the full. No samba's here only the African drums.
Barra is a more upscale part of Salvador on the southern tip of the peninsula. The people here seem to have more money to spend. The shopping malls are big, but expensive. Give me the old town any day. The transport system in Salvador is very efficient, busses are regular and clean, and for very little money, one can travel all over town. Taxis are in abundance and inexpensive.
The big advantage of Salvador for our yachties are the large cruising area of the Baia de Todos os Santos. [The bay of Salvador] There are lot's of anchorages, all within a few hours sailing from Salvador. They are protected and peaceful. We sailed to the Island of Itaparica and anchored in the bay close to the marina. With our bicycles, we explored the island. The river or Rio Parguaqu is big and deep, well marked and big ships use it all the time. We went as far as Maragogipe, anchored in the river opposite the town and had three peaceful days. Saturday morning market is a must, with delicious fresh fruits and vegetables.
That's all for now

St Helena Island to Salvador Bahia

2006-05-06T20:40:00.000+02:00

Easter weekend on St Helena Island was a relaxing time for all on board. The crew went to explore the Island and gave me time to do some maintenance. Had a packing to replace on the rudder shaft and change oil and filters on the main engine. Saturday night the crew treated me to a dinner at the local hotel and as Menno was celebrating his birthday the next day it gave us a good excuse to have two bottles of Neville Dorringtons superb red wine from his private cellar at Rijks Ridge. A good time was had by all and we made friends with Bert and his crew from Holland journeying to his home town. Anns place was temporary closed due to her awaiting a knee operation but I had the opportunity to see her again after 18 years, some photos were taken and the crew spend some time paging through her books and reading about passing yachts. The RMS dropped anchor at 06h00 on Tuesday morning and after buying fresh bread and cool drinks we had to say our goodbyes to Madeleine, and left the Island at 13h30 for Brazil.
We had good wind for the first six days and logged some good mileage, doing some days 140/150 miles. Then mother nature started playing her tricks and gave us very light winds for the rest of the passage, the last 120 miles we had to motor sail.
On the 28th we celebrated Grahams birthday and he was spoiled all day. June cooked us a terrific dinner and we washed it down with a bottle of Laborie Merlot.
We arrived in Salvador in Thursday 4th May and everyone welcomed the fact we could tie up in the Marina Centro Nautico in Salvador. No more watches, what a relief !!! We soon made friends and Bruno, the manager was helpful, giving us general information. We joined two other RSA yachts in the marina, Taurus, a Muira owned by Richardt & Lilly and Ukulele Lady a Shearwater 39 with Nick & Lynette on board. It gave me a chance to speak Afrikaans again. The people in Salvador are very friendly but language is a problem as no-one speaks English.
We discovered a superb restaurant and treated June to a wonderful dinner. The Cenac is a training restaurant for apprentice chefs and waiters. We enjoyed the best buffet that one can imagine. Plans are to stay in Bahia area for the next 3 - 4 months, explore the islands and the rivers, so much to see and do in this beautiful country. I will just have to get used to the high humidity and the heat but it 's a small price to pay. All for now, until later .....

First leg Port Owen to St Helena Island

2006-04-18T19:02:00.000+02:00

As we slipped the lines at Port Owen at 12h30 on Saturday 1st April 2006 our emotions were mixed as we left our loved ones behind and looking forward to the unknown. We had fair winds and celebrated Sunday with a roast dinner, living like the rich & famous. The crew quickly settled into the routine of watch-keeping but Monday evening greeted us with rough seas and big swells with wind speeds gusting to 25knts+ By midnight we were surrounded by lightening storms offering a display like fireworks. Mila sailed on untouched by the weather and Tuesday morning the sea was calm enough to attempt the first laundry! The next couple of days brought varied wind speeds and directions resulting to motor sail most of the time. We valued the peace when the engine was switched off and we were able to sail. Mila did us proud and sailed beautifully. A sooty albatross and a storm petrol enjoyed our company on the ocean until Thursday, but Friday, everything changed as were sailing directly into a storm. By 03h00 we were underway with bare poles 30knts+ wind, rough seas, 12m swells and achieving speeds of + 10knts. The crew didn't revolt but took to their bunks and watched the radar screen for the next 36hrs. The rains washed the decks so the crew didn't have to! The following morning the sea state was fair and we were welcomed by Atlantic dolphins playing at the bow. Everyone settled down again, the sails were raised and we sailed on but the next 2 days brought changing wind directions so we were kept busy alternating the sails. Our passage certainly was varied with us achieving 155nm on our 9th day and only 95nm on our 12th day! Milo, the cat adapted well to the sailing, slept most of the way and found a new delicacy - flying fish. He cleaned the deck every morning! Within 100 miles of the island the wind died and we had no option but to motor the last day of the first leg of our adventure. On arriving at 07h30 on Saturday 15th April 2006 we were greeted warmly by Customs, Immigration and Port Control on St Helena Island. Last but not least we have to mention the great efforts of our 6th crew member, he never sleeps, doesn't eat much and safely navigated Mila through stormy conditions. He took over control as we left Port Owen and handed over as we came to anchor at St Helena Island. His name is George and he is our autopilot. That's all for now - we'll update you during our next leg to Salvador.

Sailind our first leg

2006-03-28T21:35:00.000+02:00

Plans are to set sail on Saturday 1/4/2006, weather permitting, on our first leg from Port Owen to St Helena.
The crew will be myself as skipper.

Madeleine Norman.
Madeleine is married to Mike, they have twin sons and they live in Veltdrif. She loves sailing and this will be her first crossing. She is going as far as St Helena Island, and returns with the RMS St Helena on the 18th April.

Graham & June Challanger
Graham and June are old sea dogs and have done a lot of sailing. They own a yacht in Royal Cape named Danline, a house in England and in Cape Town. June is the best galley slave that one can wish for. They are joining me to Salvador.

Menno Reinders.
Menno is from Holland and a backpacker, loves to travel. He has traveled all over the world overland, but this is his first sail crossing. He is young and friendly and I think he will enjoy the crossing on Mila with us to Salvador.

I will keep you posted about our sailing in the updates.
All for now until later.

Updating Sailing Plans

2006-01-12T09:50:00.000+02:00

Hi Just an update on our sailing plans. We are planning to leave Port Owen around the first of April to be in time for the RMS St Helena leaving the island on the 18th of April. I have friends joining me for the first part of the cruise to St Helena Island. Will keep you posted on who the crew will be.