East African sailing trip – log 55
SAILING LOG55
October 23, 2004
After a lengthy discussion, Wolf and I decide not to follow our friends on Manatee, as they head for Pemba Island. We want to explore more of Zanzibar, knowing that the chances of ever getting this experience again are slim. Wolf’s brother and wife will be visiting soon and we plan to meet up with them. Rhett heads into Stone Town to clear out and get the required transire to proceed to Pemba.
We have a farewell dinner on Karibu and exchange our photographs, return all the borrowed items and square off all unsettled accounts. They present us with the rain-catcher tarp which has been a blessing in helping catch rain water, as a parting gift. We sadly bid them fair winds and safe passage as we are not sure whether we will catch up with them on this trip.
Our times together have been unforgettable; we have learned so much from them and will be ever grateful to them for allowing us to tag along from Bazaruto in Mozambique all the way to Zanzibar. We have shared laughter and sadness, sickness and health, becoming great friends in the process.
That is the most difficult part about sailing – saying goodbye to so many wonderful people we meet on our travels. Friendships are made much quicker on the sea, probably because of the affinity of similar circumstances which bonds seafarers together. The kinship is instant, we talk the same language (not literally – but figuratively) one of hardships, trials, storms, perfect sunrises, loneliness, fear and courage. We will miss seeing yacht Manatee’s mast-light close-by each night and hearing Rhett’s good-humoured voice booming out across the water.
The gentle effect of this lowest dosage give a glimpse of positive results on ED and free viagra no prescription only 10% have gone through the treatment. If a person feels pain or any illness, the doctor visit over here purchase cheap viagra simply prescribes medicines and that is it. Grapes check out my pharmacy levitra prescription are a great natural laxative. Micro-Chinese Medicine can block the further damage to kidneys, repair the damaged but reversible kidney units, rebuild the normal kidney structure. purchase cialis from india He surprises one last time as they sail passed Karibu and he shouts “goodbye Karibu – kwa Heri!”…Filled with sadness we wave goodbye as they head off north towards Pemba. Emptiness covers us like a blanket. Our mood is quiet and solemn, but we do not allow ourselves to stay like that. We decide to weigh anchor and head to Mawi Island where we anchor on a patch of sand near a small outcrop of corals.
We don our snorkeling gear and swim around looking at all the marine inhabitants who reside among the colorful corals and sponges. The air is balmy and the water sparkling clear. We are in our element. We love to snorkel. Wolf suggests that we grab a few brushes and get rid of the growth that has attached itself to the hulls.
What a job! What we think should take about half an hour involves a ton of work and leads to the unexpected… The hulls are covered in algae and barnacles and it takes all our strength trying to remove it in the water. We are busy scraping when wolf points to my legs – they are covered in creepy crawly crustaceans. I look at him and notice that he too is covered.
We shoot out onto the dive platform trying to brush them off as quickly as possible but they stick to us. Wolf’s chest is covered they are clinging to his chest hairs. I am frantic… jumping, hitting, brushing, toweling – we try flushing them with fresh water from our deck shower. We take out the soap and scrub ourselves from head to foot, using liters and liters of precious fresh water. Wolf brings out the magnifying glass and we inspect the little culprits closer. Wolf thinks they are tiny crayfish –I guess Mantis Shrimp – whatever they are they are awful and thriving in the vegetation growing on the hulls… Yuck…Yuck… Yuck!
We make immediate plans to beach Karibu on an isolated Island and clean the hulls.
We spend a lovely afternoon enjoying the beautiful new surrounding and manage to replace some of the water we used ridding ourselves of the unwelcomed creepies, when a generous cloud bursts over us and fills our waiting rain-catcher – followed by a spectacular sunset as soon as the cloud passes.