31 Dec 2012
From Dakar I sailed to Banjul and up the river Gambia, to Bintang Bolong. Yesterday I sailed back to Dakar in a strong Harmattan breeze and under a full moon. Pics of Gambia and Senegal will follow soon.
Cheers and Happy New-year!
Paul
Monday, 31 December 2012
Tuesday, 18 December 2012
Cape Verde to Senegal
Sao Nicolao, Sao Vicente and Sao Luzia
From there I set course to Santa Luzia, and uninhabited island with a beautiful beach and anchorage. I arrived in a pitch-dark night, and dropped anchor between the shore and a rock called Ilheu Zinho. The next morning I got up early and watched the sunrise while having breakfast and set sail again to continue to Santa Maria on Sal.
The next morning, just after sunrise, I hoist the anchor and continue my trip to Dakar. After having cleared the south tip of the island, I go into the cabin to prepare something to eat. After a while, I mean to hear voices. Now, hearing voices at sea when you are sailing alone is quite a common thing. Somehow, the brain converts certain noises of the sea and of the boat into voices, I guess to compensate for the lack of hearing real ones. This time however, the voices become screams. In a flash, I realize what is going on and jump into the cockpit. There, just in front of the bow, lies a small wooden fishing vessel at anchor with two fishingmen waving and shouting at me! I steer hard to starboard and we make an abrupt 90 degrees turn, avoiding the fishing vessel by not more than a meter. I put my hands on my chest and apologize to them in Spanish. When the two men see what a fright I had they start to laugh and wish me a 'boa viagem'.
Dakar!
Two and a half days after I left Sal,even before the Cap Vert of Dakar is in sight, I can smell the city!
I visited Dakar exactly 12 years ago, when I traveled over land from Benin to Europe. At that time, I promised myself that one day I would come back in a sailboat. It is a great feeling approaching the African continent, it really feels like coming home.
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Touring in a minibus around the island of Sao Nicolao, Cape Verde, 27 November 2012. |
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| High up in the hills of Sao Nicolao, the picturesque village Praia Branca |
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| Ribeira Brava |
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| Preguica |
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| Sailing along with the Dutch yachts Blues and Mero to Mindelo on Sao Vicente |
6 December 2012, leaving Mindelo
The past week a strong Harmattan was blowing and the marina got more crowded every day. Now that the weather has settled, many boats are commencing the crossing of the Atlantic to the Caribbean. I however, I am leaving the 'Dutch fleet' for now and I am going -in the opposite direction - to Dakar. The get-togethers with the fellow Dutch sailors here and on Sal were great fun. Yet, it feels good to be on my way alone again. From Mindelo I sailed as close as possible to the coast of St Vicente passed by the lighthouse at Ponta Machado/
From there I set course to Santa Luzia, and uninhabited island with a beautiful beach and anchorage. I arrived in a pitch-dark night, and dropped anchor between the shore and a rock called Ilheu Zinho. The next morning I got up early and watched the sunrise while having breakfast and set sail again to continue to Santa Maria on Sal.
On my way to Santa maria on Sal. Sunset in the evening and sunrise the next morning
Catching this bonito shortly before arriving at Santa Maria was spectacular! When I noticed I got a bite I held the rod in one hand and eased the mainsheet with the other in order to slow down the boat. When the boat was sailing at around 3 knots, I started to reel in the catch. From the strength of the pull I could tell it was not a very big fish. Moreover, I could see its flanks reflecting the sunlight in the blue water. Then all of a sudden, I also saw a dark shadow, and 2 seconds later a dorsal fin. I immediately realized that I was not the only one wanting this bonito for dinner. I reeled in as quickly as I could, but the black shadow was too fast and for a moment the pull was so strong I could only hold the rod in place with two hands. A few seconds later, I was able to reel in again (it later appeared it had bitten off one of the 4 hooks). Determined not to let go of my dinner I reeled in so quickly the bonito jumped above the water. My competitor however, was not giving up that easily either and I could see it coming to strike again. This time the bonito was only a few meters away from the stern, and now I could see that the black shadow was a marlin of around 2 meters! It made one more attempt, almost hitting the stern, missed by an inch, made an incredibly quick u-turn slapping its tail above the water and disappeared into the deep
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| Me cooking, a rare event.. |
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| Stunning skies at Santa Maria, Sal |
The next morning, just after sunrise, I hoist the anchor and continue my trip to Dakar. After having cleared the south tip of the island, I go into the cabin to prepare something to eat. After a while, I mean to hear voices. Now, hearing voices at sea when you are sailing alone is quite a common thing. Somehow, the brain converts certain noises of the sea and of the boat into voices, I guess to compensate for the lack of hearing real ones. This time however, the voices become screams. In a flash, I realize what is going on and jump into the cockpit. There, just in front of the bow, lies a small wooden fishing vessel at anchor with two fishingmen waving and shouting at me! I steer hard to starboard and we make an abrupt 90 degrees turn, avoiding the fishing vessel by not more than a meter. I put my hands on my chest and apologize to them in Spanish. When the two men see what a fright I had they start to laugh and wish me a 'boa viagem'.
Dakar!
Two and a half days after I left Sal,even before the Cap Vert of Dakar is in sight, I can smell the city!
I visited Dakar exactly 12 years ago, when I traveled over land from Benin to Europe. At that time, I promised myself that one day I would come back in a sailboat. It is a great feeling approaching the African continent, it really feels like coming home.
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| At Club Voilier de Dakar 13 December 2012 |
Friday, 23 November 2012
Sal, Cape Verde
Palmeira, Sal
Anchored in front of the famous windsurf and kite spot of Santa Maria, Sal.
Windsurfing between the beach and the boat(photographs by Timo from Ile du Nord)
Anchored in front of the famous windsurf and kite spot of Santa Maria, Sal.
Windsurfing between the beach and the boat(photographs by Timo from Ile du Nord)
Thursday, 22 November 2012
Canary Islands - Cape Verde
Only two hours after my departure from La Gomera I saw a black object not more than 30 meters from the bow. A rock!? I immediately switched off the autopilot and tried to avoid whatever it was I was about to collide with. While doing so, I realized that the possibility of a rock in 2km deep water was very unlikely. When the object was only 10 meters away, just to the left of the bow, I thought it was some kind of huge cylinder. An old sea mine!? When I passed it by, the tip of the approximately 6 to 7 meter long pitch-black object was not more than 3 meters away from me. Then all of a sudden, the object started to move; it was a whale! It slowly lifted its head and (I guess) stared at me. I could not believe my eyes and it felt like I was witnessing the existence of Nessy*. The whole event did not take more than a minute or so. When I looked astern shortly afterwards, I saw the whale still had not moved away from its position, and I could see misty air coming from its blowhole. I have seen whales before, but they would always start to swim away once they feel the presence of a boat. This was the first time I actually saw one that did not bother to move at all. That night my catnaps were even shorter than they usually are..
*The monster of Loch Ness
The following photographs were taken from a passing french yacht, around 200 miles off the coast of Nouadhibou, Mauritania. Other images of the crossing to Cape Verde are with the kind Cape Verdean who stole my camera from the table at a bar in La Palmeira..
*The monster of Loch Ness
The following photographs were taken from a passing french yacht, around 200 miles off the coast of Nouadhibou, Mauritania. Other images of the crossing to Cape Verde are with the kind Cape Verdean who stole my camera from the table at a bar in La Palmeira..
Monday, 5 November 2012
Tuesday, 16 October 2012
1) South Portugal 2) Portugal - Canary Islands
From Lisbon, I sailed to Ilha da Culatra where I spent a few relaxing days anchored off the coast.
From Ilha da Culatra to Vila Real I got company. Apparently, he (or she) could not be bothered with the loud rock music I was playing at that moment. Needless to say I was rewarded for my hospitality with bird droppings through the entire cockpit.
From Ilha da Culatra I sailed to Vila Real and, up the Guadiana river, to Alcoutim. The trip up river was an interesting experience after all the sailing at sea: no waves, no wind, no swell, just watching the scenery go by while sipping on a cold beer. On 6 October, I sailed back from Alcoutim to Vila Real and spent the day getting the boat ready for the crossing to the Canary Islands.
Evening 1 to 5:
Sailing downwind in cross-seas made the boat rolling heavily. Setting the spinnaker pole in these circumstances requires full concentration.
The Islands in sight on the sixth day
And here should have been some stunning images of the island taken from the mountain I climbed yesterday, had I not dropped my camera in the 15 meters deep water..
From Ilha da Culatra to Vila Real I got company. Apparently, he (or she) could not be bothered with the loud rock music I was playing at that moment. Needless to say I was rewarded for my hospitality with bird droppings through the entire cockpit.
From Ilha da Culatra I sailed to Vila Real and, up the Guadiana river, to Alcoutim. The trip up river was an interesting experience after all the sailing at sea: no waves, no wind, no swell, just watching the scenery go by while sipping on a cold beer. On 6 October, I sailed back from Alcoutim to Vila Real and spent the day getting the boat ready for the crossing to the Canary Islands.
Portugal to Canary Islands
I left Vila Real in Portugal on Monday morning 8 October and arrived - safe and sound - at Isla Graciosa (Canary Islands) on Saturday evening 13 October. 6 days of non stop sailing, my longest solo trip so far.Evening 1 to 5:
Sailing downwind in cross-seas made the boat rolling heavily. Setting the spinnaker pole in these circumstances requires full concentration.
Left to right, right to left down wind...
The Islands in sight on the sixth day
And here should have been some stunning images of the island taken from the mountain I climbed yesterday, had I not dropped my camera in the 15 meters deep water..
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