Harmattan on the beach, Dakar, Senegal

Harmattan being pulled onto the beach for maintenance, Dakar, Jan 2013.

My new view from the cockpit. In the evening, the beach is full of youngsters playing soccer. In the background an abandoned yacht.

Generally, sailors think that once beyond the Canary Islands getting things done on your boat is complicated and expensive. Here at the yacht club in Dakar however, they haul your boat out of the water at a fraction of the costs of an European marina.

Omar (right) and Tyson (left), two experienced boat workers who did almost all the work.

Applying the first layer of primer

Five more layers to go..

The works can be supervised from the yacht-club's terrace..

Parc Zoologique de Hann (Dakar), Jan 2013.

I am not a big fan of zoos; the picture of this depressed chimpanzee pretty much explains the reason why.